Resaca Battlefield Park

[Busterbuttonboy]

Lydia Senn, Calhoun Times

The Gordon County Board of Commissioners has voted to move forward in an agreement with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to construct the Resaca Battlefield Park.

During a special called meeting held Nov. 20, they signed a letter of intent with the DNR that would allow the county to gain control over $3.4 million in state funds to create the Resaca Battlefield Park.

Originally, the DNR was helmed with the responsibility of creating the park and visitors center. However, according to a statement made by David Freedman, Chief Engineer of the Department of Natural Resources at a prior meeting due to the state’s economic situation the park was not a feasible endeavor.

The county will now be responsible for maintaining the park, keeping it staffed and setting up exhibits. The county will also be allowed to profit from the park by charging admission.

According to Commissioner Dick Gordon, the county will cut costs by having memorabilia on loan from members of the community and from the Historical Preservation Society.

Gordon also believes the battlefield park will be a thriving destination in Gordon County.

“This gives us an opportunity to put a road into Gordon County,” said Gordon.

While the park will have eventual economic benefits, commission Chairman Allen Long says he feels the county has been pushed into the project.

“I think we don’t like the fact the state has forced Gordon County into the situation we are in,” said Long.

The state offered the county the funds with the understanding that county and the city of Resaca would have to contribute a combined $1 million to construct a road into the park area. The City of Calhoun has agreed to provide water services and power lines to the site.

Long said if the county could not gain a bid under the $3.4 million cost estimate, the program would not move forward.

“I do think the Resaca Battlefield is a worthy project,” Long said.

The approval of the letter of intent was voted in 3 to 1 with one abstention.

http://www.northwestgeorgia.com/statenews/local_story_329104108.html

[LWhite64]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Ok, not good, but better than what I could expect from the state at this time, at least they didnt sell it to a developer.

[robert-m]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Well I live right down the road from the site. The county has agreed to build the roads and path ways through the park to keep an extra million. 2 going into the park its self, instead of using that money to build the roads. This came at a shock to me. The county stepping in on something like this. I was able to get out there the other day and walk around for a few hours, the works are still in pretty great shape, as far as finding and determining what is works and just a ditch... But I am looking forward to the site getting fully functional.

[Resaca]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park/Update

Commission one step closer to battlefield project
by Lydia Senn Dec 19, 2009 | 327 views | 2 | 4 | |
slideshow

slideshow The county board of commissioners has approved a contract with international architecture and engineering design firm. BRPH to assist in the development of the Resaca Battlefield.

According to BRPH developer, Matthew Walsh, the company was first contacted by county Administrator Randy Dowling to create a presentation for the commission.

The company provides rendering services along with bid assistance and contract oversight (i.e reviewing contracts and payments.)

All fees for BRPH would come from the $3.3 million in state funds from the Department of Natural Resources.

Initially, the DNR was helmed with the responsibility of creating the park and visitors center. However, according to a statement made by David Freedman, Chief Engineer of the Department of Natural Resources at a prior meeting due to the state’s economic situation the park was not a feasible endeavor.

Last month the commission singed a letter of intent with the DNR, state the board would take responsibility for the $3.3 million along with the creation of the park itself.

The county will now be responsible for maintaining the park, keeping it staffed and setting up exhibits. The county will also be allowed to profit from the park by charging admission.

The state offered the county the funds with the understanding that county and the city of Resaca would have to contribute a combined $1 million to construct a road into the park area. The City of Calhoun has agreed to provide water services and power lines to the site.

The contract with BRPH would cost an estimated $34,000, all of which will come from the state funds.

“We have a good game plan,” said Dowling. “Let’s see it through to its final stages.”


Tony Patton
Blue Ridge Mess
Armory Guards

[C.R. Henderson]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Thanks for the update, Tony!

[65thgainf]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

If they spend the money on other State property...I don't think we will ever get it.

https://calhountimes.com

Resaca Battlefield project may be out of the question
by Lydia Senn

After months of debate, speculation and public scrutiny, it appears the proposed Resaca Battlefield project might not move forward.

Gordon County Board of Commissioners Chairman Alvin Long announced during the March 2 meeting of the board that the project could be put on hold indefinitely because the current proposed location is in a floodplain.

“You would think the state would know the Army Corp of Engineers exists,” said Long. The state did not check with the Army Corp of Engineers about project feasibility before making plans for a visitor’s center, a parking lot and walking trails, he said.

Long said the project could take an additional six months and new plans for the facility would cost more than the $3.2 million the state had offered to turn over to the county for the project.

Long said state representative John Meadows (R-Calhoun) is taking acquisitive measure to find out whether or not the funds awarded by the state to the county for the Resaca Battlefield project could be used in other endeavors.

