Gwinnett County commissioners on Oct. 6 approved two road and pedestrian contracts worth up to $5.8 million combined, four federal and state grants totaling up to $2.4 million, and a permit for a 184.1-foot telecommunications tower, each by a 4-0 vote, according to the board’s unofficial minutes. Chair Nicole Love Hendrickson and Commissioners Kirkland Carden, Ben Ku and Matthew Holtkamp voted yes. Comm. Jasper Watkins III was absent.
The larger road contract goes to Ohmshiv Construction for a pedestrian improvement project from McDaniel Farm Park to Satellite Boulevard, at up to $3,648,881, paid from various SPLOST programs. CMES Inc. will build an improvement at the intersection of Cooper Road with Moon Road and Hope Hollow Road, at up to $2,122,601.80. That project is funded 89.2% by SPLOST programs and 10.8% by the Water and Sewer Renewal and Extension Fund.
The grants are $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice for training criminal justice professionals on crimes involving abuse of people age 50 and older, up to $1,546,284 for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, $58,644.63 from the Georgia Trauma Commission to reimburse trauma equipment, and $47,600 from the Fiscal Year 2025 Homeland Security Grant Program, through the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, for the Technical Rescue Team. The minutes say each is fully funded by the grantor.
The tower permit, for 4100 Five Forks Trickum Road, would replace an existing tower on the adjacent property. The permit was tabled on Sept. 22, and the record notes that a public hearing was held. Commissioners approved it Oct. 6 with stipulations, on a motion by Ku seconded by Carden. The minutes do not list the stipulations.
The board also approved a contract of up to $698,334 for basketball courts at Lenora Park, a contract of up to $923,419.56 for HVAC replacement at Fire Stations 27 and 28, and an agreement to accept two drones donated by the Gateway 85 Gwinnett Community Improvement District. Every item above except the tower permit was on the consent agenda, where each carried a motion by Holtkamp, seconded by Carden, and a 4-0 vote.