NEWTON COUNTY — The Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton Counties (JDA), which oversees the Stanton Springs industrial and technology mixed-use development near Social Circle, is continuing its search for a consultant to advise it on fire protection needs.

Late last year, as concerns over the need for fire protection and emergency services within Stanton Springs became a focus for the JDA.

Stanton Springs currently hosts biopharmaceutical manufacturer Takeda, a Meta (formerly Facebook) data center, and is set to become home to a Rivian electric vehicle manufacturing facility – the authority assembled a fire committee to look into the issue.

The committee consulted with fire departments within the authority’s four counties, but ultimately decided that it needed outside help to come up with a fire protection and emergency services plan.

JDA members learned at their Tuesday meeting that Shane Short, president and CEO of the Development Authority of Walton County, and Ben McDaniel, the Development Authority of Walton County’s vice president for economic development, were continuing their search for a consultant to help with developing a fire protection and emergency services plan for Stanton Springs.

On a related note, the JDA learned Tuesday from its Finance Committee that some authority funds are being set aside for possible future construction of a fire department within Stanton Springs.

Also at its meeting, the JDA approved continuing with the $1 million general liability insurance policy it has had through the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.

The new annual premium, due July 1, is $11,001, up from the current year’s premium of $9,635. One reason for the increase is the fact that the JDA is now responsible for a three-mile road in Stanton Springs, authority members learned.

JDA counsel Andrea Gray told the authority that a search had been undertaken for a new insurance carrier, but none could be found that were willing to take on the authority.

Gray explained that the JDA is unlike more typical governmental organizations like municipal or county governments, which could explain the difficulty in getting liability insurance quotes.

In other business, the JDA decided to renew its relationship with a media relations firm on a month-to-month basis to handle what Gray called “an uptick” in media inquiries regarding Stanton Springs. The JDA discontinued its relationship with the media relations firm some time ago as a money-saving move, Gray explained.

Under the $5,000 monthly contract, which can be canceled by either the authority or the company with 30 days’ notice — and was approved unanimously Tuesday for 30 days by the authority —the media relations firm will, among other things, serve as the on-the-record spokesman for the JDA.

According to Gray, recent inquiries on Stanton Springs have come from national media and other outlets.