Members of the Dalton City Council voted 3-0 Monday to approve the purchase of a $2.2 million ladder truck for the fire department through Sourcewell, a buyers cooperative representing more than 50,000 local governments and school systems across the country.
Council member Dennis Mock was absent, and Mayor Annalee Harlan Sams typically votes only when there is a tie.
The money for the purchase will come from funds from the four-year, $80 million Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) voters approved in May. It will take approximately three years for the city to receive the truck. The city will not pay until the truck is delivered.
A SPLOST is a 1% tax on most goods sold in a county. The money it generates can be used for capital projects and some other items but not operating expenses.
A 2020 SPLOST is for four years and has collected more than $66 million. It will expire on Sept. 30, and the new tax will start being collected on Oct. 1.
The council members also voted 3-0 to:
— Accept a $2.525 million grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation for rehabilitation of the taxiway and lighting at Municipal Airport. This grant requires a local match of $841,667. The design for this project has already been funded under a previous grant and is underway. Construction will likely start in mid-2025.
— Deny a request by Teresa Acevedo to rezone from medium-density, single-family residential to high-density residential 0.4 of an acre at 407 Sassafras St. Council member Steve Farrrow said he is familiar with the street and it “definitely has a single-family residential feel to it.”
— Deny a request by JFP Properties Group to rezone from medium-density, single-family residential to rural residential 0.26 of an acre at 702 Northview Drive. The property is undeveloped and the owner wants to build a duplex.
— Approve a request by Velky Reyes to rezone from heavy manufacturing to rural residential 0.21 of an acre at 512 Abigail St. The rezoning brings the house on the property into compliance with the zoning.
— Approve a request by Manny David to rezone from rural residential to transitional commercial 0.19 of an acre on Frances Street. The rezoning brings the commercial use of the property into compliance with the zoning.
— Approve a request by Nancy and Dagoberto Hernandez to rezone from heavy manufacturing to general commercial 0.71 of an acre at 417 Sheridan Ave.
City offices will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 2. The next City Council meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 3.