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Submitted photo.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016 - 9:00 a.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia
All five commissioners are present as well as County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye and Ginny Blakeney 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)) 5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the February 23, 2016 Regular Monthly Meeting.
6. INVITED GUESTS
a. Employees to be recognized for their service to Pike County.
Pam Thompson was unable to attend the meeting.
Tracy Vincent has been with the county for 15 years. CM Hanson praised her for being professional, for knowing their budget backward and forward, and the Sheriff praised her for keeping their budget in line at the Sheriff’s Office.
b. Jimmy Totten, Director of EMA to present a check from GEMA to the Board.
Pike EMA Director Jimmy Totten said that we have just closed out the grant. Laura from GEMA and Katie Westbrook from LUX Communications were on hand for this presentation that is tied to Pike's Hazard Mitigation Plan. There was a $17,046 check presented from GEMA to the county with a $5,682 in kind match on this from the county. Totten stressed that no money was spent. CM Hanson said that there was a lot of work and lengthy meetings on this. The cities all had representatives here and there was a lot of response from the community too.
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.
Motion/second by Commissioner Powers/Commissioner Daniel to approve, motion carried 5-0.
b. County Manager Report
Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ............................................................................ $3,118,754.87
Fire Dept. Donations ....................................................................... $3,943.56
Cash Reserve Account ................................................................ $613,599.98
Jail Fund ........................................................................................ $20,208.08
E-911 Fund .................................................................................... $25,336.62
DATE Fund ................................................................................... $37,712.59
Juvenile Court Fund ...................................................................... $16,198.89
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................ $350,619.40
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................... $13,924.49
C.A.I.P FUND ............................................................................... $26,900.64
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 ..... $579,359.59
L.M.I. Grant (DOT) .................................................................... $378,222.73
c. County Manager Comment
CM Hanson said that he intends to bring good, effective results on the SPLOST and this process is already rolling. All asphalt related projects will be in one RFP (hopefully by the end of the month) and will make this money go as far as possible. He said that the citizens are looking for immediate results and our roads need immediate results.
Finishing up a culvert on Johnson Road. It was one lane only. Nazareth Church is completely closed with 3 96 inch culverts. Williamson-Zebulon Road and McKinley Road shoulder work will begin next. When widening Williamson-Zebulon Road, we made our dollars go as far as possible and that was not included. However, shoulder work will be included in future projects.
The county has met with DOT about the widening of Kings-Bridge Road.
Commissioner Jenkins asked about Melville Brown Road. It is going to have its culverts replaced. This was planned for replacement before the December rains and is showing the need for the work right now. There is a sheared bank there that has washed into the road and it has a section that is one way.
d. Commissioner Reports
District 1 Tim Daniel said that he appreciated Jimmy Totten and all that he does for the county. He asked whether our paving equipment in Molena and was told yes. We have agreed to do their paving work there if they paid for the materials. It hasn’t started yet, but will be soon.
He also said that the county got a letter from a citizen about animal control and he wanted to respond. The letter said that the county has no compassion for animals and has failed. He said that is not true because we are working toward this. CM Hanson said that David Allen has worked diligently for 7 years. It was also pointed out that animal control was previously on a SPLOST that was turned down. Hanson said that the county has made some very good steps toward animal control. We have a facility now and are taking steps to accomplish them. CM Hanson said that the need for animal control is there and it is growing every day. At some point, we will be financially set to handle it when we get there.
District 2 Tim Guy thanked the Sheriff’s Office for their professionalism and their service as well as for providing protection for our county. CM Hanson expounded on this incident and said that a vehicle came through and almost hit some of our workers (within inches) and the Sheriff’s Office was on top of this within minutes. He said his appreciation for pursuing and apprehending this person. Click here to read about this arrest.
District 3 Tommy Powers commended Public Works for working on our roads and opening them up after the rains closed them out.
District 4 James Jenkins asked about gas reimbursement. CM Hanson said that this is set by accounting rules and legally we have to do what is required even if the price of fuel is down like it is now.
