PICKENS COUNTY

PICKENS COUNTY GEORGIA

2025 ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction............................................................................................01 Meet the BOC.......................................................................................02 Organizational Chart ....................................................................03 Human Resources...........................................................................04 Budget........................................................................................................05 Tax Revenue..........................................................................................06 SPLOST.......................................................................................................06 Elections....................................................................................................07 Recycling..................................................................................................07 Recreation...............................................................................................08 Water...........................................................................................................09 Roads............................................................................................................1 0 GIS....................................................................................................................1 0 Planning & Development.............................................................1 1 E-911.................................................................................................................1 1 Fire & Rescue..........................................................................................1 2 Fire Marshal..............................................................................................1 2 Marshal & Animal Shelter............................................................1 3 Sheriff’s Office........................................................................................1 4

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4 9 10 14

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WRAPPING UP THE YEAR A WORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN It is my honor to present the 2025 Annual Report, highlighting the achievements of the past year. Our county continues to grow and thrive, thanks to the hard work of our employees, the dedication of our local leaders, and the incredible support of our community.

Pickens County is not just a great place to live and work—it’s a place where people feel connected, where businesses flourish, and where we’re committed to building a bright future.

As we continue to invest in infrastructure, services, and economic growth, we remain focused on preserving the small-town charm that makes Pickens County special.

We are proud of all that we have accomplished together, and we look forward to another year of progress while maintaining the values that define our community. Thank you for your support and for making Pickens County a place we can all be proud to call home.

KRIS STANCIL CHAIRMAN

YEAR 2025

01

Kris Stancil Chairman

Josh Tippens Post 1 Commissioner

Josh Tatum Post 2 Commissioner

OUR MISSION To provide a transparent local government focused on consistently protecting the soul of our community, while working towards smart economic growth and the greatest quality of life for all who choose to make Pickens County their home or destination.

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Benefits are offered through the above companies to all full-time employees of Pickens County.

345

FULL-TIME

58

PART-TIME

152

TEMPORARY

41

SEASONAL

586

TOTAL EMPLOYEES

FINANCE 2024 REVENUES $38,826,834 TAXES - $28,756,984 LICENSES & PERMITS - $713,753 INTERGOVERNMENTAL - $3,198,781 CHARGES FOR SERVICES - $5,422,896 FINES & FORFEITURES - $251,816 INTEREST - $21,347 OTHER - $461,256

2024 EXPENDITURES $37,164,439

In 2024, Pickens County came in under budget by $1,662,395.

Any additional funds at the end of a fiscal year will roll into future projects in the following years.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT - $5,743,973 JUDICIAL - $5,487,334 PUBLIC SAFETY - $19,101,864 PUBLIC WORKS - $4,394,781 HEALTH & WELFARE - $276,972 RECREATION - $1,040,611 LIBRARY - $499,450 HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT - $619,454

BREAKDOWN OF EXPENDITURES

The Pickens County Finance Department received recognition of excellence in financial reporting for the second year in a row.

All numbers are pre-audit and are subject to change.

TOP

TAX

06

REVENUES

PROPERTY - $16,039,035.26 LOST - $6,495,059.96 MOTOR VEHICLE - $3,290,905.03 SPLOST Airport 7.4%

Recreation 0.7%

Sheriff 15.5%

Fire, EMS & 911 10.9%

Roads & Streets 60.3% Water 5.1%

SPLOST REVENUE = $7,635,313

ELECTIONS

2 0 2 4

29,125

MARCH 12 PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY 19% VOTER TURNOUT (4,791 VOTERS)

REGISTERED VOTERS

96

MAY 21 LOCAL & STATE PRIMARY 13.85% VOTER TURNOUT (3,479 VOTERS)

TRAINED POLL WORKERS

NOVEMBER 5 GENERAL ELECTION 80.11% VOTER TURNOUT (21,026 VOTERS)

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FULL-TIME ELECTION EMPLOYEES

The Pickens County Elections Office successfully hosted three elections in 2024, with over 29,000 voters participating. The Elections Office ensures a smooth and efficient voting process by thoroughly training all 96 poll workers prior to each election.

