Pike County Times
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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This online news website is owned and operated by Becky Watts. The Editor can be reached at 770-468-7583 or at editor(at)PikeCountyTimes(dot)com. Pike County Times is a website for citizens to keep up with local events and stay informed about Pike County government. It began on November 13, 2006 as a watchdog on county government and has turned into an online newspaper.

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REGULAR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 – 6:30 p.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia

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))

Motion to add discussion of color of the courthouse under unfinished business. Approved 5-0.

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

Minutes from the following: Regular Monthly Meeting of June 13, 2012 and Special Called Meeting of June 13, 2012.

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 July.

b. County Manager Report


• Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:

General Fund - $319,597.65
Jury Account - $0
Cash Reserve Account - $1,101,115.37
Jail Fund - $31,452.64
E-911 Fund - $129,115.56
DATE Fund - $12,178.70
Juvenile Court Fund - $26,723.58
Commercial Impact Fees - $16,520.18
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 - $2,001,444.27

c. County Manager Comments

- Courthouse renovation update.

There will be an open house at the courthouse on July 2 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM where anyone can come by for a tour of the courthouse.

- Discuss and/or consider approval of bids for consultants to help prepare bid packages for postclosure landfill monitoring and corrective measures implementation services.

The county has received two written bids and is waiting on the third bid to get assistance from a consultant in order to write a bid proposal on the county's landfill services. Commissioners discussed whether to have a special called meeting or at this Thursday's special called meeting at 10:00 AM. There was a consensus that since this had been talked about at a public meeting, that it would be fined at the workshop.

Discussion about concerns with the use of the automated answering system in the Board of Commissioners office was added to the agenda. Staff answer the phone as much as possible but they are short staffed and are sometimes tied up with duties or meetings. Motion to have BOC staff answer the phone all of the time. Motion failed 1-4 with Commissioner Powers voting in favor.

c. Commissioner Reports

District 3 Commissioner Tommy Powers said that he has had a lot of calls about the EMA ordinance.

District 4 Commissioner Don Collins said that he has had a lot of calls on EMA. He also commended Rob Morton for keeping them informed as he conducted Interim County Manager duties as well as acting as the county attorney.

There were no comments from the other commissioners.

d. County Attorney Report to Commissioner

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

a. Clerk of Court Carolyn Williams advised commissioners that the color of paint was darker than anticipated and requested a color change. The painters were put on hold. Project Manager and Planning and Development Director David Allen said that the color was picked last week and he had no problem with the color. Discussion whether to repaint everything, keep what has been painted and paint everything else and other color, or not change the color. Motion to leave the paint color as is. Approved 5-0.

Update 6.29.12:

8. NEW BUSINESS

a. PUBLIC HEARING: Receive public input on the reversion of zoning, pursuant to PC 03- 16, from C-3 (Heavy Commercial) to A-R (Agricultural Residential) of property located on County Farm Road, Zebulon, Georgia 30295, currently owned by The First National Bank of Barnesville. Said property, with approximately 2252 feet of frontage along the southern side of County Farm Road, contains 22.14 acres and is located in Land Lot 15 of the 9th Land District of Pike County, Georgia. Property is further identified as the front portions of Tax Map Parcel Numbers 066 003 and 066 107.

Action: Approval/denial of reversion of zoning, pursuant to PC 03-16, from C-3 (Heavy Commercial) to A-R (Agricultural Residential) of property located on County Farm Road, Zebulon, Georgia 30295, currently owned by The First National Bank of Barnesville, identified as front portions of Tax Map Parcel Numbers 066 003 and 066 107.

Planning and Development Director David Allen advised that there are 15 parcels brought out on the plat but nothing has been done to the property. John Morrison and spoke in favor of this. He spoke as a Planning Board member and said this was long overdue. The Commander Director Allen for bringing this before the board. No one else spoke and public hearing was closed. The motion to revert. Approved 5-0.

b. PUBLIC HEARING: Receive public input on proposed text amendment to the Pike County Code of Ordinances, to amend Chapter 156, Zoning Code, Sections 156.006 and 156.048, to address various types of Animal Shelters and Agri-Tourism land uses.

Action: Approval/denial, on first reading, proposed text amendment to the Pike County Code of Ordinances, to amend Chapter 156, Zoning Code, Sections 156.006 and 156.048, to address various types of Animal Shelters and Agri-Tourism land uses.

This came before the Planning Commission on June 14. Director Allen advised that this provides the code with definitions and permitted uses as well as special exceptions. Animal control and shelter definitions are from the state and are not anti-animal control because we do not have animal control facilities in Pike County. The Planning Commission recommended approval.

There was a question of whether to grandfather the current state licensed group already been in the county. Mr. Morton said that unless this group has a specified, permitted use, they will have to go through the special exception process.

John Morrison spoke in favor and said that this is not an animal control ordinance. It only provides specifications that were missing. Don Bailey asked if this needed to be split into two parts. He said there was a lot of confusion on the agribusiness side of things with the new rules.

