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Wednesday, October 14, 2020 – 9:00 a.m.
Courthouse, Main Courtroom, 16001 Barnesville Street, Zebulon, Georgia
www.pikecoga.com/novusagenda has an online agenda and accompanying information for this meeting. Monthly information from Animal Control, Coroner, Fire Department, Grady, Library, Magistrate Court, McIntosh Trail CSB, Planning & Development, Registrar, Superior - Juvenile Court, Tax Assessor, and the Water Authority are included as well during the morning meeting only.
We encourage that attendees follow recommended Covid-19 guidelines which include staying home if you are ill/not feeling well, washing your hands, maintaining social distancing, and wearing a face covering (recommended but not required)
Present: Commissioners James Jenkins, Tim Guy, Tim Daniel, Jason Proctor, and Chairman Briar Johnson, County Clerk Angela Blount to take the minutes, County Manager (CM) Brandon Rogers, 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))
CM Rogers asked to add an Executive Session pertaining to litigation. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the September 29, 2020, Regular Monthly Meeting.
b. Minutes of the October 6, 2020, Workshop.
6. INVITED GUEST - 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 ........................................................................................ …$1,304,108.43
Fire Dept. Donations ....................................................................................... $6,169.53
BOC – Jury Account………………………………………………………………$0.00
Cash Reserve Account ........................................................................ ….... $107,572.70
Pike County CD Special Revenue funds…………………………………………. $0.00
Jail Fund ........................................................................................................ $32,843.27
E-911 Fund .................................................................................................... $85,976.80
DATE Fund ................................................................................................... $55,886.98
Juvenile Court Fund ...................................................................................... $11,636.20
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................................ $781,682.67
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................................. $134,017.94
C.A.I.P FUND ............................................................................................... $84,137.20
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2016 ................... ...$332,111.61
L.M.IG. Grant (DOT)………………………………….…………………...$123,883.51
c. County Manager Comment
County Manager Report. CM Rogers advised that the Millage Rate meeting for the county will be on October 30, 2020 at 9 a.m. This meeting had to be pushed back because the school millage rate had to be approved first. [Note from the Editor: The Board of Commissioners (BOC) does NOT approve the School Board's expenditures or their budget like the BOC does its own, but the School Board has to walk through the process just like we are where they put out their budget, hold hearings, and then vote on it. The BOC will vote to accept it, but it is merely procedural, and the commissioners have NO control over the School Board. To read about the proposed raise in the millage rate for the School Board, click here.]
CM Rogers asked to move the November 24 nightly commission meeting from two days before Thanksgiving back to November 19 at 6:30 p.m.
Motion to approve both. Approved 5-0.
CM Rogers said that the October 6, 2020 Ordinance Workshop went well and that he was met with County Attorney Morton since then. They hope to have a first reading of proposed changes to the ordinances ready in November.
d. Commissioner Reports
District 2 Commissioner Tim Guy spoke to a gentleman and several others who have had a problem with 4 wheelers using the subdivision roads in Irish Hills as a racetrack. He asked for a way to monitor with the Sheriff’s Office and/or put up signs about no off-road vehicles. CM Rogers said that he would talk with the Sheriff on this.
District 3 Jason Proctor asked about Country Brown Road and Mr. Davis’ house. He advised that the order has been put in but that things were set back a little because of the storms.
There is an animal Control issue on East Liberty Road. The Animal Control Officer is looking into this.
District 3 Commissioner Proctor said that citizens need to attend School Board Meetings and contact them with questions about the School Board budget.
District 4 Commissioner James Jenkins asked where do we stand on Paragon and the Impact Fee Study? CM Rogers said that he will follow up on this.
Chairman Briar Johnson gave a welcome to Dr. Turpin, his wife Judy, and Dr. Bonnie Gardner who are at the meeting on behalf of the Retired Teachers Association. They are shown in the picture above.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners
County Attorney Rob Morton gave an update on Hughley Road development, Mill Road, from the City of Zebulon. There are multiple phases for this development. The first phase is about 20 homes. The developer is hoping to get started by the end of the year.
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consider use of Courthouse Grounds from Bryan Richardson with Pike County American Legion Post 197 on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. for Pike County Veterans Day Observance Ceremony.
Also includes a request to use the courthouse in case of inclement weather. The courthouse would be closed because it is a holiday. Motion to approve use of the courthouse grounds only. Approved 5-0.
b. Approve/deny renewal of alcohol license (Retail Sales – beer and wine) for Jason Mask d/b/a/ Frank’s Filling Station, 6764 Hwy. 362 Concord, GA. Applicant has met criteria.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
c. Approve/deny renewal of alcohol license (Retail Sales – beer) for Mitul Patel d/b/a Caddies Corner, 10030 Hwy 19 North, Zebulon, GA. Applicant has met criteria.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
d. Approve/deny renewal of alcohol license (Pouring - beer, wine, and distilled spirits) for Keven Sasser d/b/a Barnstormer’s Grill and Event Center, LLC, 349 Jonathan’s Roost Rd, Williamson, GA. Applicant has met criteria.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
e. Approve/deny renewal of alcohol license (Pouring – beer, wine, and distilled spirits) for Jeremy Crumbley d/b/a Pedros, 212 Plaza Drive, Zebulon, GA. Applicant has met criteria.
