Walker County Government to Participate in Operation Green Light in Support of Veterans
Walker County Government will join a national campaign in support of military veterans during the week of Veterans Day. As part of Operation Green Light, several county buildings will be illuminated green November 7th through the 13th.
The new national collaborative is spearheaded by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers to raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by many veterans and the resources that are available at the county, state, and federal level to assist veterans and their families.
“By shining a green light, we hope our veterans will know they are seen, supported and appreciated,” said Shannon Whitfield, Chairman, Walker County Board of Commissioners. “We are grateful for their sacrifices and want our more than 4,000 veterans and their families to know their service mattered.”
The Walker County Courthouse and Walker County Board of Commissioner’s office in LaFayette, as well as the Local Government Services building and areas of the Civic Center campus in Rock Spring will be coated in green light from dusk to dawn.
In addition to lighting select county buildings, residents and businesses are encouraged to participate by changing one light bulb in their home to a green bulb. This can be an exterior light that neighbors and passersby see, or an interior light that sparks a conversation with friends. Residents can share their participation on social media using #OperationGreenLight.
“Operation Green Light is a simple way to express our collective appreciation for the public service of our veterans,” said NACo President Denise Winfrey. “We encourage everyone to join us in displaying a green light for our veterans and to also reflect on how we, as a nation and at the county level, assist our military service personnel back into civilian life upon completion of their service to our country.”
The Georgia Department of Veterans Services operates a field office in Walker County. The office is located at 101 E Patton Street in LaFayette and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Servicemembers, veterans and their families can contact the office at 706-996-8056.
Early Voting Underway for the November 8th Election
Early voting at the Walker County Courthouse is available weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. now through 11/04.
Satellite locations for early voting in Rock Spring, Rossville, Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain are also open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through 11/04.
Rock Spring - Georgia Northwestern Technical College
265 Bicentennial Trail
Building 500-Student Center
Rock Spring, GA 30739
Rossville - Rossville Civic Center
400 McFarland Avenue
Rossville, GA 30741
Chickamauga - Chickamauga Civic Center
1817 Lee Clarkson Road
Chickamauga, GA 30707
Lookout Mountain - Lookout Mountain City Hall
1214 Lula Lake Road
Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
On countywide election days, voting will be at regular precinct locations from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The traditional election day this fall is November 8, 2022. Sample ballots are available to review online.
Logic & Accuracy Testing of Election Equipment in Walker County
Danielle Montgomery, Walker County Director of Elections, explains the Logic & Accuracy Testing that goes into making sure all voting equipment is working properly before each election.
Transit Saturday Service Ends November 5
With the season changing and Daylight Saving Time coming to an end this weekend, Walker Transit's Saturday service will make one final round of rides this Saturday, November 5th.
Monday through Friday service will continue to operate without any changes, between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling (706) 375-0803. Reservations must be made at least one day prior to a trip.
Lane Shift Coming Next Week
The contractor replacing the existing structurally deficient bridge over West Chickamauga Creek on Highway 27 near the Walker/Catoosa County line has advised the county that a lane change will be implemented next week. Traffic is scheduled to be shifted to the newly built section of the bridge on Tuesday, November 8th.
Motorists should exercise caution when encountering this area, as the initial lane change will lead to minor travel delays and may take most of the day.
The project is scheduled to be completed by April 30, 2023.
Walker County Awarded Employee Safety Grant
Walker County was recently awarded a $6,000 Employee Safety Grant from ACCG – Group Self-Insurance Workers’ Compensation Fund (ACCG-GSIWCF). The Employee Safety Grant program rewards local governments that foster a culture of workplace safety through additional training, equipment or services.
This marks the fourth time Walker County Government has received this award, resulting in roughly $27,347 to help the county reinvest in safety equipment. Funds from this latest award will be invested in binder lifts for first responders, supplies for AED devices at county offices and Glowear rain jackets for team members who work outdoors.
"We are pleased to offer this grant program to assist members in their safety efforts," said Fredrick Favors, Chairman of the ACCG-GSIWCF Board of Trustees and a McDuffie County Commissioner. "The opportunity to receive the Employee Safety Grant is one of the many benefits of participation in this member-owned workers' compensation program."
ACCG-GSIWCF provides workers’ compensation insurance to more Georgia county governments than all other insurers combined and manages assets of approximately $289 million. Since 1985, the program has returned more than $109 million in dividends to the membership.
Morning Pointe at Happy Valley Breaks Ground
Have you noticed the construction near Rossville Middle School? Phase 1 of Morning Pointe at Happy Valley officially got underway in October!
The 82 unit senior living community will create 200 permanent healthcare positions in Walker County when it opens in early 2024, with an estimated positive economic impact of $35 million annually, considering payroll, property taxes and local purchase of goods and services.
The single-story campus will cover 67,000 square feet and include 58 assisted living apartments and 24 memory care apartments specially designed for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss. Decorations in the building will celebrate the history of Walker County, as well as the Happy Valley Farm and its legacy. Construction costs are estimated at $14 million.
Welcome to Walker County, Morning Pointe Senior Living!
Did You Miss Our Rural Broadband Townhall?
Nearly 3,400 homes and businesses in unserved and underserved parts of Walker County will, for the first time, be equipped for high-speed fiber internet.
The nearly $11.3 million project to provide fiber internet to LaFayette, Kensington, Noble, Villanow and nearby parts of Walker County is expected to be completed by 2024. It is the result of a public–private partnership between the county and Kinetic.
The county will use $6.3 million in grant money from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program, part of the federal American Rescue Plan, to enable Kinetic to lay 323 miles of underground optical fiber cable. Kinetic will invest more than $5 million.