RECYCLING METAL 13.6%

#2 PLASTIC 2.9%

SHREDDED PAPER 1.6% CARDBOARD 40.4%

GLASS 16.7%

ALUMINUM 0.6% #1 PLASTIC 5.9%

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MIXED PAPER 18.4%

In 2024, the Pickens County Recycling Center processed an impressive 2,639,814 pounds of recyclable materials. The center plays a vital role in the community’s environmental efforts by accepting a wide range of materials, including paper, cardboard, aluminum, metal, glass, and plastic, with the breakdown shown to the left. This achievement reflects the county’s strong commitment to sustainability and waste reduction.

RECREATION

DEPARTMENT

1200

REGISTERED PLAYERS 175

Boys Football

35

Girls Flag Football

188

Boys Basketball

102

Girls Basketball 4-6 Girls & Boys Basketball

93

Girls & Boys T-Ball

84 365

Baseball

158

Softball

21

3 v 3 Girls Basketball 0

100

200 300 400

Youth Girls Flag Football has experienced significant growth in Pickens County and throughout North Georgia. This past season, the program fielded two Elementary School teams and one Middle School team, a first for the county. "Flag football is quickly becoming a growing sport at PCRD," said Recreation Director Brian Jones.

WATER

DEPARTMENT

NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS

SALES - GALLONS PER DAY

3,528 3,665

2022

2023

2023

3,803

2024 0

1000

2000

3000

884k 896k 944k

2022

2024 4000

0

3.7% increase in customers

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

5.3% increase in daily sales GILMER

GILMER

JASPER

JASPER

JASPER

CALHOUN

UTILITIES INC

FAIRMOUNT

CHEROKEE

CHEROKEE

CHEROKEE

2024 COMPLETED PROJECTS: In 2024, Pickens County Water entered into an agreement with American Tank Maintenance for the maintenance and inspection of its water tanks. All tanks underwent both internal and external inspections. Additionally, four of the seven tanks—Church Yard, Tate, Sequoyah, and Ledbetter—were cleaned and painted. A new department logo was also painted on the Church Yard and Tate tanks. The department successfully completed the implementation of a GIS mapping system as well.

2025 SLATED PROJECTS: In 2025, Pickens County Water plans to replace 15,000 feet of 40-year-old 6" pipe with 8" pipe along Henderson Mountain Road, starting at White Pine Crossover and ending at the intersection of Henderson Mountain Road and Pleasant Union Road. Additionally, a larger pump station will be installed on Yellow Creek Road. The pump station, ordered in December 2024, was delivered in March 2025 and is on schedule for installation soon after delivery.

CHURCH YARD - 1,000,000 GAL TATE - 500,000 GAL LEDBETTER - 500,000 GAL HILL CITY - 300,000 GAL SEQUOYAH - 300,000 GAL HENDERSON MTN - 184,000 GAL HIGHWAY 53 - 30,000 GAL

TOTAL WATER STORAGE CAPACITY:

2,814,000 GAL

ROAD

DEPARTMENT

Chip Seal 20

In 2024, the Pickens County Road Department resurfaced portions of 20 roads and three railroad crossings, using $1.4 million in SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) revenue. In 2025, the department plans to resurface Henderson Mountain Road and Salem Church Road as part of continued road maintenance efforts.

Gravel 60

401 MILES

Asphalt 321

Rising material costs are driving up the expenses for road projects for Pickens County. From 2023 to 2024, the price of gravel increased by 26.3%, from $17.50 to $22.10 per yard. The cost of salt rose by 13.7%, from $134.55 to $152.95 per ton, and asphalt saw an increase of 7.8%, from $87.25 to $94.10 per ton.

GIS

SYSTEM The Pickens County Water Department has been diligently working throughout 2024 to develop a comprehensive GIS software that maps the location of all water meters and infrastructure across the county. This innovative tool will allow for efficient repairs, as well as readily available information for any current or future residents. The GIS software is set to go live in Summer 2025, marking a significant milestone in the county's ongoing commitment to improving its water services and infrastructure management.

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PLANNING 2024 REZONE APPLICATIONS 2024 CONDITIONAL USE APPLICATIONS

2024 TOTAL BUSINESS LICENSES ISSUED

PERMITS BY NUMBERS

AVERAGE ACREAGE PER NEW RESIDENTIAL PERMIT

&

DEVELOPMENT SR 8.5%

47 5 842 7.8

AG 14.9%

SA 14.9% ER 12.8%

REQUESTED ZONING BY TYPE

HB 4.3% I 2.1%

RR 42.6%

2022

2023

2024

House

Mobile Home

Misc.

