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Tuesday, March 29, 2016 – 6:30 p.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia
All five commissioners are present along with County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye to take the minutes, County Manager (CM) John Hanson, and County Attorneys Rob and Tom Morton.
1. CALL TO ORDER .................................................................................... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
2. INVOCATION……………………………………………………………………………Ben Maxedon
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ................................................................... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. § 50-14-1 (e) (1))
Move item 9a. Recognition for Maude Irene Parks Evans to Invited Guest. Add item J. to address some filming on Concord Road by Warner. Also add item K. to address statewide mutual aid agreement for hazardous mitigation issues. Motion to approve the amended agenda. Approved 5-0.
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the March 9, 2016 Regular Monthly Meeting.
6. INVITED GUESTS
a. Mr. Michael Powell to present to the Board Child Abuse Prevention month in April and Proclamation.
Mike Powell thanked the commissioners for allowing the pinwheel presentation on the front lawn for the month of April. Click here to see pictures and read about this ceremony held on April 4, 2016. Churches and other organizations are also being asked to put out pinwheels to show that we are working together to be stewards of families and children’s lives. We are a national partner now because of our Darkness to Light program thanks to efforts from community partners like Mike Cox, Patricia Beckham, our Sheriff’s Office, and the REACH Program. The month of April is Child Abuse Prevention month.
b. Approve/deny 100th Birthday Proclamation for Maude Irene Parks Evans.
A 100th Birthday proclamation was read aloud for Maude Irene Parks Evans. She received a standing ovation. Her son in law spoke as well as many from the community. The room was full of well wishers for her birthday proclamation. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
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. There are no Department reports as they will be provided during the first Board meeting of April. Revenue/Expenditure Statement and Detail Check Register is included.
b. County Manager Report
▫ Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ............................................................................................ $2,611,435.38
Fire Dept. Donations ........................................................................................ $3,943.72
BOC – Jury Account……………………………………………………………...$0.00
Cash Reserve Account ..................................................................................... $3,626.03
Pike County CD Special Revenue Funds………………………………..$1,000,000.00
Jail Fund ........................................................................................................ $20,436.43
E-911 Fund .................................................................................................... $26,888.43
DATE Fund ................................................................................................... $37,733.52
Juvenile Court Fund ....................................................................................... $15,149.53
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................................ $362,653.56
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................................... $13,925.04
C.A.I.P FUND ............................................................................................... $26,901.66
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 ...................... $572,180.12
L.M.I. Grant (DOT) ..................................................................................... $388,731.01
c. County Manager Comments.
2016 SPLOST continuation projects are ongoing. Public Works Director Goolsby is helping with this project. We could only borrow up to 80% of the $5.8 million of estimated projections for the 2016 SPLOST and that amount is $3.4 million. If the cities join wih the county on bonds or the bank loan, we can borrow up to $4.6 million. We are also applying for additional funds from GDOT. The roads plan was done by traffic count and condition of the road. We are including city projects as well. Going to put the RFP out next week and give several weeks to bid on this.
Based on the roads plan and the initial cost estimates, the first roads that will be resurfaced will be Roberts Quarters, Patton, Kings Bridge (also wide to 24 feet), Old Meansville, Gresham, Flat Shoals, and Eppinger Bridge Roads. The county will also be including LMIG projects on the bid (to get more bang for our bucks) and those roads will be New Hope, Sheperd, and Jonathan's Roost Road. The remaining roads for resurfacing will include Smyrna Church, Rosehill and Reidsboro Roads which will be scheduled as funds come in or the loan is paid down.
CM Hanson explained to commissioners in the written CM Report that the initial road projects will also include the start of our county-wide ditching program. He said that this is a long-term project for the county's 174 miles of unpaved roads and ditching issues associated with each road. He said that Public Works Director Todd Goolsby and he are working on finalizing a plan to reduce man hours and material for the ditching program that will be presented in upcoming weeks.
The CD for Cash Reserves is in place with United Bank to earn interest. Budget meetings are underway. Numbers will be presented on April 13th.
Budget meetings have been ongoing and the budget will be presented on April 13th.
d. Commissioner Reports.
Commissioner Guy recognized Mike Cox for the Tour de Pike. They worked really hard and it turned out well.
