Other action
Also during its meeting Thursday, the Dawson County commission approved the following:
• A special use permit for the local United Way to serve alcohol at a barbecue fundraiser Oct. 6 in Pigeon Creek Estates.
• Southern Correctional Health as the medical director for the Dawson County Detention Center at a cost of $5,000 per month.
• Holding public hearings on sending an update of the county's annual Capital Improvement Element to the regional commission for review.
• K.A.R.E. for Kids' request to use the government center's parking lot Oct. 27 and 28 for the annual Mountain Moonshine Festival.
•Downtown Development Authority and Dawson County Park & Rec's plan to use the government center parking lot Oct. 27 for a movie night. The one-time drive-in event is free.
• An amendment to the agreement with the city of Dawsonville for street-road repair and maintenance and a street-road cleaning service delivery strategy.
• An insurance settlement of $29,000 for an emergency services SUV that was damaged in a crash.
• A $20,000 settlement for water damage at Dawson County Station 2
• Also: The commission voted against implementing an energy excise tax.
An effort to tighten restrictions on restraining dogs is on hold in Dawson County.
County commissioners did not discuss the matter Thursday after the president of the local humane society revised her request.
In August, Carolyn Bowen, asked the commission to consider adopting a law that would make it illegal to restrain a dog for longer than three hours.
Instead of a full ban on tethers, she asked commissioners Thursday to consider an ordinance that would prohibit the use of chains without a dog run line.
"We obviously would like a full ban. We realize this is a rural area," said Bowen, who cited severe animal abuse cases as the need for an anti-tethering law.
Last month, Planning Director David McKee told commissioners the county's current animal cruelty laws address neglect issues and noted there have been no documented local cases of animal abuse in regards to tethering.
The measure was on the agenda for discussion during the commission meeting, but did not receive a motion to move forward.
Bowen said the humane society's board would continue to make "baby steps" to address the matter.