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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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REGULAR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MONTHLY MEETING
Tuesday, March 25, 2014 – 6:30 p.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia

All 5 commissioners are present with County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye, and County Manager (CM) John Hanson.

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))

4. CM Hanson removed 2 items from the agenda. 9a and Public Comment were removed. Motion to approve. 5-0.

5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
Minutes of the March 12, 2014 Regular Monthly Meeting.

6. INVITED GUESTS

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. There are no Department reports as they will be provided during the first Board meeting of April. Revenue/Expenditure Statement, Detail Check Register and MasterCard Statement is included.

Some discussion about this. The biggest is that LOST revenue is showing a shortage of $85,000 plus with what we have budgeted with three months to go. Motion to approve. 5-0.

b. County Manager Report

▫ Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ............................................................................................ $3,207,974.94
Fire Dept. Donations........................................................................................ $1,200.22
Cash Reserve Account................................................................................. $176,491.92
Jail Fund .......................................................................................................... 28,960.22
E-911 Fund .................................................................................................... $49,652.22
DATE Fund ................................................................................................... $26,362.30
Juvenile Court Fund....................................................................................... $20,214.24
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................................ $280,473.75
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................................... $11,424.72
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011...................... $228,481.52
L.M.I. Grant (DOT)..................................................................................... $646,982.68

c. County Manager Comments.

Sheriff’s roof is completed. Working diligently on the roads. Meeting with GEMA on Tuesday about funds for the storms. Click here to read about this. Gravel is expense is big now. We are going to be looking at funds adjustments, etc. if that line item is depleted. Contingency and reserves are the only means to take care of this. Last year we went over too because it was one of the wettest Springs in some time and we are just starting this spring. The agreement on Resource Officers with the school came over from the Sheriff together but he will get that to them between tonight and the next meeting.

d. Commissioner Reports.

Commissioner Bass said that she is concerned about ending up with a money crunch. Discussions are ongoing with exactly how we are conduct business as far as putting funds into the General Fund. She praised CM Hanson with www.govdeals.com.

Commissioner Tamra Jarrett said that she has received a lot of calls about the roads with a wet, cold few months. She asked for an update on debris removal.CM Hanson said that Director Goolsby is trying to get everything cleaned up in a two week cycle with a 6 man crew. This hasn’t happened yet. Said we need some favorable weather. Some of the roads need some attention too. Work done on roads is being entered specifically to track them now.

Commissioner Tommy Powers said that he has gotten some calls about the roads because of the rain and freezing weather. He said that he thinks people understand.

Commissioner Briar Johnson welcomed James Clifton (State Senate), Tim Daniel and Peter Potter (both for County Commission seats) to the meeting as they are running for office.

e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.

Motion to postpone until later in the meeting. CM Hanson advised that he is at an engagement that he cannot get away from yet but that he does have some items to discuss. Approved 5-0. [Note from the Editor: Rob came in shortly after this part of the meeting. He advised that he did not have anything to report.]

8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE

9. NEW BUSINESS

a. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input on REZ-14-01 – Shri Ram Chandra Mission, property owner, and Matt Wood, Susan Powell and Frank Cid, applicants, are requesting a re-zoning from A-R (Agricultural-Residential) to P-I (Professional-Institutional) to allow for a rehabilitation center on the subject property. The subject property, located at 5611 Ga. Hw. 109 West, has approximately 730 feet of frontage along the northern side of Highway 109. The property is located in Land Lot 93 of the 9th District of Pike County, Georgia. The property consists of 32.5 acres and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #047 038B.
Action: Approve/deny

[Note from the Editor: I received an email from the Board of Commissioners prior to the meeting advising the following: "On tomorrow's agenda under New business a. Public Hearing, we will remove this item from the agenda. Upon further review, there is additional notice requirements in how the property was posted and the hearing was advertised that need to be met in order to fully comply with the state requirements. We will re-advertise and it will go before the planning commission on April 10th and before the BOC on April 29th. Additionally, the final action will take place 6 months after the date of the public hearing which will place this item on the Nov. 12 regular meeting unless a special called meeting is requested."]

b. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input on the Annual Re-adoption of the Pike County, Georgia Official Zoning Map.
Action: Approve/deny

Planning Commission on March 13th and they asked that it be readopted. The map was in front of the room for everyone to see. 20 minutes for and 20 minutes against.

No one spoke in favor or against it.

Commissioner Bass said that this is pretty standard for us and that they have done a good job of updating the map. Motion to approve. 5-0.

c. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input on the annual ratification of the Code of Ordinances of Pike County, Georgia.
Action: Approve/deny 1st reading.

Planning Commission March 13th and they asked that it be re-ratified. This was also discussed at length during the Planning Session. (Mr. Morton came in at this time.) The commissioners had a summary of the things that changed.

No one spoke in favor or against it.

Commissioner Bass emailed questions to Mr. Morton. This is now available on flash drive and in a hard copy format. She asked about a section that mentions variances on the sign ordinance and whether to include the clarification “Board of Appeals”. Motion to approve for a first reading with that amendment to this section. 5-0.

d. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input of the private maintenance covenant for a proposed private street, required per Code Section 155.02(Y)(2). Also receive public input of the road name “Herwin Drive” for the proposed private street. The proposed street right-of-way will be located off of Green Street, Land Lot 76 of the 9th Land District and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #056 001D.
Action: Approve/deny

County Attorney said that the actually just considering whether to authorize a private street. Motion to change the wording on this: to remove “of the private maintenance covenant” from the first part of the sentence. Approved 5-0.

