The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted to authorize Chairman Wade Johnson to file an application for a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for the construction of a senior citizens’ center.

The action was taken at the regular meeting of the commission held Thursday, February 11.

According to Chairman Johnson, “If we are awarded the grant, this means we will get a $430,000 building for $10,000 in matching funds.

“The senior citizens program is currently based in The Lincoln Center and feeds an average of 127 people each week,” he continued. “Every day, the staff and seniors have to move the tables and pack up their crafts in case the building has been rented for the evening. If we get this grant, they will have a place of their own.”

When it comes time to award the block grants, Lincoln County will have an edge because the building will be situated on county land, possibly at the Curry Colvin Recreation Complex on Rowland-York Road.

In other business, the commission voted to give the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce $2,500 in hotel/motel tax revenues to promote the first-ever Georgia Grill & Chill festival.

The event will be held Saturday, April 24, from 12 until 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 194 Fairgrounds, off of the Augusta Highway.

The focus of the festival will be a steak grill-off and wine tasting.

A story about the Georgia Grill & Chill appears elsewhere in this edition of The Lincoln Journal.

In addition to the advertising funds, the commission likewise granted the chamber a temporary permit to sell beer and wine during the festival.

A minimum of two deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office will be on duty. Moreover, each person who comes through gate will be “carded” and fitted with a colorcoded wristband, which will let vendors know if the individual is a minor.

In further business, the commission:

.. Voted to contribute $2,500 in hotel/ motel tax funds toward promoting the second annual Clark Hill Outdoor Expo set for Saturday, May 22, at the legion fairgrounds.

Last year, the event attracted 2,000 visitors, 48 vendors, and 13 exhibitors.

It also raised approximately $7,000 for the Lincoln County Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy.

Regardless of income, each child registered with the foundation receives a free book every month in the mail until his fifth birthday. The program also offers parents materials that deal with the importance of reading to their child as well as monthly tips on how to maximize the educational potential of the books.

Lincoln County Family Connection is the sponsor of the expo.

.. Heard the Office of Emergency Services (OES) Report given by Director Casey Broom, who said that ambulance personnel responded to 93 calls for service during the month of January. The average response time was 8.2 minutes.

In other items of information, Director Broom stated that the county’s new ambulance has yet to be delivered.

“I visited the company to see how things were going and the frame had not been mounted on the chassis. The same held true two weeks later, although the box had gone to the paint booth.”

He went on to point out that purchase order for the ambulance was issued on October 10, and the company guarantees 60 to 100-day delivery on all trucks.

“I expressed my concern that the company had not met the elements of the contract and was told that there was a typo in the delivery date on the RFP – it read 2010 instead of 2009,” said Director Broom.

After negotiating with the company, Broom was assured that the ambulance is on the fast track and will be delivered the week of February 22.

.. Heard the Recreation Department Report given by Kathie Davis, who indicated that the basketball program would begin the week of February 15 and end the week of March 15. Games will be played at the LCES Gymnasium on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings. Thirty-four children are enrolled in the program.

In an update on the county gymnasium, Director Davis said several tests were recently conducted to measure moisture under the gym floor.

Concerning the slab humidity test, eight sensors, which were placed around the gym floor area, registered readings ranging from 85 to 93 percent. The normal range is below 75 percent.

Davis mentioned that engineers also cored two holes approximately 30- inches deep, one in the gym area and one in the hall to check for water under the building. Water was present in both spots.

.. Reviewed the Finance Department Report submitted by Director Bussey.

.. Heard the Public Works Department Report given by Director Roby Seymour, who stated that his office billed 1,355 water customers and 491 “availability” customers a total of $50,791.96 for the month of January.

Concerning the road department, Seymour said his staff has been busy hauling rock, crush-and-run, and asphalt; unstopping pipes; working on potholes, driveways, and road signs; bush-hogging; working with the paving crew on Jones-Martin Road; scraping roads; removing trees from roadways; and working at the inert landfill.

.. Reviewed the Planning and Zoning Department Report submitted by Director Seymour, who stated his office issued 37 business licenses last month for a total of $2,450.

Regarding code enforcement, 21 building permits were issued during the month of January for a total of $1,333, and 37 building inspections were conducted.

.. Voted to sign a new contract with the United States Army Corps of Engineers calling for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office to patrol corps land, with the exception of the Cherokee Recreational Area and Park Way. The revised contract was necessary because the county is now managing the two properties listed above.

.. Voted to initiate the process of abandoning a portion of the Fred R. Prater Parkway. The road leads to the Knox Scout Reservation, which has experienced problems with vandalism, and deeding the road to the scouts will allow the area to be secured.

The Georgia-Carolina Council of the Boy Scouts of America has agreed to cover all of the legal fees associated with the abandonment process.

.. Voted to pay off the county’s current lease and then lease copiers from PRONET at an annual cost of $28,800, which represents a savings of roughly $5,400 a year.

.. Voted to reappoint Evelyn Norman to serve on the Library Board.

.. Voted to reappoint Coleman Kennedy to serve on the Planning Commission.

.. Voted to reappoint Joe Willis to serve on the Recreation Authority.

.. Voted to appoint Dr. Alcye Hawes to serve on the Development Authority. She will fill the term of Robert Hearst, which expires December 31, 2012.

.. Voted to release a maintenance bond for the waste water system at the Serenity Pointe subdivision.

.. Voted to enter into executive session to discuss three legal matters. Upon returning to regular session, no action was taken.

The next regular meeting of the commissioners will be held Thursday, March 11, at 6 p.m. in the courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse.