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ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Commissioners met in the upper courtroom of the courthouse on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. for a regularly scheduled meeting. There was a Town Hall Meeting at 8:45 a.m. for anyone who wanted to speak to the commissioners about any issues that you may have.

[Note from the Editor: I was not 24 hours past flu symptoms so I did not attend this meeting. However, it was broadcast live on the Pike Journal Reporter Facebook page so the public could see the meeting. Thank you to the Journal Reporter for this today! The numbers on the video are pretty eye opening for anyone who wants to check those statistics. People appreciate being able to see what is being done on our behalf in county commission meetings.]

Click here to see the documents that have been uploaded with the agenda on the Pike County government page.

Present are: James Jenkins, Ken Pullin, Tim Guy, Tim Daniel, and Chairman Briar Johnson, County Clerk Angela Blount, and Attorney / Interim County Manager Rob Morton.

1. CALL TO ORDER ....... Chairman J. Briar Johnson

2. INVOCATION ....... Dr. Matt Turner

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 the agenda. Approved 5-0.

5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))

a. Minutes of the January 28, 2025, Regular Monthly Meeting.

b. Minutes of the January 28, 2025, Executive Session.

Motion to approve the minutes. Approved 5-0.

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.
Discuss/Approve/Deny

b. County Manager Report

Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:

General Fund - $4,602,117.44
Fire Dept. Donations - $10,905.91
Cash Reserve Account - $110,318.25
Jail Fund - $9,918.01
E-911 Fund - $77,723.83
DATE Fund - $25,158.18
Juvenile Court Fund - $13,746.25
Residential Impact Fees - $416,899.72
Commercial Impact Fees - $32,103.20
C.A.I.P. Fund - $118,370.38
General Obligation SPLOST 2022-2028 - $1,048,389.98
L.M.I.G. Grant (DOT) - $47,548.81

c. County Manager Comment

Renovations at the jail. We are waiting on a renovation in the showers.

Impact Fees. Waiting on the finalization of the methodology report. A workshop and presentation will be scheduled as well as a committee and public hearings before moving toward a revised ordinance. [Note from the Editor: This is what should have been done before Impact Fees were revised in 2023. www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOC3.13.24.html Scroll down to section c. Approve/deny use of Impact Fees for Impact Fee Study to read about our past history with Impact Fees. A question to ask that consultant will be whether or not we followed procedure the last time that we changed things, and whether we need to make amends for what we have done in the past.]

Mention was made of a possible upcoming development in the county.
[Note from the Editor: (Updated 2.15.25) A solar farm project is being considered for our county. There is not a lot of details out there on this, but keep an ear out for more on this in upcoming meetings as the project comes along. The project would involve the same property on Madden Bridge Road that was given approval with conditions in a March 8, 2017 meeting.

GIS (mapping) services. This would be for Planning and Development, Tax Assessors, and E911. Looking at options with Three Rivers RC&D and the county’s contract engineer. A proposal is coming.

Updated spread sheet with roads from last August.
Water Hole Pass and Drive has been paved. Roberts Quarters Road is near completion.
The patching is completed on Pedenville Road, Sandefur Road, and Chapman Road.

Here is an update of the Atlanta Paving list of 8 roads.
Caldwell Bridge Road - prep work has been completed and paving is in process;
Daniel Road will be after Caldwell Bridge Road;
Scott/Ward Roads will be after Daniel Road;
Friendship Circle and Gaulding Roads will be after Scott/Ward Roads;
McCard Lake Road will be after Friendship Circle and Gaulding Roads; and,
Harden Road, including realignment, will be the last road on the project list after McCard Lake Road. (from the County Manager Report)

McKinley Road. Finalizing the relocation of utilities. Additional easements may need to be obtained.

Emailed complaint and photograph from where McKinley Road was scraped in the fall except for the section of road where the calcium chloride was placed. Recommendation given that the county maintain the road per our schedule without skipping that patch. Consensus to go with the recommendation of the Public Works Director to take care of the maintenance of the entire road including potholes in that area until the road is paved.

Woodard Road. One of the culverts is in bad shape and needs to be replaced asap to prevent possibly losing a section of road. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.

Scott and Ward Roads. Culverts/cross drains need to be replaced. Motion to approve the order of these culverts. Discussion. 96 inch culvert to be added to the other 96 inch culvert to increase the flow there. Approved 5-0.

Questions about Old Zebulon and Blanton Mill Roads. Preliminary work is ongoing and field and survey work are expected to be completed by summer. These roads are at the end of the list because of the amount of work that will be necessary to complete them including right of way acquisition, etc.

$2.7 million grant project with walking trails, etc. at Parks & Rec. The county will help where we can for a match for in-kind services with Public Works on the $1.6 million remaining that can include in-kind services from the county and land donation.

d. Commissioner Reports

Tim Daniel. Had a call about a road that isn’t on our paving schedule but wanted to pass along the concern about Oxford Circle.

Ken Pullin. Said that he has had quite a few questions about roads this week when he commented on a FB post. Is there a way that we can share the roads on a FB post? Morton. The new website isn’t completed yet where was hoping to share it. Pullin. Can we simply share a FB post online? Morton. Concerned about comments. Pullin. Wants info to be out there for the public. Motion to put out a FB post for the roads schedule online with regards to the Atlanta Paving Contract. Discussion. Are you wanting to include proposed dates when roads will be paved? No. Just a simple post that lists the roads in order so the public knows which roads will be paved. Morton. Since the public is here, here is what we have: Caldwell Bridge Road to Daniel Road to Scott and Ward Roads when the culverts are finished and then to Friendship Circle and Gaulding Road and then to McCard Lake and then to Harden Road. They anticipate being done in the spring. Tim Daniel. Said that the public would like to know this and the number one way to let them know is through social media. He followed that conversation on Facebook and so many people were asking about it. Approved 5-0.

[Note from the Editor: The post was put online last night with a list of the roads, and the comments were turned off like normal. We put all kinds of other things online. Why was this such an issue that we had to have a motion to get this done? Thank you to Commissioner Pullin for addressing this issue.]

Said that he appreciates what Pike County Times does but asked if there is there a way that the county can invest in the technology need to record and save the meetings online for the public? Morton. We will investigate and get some costs to you so it can be considered during the budget discussion.

[Note from the Editor: Thank you to Commissioner Pullin for addressing this issue. Other counties are doing this and have been doing this for a long time. People genuinely appreciate being able to see what our representatives are doing on our behalf. Especially those who have to work and cannot attend a morning meeting ever. As of 9:30 p.m. tonight as I am finishing this meeting, over 5.6K views are showing on the Pike Journal Reporter's FB Live post. Here are some links to neighboring YouTube channels.]

City of Griffin
Upson County Board of Commissioners
Spalding County Board of Commissioners

Briar Johnson. Thank you to the 19 departments that provided reports to the commissioners prior to this meeting. They were very well done. [Note from the Editor: I encourage readers to go read these reports. pike.novusagenda.com/AgendaPublic/meetingsresponsive.aspx until the new website goes online. You can tell how our money is being spent in the financial reports. You can see what is going on with so many departments in our county including reading the contract that is mentioned later on in the meeting. Transparency is good for our county and our departments, and these reports are well done!]

Also said that Bates Road has been mentioned to him by several people for paving in the future.

e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners

The county has received an ante-litem notice involving a school bus accident. This is under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education and not the county.

8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE

9. NEW BUSINESS

a. Consider one appointment to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Region Six Regional Advisory Council, DBHDD, to fill an expired three-year term, set to expire July 31, 2027.

1. Morton. Applicant was interviewed, is qualified, but she is not present today. Item removed per county policy that first time applicants must be present at the meeting before being appointed to a board. Motion made and approved 5-0.

b. Approve/deny J. Joel Edwards Library closure on February 21, 2025 for In-Service training.

There will be staff training on February 21. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.

c. Approve/deny contract for appraisal services between Pike County and Norman Appraisal Services.

[Note from the Editor: (Updated 2.15.25) I had a phone call that requested some clarity on what I have written as to who said what. I listened to the meeting again by FB Live today and have noted some things below. Changes are in blue.]

From the contract on the county website: (added 2.15.25 since I'm listening to this part of the meeting anyway)

Morton. Hobbs is here today. Contract provided. This is to assist with the Consent Order that the State Department of Revenue (DOR) has against the county.

Discussion. Morton. $80,000 total. This has been budgeted already along with the flyover. Motion to approve and 2nd. Further discussion. Pullin. What is being provided? Morton. This was approved in a January meeting for the Tax Assessors. Can provide further information at the next meeting if needed, but there are time restraints on this. We have contacted the State DOR to inquire as to where this will be considered good faith including the flyover to show that we are abiding by the Consent Order, and they gave verbal approval on this.

