COVINGTON, Ga. — Commissioners have given county officials the green light to prepare a grand ending in December for Newton's Bicentennial year.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved a $20,000 contract with Pyrotecnico for the Bicentennial Birthday Bash Fireworks Display Dec. 18.
The funds are coming from a $75,000 budget the Board approved earlier this year for Bicentennial events celebrating the county's 200th birthday.
County officials received bids from three companies. Two offered $20,000 shows but Pyrotecnico offered additional items for the same amount, including shells that will illuminate the number "200" in the sky, said county spokesman Bryan Fazio.
Bicentennial Committee member Latonja Hamp told commissioners the 15-minute "high impact" show will include a total of 768 shells, including 320 shells during the main show and a 420-shell finale "which gives us the magnitude practically of a Macy's Christmas tree lighting display" or Covington's annual Fourth of July display, Hamp said.
"This event is going to be the event of the year," she said.
Hamp said the cost was $20,000 but "the good news is you only turn 200 years old one time."
"This is the first and only time in our lifetime that we will ever be presented with this opportunity," Hamp said.
Fazio said the Pennsylvania-based company is very familiar with Newton County and its-safety regulations after creating a number of Fourth of July and Lighting of the Square shows for the county and Covington in the past.
In other action, the Board of Commissioners approved the county government's request for a rezoning for construction of a travel center at I-20 and Georgia Hwy. 11 in east Newton.
The county requested the rezoning from a mix of Highway Commercial (CH) and Agricultural Residential (AR) designations to CH on the entire site covering 46 acres in the southeast corner of I-20's exit to Georgia Hwy. 11.
The rezoning is part of an agreement between the Board of Commissioners and developer Jones Petroleum for the company to build a facility defined as a "travel center" and designed for casual or non-commercial travelers with a retail store and at least two fast-food restaurants.
Jones and property owner Jack Davis filed a lawsuit against the Board of Commissioners to appeal its February denial of the company's rezoning request for construction of a facility defined as a "truck stop" catering primarily to over-the-road tractor-trailer operators and their 24-hour work schedules.
They agreed to drop the lawsuit and build a travel center in exchange for the rezoning needed to build it.
County commissioners recently approved changes to the zoning ordinance that essentially will ban construction of truck stops in most parts of unincorporated Newton.
Jones Petroleum will be required to use brick on the facade of the building and create a 100-foot buffer between its parking lot and Hwy. 11 — among other special conditions and requirements for new construction in the Brick Store overlay zoning district in which it is located.
Also Tuesday, the Board approved a $99,981 contract with Bliss Products & Services for new playground equipment for Fairview Park in west Newton County.
Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds reserved for general parks and recreation needs will be used to cover the cost, said County Manager Lloyd Kerr.
Fairview Park is a county-owned facility located inside a subdivision off Fairview Road about three-quarters of a mile east of the Rockdale County line.
The equipment will be separated into two distinct age-appropriate areas. One area will cover about 2,700 square feet and feature equipment designed for 5- to 12-year-olds such as a double-velocity slide, five-foot horizontal loop ladder, parallel bars and other youth-oriented play equipment. The other will cover about 1,000 square feet and include equipment designed for adult fitness with stations for push-ups, chin-ups and knee lifts; a cardio walker and similar equipment.
District 3 Commissioner Alana Sanders has focused on upgrading the park since taking office in January because it is one of the few publicly owned recreational facilities in her commission district. Her motion for the contract was approved unanimously.
The Board on Tuesday also:
• Approved the county GIS Department's request for a contract with GeoComm Inc. for consulting support on a project to prepare the city-county 911 system for Next Generation 911 data standards.
Officials said the support is needed to help prepare the system for an upgrade designed to provide more accurate location of emergency callers who use cellular phones rather than the current system which dates to when land-line telephones were the primary phone source.
The county government and cities within Newton that are part of the 911 system are sharing the $222,413 cost.
• Approved the Newton County District Attorney’s Office's request for renewal of the Victim of Crimes Act (VOCA) grant to help cover the costs of filling Victim Advocate positions held by Cindy Hooper, Gabriela Arredondo and Leslie Smith; and the Victim Compensation Advocate position held by Ellen Bales.
• Approved the Newton County Sheriff’s Office's request to apply for a Naloxone grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to allow it to give the drug Narcan to individuals who have overdosed on opioids or other similar drugs.
• Approved the Newton County Sheriff’s Office's request to accept the 2021 State Homeland Security Award in the amount of $19,036 from the state Emergency Management and Homeland Security office.
