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Courthouse, Main Courtroom, 16001 Barnesville Street, Zebulon, Georgia
Courthouse Doors on East/South Sides open at 6:00 p.m.
Town Hall Meeting at 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 – 6:30 p.m.
Commissioners Tim Daniel and James Jenkins are missing from the meeting tonight, but there is a quorum with Commissioner Tommy Powers, Briar Johnson, and Tim Guy present along with County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye to take the minutes, County Manager (CM) John Hanson, and County Attorneys Rob and Tom Morton.
An Atlanta news station was set up on the Courtroom to videotape the entire meeting so they could cut what was needed for the broadcast. After the meeting, the reporter interviewed people who had animal control concerns and then stayed at the courthouse for the station's late night news broadcast.
1. CALL TO ORDER .................................................................................... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
2. SILENT INVOCATION…………………………………………………..Chairman J. Briar Johnson
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ................................................................... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. § 50-14-1 (e) (1))
CM added Public Comment Mr. Tim and Christine Dunson would like the change the order of public comment with Rick Rickerson speaking first.
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
Motion to approve the minutes. Approved 3-0.
a. Minutes of the January 11, 2017 Regular Monthly Meeting.
6. INVITED GUESTS - None
7. REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS, DEPARTMENTS, COMMITTEES, AUTHORITIES
a. Monthly Reports submitted from County Departments and County Authorities, including a Revenue/Expenditure Statement for all departments and a summary check register.
b. County Manager Report
Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ............................................................................................ $3,614,812.35
Fire Dept. Donations ........................................................................................ $4,595.25
BOC – Jury Account………………………………………………………………$0.00
Cash Reserve Account ........................................................................ ….....$506,093.10
Pike County CD Special Revenue funds………………………………………….$0.00
Jail Fund .......................................................................................................... $8,601.68
E-911 Fund .................................................................................................. $121,529.04
DATE Fund ................................................................................................... $41,304.20
Juvenile Court Fund ....................................................................................... $14,360.07
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................................ $381,297.36
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................................... $19,362.64
C.A.I.P FUND ............................................................................................... $23,009.65
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 ...................... $446,353.79
L.M.I. Grant (DOT) ..................................................................................... $322,524.89
c. County Manager Comment
CM Hanson said that the budget calendar has been tentatively issued to the calendar. This is the same procedure from the past 3 years.
Consider surplusing items from Public Works on GovDeals.com: 2002 Ford 14 passenger bus used for the Senior Center after sitting for 1 ½ years. A dump body for a flatbed truck. 1969 water truck with a blown engine. Motion to place these items on Gov Deals. Approved 3-0.
Magistrate began moving today. On February 15 the Tax Commissioner will move and the Tax Commissioner’s Office will be closed on February 15.
d. Commissioner Reports
Commissioner Tommy Powers said that he has traveled 50 miles of roads and they are rough but in pretty good shape considering the rain that we’ve had. He commended Todd Goolsby and Public Works for their work.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.
Rob Morton said that we are going through some issues with the Labor Department. The annual litigation claims report has been issued to the insurance company.
Right of way deeds for school access road for the High School and Watering Hole Pass Road.
Animal Control issues and Magistrate Court have been discussed as well. Officials could issue misdemeanor citations. There was some ambiguity in state law that has been addressed. Concord and Meansville have signed on with the county so there are some clarifications coming. Our officials have the authority to investigate complaints about dangerous and vicious dogs on a misdemeanor level. However, any felony case is not authorized to be addressed by Animal Control, but it will be addressed through the DA’s office and Department of Agriculture.
f. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input in regards to SE-17-01 – Michael Sebren and Patrick
Wasden, property owners, and TowerCom V, LLC, applicant, are requesting a special exception in an
A-R zoned district to allow for a new telecommunications tower on the subject property, per the
standards of Chapter 113. The subject property, located off of River Road, has approximately 1200
feet of frontage along the eastern side of River Road. The property is located in Land Lot 205 of the
1st District of Pike County, Georgia. The subject property consists of 146.2 acres and is further
identified as Tax Map Parcel #011 010.
Action: Discuss/Approve/Deny
Planning and Zoning Director David Allen advised that it went before the BOA on the 19th with one condition about landscaping. There were some at the appeals meeting that had some concerns and he has received some emails in support of this tower in Hollonville. This is an area that needs coverage.
IN FAVOR:
Ellen Smith addressed the board for Tower Com. She brought photo simulations for the commissioners to see. The property is surrounded by AR properties. 180 foot tower for Verizon and could hold 4 additional carriers. That could include county 911 equipment for free. 70 feet shorter than our ordinance allows. They are being mindful of the visual impact of the neighbors. It will provide much needed service in this area. It will not have a beacon on it so that will not disturb the neighbors. The generators only kick in for emergency purposes and go back off when power is returned to the tower. The nearest tower is being overloaded and this would help. They will meet the landscape requirements and all of the other county requirements.
No one spoke in opposition.
No discussion. Motion to approve this tower including the landscaping and buffering condition. Approved 3-0.
b. Approve/deny Budget Amendment Resolution-- for Worker’s Compensation.
We estimate for the budget every year and this came in lower than expected. This is to move a line item back into the appropriate departments. Motion to approve. Approved 3-0.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person)
a. Rick Rickerson to address the Board regarding pets being shot in Pike County.
Rick Rickerson was allowed to speak for 5 minutes. He asked why the Animal Control Officer was not present at the meeting. Rob advised that this was not an answer and question session. He said that the Pike County Times has “misleading information” because there was a police report that says that Sassy was shot in the front yard and was died in her front yard. [Note from the Editor: I actually changed my article to read the front porch rather than the back porch. Sometimes typos happen... though a simple email, Facebook message, text or phone call could have fixed that quicker than grandstanding in front of a news camera and a crowd. I have since filed open records records to get an actual copy of the police reports on these incidents and included that information as well.] He said that there is a law that says that you can’t shoot within 100 feet from a road. The dog was shot was shot 49 feet from his house. He said that he doesn’t understand why the Sheriff’s Office isn’t investigating this.
He then said that a chihuahua named Nugget was shot by a high powered rifle. There was a place on the ground where Nugget was shot. There was a richoche from a bullet on the ground but no casing was found. He asked if Animal Control had investigated the two dogs that were shot in the creek but was reminded again that this was citizens speaking time and not question and answer time. He said that Nugget was shot on a Pike County Road right of way just 11 feet from the roadway. He asked if why isn't the Sheriff’s Office investigating a shooting on the roadway.
He was cut off because his 5 minute time limit was over. He asked if he could continue speaking if the Dunsons would give some of their time to him, but he was told that was not an option about the same time that he decided that he would step down from the podium.
b. Tim and Christine Dunson to address the Board regarding Animal Control and current increase in killing of pets.
Christine Dunson said that something has to be done. She said that she doesn't feel safe knowing that someone can shoot her dog in her yard and shoot toward her house and no one investigate this. She said that until you experience your own children losing a part of the family with a family pet, on your own property, you don’t know what this feels like. She said that this needs to be addressed.
She also said that if Meriwether County can have animal control, why can’t we? We need a fully functional animal control. She said that when dogs go stray, they go into a pack. We need something done here in Pike County. I’ll give my free time to help set this up. There are grants and possible help from electrical companies and possibility of using prisoners to help build. It’s time to step up and handle this problem. She asked that commissioners address animal control at the next meeting.
Tim Dunson said that he was surprised about the lack of response to their complaints.
Click here to read Pike County Times coverage on animal control.
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - None
12. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn. 7:07 p.m.
Agenda subject to revision.
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