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Tuesday, May 29, 2012 – 6:30 p.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia
This meeting was attended by all five commissioners, County Clerk Teresa Watson, and County Attorney/Interim County Manager Tom Morton. This meeting was very sparsely attended.
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))
Changes to the agenda include h. Approval/denial to receive applications of Steven T. Yerkes for Board of Appeals, i. Approval/denial of request to authorize the Tax Commissioner to bill for only one and one-half months for Tax Map Parcel 042 020 (split parcel with the City of Concord) for S.W. Woods for 2012, and an addition to Executive Session. Motion to amend the agenda. 5-0.
4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A.§ 50-14-1(e) (2))
Minutes from the following: Regular Monthly Meeting of May 9, 2012; Budget Public Hearing of May
9, 2012; Special Called Meeting of May 16, 2012; and Special Called Meeting of May 23, 2012.
Commissioner Carol Bass made a clarification to the minutes from the May 9 meeting. She and Commissioner Jarrett were both opposed to a County Attorney Rob Morton taking notes in executive session with County Clerk Watson as the alternate. This would have made it a 3-2 vote instead of 4-1.
5. INVITED GUESTS
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. None, as all reports will be submitted at the first Board meeting in June.
Clerk Watson advised that it has been protocol for the county manager to give a verbal report on Pike County's bank balances. Staff recommends to have a written report of balances. There was a written report on the courthouse status and Planning and Zoning Director David Allen had nothing to add. The second reading on the budget will be tomorrow at 6:00 PM.
Last meeting, Chief Magistrate Marcia Calloway-Ingram ask for the opportunity to address the board on budget matters and the motion was voted down. So Interim County Manager Rob Morton offered to meet with her but, at the advice of the Chief Magistrate's legal counsel, she submitted a written letter instead. County Clerk Watson advised that with the submission of this letter to commissioners, they have now been informed of the Chief Magistrate's objections to her budget. Pike County Times obtained a copy of this letter which was not read in the meeting. In this letter dated May 22, 2012, she said that she was "stunned that the commissioners voted 3/2 to not let the departments voice their needs and objections during the scheduled Budget Hearing." She went on to say that she "appreciate being enlightened on the purpose of budget hearings and the appropriate time at which department heads elected officials and/or constitutional officers are to work with someone-whether County Manager or Commissioner(s)-to set a sufficient budget." She objects to the reduction of associate magistrate to part-time and says that neither Judge Rakestraw nor the county has the authority to reduce the position of Associate Magistrate from full-time to part-time against the recommendation of the Chief Magistrate. She went on to say that she made an error in her original budget request and did not ask for enough money to support that remaining that part-time position "as is legally required" and asked for an additional $23,108.80 to cover this position which would still be $10,000 less than the current Associate Magistrate's full-time salary. She also noted that she requested $7,200 "the statutory annual minimum allowed for on-call magistrates" that was cut to $2700. She also noted that the amount originally requested in the two line items Employee related expenses: Dues & Fees and Training needs to be increased to $928.29 collectively in order to adequately register, train and certify at all magistrates under the legal guidelines.
More soon.
b. County Manager Report
• Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund - $787,181.89
Cash Reserve Account - $1,101,006.78
Jail Fund - $32,853.09
E-911 Fund - $141,646.11
DATE Fund - $12,324.77
Juvenile Court Fund - $27,192.53
Residential Impact Fees - $291,490.95
Commercial Impact Fees - $16,518.78
SPLOST 2011 - $2,404,706.64
Total in All Accounts - $4,814,921.54
c. County Manager Comments
- Courthouse renovation update.
- Update on budget process with reminder of second reading of the FY 2012-2013 Pike County Budget Ordinance on May 30, at 6 p.m.
d. Commissioner Reports
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioner
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Appointment to the Board of Assessors to fill a four-year term, set to expire April 14, 2016.
b. Appointment to the Board of Appeals to fill an unexpired three-year term, set to expire November 25, 2014.
8. NEW BUSINESS
a. PUBLIC HEARING: Receive public input on a Special Exception application from Pastor Fred Blackmon, agent for property owner Tim Daniels, Tax Map Parcel #084 035A, to allow for a church in an existing, unoccupied building on a commercially zoned property.
ACTION: Approval/denial of Special Exception application from Pastor Fred Blackmon, agent for property owner Tim Daniels, Tax Map Parcel #084 035A, to allow for a church in an existing, unoccupied building on a commercially zoned property.
b. Consider request of Tax Assessors Office for a part-time position during the period of unpaid maternity leave for the Appraiser I.
c. Consider request of Pike Historic Preservation to receive the old windows that are being replaced and are currently being disposed of by the contractor.
d. Consider 2012 Resolution of Pike County Support for a Macon to LaGrange Transportation Corridor Study.
e. Update on GEC recommendation for additional wells pursuant to EPD direction, with approval/denial of request to transfer out of Contingency to Public Works $29,986 to allow for payment to GEC for additional wells as required by EPD for post-closure of landfill in order to maintain compliance.
f. Discussion of GEMA $5361 grant that requires a County match annually for a probable four-year period being proposed for a mobile command vehicle as allowed under grant provisions.
g. Approval/denial of a request to pay a portion or entirety of automotive transmission repair bill of $1994 for a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac used by the Pike County EMA Director on business.
h. Approval/denial to receive applications of Steven T. Yerkes for Board of Appeals. Mr. Yerkes stated he was unaware of the board vacancy until Friday, 5-25-12, and came in on 5-29-12 to apply. County Clerk Watson relayed that it was past deadline and up to the discretion of the Commissioners to accept and consider. Dwelling burned on February 13, 2012 and owner seeks recourse for the upcoming tax bill.
i. Approval/denial of request to authorize the Tax Commissioner to bill for only one and one-half months for Tax Map Parcel 042 020 (split parcel with the City of Concord) for S.W. Woods for 2012.
9. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person)
a. Mr. Robert D. Clark would like to address the Board on Business Licenses and extension of license times.
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION
a. Interim County Manager requests Executive Session for consultation with the 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 Magistrate (pending) and Public Works (potential).
County Attorney requests addition 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 Administration.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Agenda subject to revision.