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Wednesday, October 10, 2012 – 9:00 a.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia
This meeting was attended by all five commissioners, County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye to take the minutes, County Manager (CM) Mike Phillips, and County Attorney Tom Morton. There were three additions to the agenda: Commissioner Don Collins asked that animal control be added under new business, and that an executive session be added for Hiring and Firing of Personnel in the County Commission Office--specifically the position of county clerk. Chairman Doug Mangham asked that Judge Mack Crawford be allowed to speak as an invited guest. Motion to approve. 5-0.
1. CALL TO ORDER.....................................................................................Chairman Doug Mangham
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE....................................................................Chairman Doug Mangham
3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. 50-14-1 (e) (1))
4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A.§ 50-14-1(e) (2))
Minutes of the September 25, 2012 Regular Monthly Meeting.
5. INVITED GUESTS
a. Mary Milner, Pike County Retired Educators Association, would like to address the Board in regards to signing the Retired Educators Day In Georgia Proclamation.
There are more than 97,000 retired educators in Georgia, 22,000 members of this association, and they donate thousands of hours of volunteer service every year. Pike County honors our retired educators with the signing of this proclamation.
b. Judge Mack Crawford would like to address the Board in regards to the renovation of the Courthouse.
Judge Crawford spoke on the behalf of the judges in Superior Court. He voiced their concern about furnishings and equipment including security cameras and audio and video equipment because the county has no provisions that have been made for these things. Things are very technically oriented in court now including the necessity for looking up court cases when they are mentioned in court because necessary law books are no longer printed and must be accessed online. He also mentioned the need for furnishings in the small courtrooms and the grand jury room as well as the new vault in Superior Court. He said that funding was obtained through the courts for key pads in the courthouse but security is this concern for the judges especially with the elimination of five security cameras from the renovation. He began what became a heated question and answer session with the commissioners when he said that the acoustics are no better than when we began the renovation and that proper equipment would be needed for people to hear in a full-court room. He clarified that the windows help keep outside sounds out but that acoustics are different with 10 people in a courtroom than with 120. He was trying not to be critical of commissioners but said that there has been no coordination with everyone together on this renovation project. CM Phillips said that we still have some things to take care of. Judge Crawford said that he spoke only for himself because he had not spoken to the others when he asked about the possibility of keeping the street closed for security purposes. He mentioned an incident in Tennessee where a woman drove up to the courthouse, killed two deputies, and took off with a prisoner and said that he would like to see street closed permanently between the courthouse and the sheriff's office. He said that there was more problems in the circuit than you would anticipate and that he's even had problems with his house. He said that the street could be closed just when judges were in Court too. He advised that Superior Court will turn in its list of needs as soon as they get a quote from the sound guy.
[Note from the Editor: (added 10.16.12) I went to court at the old high school/alternative school today. All of the parking spots were full in front of the school and going down to the auditorium. I do not see any way that we can permanently close with the road between the courthouse and the sheriff's office without causing a severe shortage of parking on any given court day. Perhaps there are alternatives to ensure the safety of our judges that need to be addressed, but even with an additional parking lot, I don't see a permanent road closure as a solution to the problem. I think it will be a problem for local citizens and people from out of town who use that road on a regular basis when they miss their turn around on the square.]
6. 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 $33,982.75
Jury Account $0
Cash Reserve Account $76,342.26
Jail Fund $20,797.85
E-911 Fund $55,223.58
DATE Fund $14,966.61
Juvenile Court Fund $26,776.53
Residential Impact Fees $273,872.10
Commercial Impact Fees $17,821.12
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 $893,889.19
c. County Manager Comments
- Courthouse renovation update: This is still ongoing and they hope to finish up in December.
- Update on any pertinent departmental issues: None.
- No draw as yet to the recently approved TAN line of credit: CM Phillips said that we are skirting it close but that no money has been borrowed yet.
- The concept of some type of animal control is still being researched: This will be discussed more later on in the meeting. He said that documentation has been found on the old chipper site but has found indication that another site may provide a better opportunity to progressively put in an animal control center. It is convenient because it is by the women's facility. He said that the borrow pit has city water and sewer and would be easy to hook up with no issues from the EPD on the sewer. The old doublewide office trailer is still available to the county from the city of Zebulon. He said that it would cost money to move and set it up but that we could get $1.
He also mentioned two ways that the county can help the city of Zebulon. He said that they have a dirt pile with no way to move it and that they have too old brick city entry portals that they cannot move. One may even be an old time capsule.
Update 10.16.12:
d. Commissioner Reports
District 1 – Commissioner Bass had no comment.
District 2 – Commissioner Jarrett asked for an update on the motion in an IDA meeting (Pike Industrial Development Authority) that committed county funds for an advertisement on the Chamber maps. She asked why the County Manager had committed the Board to an expenditure of $697 with this map when the IDA has a budget that it needs to work within each year. CM Phillips explained that there are going to be 5,000 copies of the map and it would give the county to put their information on the map so people would know contact information in the future. Commissioner Carol Bass said that this opens the door for all departments if money is given outside of the budget. The county manager apologized. He had thought that it would be ok because the money was coming out ofadvertising rather than contingency.
District 3 – Commissioner Powers agreed that something like the IDA request needs to come before the commission before a decision is made to commit money. He also said that he doesn't think contingency funds need to be used for animal control.
District 4 – Commissioner Collins said that he would like to attend the ACCG meeting on October 31 in Warm Springs and asked if anyone else would like to go so they could carpool together. Commissioners Don Collins, Tommy Powers, and CM Mike Phillips. He also said that he has concerns that came about as he was inspecting the renovation on the courthouse. He asked CM Phillips to get with the architect and determine how the baseboards will be finished out on this project. He did not want to see plastic baseboards in the offices saying that it would cheapen the look of the offices because the rest of the finish is wood. His last topic of concern is that the barriers have been moved completely on one side of Jackson Street between the courthouse and the sheriff's office. He said that if the road is closed it needs to be enforced because there are three more months of construction and people are using it like it is open. He asked the county manager to look into this matter and asked that the barriers be put back and the road continue to be closed until renovation of the courthouse is complete.
At-Large – Chairman Mangham had no comment.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioner - None.
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Revisit discussion regarding distribution of insurance refund, carried over from September 25 Regular Monthly Meeting.
With the inclusion of the 2 with COBRA insurance, refunds will be given to all current employees who are paying for health insurance in the amount of $32.03. Motion to go with recommendations given to the county to only give refunds on health insurance to those who are currently on health insurance and are paying for COBRA insurance. Approved 5-0.
b. Approval/Denial of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency-Homeland Security Statewide Mutual Aid and Assistance Agreement.
It was stated that this is a normal mutual aid agreement that has been done throughout the state between every city and county and GEMA and FEMA. It is for reimbursement. The question was asked whether the old agreement was rescinded as they asked. They were advised that it has not been. Motion to postpone for more information until the next meeting. Approved 5-0.
More soon.
8. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consideration to lease Molena Fire Station.
b. Approve/Denial of Resolution to adopt the 2012 Short Term Work Program Update as transmitted on July 31, 2012 and approved by The Department of Community Affairs on August 27, 2012.
c. Consider three (3) appointments to the Pike County Development Authority for a new 4-year term set to expire 10/31/2016.
9. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person)
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION
11. ADJOURNMENT
Agenda subject to revision.