January 20th Mayor and Council Meeting Notes

Wednesday, January 21st, 2026

The Dalton Mayor and Council met on Tuesday night for their third session of January. The meeting began with a packed house as the Council recognized four state champion soccer teams from the Dalton Parks and Recreation Department. The young players and their families filled the most of the seats in the Raymond A. Elrod Council Chambers for the celebration of their wins in last month's Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) state tournaments. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF TUESDAY NIGHT'S MEETING

The four state championship-winning teams added more trophies to Dalton's legacy as "Soccertown, USA", following in the footsteps of multiple GHSA high school championship winners and also fellow GRPA title winning teams from Dalton Parks and Rec. The DPRD's 10-U Girls All-Stars were recognized for their championship along with the 8-U, 10-U, and 12-U Boys All-Stars. Each player's name was read aloud and each was presented with a certificate of achievement by the Mayor and Council. The DPRD's two other state championship teams were recognized at the December 15th meeting of the Mayor and Council. Click here for photos from last night's celebration. To watch video of the state championship celebration, click here. 

Caption: A large crowd packed Tuesday night's meeting of the Mayor and Council to cheer on four state championship teams from the DPRD

During the public comment period, Dalton business owner Melissa Williams spoke again about her complaints about noise emanating from the DejaVu night club in downtown Dalton. Williams owns a building adjacent to the club and says that her tenants have complained about the noise multiple times. Williams also spoke at the January 5th Mayor and Council meeting to complain about the issue. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 

During Tuesday night's meeting, the Council voted to: 

