Dalton council joins Limestone Valley RC&D and accepts Georgia Rivers grant for Mill Creek litter device

Dalton’s mayor and council on Jan. 20 approved a resolution to join the Limestone Valley Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council and voted to accept a Georgia Rivers grant to place a litter-collection device on Mill Creek.

City staff told the council the Limestone Valley partnership would give Dalton access to below-market project management and grant-management support and would provide the city one voting seat on the RC&D board. "The cost of joining as a voting member is $1,500 per year," a city presenter said during the meeting.

On a separate resolution, staff described a time-sensitive grant that Limestone Valley applied for and received from Georgia Rivers to purchase and install a litter-collection device adjacent to the former Mill Creek water treatment plant. "They were awarded that grant in the amount of, I believe, just over $50,000," the presenter said. Under the partnership plan, Limestone Valley will purchase and deliver the device; the city will assist with installation, maintain the device and provide Georgia Rivers two years of reports quantifying removed litter.

Council members approved both measures by voice vote. The resolutions authorize city staff and the city administrator to execute any documents necessary to finalize the membership and the grant partnership and to manage the device’s installation and reporting obligations.

The measures are intended to reduce downstream litter and to expand the city’s access to technical and grant writing assistance through the RC&D partnership.