Discussion between Jenkins and Morton: There was a 10 year period where we were not doing boots on the ground, but we are doing boots on the ground on every piece of property now so we can get our 10,000 parcels inspected every 3 years as required. Over 2,000 inspected on site already from June of 2024 to now out of 10,400 parcels. [Note from the Editor: This was a discussion between Jenkins and Morton that brought a question to me as the Editor on the two above sentences and how I wrote up those sentences. I'm going to add the following two sentences for those who might be concerned with this. It was said more specifically as follows: **Jenkins said, We didn't do appraisals for what 10 years...? (A little more was said in that sentence, but it was garbled. However, what was said was a statement as much as a question.) Morton replied, There were assessments that were done, but there was a ten year period that was identified by the State in their report last year.**

This isn't pretty, but it is what it is. My emphasis in the original meeting report was that there were problems, but those problems are being corrected. Let me include more information for those would like to dig a little deeper now. The Consent Order states that our employees have to put actual boots on the ground, take pictures, pull a tape, etc. at least once every 3 years per the State Department of Revenue when it said as follows: "The Board of Assessors shall provide for a systematic revaluation of all residential real property in compliance with the Appraisal Procedures Manual (APM). Such systematic revaluation shall include a physical, in-person review of all residential real property parcels at least once every three (3) years as recommended in Department Regulation 560-11-10-.09(2)(d)4(iii) to ensure property information records are current and the deficiencies cited in the 2022 Digest are corrected by the time the 2025 Digest is submitted to the Revenue Commissioner." Click here to read that document as provided to Pike County Times in an Open Records Request: Pike County Consent Order. You can also read "BREAKING NEWS: Board of Assessors Make Recommendation on the Department of Revenue's Consent Order with the County" by clicking here and the write up from the Board of Commissioners Workshop on July 18, 2024 by clicking here.]

Question about 2024 building permits, etc. Morton. This is to give them a tool to help with the Consent Order. They are reviewed as they come in, but this is a type of audit provided by this company. Question about the ratio and assessments. We will have that info at a later date. (From the County Manager report: “Per the proposed contract, Norman Appraisal Services with update all cost schedules, review and address building permits and sales ratios, update rural land values for small tracts (0-50.01 acres), and turn over the sales ratio within acceptable range of .38 to .42 by April.” Approved 3-2 with Pullin and Jenkins opposed. We approved $408,000 and this is a lesser amount. We are moving forward because we have a deadline.

d. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input on HB 581, statewide floating homestead exemption and possible opt out by Pike County.

Action will be taken in the February 25 meeting after further investigation and hearing from citizens.

David Paulson. The school board voted to opt out of this and even though he disagrees, he supports them and thinks that that everyone should stick together to this. He stated one of the reasons that he thought we should opt in. His tax bill this year was $3,187.10. The appraised value last year was $398,659. $264,735 in 2023. Divide it out went up 50.58% in one year. If we go with the bill, it would only go up a small amount according to whatever they use for inflation. Not 50%. 50% is unreasonable. For those who are retired with a fixed income, it’s hard to budget for big jumps like this. There needs to be some stability. Please think about those who have a fixed income.

Brian Hubbard. He is a school board representative but speaking as a citizen. We did vote to opt out last night. Wants to urge you to look at what the bills says and does not say. Hey, we’re here from the government to help. Thinks that the execution of the bill is lacking. Additional legislation is being written to correct this, but we have this now. There is no sunset. And we are going to freeze our tax values on the highest level that they have ever been with an inflationary rate of sort that no one can tell us what it is. Industry to food to shelter. The inflation rate for shelter is 5%. 7% for the state of Georgia. Property values did go up 50% in 1 year, they still would have gone up 35% over the past 5 years even if we were in this bill. If my property is assessed, I can appeal this. How do I argue my value under this? We don’t know. Thinks that we need to explore writing our own legislation and opt out as a county.

Closed the public hearing.

Morton reminded them that these are being conducted for the cities as well.

10. PUBLIC COMMENT - NONE

11. EXECUTIVE SESSION

a. Interim County Manager Rob Morton requests an Executive Session for discussion or deliberation on the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee or interviewing applicants for the position of the executive head of an agency, as provided in O.C.G.A. § 50-14-3(b)(2), germane to personnel.

b. Interim County Manager Rob Morton requests an Executive Session to discuss the possible acquisition of real property pursuant to O.C.G.A. 50-14-3 (b)(1).

Motion to go into executive session. 9:56 a.m.

Back in session. 11:08 a.m.

12. ADJOURNMENT

Motion to adjourn. 11:08 a.m.

[Note from the Editor: I was extremely disappointed that there was no mention of the process that is going to be followed for the hiring of the new county manager. It would have been very easy to let the public know that the county will be reviewing applications and will make an announcement of some sort at the next meeting. It’s been two weeks since the application deadline.]

Agenda subject to change.

[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.]