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Wednesday, July 13, 2016 – 9:00 a.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia
All five commissioners present and County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye to take the minutes. County Manager (CM) John Hanson and County Attorney Tom Morton. (Rob is in court today.)
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))
Changed 9d to a discussion of a 6 month moratorium rather than a vote on a 6 month moratorium of gun ranges. Motion to amend the agenda. Approved 5-0.
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the June 28, 2016 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.
James Jenkins asked why the Library is already over budget and the Rec Department too. CM Hanson explained that they get their first check for the month at the beginning of the month and that would make it look like they are over their budget when they are not. Jenkins then asked why everyone doesn't look that way and it was explained that every department may not have large expenditures at the beginning of the year like this.
He also asked about the money brought in by the fireworks display. CM Hanson said that those numbers haven't come in yet, but that they should have them soon. He said that he doesn't think that they anticipate breaking even with this first event.
b. County Manager Report
Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ............................................................................................... $960,817.35
Fire Dept. Donations ........................................................................................ $3,944.05
BOC – Jury Account………………………………………………………………$0.00
Cash Reserve Account ..................................................................................... $3,645.93
Pike County CD Special Revenue funds………………………………...$1,000,000.00
Jail Fund ........................................................................................................ $22,155.73
E-911 Fund .................................................................................................... $80,115.20
DATE Fund ................................................................................................... $38,633.08
Juvenile Court Fund ....................................................................................... $14,485.83
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................................ $320,651.26
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................................... $19,356.99
C.A.I.P FUND ............................................................................................... $24,233.85
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 ...................... $300,353.39
L.M.I. Grant (DOT) ..................................................................................... $404,286.63
c. County Manager Comment
He said that CW Mathews began work in Williamson last week and Concord is next. Maybe move to Meansville if they are ready there. Public Works is doing patching work first then CW Mathews will do their paving. If you go down a road, thin layer of leveling on each side and then the topping. CW Mathews is working well with us and even working late. A separate crew will do the striping and shoulder dressings on the roads.
Flat Shoals Road filming finished early. There was one complaint that was addressed. The crew was professional. He thanked them on the behalf of commissioners for their professionalism. And the county is supposed to receive some money on this.
d. Commissioner Reports
Tim Daniel has had a few calls on ditching. CM Hanson said that they are working around the county on problem areas. Short Cut Road was addressed as well as Molena. They have patched every pot hole that was out there and it will need some attention in the years to come.
Tim Guy went by Short Cut Road and it really turned out well, and he agrees that it will need attention at a later time. Things have turned out well.
Tommy Powers has also had calls about ditching including Dukes Road.
James Jenkins said that the zipping and paving on Watering Hole Pass needs to be addressed at some point. Chapel Hill Road going into 362 has a bad intersection. That road is in bad shape and he suggested getting together with Spalding County and working on this intersection and road. CM Hanson said that the DOT could do a study on this section. He said that Buchanan is like that too. People think that they are in Pike County at both of those intersections and it would be helpful to work together.
Chairman Briar Johnson said that the lead on Walking Dead said thank you to the Board and citizens on this filming. He also has had a lot of great comments on the fireworks and people that would like to see this again next year.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.
None.
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consider request from Bryan Richardson of the Pike County American Legion, Post 197 to use the courthouse grounds Sunday, September 11, 2016 from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. for Patriot Day Ceremony.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
b. Consider request from Bryan Richardson of the Pike County American Legion, Post 197 to use the courthouse grounds on Friday, November 11, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. for the Pike County Veterans Day Observance Program.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
c. Per Section 155.03 (A), approve/deny the final plat revision for Kevin and Shanna Needham off of Hollonville Road.
Bought two lots and they want to combine them. It meets all of the code requirements. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
d. Approve/Deny a 6-month moratorium on outdoor shooting range applications within unincorporated Pike County.
There have been three special exceptions of late. He suggestion that the Board should write some standards on this without limiting applications. Also suggested looking at Spalding County and what they have done because they went through a moratorium and dealt with this as well. He included a copy of their moratorium for the Board. Chairman Johnson asked if 6 months is enough. County Attorney told David that 6 months should be enough, but it can be extended if needed.
County Attorney Tom Morton said that we have had 3 or 4 moratoriums in the past, but they can prepare something specifically for Pike County if that is needed after this discussion. David said that he thought that their definition may be overly broad. Tom said that at each of the reviews that we have had in the past, he thinks that David is on the right track in addressing the matter because in each of the past occasions, there are people who are against the ranges. He said that the commissioners are well advised at looking at matters like this for the future.