Motion to approve. Discussion: Wasn’t this just approved? Yes, but it was for 2019. This is for 2020. Approved 5-0.
f. Approve/deny for Chairman Johnson to sign the proclamation honoring Sunday, November 1, 2020 as Retired Educator Day in Georgia.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
g. Approve/deny Agreement for Probation Services between Pike County Board of Commissioners and Community Supervision Services, LLC.
This is an annual agreement that has been reviewed. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
h. Approve/deny SUB-20-10-Briar Patch Plantation, LLC, owner and J. Gordon Dixon, applicant are requesting a second minor subdivision from a parent tract within a three-year period. Property Location: 319 Madden Bridge Rd., Molena, GA 30258. Land Lots: 164 & 189. District: 9th Parcel ID: 034-009E. Acreage: 43.15 acres. Commission District: District 2nd. Commissioner District: Tim Guy.
The application is due to code requirements. He does not feel that they are trying to circumvent any rules. The would have been handled in house if it had been requested at the time. The Planning Commission and staff recommend approval. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
i. Approve/deny SUB-20-11- Larry Passmore et. al., owner and Gwendolyn Belton, applicant are requesting a 6-lot major subdivision. Property Location: No Address Assigned. Roberts Quarters Rd., Molena, GA 30258. Land Lot: 72. District 9th. Parcel IDs: 058-009, 058-009 A, 058-009 B. Acreage: 77.15 acres. Commissioner Districts: 1st & 2nd. Commissioner Districts: Timmy Daniel & Tim Guy.
These were carved out in 2018 and the additional area has 4 extra tracts. This is a major subdivision. Planning Commission and staff recommend approval. Lot sizes are well above the minimum with 14, 8, 11, 21, 8, and 13 acres. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
j. Approve/deny SUB-20-12- Ben Johnson, owner and Adam Henley, applicant are requesting concurrent preliminary and final plat approval minor subdivision which is the second land split within a three-year period from the same parent tract. Property Location: No Address Assigned, Concord, GA 30206. Land Lots: 238 & 243. District: 9th. Parcel ID: 014-002B. Acreage: 76.7 acres. Commission District: 2nd. Commissioner District: Tim Guy.
Second split in 3 years. He created a minor subdivision about a year ago. This will be a major subdivision with 4 splits. Roughly 14 acres of this is in the flood zone and there is an abandoned cemetery with a certified report to go with it. Planning Commission and staff recommend approval. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT - NONE
Chairman Briar Johnson thanked Dr. Turpin and Dr. Bonnie Gardner for their service with education and allowed them to speak in the meeting. Dr. Turpin commended the commissioners on the great job they are doing with the county and commended them especially for supporting education.
Briar said that Dr. Turpin as the superintendent brought education so much forward since he attended school here in Pike County in the 1970’s. Dr. Turpin hired Bonnie Byrd Gardner. She thanked commissioners for the time that they spend on meetings both in and outside of the meeting. Chairman Johnson thanked these retired teachers for their service to the community.
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION: County Manager Brandon Rogers requests consultation with county attorney, or other legal counsel, to discuss pending or potential litigation, settlement, claims, administrative proceedings, or other judicial actions brought or to be brought by or against the county or any officer or employee or in which the county or any officer or employee may be directly involved, as provided in O.C.G.A. §50-14-2(1), germane to possible litigation. [Note from the Editor: This was added at the beginning of the meeting by the county manager.]
Voted to enter into Executive Session at 9:31 a.m.
County Clerk Angela Blount went into Executive Session per the County Manager’s Request. Back into session at 10:19 a.m.
[Note from the Editor: If any decisions are made as a result of Executive Session, a motion has to made when the commissioners come back into open session. I had just published an article on October 6, 2020 entitled, "Update on the Concord Road Culvert" which can be viewed by clicking here. The possible ending date at that time was mid to the end of November, and the project had already been approved at that time including the use of temporary dam that had already been ordered and might have even been delivered at the time of the meeting if I understood things correctly. The motion that was made after the Executive Session was a signal that something had changed.]
Motion to continue moving forward with the Concord Road project with the construction of a temporary dam. Approved 5-0.
[Note from the Editor: I spoke to County Manager Brandon Rogers at the conclusion of the meeting to find out what had happened. That article is entitled "BREAKING NEWS: Concord Road Culvert Repair Hits a Snag" and can be viewed by clicking here. Wildwood Farm Of Pike LLC owns the lake, and there are two property managers and a family member of the owner who have been communicating with the county about the water level in the lake. Pike County Times has reached out to the owner of the property about this situation and will update this article pending any further communication. At this point, the county is stuck with the approximately $80,000 bill for reasons that are in the article, and there is no ending date for the project at this time (despite the contract that read by the end of the year) because the county has had to modify the order given to our contractor based on talks with the LLC about the level of the lake. If you haven't read the first article, you need to read it before the second article.]
12. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn at 10:20 a.m.
Agenda subject to revision.
[Note from the Editor: If you appreciate being able to read information from county meetings for free on Pike County Times, please make a donation to Pike County Times through the PayPal link at the bottom of the page or by check to Pike County Times at PO Box 843, Zebulon so I can justify the amount of time that I am spending away from family. It may not seem like much but sitting in a meeting and then typing it up takes a lot more time than you might imagine! Thanks for reading Pike County's only FREE newspaper.]