DALTON, Ga. – Members of the commission studying the merger of Dalton and Whitfield County governments voted Wednesday to spend nearly $20,000 on experts and studies from the University of Georgia.
The vote came during the charter commission’s third meeting, which included extensive discussion but also uncertainty about the best way to proceed.
Because the commission does not have an operating budget, city and county officials must approve the money to pay UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
During the commission’s weekly meeting, County Commission Chairman and charter commission member Mike Babb was the first to speak up in support of using the institute.
“We are floundering,” Babb said. “We need someone to keep us on track, to keep us oriented and going in the right direction.”