Work Session Preview, August 18, 2026

The county is asking the Grand Jury to stand up seven new Boards of Equalization for tax year 2026. That’s going from one board to eight, all at once, to handle what’s clearly a backlog of property tax appeals.

🔦 The 3 items worth your attention

The property tax appeal system is getting a two-part overhaul this session. On one side, commissioners are weighing a resolution asking the Grand Jury to appoint seven additional Boards of Equalization, bringing the total to eight for tax year 2026, a sign the county’s current single board can’t keep pace with the volume of appeals (2026-1058). Separately, the Clerk of Court wants to change how Hearing Officers get paid: out goes the $175-per-parcel / $50-per-settled-appeal structure, in comes a flat $385-per-hour rate. Whether that saves money or costs more depends entirely on how long each hearing runs (2026-1073).

Retiree health coverage for 2027 is up for a new contract. Humana Insurance Company is the proposed carrier for the county’s retiree Medicare Advantage Plan, at just under $7.9M for the year. The same item also bumps the current-year Humana contract by roughly $586K, from $7.9M to $8.4M, because this year’s costs ran higher than the original cap (2026-1085). Why, per the city: Provide a Medicare Advantage Plan to retired Gwinnett County employees.

The final renewal option on the county’s water and sewer valve inspection contract is on the table. Xylem Dewatering Solutions, formerly Pure Technologies / Wachs Water Services, would get up to $2.4M to keep inspecting and exercising valves system-wide for another year. This is renewal four of four, so when the term ends next September the county will need to re-bid the work (2026-1036). Why, per the city: This inspection and maintenance program helps ensure that the valves are accessible and in proper working condition to minimize the outage time and number of customers that are out of service during emergency pipe repairs.

🏗️ Roads & property

• Drainage fix at Moore Road and Crofton Landing Road, funded by 2017 SPLOST. Backbone Infrastructure, LLC would get up to $396K to do the work (2026-1039).
• Gwinnett County Airport lease transfer: the county would consent to Sheltair Aviation’s existing lease being assigned to GMD Properties, LLC, doing business as Aircraft Specialists Jet Center. No dollar figure attached (2026-0871).
• Middle Yellow River Interceptor sewer project at 1859 Rolling River Drive needs an encroachment agreement with Atlanta Gas Light Company to move forward (2026-1077).
• The Sugarloaf CID wants to add banners to county-owned poles. A maintenance agreement amendment would let them do it at their own expense (2026-1006).

💰 Where the money’s going

• Water Resources, watershed improvement services renewal with Clean Water Consultants, Inc.: $2,000,000.00 (renewal two of four, 2026-1020)
• Water Resources, valve inspection renewal with Xylem Dewatering Solutions, Inc.: $2,400,000.00 (renewal four of four, 2026-1036)
• Human Resources, retiree Medicare Advantage Plan with Humana Insurance Company for 2027: $7,852,596.48, plus increase of current-year contract to $8,449,288.32 (2026-1085)
• Transportation, traffic signal electrical equipment and hardware renewal with multiple vendors: $1,675,000.00 (first of four renewal options, 2026-1038)
• Multiple departments, painting and maintenance contract ceiling raised from $1,278,300 to $1,466,645.00, an increase of $188,345.00 (2026-1055)
• Water Resources, large water meter replacement renewal with The Dickerson Group, Inc. and Civil Construction & Utilities, LLC: $480,000.00 (2026-1037)
• Water Resources, replacement check valves for F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center from Eco-Tech, LLC: $287,635.00 (2026-1019)
• Parks and Recreation, tile replacement at Bethesda Park Aquatic Center with E&E Construction Company, Inc.: $273,905.00, only 2 bids came back on this one (2026-1066)
• Fire Services, fire hoses from AEST Fire & Safety (sole source): $149,880.00 (2026-1048)

📌 Also notable

• Board appointments: Joy Monroe and Marlene Fosque to the Homelessness Task Force (Districts 2 and 1); Avery Prevost to the Animal Control Hearing Board replacing Dr. Tameka Womack, term through July 2027 (2026-1093, 2026-1128, 2026-1094).
• June 30 monthly financial status report and associated budget amendments are up for the commission’s review (2026-1067).

The Work Session is open to the public. To find meeting times, location, and how to sign up for public comment, visit gwinnettcounty.com. The Gwinnett Docket is an independent newsletter, not affiliated with Gwinnett County government. Spot an error? Reply and let us know.

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