FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The normally uneventful process of appointing members to a committee quickly erupted into an embarrassing 30 minutes of angry shouting, accusations of “manipulation” and “dirty” tactics at the Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday.

Furious about the way the nominating process for members of the Development Authority was conducted, Commissioner Laura Semanson said, “This is not the way it was supposed to go. If that is the way we’re going to do this, count me as a no vote on all nominees. This is something that was pulled off at the last minute and I am not okay with it.” She argued that each commissioner was to have a nominee and that each one would receive an up or down vote

Chairwoman Cindy Mills

Chairwoman Cindy Mills reminded her that the process the Board agreed to provided that the first two nominees to receive a simple majority vote would receive the appointment.

Semanson and Commissioner Molly Cooper proposed writing the five nominees’ names on a piece of paper then ranking them to determine the nominations but the county attorney said the rules the Board adopted do not provide for that.

An irate Semanson then claimed the process had been “manipulated by someone with an agenda.” Mills answered, “If it was manipulated, it wasn’t by me. To my knowledge no one manipulated it.”

Clayton Rhodes, Commissioner Todd Levent’s nominee, and Grant Schmelk, Cooper’s nominee, eventually received the at-large appointments by a majority vote.

Semanson then sarcastically told Levent, “Good you got your way, but it was dirty.”

Commissioner Alfred John, who just came onto the Board in January, tried to defuse the situation saying, “It is not becoming of us to keep going on and on. It’s decided. Let’s move on.”

The Board also approved:

·        Awarding the bid for construction of Lanierland Park Phase 2 to Astra Group in the amount of $14,820,000 plus a $200,000 contingency;

·        The purchase an Eventide Netlog 740 Recording System through Quality Recording Solutions, LLC for the E911 Department under a State of Georgia Contract in the amount of $208,396.34;

·        The purchase of replacement membranes for the Manor Water Reclamation Facility from Suez Water Technologies in the amount of $234,446.00;

·        Awarding the bid for construction of Lanierland Park Phase 2 to Astra Group in the amount of $14,820,000 plus a $200,000 contingency;

·        A  Task Order with NOVA Engineering and Environmental for Lanierland Park Phase 2 Geotechnical and Construction Inspections for the Department of Public Facilities in the amount of $98,405;

·        The purchase of one new Crafco Super Shot Diesel Melter for the Department of Roads and Bridges from Reynolds Warren Equipment in the amount of $69,645.00;

·        The purchase of one new Compact Loader for the Department of Water and Sewer from Bobcat of Atlanta in the amount of $78,885.73;

·        The purchase of three new Front Loaders for the Department of Parks and Recreation from Mason Tractor in the amount of $88,466.44;

·        The purchase of three new Compact Loaders for the Department of Parks and Recreation from Bobcat of Atlanta in the amount of $122,103.53

·        Awarding the design/environmental services contract for a multi-use trail on Pilgrim Mill Road, Holtzclaw to Tidwell Park Entrance for the Department of Engineering to American Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $628,600.00;

·        Awarding the bid for  Audio Visual System Upgrades for two (2) Juvenile Courtrooms to Conference Technologies, Inc. in the amount of $64,161.94;

·        A Final Response Time to Reconciliation Letter between Jacobs and Archer Western Construction regarding the Fowler Water Reclamation Facility Expansion;

·        A Memorandum of Understanding between the Improving Community Preparedness to Assist Victims of Mass Violence and Domestic Terrorism: Training and Technical Assistance (ICP-TTA) and Forsyth County;

·        Adoption of a Waterline Extension Policy to define a process for extending water service to existing, developed areas that do not currently have access to the Forsyth County public water system;

·        The design and build project for a Customer Service Facility at the Sexton Hall Campus with authorization for this Project to be included in the existing contract for the Sexton Hall Site Master Planning with Lose Design. The new Facility will serve as the replacement for the Sharon Springs Tag Office and provide services for the Tax Assessors’ Office and Department of Water and Sewer to assist the residents in South Forsyth. The estimated cost for the Project is $2.5M;

·        A discussion and possible direction regarding amendments to the Unified Development Code related to Special Event Facilities and Agritourism;

·        A discussion and possible direction regarding proposed amendments to the Unified Development Code regarding Pools and Accessory Structures to move to a public hearing;

·        An offer from Georgia Transmission Corporation to acquire an easement across County property located at 7385 Browns Bridge Road;

·        A discussion and possible direction regarding moving alcohol application approvals to an administrative process;

·        Postponement of a request by the Board of Registrations and Elections for an increased meeting per diem and monthly expense account;

·        A Right to Enter Agreement with Anson Logistics Assets, LLC to accommodate wall construction for Parcel 7 of the Ronald Reagan Boulevard Extension Project;

·        A review of a Short Term Rental Permitting Ordinance.