Commissioner Jenkins asked about IDA property on Hwy 41. Some bids were sent out for moving the dirt. When is the completion date on this? CM Hanson said that there was a bid for a mass dirt removal. Initially by mid March or early April. Hoping that this will be completed in the next couple of weeks to move the dirt and turn it over to the new owner.
Commissioner Briar Johnson recognized District 3 Candidate Sam Anders who is running for Rep. Lynn Westmoreland's seat. Briar also said that wished his wife a happy anniversary because they were supposed to go out and he didn’t realize that he had to be in the meeting tonight.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Approve/deny 100th Birthday Proclamation for Maude Irene Parks Evans.
Moved up to Invited Guest.
b. Consider request from Pike County Arts Council to use the courthouse grounds on May 14th, June 11th and July 9th from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. for musical performances.
Motion to approve. 2nd Saturday on the Square. Approved 5-0.
c. Approve/deny Tax Exempt status in the amount of $371.43 for Zebulon Downtown Development Authority.
A request was presented to Board of Assessors. They had to deny it according to their rules. However, the property was purchased during the year. On the closing statement, the taxes were prorated. This is at their discretion on whether to allow it and they have done it for other entities. Kevin Hurt spoke on behalf of the DDA. He said that they overlooked the 2014 tax when Zeb Stuarts was purchased, and that they have put several thousand dollars into it with a tenant possibly lined up in the future. Commissioner Daniel asked if they were tax exempt. County Attorney Rob Morton said that if they had owned this on January 1, they wouldn’t even be here asking for this relief. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
d. Approve/deny Tax Refund/Relief Application from Phillip Michael Smith in the amount of $2,031.27.
County Attorney Rob Morton also said that this came from the Board of Assessors. It was taxed as a finished basement, but the Board of Assessors disagreed. A return had not been filed in previous years on this so they recommended denial. Typically there is an appeal process and the owner did not go through the process for a previous year though it has been corrected for this year. CM Hanson said that the basement was identified as a finished basement for seven years, but there is a limit of three years on things like this which is why they are only asking for three years. It was sent as a finished basement on paper to the owner and the owner did not follow the process to say that it was not a finished basement and the owner paid the tax for the past seven years.
Motion to allow the owner to address the Board. Approved 5-0.
Michael built the house in 2006 and was planning on the load bearing walls for the basement, but it was never completed. Somewhere along the line, it was changed to a 100% finished basement in the Assessor's Office. If they came to my house, they could see that it was unfinished and that is how they corrected this. He said that he can only go back three years and that is why he is asking for a refund for the past 3 years. Commissioner Guy said that he believes that the right thing to do is to refund the money and it’s not Michael's fault that he was billed this because he didn’t file anything saying that it was finished. Motion to refund the money.
Discussion: Commissioner Tommy Powers asked about the basement framing. The only thing that is there is for the load-bearing walls and there are outside walls. The rooms are not even framed in. It’s a big, open, unfinished basement. It is not a finished sheet-rocked basement. He is ok with paying the 10% unfinished on it. Apparently someone from the Assessor’s office changed it. More discussion, but basically the same thing. Qpublic said that they had a certain sized house and that is how he found out about the mistake. Approved 5-0.
e. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input in regards to REZ-16-01 - Robert D. and Diane L. Clark, property owners, and Robert D. Clark, applicant, are requesting a re-zoning of a portion of their property from C-2 (General Commercial) to A-R (Agricultural-Residential) in order to clarify the boundary line between the existing residence and the existing business on their property. The subject property, located at 85 Rose Hill Road, has approximately 544 feet of frontage along the eastern side of Rose Hill Road and approximately 377 feet of frontage along the southern side of Ga. Hwy. 109. The property is located in Land Lot 215 of the 8th District of Pike County, Georgia. The property consists of 4 acres and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #070 050.
Action: Discuss/Approve or Deny
Planning and Zoning Director David Allen said that Mr. Clark came to him a couple of months ago and asked about clarifying this line. Since at least the mid 80’s there has been a house and a ceramic business. The boundary of the C-2 part somehow went through the house when it was drawn and he is just wanting to clarify this for his kids and grandkids. This will be a 90 foot outset from the property line and would steer clear from the house. Nothing changes on the property physically. Planning Commissioner recommended for approval on March 10th. Condition that the residential and commercial be sold separately and it would need a separate driveway for the two pieces. David also added a condition for future issues that if they are sold separately, it will have to be 150 feet and 1 acre and 3 acres for the AR property.