Director Allen said that the county is looking at accepting this as a private drive because it does meet all of our qualifications. This would need to be forwarded to 911 after approval.

In favor: This is family land that was given as an inheritance and the family members divided it and want it to be a nice family drive named after her father. She needs this so she can get a permit to build on it. Three people were here to support this. Only one spoke. No one spoke against it.

Commissioner Bass asked about the road being in her name on the Tax Assessor’s website. County Attorney Rob Morton said that the road is owned and there are covenants that provide for the maintenance of the road per our subdivision code. It is owned by the property owners. Motion to approve. Clarification that the motion is to approve the private drive to be name Herwin Drive and the county is not responsible for the maintenance and the county has nothing to do with the covenants. Approve 5-0.

e. Consider request to use the courthouse grounds from Coach Clay Werner and Amanda Wornstaff for Pike County Middle/High School to sell Krispy Kreme Donuts on May 17, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Motion to approve. 5-0.

f. Consider request to use the courthouse grounds from Chris Curry of Zebulon Downtown Development Authority for Sale on the Square on Saturday, May 3, 2014 beginning that morning until 3:00 p.m.

Motion to approve. 5-0.

g. Approve/deny Resolution for 2013/2014 budget amendment.

Have to be approved separately. Insurance repairs to the roofs. Fire Department expense that happened this year rather than last year. Motion to approve. 5-0.

Jail Fund expenditure from earlier in the year. Motion to approve. 5-0.

h. Approve/deny two part time Constable Positions with the Magistrate Court. Judge Calloway-Ingram to address the Board.

Judge Callaway-Ingram to address the board. A summary report has been provided to the commissioners. She thanked them for serving the county and for continuing to improve the By providing constables, this will go toward increasing the functions that the court should be doing. She asked if they would allow Magistrate Court to take care of the civil side of matters there more efficiently. They will still work with the Sheriff’s Office. Someone has to go out and serve process in civil court. This will free up Sheriff’s deputies. The constable would also go out during evictions. They want to make sure that things are done in a timely manner. Civil filings have increased greatly over the years. Last year, the number of civil filings was 333 compared to 149 in 2010. Dispossessory filings were 149 last year and 25 in 2010. More filings means more fees for the county though and the revenues has increased from 2010 to 2013 accordingly.

Commissioner Jenkins asked about turnover. Sheriff’s Office handles more than just this. How is going to two part-time jobs—one as the chief constable and one on call for backup. What kind of training and what is the expense? The expense is built into the travel fund. The constables in the circuit have agreed to provide training at no cost to Pike County. Approximately 16 to 20 hours for the chief constable for week. Neither will exceed 30 hours per week. Commissioner Johnson said that it would increase in the 2014-15 budget by about $25,000. She asked about sharing the county commission vehicle as well as contributing to maintenance, etc. of it. Commissioner Jarrett asked about where the fees are directed. CM Hanson said that these funds are already coming to the county to the General Fund. Commissioner Jarrett said that we already have someone doing this and they have a set salary already. She doesn’t see that there is extra money for this service and sees this as an added expense. Discussion about training costs and the vehicle. The county has two vehicles that could be shared.

Commissioner Bass asked County Attorney Morton to read a section of code that read that Sheriff’s deputies provide this service. She applauded Judge Callaway-Ingram for trying to manage her department, but she said that she wants to see some firmer figures on how many warrants are served and how much time is being spent doing this now. Spalding, Fayette, and Upson County have constables. 107 warrants were to be served and 21 were not served so that those 21 have to hire someone to do this. Commissioner Bass was concerned about the $25,000 and would like to see some more solid numbers as far as hours served, what will happen to the deputy, etc. CM Hanson said that the deputies currently serve the other courts as well so they would still be serving papers for other courts. She said that there is a problem sometimes getting items served and that if there is a call during court, they have to leave and it is a distraction. She said that she is not trying to blame anyone but is trying to make things more efficient for her own department. Commissioner Bass said that while they can be sympathetic to her cause but that money is very tight. She asked again for some stronger numbers.

Judge Callaway-Ingram said that she is asking for a maximum of 29 hours per week and a combined salary for a little over $21,000. She said that she would not have to ask for any increase to cover the rest of the year. [Note from the Editor: It seemed like several of the commissioners heard a dollar figure and immediately thought $25,000 even though it might not be that much. I think that this would be a good thing for Pike County at some point soon because I can see where a bailiff/constable would be necessary in some of these cases. That courtroom would be mighty small if someone decided to show out and there was no one there to stop them. The money is an issue because things are tight though having someone dedicated to serving these papers could ultimately pay for own jobs. More information would have been a good thing for the meeting though this is dealing with not only Magistrate but the Sheriff's Office too.]

Commissioner Bass made a motion to deny because she does not have enough information to make a decision on this. Commissioner Jarrett 2nd. Commissioner Jenkins asked for more information. Commissioner Johnson said that he sees this as something that may be needed in the future. 5-0. Motion denied.

10. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person)

a. James Davidson to address the Board regarding the REZ-14-01 Shri Ram Chandra Mission.

This was removed from the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. [Note from the Editor: There is a letter to the editor about this rezoning on the Letters to the Editor page. Click on the link at the top of the Home Page.]

11. EXECUTIVE SESSION: None

12. ADJOURNMENT: 7:38 p.m.

Agenda subject to revision.

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