Habersham to receive $2.5M federal grant for emergency operations center

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Habersham County will receive $2.5 million in federal funding to support construction of a new emergency operations center, a key project included in the voter-approved SPLOST VIII program.

County Commission Chairman Bruce Harkness confirmed Friday the funding was secured through legislation backed by U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and signed into law by President Trump April 30.

The funding is part of a broader bipartisan federal spending package and is intended to support design, construction and equipment for the county’s planned Central Base Fire Station, EMS headquarters and 911 Emergency Operations Center. The facility will replace an aging operations center and will serve Habersham County.

The project was allocated for in the voter-approved SPLOST VIII program, a special purpose local option sales tax package overwhelmingly approved in November.

“When storms, disasters, or threats to public safety threaten Northeast Georgia, crisis management is key,” Ossoff told Now Georgia. “That’s why I brought Republicans and Democrats together to upgrade Habersham County’s emergency operations center to coordinate first responders, law enforcement, and disaster response officials to keep families through the region safe and informed.”

Long-awaited funding, evolving costs

Harkness said county leaders have worked for several years to secure federal assistance for the project.

“We’ve been trying for several years to get this assistance,” Harkness said. “I’m very thankful that, luckily, Sen. Ossoff got the other senators and representatives to go along with it to pass it.”

The project is now estimated at approximately $14.7 million, with $4 million budgeted in SPLOST VII and $11 million allocated in SPLOST VIII according to county manager Tim Sims. The project was initially planned before rising construction costs in recent years and later expanded to include the 911 Emergency Operations Center. Harkness said officials are now exploring ways to reduce costs.

“We’re potentially looking at maybe some other plans to try to get the cost drastically down,” he said.

Local impact highlighted by emergency officials

Emergency Services Director and Fire Chief Jeff Adams said the funding will allow the county to move forward with a facility designed to meet future needs.

“This grant is a tremendous blessing for our department and the community we serve,” Adams said. “With this funding, along with the SPLOST funds that were already earmarked, we can construct and furnish a new Emergency Operations Center and Central Fire Station that meets the needs of our growing community.”

Adams also credited county leaders and federal support for helping bring the project forward.

“I am sincerely grateful to our county leadership and finance team for their tireless work in securing this opportunity, and to Jon Ossoff for his partnership and support throughout this process,” he said.

Central location planned along Ga. 365

The new facility is expected to be built along Ga. 365 between Demorest-Mount Airy Highway and Double Bridge Road, near Habersham Central High School.

Harkness said the county previously used SPLOST funds to acquire roughly 40 to 50 acres for the project, positioning the complex in a central location for emergency services.

“It’s going to be a state-of-the-art building,” he said. “But at the same time, we have to be mindful that these are taxpayers’ dollars.”

Harkness emphasized he does not support raising property taxes to fund the project, instead pointing to SPLOST revenue as the intended funding source.

Part of broader emergency upgrades

The new emergency operations center is part of a wider effort to modernize the county’s emergency response infrastructure, including a new countywide radio and tower system.

Harkness said the system, expected to include several new towers, will expand coverage across the county, addressing gaps that have historically limited communication for first responders.

“There was probably 30% to 40% of the county that 911 and rescue and police could not even access the system,” he said.

The upgraded network is expected to benefit not only emergency responders but also local governments and the school system, with cities participating in maintenance and operational costs.

Timeline and future of current facility

Harkness said a groundbreaking on the new facility is expected once the next SPLOST cycle goes into effect next year.

“My understanding is we’ll break ground once the new SPLOST goes into effect next year,” he said, noting the site’s location along a four-lane corridor will allow it to serve much of the county efficiently.

The future of the county’s current 911 center in Mount Airy remains undecided. Harkness said he would like to see the building maintained and potentially repurposed.

“We need to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ property,” he said. “Even if we use it for storage, a backup facility, or possibly lease it out, we need to maintain it.”