He also thanked Ben Maxedon for making sure that there was someone at the meetings to give the invocation. Jenkins said that this was the first project that he was involved in and that God wasn’t being acknowledged in meetings prior to that and it bothered him. He said that there was opposition to it to begin with but it was passed and we don't have the turmoil that we used to. CM Hanson said that he gets a prayer card from Ben Maxedon on a regular basis and he said that he appreciates prayers for himself and the county.
Chairman Briar Johnson said that he was given the opportunity to thank the high school kids for their work picking up trash along Pike County’s roads with Pick Up Pike. He praised Principle Mike Maddox for his organization of the event and praised the student who were involved for their politeness and being willing to help. [Note from the Editor: Chairman Johnson told me after the meeting that Chris Curry opened up her bed and breakfast so that volunteers had a bathroom to use during the pick up.]
Johnson responsed to Jenkins comments about having an invocation before each meeting. He said that he didn’t remember opposition to prayer, but he did remember discussion about how it was going to occur.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.
Rob Morton said that they (the county attorneys) were at the Board of Assessor’s meeting yesterday and wanted the commissioners to be aware that they are spending time on county matters that don’t always show up on a report or the agenda.
He spoke about the current county animal control rules and how they came about. He said that the state mandated that the county designate a dog officer and take care of dangerous dogs. This is for enforcement of the dangerous and vicious dog statute and that is what the facility is for right now. He clarified that this is not somewhere to take your animals and that the county is prosecuting cases every month on county citations through Magistrate Court. He said that we are doing what we can but we are not in the animal control business. There is a lot of need within the cities for this especially and we are looking into joint services like this, but it's not cheap. The operation of an animal control shelter is costly so we are doing the best that we can with what we have. He commended Planning and Development Director David Allen and Animal Control Officer Tanya Perkins for a job well done.
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consider request from Ben Maxedon to use the courthouse grounds Saturday, May 7, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. for National Day of Prayer.
Motion to aprove. Maxedon made a correction that the request is for Thursday, May 5, 2016 because Naitonal Day of Prayer is always the first Thursday in May. Approved 5-0.
Motion to aprove. Approved 5-0.
c. Consider two appointments with the Pike County Agribusiness Authority to fill a three-year term, set to expire March 31, 2019. Applicants have met criteria.
. Tom Lacy and Rex Yerkes. These are both renewal terms. There were no other applicants. Motion to approve both. Approved 5-0.
d. Approve/deny request from Kevin Teate for an additional cost of $2700.00 to be paid from the Recreation Impact Fee for additional work to be done at the Recreation Department.
They ran into some additional costs and repairs. It is Impact Fee eligible. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
e. Planning and Development is forwarding a refund request from Alva Gardner and Linda Riggins, pertaining to a recently permitted carport at 816 McCrary Road.
Director of Planning and Development David Allen said that a carport permit was applied for and then the carport was not delivered and they won’t be getting this. It’s $50. Motion to refund this. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
f. Per Code Section 155.03, Planning and Development is forwarding a request from L & S Contracting to alterations to the previously approved final plat for Irish Hill subdivision, proposing to combine Lots 35 and 36 and Lots 57 and 58.
These lots have some bad soil on them so they want to combine it for a more buildable area on each. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
g. Open sealed bids for review regarding a CD for Cash Reserves.
The county is working to earn interest on its money. Commissioner Jenkins asked the county to look into this. All government funds must be 100% secured. CM Hanson asked to increase the cash reserve and put it into a CD that will come mature before October when we sometimes need to dip into these funds. He will review these before making a final recommendation.
Raymond James in Griffin – 4 CD’s at $250,000 each with two for .550%, one for .590%, and one for .500 with an average yield of .525%.
United Bank in Zebulon – 4 CD’s at $250,000. .0600 .575 .500 .500 Average yield .544%.
CM Hanson said that it looks like United Bank is higher, but he wants to look these over and calculate penalties before a final decision is made. Motion for United Bank contingent on research. Approved 5-0.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person)
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - None
12. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn. 9:37 a.m.
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