Pike County Times
The Pike County Times, PO Box 843, Zebulon, Georgia 30295. Click here to donate through PayPal. Becky Watts: Phone # 770-468-7583 editor@pikecountytimes.com
 
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This online news website is owned and operated by Becky Watts. The Editor can be reached at 770-468-7583 or at editor(at)PikeCountyTimes(dot)com. Pike County Times is a website for citizens to keep up with local events and stay informed about Pike County government. It began on November 13, 2006 as a watchdog on county government and has turned into an online newspaper.

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REGULAR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MONTHLY MEETING
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 - 9:00 a.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia

This is the first meeting of the new year with new commissioners Tim Guy and Tim Daniel attending the meeting along with three returning commissioners, County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye and Ginny Blakeney to take the minutes, County Manager John Hanson, and County Attorney Rob 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))

Item F: Applicant has withdrawn. CM Hanson asked to remove this item. MOtion to approve as amended. 5-0.

5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the December 10, 2014 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 ............................................................................................ $2,998,943.79
Fire Dept. Donations........................................................................................ $1,200.77
Cash Reserve Account................................................................................. $261,198.62
Jail Fund ........................................................................................................ $30,256.65
E-911 Fund .................................................................................................... $37,188.67
DATE Fund ................................................................................................... $34,887.65
Juvenile Court Fund....................................................................................... $17,476.47
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................................ $277,151.75
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................................... $11,429.92
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011...................... $128,307.75
L.M.I. Grant (DOT)..................................................................................... $233,073.81

c. County Manager Comments.

CM Hanson said that Public Works is being proactive on roads and is going to replace a culvert on Hagan’s Mountain on January 20. This will require residents to use a detour that day. Weather and conditions permitting want to close and open up again on the same day. He also said he was looking forward to working with this Board.

d. Commissioner Reports.

District 1 Daniel: Glad that he is sitting at the table after waiting since the election.

District 2 Guy: Here to serve Pike County and make the best judgments can make over the next few years.

District 3 Powers: Said we’ve had a lot of rain but roads are in the best shape they can be. He welcomed the new commissioners.

District 4 Jenkins: Asked about leasing out road equipment to neighboring counties with our people to run the equipment and generate some revenue. CM Hanson said that he will work on some parameters for this and discuss it with Public Works Director Todd Goolsby. He asked about using probation services for picking up the roadways because. Reidsboro Road and Highway 18 look bad with all of the trash build up. We have been using them for facility maintenance and improvements for them for the county. 2nd District Road looks good now.

Chairman Johnson: Welcomed the new commissioners and said that it is not always fun and sometimes work. He advised the almost full room that this is the first paperless meeting.

e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.

County Attorney Rob Morton said that there may be a landfill resolution at the night meeting where we have been required to do monitoring by the state. He advised that that there may be an application for reimbursement from the state for our costs on this. We are looking for the documentation to do this.

8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None

9. NEW BUSINESS

a. Approve/Deny the Holiday schedule for 2015.

4th of July is on a Saturday so recommending July 3rd be closed and everything else is standard. Motion to approve. 5-0.

b. Approve/Deny Pike County Board of Commissioners Regular Monthly Meeting dates for 2015.

Standard meeting dates per our ordinance. Recommend cancellation of the nightly December meeting as normal. Motion to approve. 5-0.

c. Elect Vice Chairman for the Pike County Board of Commissioners for 2015.

Motion to continue with Commissioner Powers as the Vice-Chairman. 4-0-1. Powers abstained.

Approve/Deny Impact Fee request for $23,855.48 from Parks and Recreation Authority for concession stand renovation and fence repairs.

This was discussed at a meeting last year in regard to the money in this fund. McLeroy Construction was the lowest bidder on the one project and the county will do the work on the fencing with the cost of materials purchase going to the lowest bidder.

e. Approve/deny the Resolution to appoint County Clerk, Jo Ann Wrye as the County Legislative Coordinator for the Pike County Board of Commissioners for 2015.

Motion to approve. 5-0.

f. Consider one appointment to the Pike County Council on Aging to fill an unexpired three-year term, set to expire September 12, 2015. Applicant has met criteria.

Removed from the agenda. Applicant has withdrawn. CM Hanson asked to remove this item.

g. Consider two appointments to the Pike County Environmental Review Board to fill a four-year term, set to expire December 31, 2018. Applicants have met criteria.

