The Resaca Battlefield Park project inched forward Tuesday night when county commissioners voted to accept a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. National Parks Service to acquire a conservation easement for the Chitwood Farm.

With the grant comes a $100,000 matching obligation from the county, which will come out of general fund reserves, said County Administrator Randy Dowling.

The farm occupies 473 acres where part of the Battle of Resaca took place. The conservation easement means “no one can develop that property forever,” he said.

The Trust for Public Land owns the property now, but if the tract sells, it won’t affect the easement, he said.

The county can have four events each year on the land, Dowling said, including the Battle of Resaca reenactment that takes place each May.

Disaster plans

Also Tuesday, the county agreed to solidify and Emergency Management Agency debris removal plan and a point of distribution plan.

Although both plans have been in place for some time, FEMA and GEMA officials advised the county that officially adopting them will allow the county to receive a reduction in its matching financial requirements in the event of a presidentially-declared disaster, Dowling said.

He said the county has agreements with two companies that would be in call in such an instance to pick up debris. There are also established points of distribution throughout the county for food, water and other supplies.

Also during the Tuesday, July 20, meeting, commissioners:

Approved an agreement for the operation of the concession stand at Salacoa Creek Park with Amy Peace. This is a one-summer agreement that ends Labor Day; no county money is involved. Peace will supply the concessions.

Approved a county ordinance amendment that will set the time of the first Tuesday Board of Commissioners meeting at 10 a.m. in the county administration building and the third Tuesday meeting at 6 p.m. in the county administration building. Each meeting will include an accompanying work session prior.