NEWTON COUNTY—At the Feb. 2 Newton County Board of Commissioners meeting, the commissioners unanimously approved a number of items related to fire services and infrastructure projects.
Newton County Fire Services (NCFS) was given the go-ahead to apply for several grants.
A Congressionally Directed Spending Program Grant, an Assistance to FireFighters Grant and a Firehouse Subs Grant are being sought to improve medical equipment in the department. Specifically, the latter two grants will help NCFS purchase Lucas CPR devices.
NCFS also received approval to apply for the FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant of $180,000. If awarded, NCFS indicated that the money will be used to purchase a new fire safety education trailer. As part of the grant requirements, the county will have to match 5% of the grant, which is $9,000.
Seeking to build a third Life Jacket Loaner Station to help prevent drownings, NCFS requested board approval to apply for the $5,000 Walmart Community Grant. Two Life Jacket Loaner Stations were installed at Factory Shoals Park in September 2025, stocked with adult, kid and youth life vests. Those stations were also funded by a Walmart grant.
NCFS also received commissioner approval to purchase a new Heavy Rescue Apparatus for over $1.3 million and required equipment for $500,000. Per the meeting agenda, the purchase will be funded through the Capital Fund.
Additionally, NCFS received approval to apply for a Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Grant.
During the meeting’s designated time for public input, a resident commended NCFS for its efforts to find and apply for grants.
“I’d like to silently applaud our fire chief for going after grants,” said Dennis Taylor. “Grants is what relieves the pressure off property tax and small businesses, and he’s—I’ve been here time and time, and he’s going after these grants. These grants help him get his people what they need to work with and that helps us, as citizens of Newton County, for them to protect us safely.”
Commissioners also voted to move forward with two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs).
The first was between the board of commissioners and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Interim County Manager James Brown told the board that this was a recurring annual contract to support Newton County Extension Office’s services.
The second MOU is with the Georgia Department of Transportation. In this MOU, the commissioners agreed that the county will contribute $75,000 to the Henderson Mill Road Bridge Replacement Project.
Per the agenda, the funding for this project was budgeted. The bridge project is approximately one mile north of the Newton/Jasper County line.
The commissioners also authorized the chairman to execute an agreement for Phase 1 of the 2025 Bridge Maintenance and Repair Project. The agreement is with Comanche Construction of Georgia, LLC.
The agenda states that the total cost is over $1.7 million. Of that, $1 million was budgeted and will be utilized from the general fund. The remaining $727,806.85 is funded from the 2023 SPLOST.
In his capacity as director of water resources, Brown also spoke on two items related to the Williams Street Water Treatment plant, which is in the process of being decommissioned.
One agenda item was the consideration of the Stantec Construction Professional Services contract for over $1.9 million in pre-construction services and over $1.7 million in post-construction services. Funding for this project is set to come from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), which is budgeted.
Due to the high cost, the board will not vote on this item until two readings, so no action has been taken on it yet.
“This is the engineering services to—so we have to have engineers to design the deconstruction, the rehabilitation to City Pond, and this also is going to do the rehabilitation to the raw water pump station and diverting that water to Lake Varner,” Brown said.
A second similar item was the consideration of Reeves & Young contract for Construction Manager at Risk Services. This cost is $75,000, also budgeted and funded via GEFA.
Being of a lower cost, this item received unanimous board approval.
