Dwight Poole, Senior Management Analyst for Residential Services for the Department of Juvenile Justice, spoke to the county commissioners.

JASPER — The Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners approved a special exception to the Department of Juvenile Justice to allow a school facility in a residential zoning district.

The DJJ previously ran a residential facility at the site but shut down.

According to Megan Carter of Land Development Use, the site was previously grandfathered in but a special exception must be approved due to the facility being shut down for more than 12 months.

Dwight Poole, Senior Management Analyst for Residential Services, said the facility will be for 40 boys between the ages of 14 and 19.

He added that it will be a non-secure facility and the residents will be allowed community access in small supervised groups to do community projects.

Right of Passage will provide the residents education, which will be overseen by the Hamilton County School District.

Small county sales surtax

The commissioners approved a 10-year renewal of the small county sales surtax.

The current ordinance ends on Dec. 31.

The one-percent surtax revenue is used for road and construction purposes, industrial development purposes, development of the Hamilton County Government Complex (formerly Hamilton County High School), construction and reconstruction of the county landfill and expansion and improvements of infrastructure of the three highway interchanges along Interstate 75.

According to County Attorney Cliff Adams, due to the county’s population, the county does not need a referendum vote to impose the surtax.

He added that the vote must be unanimous.

The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the surtax.