The City of Baldwin is working to upgrade its water infrastructure after a string of water main failures and extended outages. In addition to authorizing the pursuit of a loan from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) for infrastructure repairs, the city council approved the designation of an emergency.
Public Works Director Scott Barnhart spoke about the problems impacting service, especially on Baldwin Mountain, at the July 8 city council meeting.
He said, “We’re dealing with someone’s installation from 65 years ago.” According to Barnhart, he discovered water lines that were improperly buried. For some lines, the backfill consisted of just rock fragments placed on top of the line.
He claimed that an impending project would assist in removing air from the water lines in order to facilitate quicker repairs in spite of these problems. Along the Mountain System main line, seven two-inch air relief valves will be placed in different locations.Residents of Baldwin are informed about the water line breaks by Scott Barnhart, director of Baldwin Public Works. Mullis, Chaz./NowHabersham.com
When we get our next break, these repairs will be a huge assistance, Barnhart added. I won’t say whether or not we will take another hiatus, but I will say when we will, as it will happen again.
A half-million dollar loan
In order to put a cased water pipe beneath Highway 441, the city of Baldwin is looking for a $545,000 loan, according to Emily Woodmaster, chief administrative officer. The city was recently granted permission by the Georgia Department of Transportation to excavate beneath the road in order to install the new line.
Baldwin Mayor Pro Tem Alice Venter credited District 50 State Sen. Bo Hatchett with helping the city secure funds for the new water line project. Hatchett assisted city authorities in contacting the Georgia Rural Water Association, GEFA, and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.
“I definitely want to give credit where credit is due,” Venter said, comparing it to having your older brother step in and say, “Okay, let’s go.”
A win win for Baldwin Elementary
In other business on Tuesday, the council authorized a new intergovernmental agreement between the Habersham County School District and the Baldwin Police Department that will give Baldwin Elementary School with a full-time school resource officer starting in July 2025.
According to Baldwin Police Chief Chris Jones, there have been nine school resource officers for a long time. Thus, Baldwin was one of the five schools that received a partial SRO.Patrick Franklin, the superintendent of Habersham County, responds to inquiries on the intergovernmental SRO agreement between Baldwin and Habersham. Mullis, Chaz./NowHabersham.com
By designating a full-time Baldwin Police Department officer specifically to Baldwin Elementary, the new agreement modifies that. Jones described the formation of the partnership: Sheriff [Krockum] of [Habersham] inquired a few months ago if we would be interested in supplying Baldwin Elementary with an SRO. An SRO from our police department to that school would be fully funded by the Habersham County Board of Education. That struck me as a brilliant concept.
The contract’s provisions guarantee that the school district will pay the officer’s whole salary, benefits, training, and required equipment. The officer will continue to be chosen and supervised by the Baldwin Police Department.
Habersham County Superintendent Patrick Franklin, who was present at the meeting, stated that win-win situations are rare in government. However, I see a win-win situation here.
The school system is dedicated to making sure the appropriate fit is found, Franklin continued, saying, “We take pride in finding the right person and the right fit for our county’s SROs.”
Unless either party terminates with at least sixty days’ notice, the agreement goes into effect immediately and is renewed annually.
The city council also adopted the city’s SPLOST VIII project list at Tuesday’s meeting.
