Gilmer County’s 20 dams are in good condition.
Board of Commissioners Chair Charlie Paris, true to his words, dropped off copies of the 20 inspection reports to the Times-Courier.
“The main thing is for people to not worry,” Paris said.
His visit to the Times-Courier office was prompted by a story in the newspaper Dec. 4, 2019, following an Associated Press story and interactive map which listed the dams in Gilmer County as being in poor condition. It also said the dams had not been inspected in 2019.
Paris disputed the fact. Now, he has the documentation to prove it.
“Really, in looking through it, everything looks good,” he said. “They’ve told me they are all safe, and they are all in good condition.”
Some notations have minor issues, mostly dealing with removing brush from the dams, which is the responsibility of Gilmer County. Or, at least, it was.
A 20-year agreement between the county, Limestone Valley Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission ended Dec. 31, 2019.
Under the agreement, Paris said the county would mow and clear brush from the dams once a year, usually in the winter when the road crews cannot pave.
Inspection reports contain items about removing brush, Paris explained, because the mowing is done in the winter, but inspections occur throughout the year.
He says the dams should probably be mowed twice a year.
Paris wants to renegotiate the maintenance agreement. He just wants to make sure the language about Gilmer County’s responsibilities are clear.
“We don’t mind mowing and doing routine maintenance, but I don’t want to be responsible for the overall well-being and upgrades.”