Fiber internet technology transmits data through hair-sized glass fibers at speeds exceeding other broadband technologies.
“This project will serve many of the unserved and underserved in our community,” said Shannon Whitfield, Chairman, Walker County Board of Commissioners. "It is difficult to accept there are still places in the county where the internet can only be accessed for school or work by using a dial-up modem, if there is any internet connection at all."
State Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, said, “Access to rural broadband has become essential. It will be just as important as electricity and water. Our children need it for online learning opportunities, our farmers and small businesses need it to run their operations, industry needs it to grow, and our residents need it for telemedicine, grocery shopping and to stay connected with the community.”
“When we say, ‘High Speed for Here,’ we mean LaFayette, Kensington, Noble and Villanow and neighboring parts of Walker County,” Kinetic state operations President Michael Foor said. “We mean equal upload and download speeds and a strong, reliable connection to meet this important community’s evolving demands for business and entertainment.”
Households and businesses may visit GoKinetic.com to find out if they are eligible for a speed upgrade and learn how Kinetic can meet their home or business needs. They can also visit the Kinetic Connection Center retail store at 615 S. Thornton Ave. in Dalton or call 706-279-7000.
Kinetic’s Walker County fiber project is part of a $2 billion multiyear capital investment strategy to dramatically expand gigabit fiber service across Kinetic’s 18-state footprint.
Kinetic’s superfast, reliable fiber connections in Walker County empower residential customers to gig speeds to navigate the internet safely from home with no lag times while they work, participate in virtual classrooms or stream entertainment services. Businesses from small to enterprise size can take advantage of the fiber-backed network to deploy solutions that make their companies more efficient and profitable such as OfficeSuite UC® and SD-WAN.
To learn more, visit GoKinetic.com.
Project Update: McLemore
Scenic Land Company, parent company of the McLemore resort community on Lookout Mountain delivered information regarding economic impact factors related to the launch of multiple developments at McLemore, including The Cloudland Lodge, a 245-room Curio by Hilton hotel, conference center and spa.
Led by Scenic Land Company president Duane Horton, the team updated residents on McLemore’s international recognition and accolades, investments and planned enhancements, property tax benefits, and employment opportunities at The Cloudland Lodge.
The Cloudland Lodge and connected amenities are scheduled to open in February 2024. Over 400 job opportunities are anticipated to be created at McLemore by 2025.
In addition to The Cloudland Lodge, McLemore’s management believes what began with the current 18-hole Highlands Course, clubhouse, short course, putting course, and luxury home communities has opened doors for the development of a second golf course named “The Outpost.” The 18-hole, cliff-edge Bill Bergin and Rees Jones designed course is planned to open concurrently with The Cloudland Lodge.
At its completion, guests of The Cloudland Lodge will experience elevated cliffside views across McLemore Cove and Pigeon Mountain, a trio of dining options, world-class spa and fitness room, two world-class 18-hole golf courses, cliff-edge terraces and numerous outdoor amenities.
Duane Horton, president of Scenic Land Company, notes that international recognition of the project and its on-going momentum have attracted investors and institutions looking for reliable investment opportunities like McLemore. “The vision of our investors and board has allowed us to make a positive impact on the local tax base. Property values within McLemore and tourism numbers in the area have risen significantly over the past four years. This is good news for the people of Walker and Dade Counties and those working in tourism and hospitality in the region.
“We are extremely optimistic about employment growth and opportunities at McLemore. When we acquired the property in 2017, less than 50 individuals were employed at the location. Today, 150 employees work at McLemore,” notes Horton. “Our goal is to have 300 employees when The Cloudland Lodge opens in February 2024. That number will continue to grow as the McLemore community grows.”
Current employment opportunities at McLemore and The Cloudland Lodge provide benefits to the citizens of Walker and Dade Counties, the McLemore Community, and families within the surrounding five-county region.
Jobs at The Cloudland Lodge range from administrative and general, to sales and marketing, housekeeping, guest services, food and beverage, engineering, grounds maintenance, and other departments. Working with Valor Hospitality, a plan is in place to provide jobs that will offer competitive pay, healthcare, and 401(k) plans with a matching program.
Marc Bauer, managing director of McLemore Club said, “Our goal is to provide jobs that will encourage career growth opportunities at an internationally recognized location. We plan to have 75 positions as the Lodge opens, with another 75-100 added as the success of the property grows.”
“I want to encourage anyone interested in employment at The Cloudland Lodge to stay up-to-date on news and information about the project by registering for quarterly progress updates that will include future job fairs,” notes Horton. (Sign up for updates HERE.)
The efforts of the McLemore management team have garnered numerous accolades for the destination, including being named a “Top 10 Greatest Finishing Holes in Golf” and “Top 10 Single Course Destination” by LINKS magazine. McLemore’s Highlands Course made Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Greatest Public (Access) Courses,” “Top 3 Best Courses You Can Play in Georgia,” and “The Best Finishing Hole in America Since the Year 2000.”
McLemore maximized these accolades by establishing successful “Stay & Play” and “Friends of McLemore” programs, offering even more opportunities to bring guests to the site known for a stunning view overlooking McLemore Cove and Pigeon Mountain.
“We are building a community that will offer an array of experiences for our guests as well as residents and members,” said Horton. “McLemore’s location is set within a population of over 14 million people living within a two-hour drive. It is an easy drive for our guests from Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham and Huntsville, not to mention the 28 Fortune 500 companies headquartered within this two-hour radius. I am confident what is good for McLemore will be great for the region.”
Walker County Government offices will be closed November 11 in observance of Veterans Day, as well as November 24-25 in observance of Thanksgiving.