• Enact Resolution 26-02 to join the Limestone Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council - The CIty's move to join the Limestone Valley Council, which used to be a federally-funded program and is now an independent non-profit agency. The LVRCDC's mission is to enhance communites within an 11-county area that includes Whitfield County, my promoting conservation, water quality improvement, natural resource education, and sustainable agriculture. By participating with the LVRCDC, the City will have access to project management services, grant management support, and also have a voting seat on the council's board. Membership in the LVRCDC costs $1,500 a year, paid from the General Fund. To read Resolution 26-02, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve the resolution (the Ward 2 Council seat is currently vacant, and Mayor Annalee Sams typically only votes in the event of a tie). To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Enact Resolution 26-03 to accept grant funds from the LVRCDC for a litter collection device - The LVRCDC applied for a grant from Georgia Rivers for use to install a litter collection device on Mill Creek adjacent to the former Mill Creek Water Treatment Plant. Due to time constraints, the LVRCDC applied for the grant on behalf of the City and Resolution 26-03 creates a partnership to accept the device from LVRCDC and for the City to install the device and maintain it as well as provide reports of the trash removed for a period of two years. To read the resolution, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve the resolution. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Enact an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Downtown Dalton Development Authority to employ a Special Events and Community Engagement Coordinator - The DDDA's executive director position has been a City employee leased to the DDDA since January 1st, 2012. The new IGA terminates that agreement and employs the former executive director (Candace Eaton) as the City's Special Events and Community Engagement Coordinator, also assisting the DDDA with event planning and support of DDDA initiatives, coordination of downtown marketing, and administration of the Main Street Program as well as other services. To read the IGA, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve the IGA. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Execute a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dalton Utilities for high mast lighting at the Rocky Face interstate interchange - The existing high mast lighting on the I-75 interchange at the Rocky Face exit is reaching the end of its useful life. The MOU is a 10-year agreement for Dalton Utilities to purchase and install new lighting as well as perform maintenance, repairs, and operational support as well as power for each fixture until September 2035. At that time, Dalton Public Works will take over maintenance of the lights. The cost is $24.74 per light per month, which will cost $25,234.80 annually paid from the Public Works budget. After the 10-year term, the billing will shift to a electrical consumption-only rate. To read the MOU, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve the MOU. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Award a construction contract for the Temple Beth-El Memorial Park project - After a competitive bid process, Complete Site, LLC's bid to construct the memorial park scored the highest and the Public Works Committee recommended awarding them with the construction contract. The project will create a memorial park on the site of the former Temple Beth-El synagogue on Valley Drive with marker exhibits honoring the historic impact that Jewish residents have made on Dalton. The project will be centered around a central pond that will double as a stormwater management feature. The cost of the construction contract is $1,329,459 paid from bonded capital and the general fund (if necessary). The contract calls for substantial completion within 120 calendar days of the notice to proceed. To view the contract, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to award the project. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Approve an amendment to Task Order #5 for the N. Glenwood Avenue Drainage Improvements Project - The amendment, Task Order 005B, is to cover additional costs due to expansion of the design scope of the project to reduce flooding concerns along N. Glenwood Avenue. The Public Works Committee authorized contractor Arcadis to explore alternate storm drain sites and further drainage improvements outside of the original project scope. The cost of the amendment is $5,000 which is being paid from the project budget. To read the task order amendment, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Approve a professional services agreement for bridge inspections and assessments - The professional services agreement with Atlas Technical Consultants, LLC is to assess the condition of four bridges within the City and to identify repairs required to property maintain the structures. The bridges to be inspected are the Lakemont Drive bridge over Tar Creek, the Chattanooga Avenue bridge over Mill Creek, the Hospital Access Road bridge over Mill Creek, and the Hospital Access Road bridge over the CSX Railroad. The cost for the agreement is $30,853.13 to be paid from the Public Works Department's contract services budget. To view the professional services agreement, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Approve the 2026 Equitable Sharing Agreement with the US Department of Justice - The Dalton Police Department participates in an agreement with the US DOJ to receive seized assets as part of joint investigations. The agreement requires annual approval by the Mayor and Council. To view the agreement, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Award a contract for the July 4th fireworks display - As part of the annual July 4th celebration, the Dalton Parks and Recreation Department sponsors a professional fireworks display. This year, after a competitive bid process the winning bidder to perform the show was Pyrotecnico which has performed the show for the past 10 years. The cost of the contract is $36,200 which is paid from the DPRD budget. To view the contract, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to award the contract. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Approve Change Order #8 for the Hangar Development Project at the Dalton Municipal Airport - The contract change order with Integrated Builds, LLC was made to cover installation of three "Knox boxes" on each of the new hangar buildings which were not part of the original plans. The boxes allow the Dalton Fire Department to access keys to the facilities in case of emergencies. The cost is $1,692.28 which is being paid from cost underruns in the project budget. To view the change order, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Approve Budget Amendment #5 to the 2025 General Fund Budget - The budget amendment is being made to reflect additional revenues from the Dalton Utilities and Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority transfer payments, as well as increases the budgets for the City Clerk's Office, Administrative Services (elections), and Municipal Court (contracted services) which came in over budget and were covered by budget underruns in the Police Department and Administration. The amendment also covers interest adjustments to various SPLOST funds and bonded capital funds and allocation of those funds to projects. To view the budget amendment, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Approve Budget Amendment #1 to the 2026 General Fund Budget - The budget amendment is being made to adjust the commercial insurance expenditure estimates to the actual commercial insurance costs (the additional $97,000 is being paid from the contingency fund) and also to move over leftover budgets for uncompleted 2025 projects to the 2026 Capital Improvements Program Fund. To view the budget amendment, click here. The Council voted 3-0 to approve. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Approve two new alcoholic beverage license applications - The new applications were for pouring beer, wine, and liquor (restaurant) for Logan's Roadhouse #427 at 811 Walnut Square Boulevard and pouring beer, wine, and liquor (restaurant) for Big Time Billiards and Cafe at 1129 S. Thornton Avenue. Both applications were approved by a 3-0 vote of the Council. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 
• Appoint Representatives To The Joint Development Authority - The Council voted 3-0 to re-appoint Frank Robertson to a 1-year term on the JDA (expiring January 31st, 2027) and to appoint Brian Cooksey to fulfill the unexpired portion of Bob Caperton's 3-year term on the JDA (expiring January 31st, 2028). To watch this portion of the meeting, click here. 

The next Mayor and Council meeting will be on Monday, February 2nd, 2026. 

Click "Play" in the window below to watch Tuesday night's meeting