No one spoke in favor or opposition. Motion to approve with conditions. Discussion: Rob recommended getting with David and addressing the division and sale of the property by filing this at the Courthouse to clarify lot lines for future buyers. Approved 5-0.
f. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input in regards to First reading of Annual Re-adoption of the Pike County, Georgia Official Zoning Map.
Action: Discuss/Approve or Deny
This is for calendar year 2015. Pitts Lane and the church that was supposed to be a vet’s office and went back to a church, Dollar General, Hwy 41 Industrial Park, 4 parcels on New Hope Road that had been zoned R-11 that were changed from A-R to R-11, and there another parcel on New Hope that had been changed to R-15. This is the first reading of the map.
No one spoke in favor or opposition. No discussion. Motion to approve the first reading. Approved 5-0.
g. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input in regards to First Reading of Text amendment to the Pike County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 91, Animal Control, Section 91.01 through 91.22, relative to the correction of certain clerical errors, the clarification of certain policies and standards, the clarification of certain fine amounts, and the expansion of nuisance regulations to other types of animals.
Action: Discuss/Approve or Deny
Staff recommended approval of these changes in a past meeting. This corrected clerical errors and made sure that we are doing this the right way. Also addressed questions about fines from the Magistrate Court. It also expands the nuisance definition. There has been a rash of livestock incidents to those incidents can be addressed as nuisance if needed.
No one spoke in favor or opposition. No discussion.
Motion to approve as written as well as the change that is noted. The legislature has passed some legislation that pertains to this. The Zoning Director took this on for a couple of years with no extra pay. CM Hanson worked to get a building built for animal control. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
h. Open sealed bids for review regarding Pike County Audit Services.
Our regular audit has been done for several years by the same auditor, but all of the authorities were not included in this so we put out an RFP for a complete audit of the county as well as authorities. We will open and compare and then make an award on the 13th.
Mauldin and Jenkins in Macon. $38,000.
Whaley, Hammonds, Tomasello for 2016-2018 $62,800
Clifton, Lipford, Hardison & Parker for 2016-2018 $35,975
CM Hanson is going to compare these and come back on the 13th with a recommendation. Motion to accept the bids with a recommendation at a later time.
i. Approve/deny contract with Spectrum for phone service.
This will be through Charter that is owned by Spectrum. Rob Morton said that his office is not reviewing related to the numbers. They checked the jurisdiction that will be in Georgia. They brought a few things to their notice. There is a 30 day notice for termination. Site preparation will be done by another entity. The county is responsible for getting the domain names, etc. There is standard language for limited liability, etc.
This is a 36 month contract with a 1 year renewal. They can cancel within a year if that is needed. The dollar amount is now $850 per month. We are paying $2,600 or so with AT&T. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
j. Voted on whether to allow closing Concord Road for filming by Warner Brothers. The Chamber of Commerce is our contact on this. They want to do this on Monday. They will need partial lane closure, etc. for a certain portion of time. Filming of a pilot for a movie. Also have to work with the Sheriff’s Office on this. They will be out there at 2 p.m. and will close the .9 mile of road from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. for filming just north of Bottoms Road and almost to Pedenville Road. A Louisiana bayou type kind of film. They may have to hire deputies to do this and the Sheriff’s Office will work to accommodate those who live there. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
Approve/deny the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to sign the statewide Mutual Aid Agreement in addition to the County Manager.
We are currently under a mutual aid agreement for natural disasters. CM Hanson is currently the contact. If he is not available, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman can bring in help. This can be done at a later date if needed. Motion to approve both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to be additional backup beyond CM Hanson who is the Executive Officer and can ask for state aid.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person) None.
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION: 7:55 p.m.
a. Discussion or deliberation on the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee or interviewing applicants for the position of the executive head of an agency, as provided in O.C.G.A. § 50-14-3(b)(2); germane to Public Works.
Regular Session. 8:15 p.m.
CM Hanson asked to add an additional employee as Heavy Equipment Operator in Public Works. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
12. ADJOURNMENT: 8:16 p.m.
Agenda is subject to revision
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