Published: July 21, 2008 09:26 pm      

Whitfield County plans to renovate park, buildings

Changes may be coming to the Tunnel Hill historic park and two Whitfield County buildings.

The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved three contracts totaling $85,799 to upgrade Administrative Building No. 2, the Emergency Services Building and the Tunnel Hill park. The vote was 3-0. Commissioner Greg Jones did not attend the meeting and chairman Brian Anderson votes only to break ties.

Dalton-based American Consulting Professionals will conduct engineering and permitting services for the Tunnel Hill historic park, which is adjacent to the Western and Atlantic Railroad tunnel, at a cost of $37,049. The county plans two walking trails and other additions.

Atlanta-based MACTEC will perform a feasibility study to expand and upgrade Administrative Building No. 2, which is across from the courthouse at the corner of King and Selvidge streets, for $33,750. Commissioners hold their business meetings there. The building, which is a former church, needs significant upgrades, county administrator Bob McLeod said. It needs to be weatherized, made handicapped accessible, and have the plumbing and bathrooms redone.

Dalton-based Carlson-Jones Architects will design development and construction plans to expand the Emergency Services Building, which is on Professional Boulevard, for $15,000. McLeod said the building needs to be expanded since staffing and the facility’s operations have grown.

All projects will be funded by the county’s capital budget.