Commercial 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

In 2024, the county implemented the "Lowered Intensity Amendment" process, allowing for simplified applications to reduce land use intensity without a filing fee. Since its adoption, there have been four successful downzonings under this process, promoting more sustainable land use transitions.

E-911

23,418 EMERGENCY CALLS 77%

of calls were from mobile phones

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48,466 NON-EMERGENCY 5,886 PICKENS FIRE RESCUE 35,840 LAW ENFORCEMENT 423 ADDRESSES ASSIGNED 21 ROAD NAMES APPROVED

FIRE

MARSHAL

The Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal actively engage with the community by attending educational events throughout the year, raising awareness about fire safety and prevention. Through these outreach efforts, they successfully educated approximately 1,200 citizens on the dangers of fire and how to stay safe.

FIRE INVESTIGATIONS: 38 WORKING FIRES

150

ANNUAL INSPECTIONS

40

PLAN REVIEWS

150

PRE-FIRE PLANS

2 PROPANE GAS EXPLOSIONS 3 FIRE FATALITIES 2 ARSON ARRESTS

Implemented FIRST DUE Electronic Inspection/Pre-Fire Plan program!

FIRE

&

RESCUE

INCIDENTS

Structure Fires - 39

Total Fires - 179

Non-Dwelling Fires - 44

Total EMS Calls - 3,982

Vehicle Fires - 26

False Alarms - 156 Haz Mat Calls - 18 Motor Vehicle Accidents - 276 Service Calls - 576 Other Miscellaneous - 865 Total Incidents - 5,963

FIRES

Wildland Fires - 70 Total Fires - 179

TOP 5 EMS Person Sick - 773 Falls - 573 Chest Pain - 386 Breathing Problems - 334 Traffic Incidents - 312

As of February 2025, Pickens County Fire & Rescue will have a fleet of 4 total ambulances, with 2 new units placed into operation. The department also operates 8 fire engines, of which 5 are fully staffed by career firefighters and 3 are staffed by volunteers. These assets ensure a continued high level of emergency response across the county. Additionally, in 2025, Pickens County will be building the Talking Rock fire station, further enhancing the department's ability to serve the community.

TRAINING 3,205 HOURS - EMS //35,557 HOURS - FIRE

MARSHAL 2024 was a busy year for the Marshal’s Office. They saw an increase of 200% in calls for service and a 165% increase in cases. The Marshal’s Office goal for 2024 was modernization, achieved by implementing new software including the integration of a new record management system and installation of mobile data terminals in all vehicles.

TAL

ANIMAL

CAS

ES

U

G

235

HO

TO

IO N S IS

E U S

RS

IN

CE

747

AT

T

L

FOR SE

I V R

CI

CA

LS

101 D

903

O F T R AI

N

SHELTER

418

CALLS FOR ANIMAL CONTROL

In 2024, the animal shelter held several events, including the iThink Financial-sponsored adoption drive, Cinco De Mayo with $5 adoptions, the Paula Bowker Memorial Event, and the Summer "Paw"ty, which featured vendors and family activities to support pet adoptions.

SHERIFF’S

OFFICE

In 2024, the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad seized over $3.6 million worth of drugs, including more than 150 pounds of illegal substances. The squad executed 84 search warrants, resulting in 103 arrests and 265 felony warrants.

TOP 5 CALLS TYPES

30,768 TOTAL INCIDENTS TRAFFIC STOPS MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS DOMESTIC STREET HAZARD SECURITY ALARM 0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

FEMALES 29.1%

10,732 TRAINING HOURS

1396 ARRESTS MALES 70.9%

Average length of stay was 21 days

On July 27, 2024, the Pickens Sheriff’s Office received a four-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) after a thorough assessment of its policies, practices, and community feedback. This accreditation highlights the office’s commitment to maintaining transparency, effective service, and compliance with CALEA standards.

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PICKENSGA.GOV

PICKENS COUNTY GA GOVERNMENT 1266 E CHURCH ST JASPER, GA 30143