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ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Commissioners met in the upper courtroom of the courthouse on Wednesday, November 12, 2024 at 9 a.m. for a regularly scheduled meeting. All meetings are open to the public, and this meeting was broadcast live on Pike County Times' Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes/videos/442487502212682. FB Lives are linked in the box at the top of the page.
Click here to see the documents that have been uploaded with the agenda on the Pike County government page.
This meeting was attended by Commissioners James Jenkins, Jason Proctor, Tim Guy, and Tim Daniel, Chairman Briar Johnson, County Clerk Angela Blount, and Interim County Manager/County Attorney Rob Morton.
1. CALL TO ORDER ....... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
2. INVOCATION ....... Silent Invocation
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ....... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. § 50-14-1 (e) (1))
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the October 29, 2024, Regular Monthly Meeting.
b. Minutes of the October 29, 2024, Executive Session.
Motion to approve both. Approved 5-0.
6. INVITED GUEST
a. Employee Recognition for service to Pike County.
• Sandy Mitchell – Probate Court
Sandy was honored for 25 years of service. Interim County Manager/ County Attorney Morton said that she has a servant's heart and has worked hard for our county. Judge Ginny Blakeney said that Probate Court wouldn't be what it is without her.
• Justin Greene – Sheriff’s Department
Morton said that Justin is passionate about his job. Major David Neal said that Justin genuinely cares about his job.
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 to accept monthly reports. Approved 5-0.
b. County Manager Report
Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ....... $1,590,259.43
Fire Dept. Donations ....... $12,003.50
Cash Reserve Account ....... $18,085.56
Jail Fund ....... $35,255.62
E-911 Fund ....... $20,431.96
DATE Fund ....... $28,051.19
Juvenile Court Fund ....... $13,746.25
Residential Impact Fee ....... $402,433.88
Commercial Impact Fees ....... $15,470.00
C.A.I.P FUND ....... $121,360.07
General Obligation SPLOST 2022-2028 ....... $2,947,433.36
L.M.I.G. Grant (DOT) ....... $226,028.51
c. County Manager Comment
We are in the middle of soliciting bids for the McKinley Road project. December 3 will be the in house opening with the engineer in preparation for the presentation at the December 11 meeting.
Said that Tim Ingram has presented a concern that every time McKinley Road is scraped, there is a significant issue with dust. He has asked to maintain the area in front of his driveway with calcium chloride until the road is paved. Asked the Road Superintendent if there would be any problem with this. There will be no cost to the county. Commissioner consensus to allow this.
Chestnut Oak is almost finished. The county has done a great job. The Extension Office is fixing to move over there now that there is internet. A use agreement is being hammered out related to who is going to be the events coordinator when it comes to the Extension Office and the Ag Authority so there won't be any problems in the future.
Meeting with Atlanta Paving about 8 roads for paving including Harden and Scott Roads. Maybe a redesign for Harden Road intersection to see about cost and see if the property owner wants to fund this. Also meeting with the contractor and property owners about Scott Road to see if any issues can be resolved.
Almost completed projects at Watering Hole Pass and Drive, Pedenville, Sandefur, and Chapman Roads. Roberts Quarters is almost done. County has done all drainage, pipes, etc. Looking at guard rails for this road and Concord-Hollonville Road near the lake.
Advised that there are open positions to work at the county: 2 at the library, 2 at Public Works, and 1 at Building and Grounds.
Public Facilities Authority has received a request to have a meeting with City of Zebulon and the Development Authority. There has been a discussion with the Board of Education as well.
Ready to get the Christmas decorations up around the courthouse. Any thoughts? Fine with now.
d. Commissioner Reports
Commissioner Jenkins. 2 calls. Starks and Woodard Road phone calls about wash with the rain. Talked about swapping 2nd District Road with one house and Woodard at one point. Johnson. Thought we had swapped it but there was a problem because it is a SPLOST project so there could be a problem with removing a road. But we could add another road.
Motion to add Woodard Road to the paving list. Discussion: Can look at extra SPLOST funds, etc. but cannot remove 2nd District Road from the SPLOST list because it has been advertised. Daniel. Wants to add Shortcut Road. Voted on the motion on the floor for Woodard Road. Approved 5-0.
Chairman Johnson. There are several board openings being advertised. Thanked David Neyhart, his crew, and the poll workers for their job on the election.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. 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. Approved 5-0.
b. Approve/deny renewal of alcohol license (Retail Sales – beer and wine) for Saifullah Bhamani, Nabiha USA Inc d/b/a The Rock Store, 4131 Hwy 19 South, Meansville, GA. Applicant has met criteria.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
c. Approve/deny renewal of alcohol license (Pouring – beer, wine and distilled spirits) for Stacy Johnston, J2 Hospitality LLC d/b/a Slices Pizzeria, 421 Plaza Drive, Zebulon, GA. Applicant has met criteria.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
Morton thanked Angela Blount for her hard work on putting these applications together for the county.
d. Discussion of Employee Christmas luncheon.
Week of December 10 was approved. Cost is more than anticipated. Ryan Landry has offered to do catering for this. Discussion: Close the offices for a few hours on December 10 and Landry do the catering for the amount approved. No motion needed.
e. Approve/deny the 2025 Holiday Schedule.
Recommend approval as submitted. Motion to approve the holiday schedule for 2025. Approved 5-0.
f. Approve/deny the 2025 Board of Commissioners Regular Monthly Meeting Schedule.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
g. Consider appointment(s) to the Public Facilities Authority.
Jenna Rae Overton and Commissioner Elect Ken Pullin. Morton. Based on the timing, Pullin will be taking office in January. Both are qualified. Overton has experience. Recommending Overton as the citizen at large. Hancock already on there. 3 commissioners could include Pullin. Johnson and Guy are currently on there. Could appoint Pullin as a commissioner later. Motion to appoint Overton, Hancock, Johnson, Guy, and Pullin as a commissioner at a later date. Approved 5-0.
h. Discussion of striping of Kings Road.
GDOT was going to do this. Goodman got confirmation that this includes Kings Road. Let’s hold on the previous motion for now. Johnson. Why would they stripe our country road? Goodman. They try to connect county to county when they do a county road. July 2025. Consensus to put this on pause for now.
i. Approve use of ARPA funds to pay for county website.
Looking at funding sources. Asking authorization to use ARPA funds. 1,375. 3,000 to start the project. Design hopefully done by December. Hopefully implement by January. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
j. Discussion of the Pike County Code of Ordinances Personnel Policy.
Identified some issues. Been discussing those with departments for several years. Need to do an overhaul, but this will do for now.
Anniversary date is date of record when began full-time employment. But vacation pay is determined to be the 13th month after the date of hire. Administration has not been following that policy, and now the new HR position is following the policy. Asking to follow from now on to date of hire.
Also jury duty pay is an issue. Ongoing policy not in policy is donation of leave time. Other employees have been donating on a case by case basis that is now written out. Want to make those three changes now. Other changes are coming but need to handle these three changes now.
Motion to approve the 1st reading of these three changes. Approved 5-0.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT (Limited to 5 minutes per person) - NONE
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - NONE
12. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn. 9:34 a.m.
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