Ken Gran and Patricia Beckham. They are existing members and there was a CM recommendation for renewal to this board. Motion to approve both as members to the board. 5-0.

h. Consider one appointment to the J. Joel Edwards Public Library Board to fill an unexpired three- term, set to expire August 31, 2016. Applicant has met criteria.

Rhonda Morgan is the only applicant. CM Hanson advised that the Library Board interviewed two people for this position and Morgan is their recommendation. Motion to appoint Rhonda Morgan. 5-0.

i. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input on SE-14-09 – Jimmy and Cathy Fain, property owners and applicant, are requesting a Special Exception in an A-R zoned district to allow for use of one mobile home as a temporary residence while a new, stick-built home is being constructed on the property. Chapter 156 (Zoning Code), Section 156.43 (D)(10) – Provides for a manufactured home for temporary use at a construction site, meeting certain development standards. Chapter 156 (Zoning Code), Section 156.27 – Specifies points to be considered by the Board of Appeals. The property is located on Smyrna Church Road, Molena, GA, Land Lot 126, 9th District, Tax Map Parcel #048 031 A.

Brought before the Board of Appeals on December 18 with conditions: only one temp home, must use sewer, etc., if not finished within 12 months must get a renewal—no camper or temp home will be permitted longer than 24 months. The applicant was present.

IN FAVOR: Mrs. Fain advised that this is a new mobile home and that they want to live there and oversee their house as it is being constructed.

Melissa McDaniel said that she is the closest neighbor and she is in support of the Fains being able to do this.

No opposition.

Motion to approve based on staff recommendations. 2nd. Discussion: Once the home is completed, will the mobile home be removed? Yes. Approved 5-0.

j. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input on SE-14-10 – Sheila Everitte, owner and Shannon Pittman, applicant are requesting a Special Exception in an M-1 zoned district to allow for a paint and collision vehicle shop in an existing commercial building on the subject property. Section 156.233(B)(4) – Allows for recreational vehicle, mobile home and boat repair and manufacturing. Section 156.233(D) – Requires a Special Exception for any use not listed within the Permitted Use Section 156.33. Section 160.05(A)(3) – Requires a Special Exception for any new automobile repair and maintenance facilities in the Highway 19 Overlay District. Chapter 156 (Zoning Code), Section 156.27 – Specifies points to be considered by the Board of Appeals. The property is located on 1407 U.S. Hwy. 19 South, Land Lot 206, District 8, Tax Map Parcel #084 024C (portion).

This also went before the Board of Appeals on December 18, 2014. Their recommendation was to require an annual business license, abide by the sign ordinance, night sky friendly lighting, vehicles in any state of repair must be inside, buffers not encroached upon, use and storage of chemicals by all local, state, and federal guidelines. Environmental Review on December 16. This has been industrial for the past 19 years. It was a car repair facility at one time already though Director Allen can’t find where it was approved.

IN FAVOR: Shannon Pittman said that he wants the commissioners to approve this.

Diane Pittman (Shannon’s Mom) said that she would appreciate them allowing him to use his talent. He will be a good addition to our county and it has been his dream to have his own shop. He is good at this, very organized and very particular with what he does as well as following ordinances, etc.

Sheila Everitte – She said that he is a good guy and will be good for the county. She asked that they approve this.

No opposition.

Motion to approve with the conditions as written. Tim Daniel said that he had a questions about item 4 with vehicles that can’t be parked outside. The owner said that he will be doing older restorations and that the only times that cars will be outside will be when someone has a wreck and chooses him work on their vehicle so it could be parked outside overnight. Discussion about the difference between the words stored and parked. Director Allen said that he will not be ticketing anyone based on an overnight stay of a vehicle. County Attorney Rob Morton said that he likes Commission Daniel’s clarification because this clarifies the wording for everyone in the future.

Motion to amend the motion to change the word “parked” to “stored.” Daniel, Jenkins, Johnson. Passes 3-1-1 with Powers against it. Guy abstained.

Motion to approve based on the amended motion. Daniel, Jenkins. Chairman Johnson asked whether it was Pittman or his family when it was operated years ago. 4-1. Powers said that he stands by the original recommendation because he wants to be sure that it doesn’t turn into a yard of parked cars in the future.

10. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person) - None

11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - None

12. ADJOURNMENT

Motion to adjourn 9:39 a.m.

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