October 20th Mayor and Council Meeting Notes
Tuesday, October 21st, 2025
The Dalton Mayor and Council met Monday night for their second scheduled meeting of October. The meeting was highlighted by the confirmation of Haliyma Jones as the new director of the City's Human Resources Department. Jones was named last month as the sole finalist for the position. She succeeds Greg Batts who retired earlier this month.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF MONDAY NIGHT'S MEETING
Haliyma Jones joined the City of Dalton in the summer of 2022. She holds a master's degree in public administration from Florida International University and a bachelor's in organizational management from Indian River State College. She has also earned certification from the Society of Human Resources Management as a certified professional (SHRM-CP). Before coming to Dalton, she worked in the HR Department for St. Lucie County, Florida for three years, starting as an HR specialist and then earning promotion twice to an HR analyst position. She then worked for two years as an HR coordinator for Signal Centers in Chattanooga. Since coming to Dalton, she has worked closely with Batts to develop the City's compensation and benefit strategy related to recruiting and retention of staff. She has also performed as the acting HR director in Batts' absence. Jones was selected as the sole finalist for the HR director position after a competitive selection and interview process with more than a dozen applicants for the position.
Caption: Haliyma Jones (left) poses with Mayor Annalee Sams after being confirmed as the City of Dalton's HR director
"It's with great pride that we present (Haliyma Jones) this evening for confirmation to begin her appointment to this position," City Administrator Andrew Parker said after presenting a list of Jones' accomplishments to the City Council. The Council voted 4-0 to approve Jones' appointment. Mayor Annalee Sams typically votes only in the event of a tie. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
The Mayor and Council also voted to approve a rezoning request for a tract of land on Walston Avenue. Ordinance 25-22 rezones the property from high density residential (R-7) to rural residential (R-5). The request from David Armstrong was made to allow the construction of single family residences and duplexes. Planning Commission staff recommended approval of the request, and after a public hearing the Commission recommended approval. To read the staff analysis, click here. To read a summary of the Planning Commission meeting, click here. The ordinance received a first reading at the Mayor and Council's meeting on October 6th. The Council voted 4-0 to approve the rezoning. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
At Monday night's meeting, the Mayor and Council also voted to:
- Approve Change Order #6 for the Dalton Municipal Airport Hangar Development Project - The change order adds some features to the design plans for two hangars under construction at the Dalton Municipal Airport which planners were prepared to not include in the project if funding was not available. Thanks to cost underruns in both projects, these features are being added as part of Change Order #6. The change order adds a bathroom to the 62' X 60' hangar and also an oil/water separator to treat storm water runoff discharges from the 120' X 85' hangar. The total cost of these changes is $25,340..70 which is being paid from surplus funds left in the original project budget. To view the change order, click here. The Council voted 4-0 to approve the change. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
- Approve a traffic control change for Clark Street - This change adds on-street parking on the south side of Clark Street between Trammell Street and W. Hawthorne Street. In June, the entirety of the area was designated as a no-parking area, but the neighboring Creative Arts Guild requested that a section of the street be designated for parking due to a need for extra parking at the Guild. The change adds an additional 10 spots that can be used as spillover parking. The Council voted 4-0 to approve the change. To view a diagram of the new parking area, click here. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
- Approve a traffic control change for West Hawthorne Street - This change creates an all-way stop for the westbound and eastbound approaches of Hawthorne Street as it approaches the corner of the Creative Arts Guild property. This all-way stop allows for the installation of a mid-block pedestrian crossing, for which there would be inadequate sight distance for drivers without such a stop. To view a diagram of the change, click here. The Council voted 4-0 to approve the change. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
- Approve Change Order #3 for the Franklin Street & Valley Drive Stormwater Bypass Project - The change order would add the installation of curb and gutter on Franklin Street from Valley Drive to the western dead end of the road. This section of the road has never had curb and gutter installed. Residents in the area have requested the addition which would provide uniformity to the entirety of Franklin Street. This change order was originally discussed at the October 6th meeting of the Mayor and Council but it was tabled after both Councilmember Steve Farrow and Mayor Annalee Sams recused themselves from a vote because they had family members who owned property affected by the change and there was not an adequate quorum without their votes. The change costs $84,905 paid from the project budget and it extends the completion date for the project by an additional four weeks to December 1st, 2025. The extended timeline also will allow Dalton Utilities to perform work in this area before the street is repaved. To view the change order request, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve the change order, with Councilmember Farrow abstaining. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
- Approve the purchase of server equipment and storage hardware for the IT department - This purchase agreement updates the department's infrastructure which was in dire need of updates. The CIty's current server environment is outdated according to IT Director Jorge Paez, and the purchase of the new HPE server and storage hardware will get the City's computer systems up to date. The cost of the equipment is $254,894 which is being paid from the City's Capital Improvements Project budget. The Council voted 4-0 to approve the purchases. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
- Approve Budget Amendment #4 for the City's General Fund Budget - The budget amendment reduces the General Fund balance by $993,345 primarily due to Resolution 25-18 which was approved in September and grants a loan to Well House Dalton, formerly known as the Dalton Housing Authority, for the development of the new income-based housing development known as Walton Fields Phase 1. The amendment also increases revenues in the confiscated asset fund to reflect higher-than-budgeted collections and estimates interest earnings through the end of the year for 4 funds and places grant funding from GDOT into the Airport's budget. To view the budget amendment, click here. The Council voted 4-0 to approve. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
The Mayor and Council's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 3rd at City Hall in the Raymond A. Elrod Council Chambers.