Commissioner Tommy Powers said that he feels we are on the right track. Tommy made the motion to refer the matter to the County Attorney’s office. Approved 5-0.
e. Approve/deny acceptance of a portion of property/Watering Hole Pass.
Comes off of Reidsboro Road and dead ends into a county maintained road. All of the roads are county maintained but when we get to the lake, there is a sign that says end of county maintained road. The road is county all of the way through except there is a private section in it. The county also maintains the road in 362 West. The residents on both sides of the lake have access. The road hasn’t been maintained for years and residents are asking for help in maintaining this road. The original developer is deceased, but the current Ranchland Estates owner is willing to work with the county. NRCS studies the dams and said that we should not accept a road that crosses a dam.
One of the original thoughts on this is to accept the road over to the dam but not the dam and it is a private property matter. Suggested that authorized use only signs be placed there. He said that the dam road is a hazard, and it is a private matter. Private property signs would take care of the problem. The property owner is willing to grant the 60 foot strip to the end of the pavement. It wouldn’t take a lot to fix this in a day’s work and wouldn’t be a problem to maintain as a gravel road. No paving is suggested for this. The county attorney is looking this over as well. It needs a legal description before final acceptance for that 60 feet of road.
Chairman Johnson asked why we are getting involved at all. CM Hanson said that the general public seems to be using this on a regular basis but signage would help people to understand that it is not county property. He asked about changing the name on one side rather than it being Watering Hole Pass all of the way through.
Tim Daniel asked about the Ranchland side. CM Hanson said that some additional signage would be helpful. If you don’t live there, it probably isn’t used so much. He said that if we put a turn around and signage to show that it is the end of a county road, that should help. He asked if we own the right of way on the other side right up to the dam? Yes.
James Jenkins suggested having a public comment on this. He also said that he thought gates had been put up there before and they have been torn down. The property owner would be responsibility for gates, etc.
Fishing from the dam hasn’t been a huge problem and the commons area is posted for property owners only.
Motion to open this for public comment. Approved 5-0.
Don Brown spoke on this. He lives at Watering Hole Pass and cuts the grass on the dam. He observes traffic there on a regular basis. He said that gates have been put up in the pass and a fence that was torn down before. His personal concern is the thru traffic in the neighborhood. It’s a private dam, and the problem sees to be an absentee development owner. The heavy construction traffic is a primary concern and he has seen Catepillar equipment being pulled across the dam and that is a concern too. He said that it needs to be addressed with the property owner because this is a public hazard. He appreciates the Board’s efforts and he is not for improving this road at all because it encourages traffic. The best solution is to get it off of Google Maps somehow.
He saw a tractor trailer with roof trusses trying to get across the dam. He said that this was likely on his GPS but he had to turn around. Limiting the access to thru traffic from the main roads that doesn’t need to be going through there.
Ned Williams is building new construction on the other side of the lake. He told his builder not to drive across the dam, but that area of road concerns him. He would like it to be maintained as a property owner. Traffic across the dam could cause deterioration. At some point, this may need to be addressed for all of the citizens involved. He would like to have the lake remain there. He suggested speed humps on either side of the dam and wants to see the gravel part of the road maintained as well as addressing it with signage. He said that all of his neighbors like to have access to the lake and this is their access to the common area. Neighbors do keep a good eye on this.
The county’s intention would be to deter the use of this road. Our study recommended not owning this dam. There is no homeowner’s association, and this private property is owned by the owner. If we accept this 60 feet of roadway, CM Hanson suggested deterring use and marking this as private property and not county maintained. We could groom the road so there would be no standing water and have good ditches and maybe a cul-de-sac. Several of the property owners are asking for help from the county.
Don Brown suggested that below the dam is a pipeline of some sort that needs to be considered in preparations.
Why can’t Ranchland Estates get a Homeowner’s Association and take care of this? They don’t want to take responsibility for that dam either because of the expense.
Ned Williams said that this section makes sense for it be county maintained because of how it looks on the maps, etc. and there are lots on either side of Watering Hole Pass. The dam has been there for 30 years. NRCS inspected this for the county. The county doesn’t want to be in the dam business.
Tommy Powers said that we have controversy on both sides on this and would like to postpone this for at least 30 days so the Board can see what they are getting into. Board members were suggested to go out there and look at this. [Note from the Editor: It seems like the consensus of the Board not to do anything with the dam.]
Motion to postpone this for 30 days and reconsider for a later meeting. Either the second Wednesday or last Tuesday of the month.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person) None
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - None
12. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn. 10:02 a.m.
Agenda subject to revision.
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