“What we are asking the state to do is spend that money on local projects,” Long said.

While he could not point to any projects specifically, Long emphasized that the county is not guaranteed these state funds. If the state gives the county the OK to use the funds, he said, the money would have to be used on state-owned property such as an intersection.

“We are certainly going to fight for it,” he said.

[LWhite64]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Also, go to the newspaper's website and vote in the poll, right now the majority are saying that the park is a waste of funds.

[Roy Queen]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

I've cast my vote. It is disappointing to see the results of the poll as of now. I don't understand why GA gave up Resaca when they have other new parks that they are in the process of building, etc.

Roy Queen

[robert-m]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Good and Bad news...
Good News the site is still historically protected. Bad news the county has turned the site back over to the state DNR.
This is a rough 6 month delay on the site road and path ways.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/mar/23/video-resaca-rebirth/

[Thomas Alleman]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

So what does this mean for reenacting, will there be any or just living history? Also I found it funny that the narrator of the video could not get many Union Generals names but knew all the Confederate ones. Anyway I think that the Feds have not more money to spend on this site and should have stayed with the state of Georgia. In Monroe, MI they want a 1812 battle site the Battle of the River Raisin to be a National Park so now we cannot do anymore reenacting on it and I doubt that they are going to pour any money to this park, maybe a few signs. And after all the states and locals groups have done the promote and keep alive both these sites they do belong to the community not people who know have little connection to both places.

[LWhite64]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Well Resaca is with the State not the NPS. We have done battle scenarios at Pickett's Mill and other DNR sites so they arent out. As to money though, Georgia is in an absolute mess, thats why the site was given to the county to begin with, then the county didnt have the money, so they passed it back to the state. Although the state isnt perfect, I feel better with it being with them than the county.

[65thgainf]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

The annual Battle of Resaca is held on part of the original battlefield. This land is still in private hands. We have also started doing a living history at Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne is located almost downtown Resaca and is owned by the county.

http://www.resacabattlefield.org/FoRFortWayne.htm

[Thomas Alleman]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

I do enjoy Forts and when I go down the Resaca I will have to check out more sites. So who is going down this year? I think if the WIG goes they should go Federal. I meant next time the WIG goes to Resaca. I think a strong, hard marching, hard fighting, getting the hell beat out of them, Federal unit is what that event needs.

[Coatsy]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Resaca is not on the WIG's event list this year. Our event schedule can be found here:

http://www.westernindependentgrays.org/campaigns.html

Jim Butler and Sean Cooper are heading up a fun Federal campaigner friendly company this year. Contact either of those two gents for more info.

[65thgainf]

Re: Resaca Battlefield Park

Battlefield park plans are back on
by Elizabeth Crumbly, General Manager
Apr 27, 2010

It seems plans for the Resaca Battlefield Park are back on.

The state has agreed to use $3.3 million to fund construction of roads, trails, parking lots and interpretive signage in what Gordon County Historic Preservation Commission Chairman Ken Padgett calls “phase one” of the project.

During a meeting Wednesday of last week, state officials agreed to put the money left over after phase one aside and “encumber” it to the county to use for a museum if local officials can come up with the extra funds needed, Gordon County Commission Chairman Alvin Long said.

Padgett said he hopes there will be at least $1 million left over for this from the state funds.

The encumbered money will be available for two years, during which time Long said the county will attempt to obtain another $1 million in financing through private donors and state and federal grants to put toward the museum.

He strictly specified that this money will not come from the county’s general budget.

“That is not my intention; never was my intention,” he stated. “We’re not going to jeopardize our county funds (or) our employees to do this.”

If the county is unable to match the state funds after two years, the encumbered funds will be absorbed back into the state’s budget, Long said.

Department of Natural Resources officials, Padgett said, wish to design a “more efficient” building than the originally planned museum, which he described as “ultra modern” and “not conducive” to the park’s overall design.

The county will arrange “a small interagency agreement” to maintain the fields and restrooms, he said.

Overall, Padgett said he is happy with the state’s agreement at this time.

“We’re ahead of the game,” he said. “I was very pleased.”

The meeting, which Long called “very successful,” included Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Clark, along with State Sen. Don Thomas and Rep. John Meadows.

A long road

Earlier this year, the state announced it had only $3.3 million to put toward the Battlefield park, out of some $5 million originally dedicated to the project.

The state considered turning over the $3.3 million to the county after local officials said they though they could manage the project more cost effectively.

They feared they would lose the funds otherwise. However, the permits needed were “not transferable to the county,” Long explained, and the $1.7 million shortfall was too much for the county to fund.

The state took back control of the project in March.

http://www.calhountimes.com/view/full_story/7218723/article-Battlefield-park-plans-are-back-on?instance=home_news_1st_left