Danielle Akkerman

The work session focused primarily on New Business, specifically contract renewals across multiple departments including General Services, Fire Services, Information Technology Services, Police Services, Support Services, Transportation, and Water Resources. Key contract renewals involved disposal of construction debris, purchase and installation of custom signs, purchase of janitorial supplies, purchase of nitrile gloves, on-demand installation services for wiring, maintenance for the Public Safety Solution, cleaning services for the firing range, purchase of furniture, purchase and installation of guardrail and fencing, and provision of products and services for Ovivo equipment. New Business also included several commissioner appointments to various advisory councils and boards (DBHDD Advisory Council, Board of Assessors, Zoning Board of Appeals, Human Services Advisory Board, and Tree Advisory Committee), declaring technology equipment as surplus, authorizing Declaration of Taking Condemnation proceedings for an easement, and awarding several contracts/leases for the Gwinnett County Airport, pedestrian improvements, resurfacing of residential roads, and various Water Resources projects including sewer improvements and locating services. Old Business included tabling the action regarding the Findings and Opinion of the Gwinnett County Board of Ethics concerning a complaint against Commissioner Matthew Holtkamp, and tabling the award of a contract for veterinary medical services.

The Public Hearing agenda addressed several Old Business items, specifically Continuing Items of Business (CIC) and Special Use Permits (SUP) that were tabled from a previous meeting, including a SUP for a Community Center at 4497 Shiloh Ridge Trail and a Rezoning case for townhouses along Duluth Highway and McDaniel Road. New Business included authorizations for the Chairwoman to execute an Amendment to the Ad Valorem Tax Billing and Collection Agreement with the City of Berkeley Lake and a related agreement with the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner. Additionally, authorization was sought to execute a Resolution imposing a Temporary Moratorium on certain Zoning Map Amendments within the Harbins-Alcovy Small Area Plan Study Area. The agenda also included the ratification of Plat approvals for January 2026 and approval to execute a Memorandum of Agreement with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to maintain the PlanFirst Community designation.

The public hearing included an amendment to the agenda to add GCID 2026-0281 under New Business for the Law Department. The session featured special presentations and proclamations celebrating an Eagle Scout, Kaylin Landrian-Shrewsbury, and recognizing American Heart Month in observance of Go Red for Women. Old Business involved the denial of a Special Use Permit and Variance application for a Community Center (2025-1296) and the conditional approval with changes for a Rezoning application (2025-1298) for townhouses. New Business approvals included executing amendments for Ad Valorem Tax Billing and Collection agreements with the City of Berkeley Lake and the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner, and the imposition of a temporary moratorium on certain Zoning Map Amendment applications within the Harbins-Alcovy Small Area Plan Study Area. Furthermore, the ratification of plat approvals for January 2026 and the authorization to maintain the county's PlanFirst Community designation were approved.

The informal presentation by the Elections Supervisor provided updates on General Assembly activity, including specific bills and code cleanup, and outlined the 2026 election calendar, which includes a Special Election, General Primary, and General Election. Discussions covered advance voting procedures, Election Day logistics for the 2026 General Primary, and details regarding the Beauty Baldwin Building renovation aimed at consolidating election operations and improving accessibility. Additionally, decision packages were presented concerning stipend increases for poll officials and funding for additional in-person training. The presentation also detailed the Language Access and Equity Project focusing on materials and officials for Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Vietnamese speakers, and highlighted the 'My Voter Page' online resources.

The Business Session Agenda for February 3, 2026, covered numerous items, predominantly under the Consent Agenda for New Business. Key actions included the approval of several commissioner appointments to various councils and boards, such as the Region Three DBHDD Advisory Council and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Multiple department contract renewals were proposed for approval, covering services like construction debris disposal, custom sign installation, janitorial supplies, nitrile gloves, voice/data wiring, public safety software maintenance, furniture purchase, and guardrail installation. Approvals were also sought for the disposition of surplus technology equipment, condemnation proceedings for property acquisition, and renewal of firing range cleaning services. The Transportation agenda featured the award of a long-term lease at the Gwinnett County Airport and awards for pedestrian improvement projects, road resurfacing, and the incorporation of certain subdivisions into the County Streetlighting Program. Water Resources sought awards for sewer improvement projects and utility locating services, alongside approval for an Intergovernmental Agreement regarding emergency water usage connections. Old Business included a tabled item regarding an Ethics Complaint filed against a Commissioner.