Commissioners were advised by Director Allen that if something is not a permitted use, it has always needed a special exception. There was a question about the definition of a breeding establishment and why it says not to go over 10 permitted animals. It was noted that a foster home has a contract with a licensed animal shelter and is defined as a place where animals stay overnight and are transferred from one location to another. It was noted that enforcement would be difficult. Motion to approve first reading. Approved 5-0.

c. PUBLIC HEARING: SUP-12-01 – Jerry Colwell, property owner, and Christ Chapel, applicant, are requesting a special use permit in an A-R zoned district to allow for a temporary community concert and fireworks display, along with associated accessory activities and vendors, on July 1, 2012. The property, located on Highway 19 South, has approximately 800 feet of frontage along the west side of US Highway 19 South and approximately 2700 feet of frontage along the south side of Old Zebulon Road, and is located in Land Lot 252 of the 8th District of Pike County, Georgia. Said property consists of 147.5 acres and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #068 009.

Action: Approval/denial of Special Use Permit #SUP-12-01 – Jerry Colwell, property owner, and Christ Chapel, applicant, are requesting a special use permit in an A-R zoned district to allow for a temporary community concert and fireworks display, along with associated accessory activities and vendors, on July 1, 2012, for Tax Map Parcel #068 009.

The Board of Appeals heard this on June 21 and recommended approval with conditions: 1) no parking on the right of way and 2) later to be removed by 5:00 PM on July 6. Plan said been presented to the health department for sanitation, the sheriff's office and the DOT for safety and traffic control, and they have their fireworks permit. Mr. Morton also provided a letter of recommendation from a neighboring landowner who told commissioners that there was no litter after the Easter event. Motion to approve with conditions. Approved 5-0.

d. Consider Change Order in the amount of $11,444 for historic Courthouse renovation SPLOST project to accommodate recently requested adjustments in courtroom ($6373) and judges’ areas ($4971).

There are funds available for the Security System at the courthouse ($4971) which will not be paid out of the county budget so that is not being discussed today. Commissioner Bass said that the architects were asked to go to another courthouse to see what the judges in our circuit wanted in the courtroom but said that the architects did not go. She said that if they didn't go, then they didn't get the information that they needed to get this job done. The changes asked for by the judges are not mandatory changes from an architectural or engineering standpoint--they are desired changes. Mr. Morton said that he was under the understanding that the architect was involved with the judges and that this plan was approved. Motion to leave the courtroom as is until clarified whether the architect went to the Fayette County Courthouse to see what our judges were asking for. Commissioner Bass said, "If someone dropped the ball on this, we shouldn't have to pay for it." She also added that the commission is not trying to hold up this work. Approved 4-1 with Commissioner Collins opposed. Motion to approve the keypad amount of $4971 which is paid for out of the judicial circuit fund.

e. Consider appointments for four (4) full three-year terms to the Pike County Parks & Recreation Board to expire June 30, 2015.

Motion to appoint Ryan Landry. Approved 5-0. Commissioner Jarrett asked whether the applicants recommended in the Parks and Recreation letter to the commissioners were representative of all sports. Director Kevin Teate said that the board was looking for people who were objective in their views and best for the park overall. Most are currently involved or leading most of the sports now and that they have no problem with a representative from each sport. Motion to appoint James Corbett. Approved 5-0. Motion to appoint Hope Shavers. Approve 5-0. Motion to appoint Stewart Essary 3-2 with Commissioners Bass and Jarrett opposed. No reason given.

f. Consider an appointment to fill the one-year balance of an unexpired term to the Pike County Parks & Recreation Board to expire June 30, 2013.

Motion to appoint Charles Bracefield. Approved 5-0.

g. Consider two appointments/reappointments for the West Georgia Region 4 EMS Council to represent Pike County.

Motion to reappoint Darrell Riggins and Jimmy Totten. Approved 5-0.

h. Consider approval of bid for short-term loan for EMA vehicle partially funded with grant award from GEMA.

3 bids were given to the Commissioners. Motion to accept the award from bid with the lowest interest rate from 1st Bank of Pike. Approved 3-0.

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

10. EXECUTIVE SESSION: 7:31 p.m.

a. Interim County Manager requests Executive Session for: 1) 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, and 2) 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.

Back in session 8:06 p.m.

Motion to approve Executive Session minutes from June 13 and June 26. Approved 5-0. Motion to add a Special Called Meeting on Thursday with an Executive Session for personnel specific to the County Manager. Approved 5-0. [Note from the Editor: How we ended up with a Special Called Meeting at 1:30 on Thursday when there were already a meeting scheduled at 10 that it could have followed and then that meeting was cancelled to have a Special Called Meeting on Friday is beyond me. I hope that future meetings will be scheduled with respect for the time of those involved and those who attend the meetings.]

11. ADJOURNMENT

Agenda subject to revision.

Submitted 6.20.12
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