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Wednesday, July 13, 2022 - 9:00 AM
Courthouse, Main Courtroom, 16001 Barnesville Street, Zebulon, Georgia
Town Hall Meeting at 8:45 a.m.
Click here to see the department reports that have been submitted with this meeting.
1. CALL TO ORDER ..... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
Commissioners Tim Guy, Jason Proctor, and James Jenkins were in attendance along with Chairman Briar Johnson, County Clerk Angela Blount, County Manager (CM) Brandon Rogers, and County Attorney Rob Morton. Tim Daniel not in attendance.
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))
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
a. Minutes of the June 28, 2022 Regular Monthly Meeting.
6. INVITED GUESTS - 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.
Department Reports
Financial Reports
b. County Manager Report
Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ..... $3,730,538.12
Fire Dept. Donations .....
$7,520.67
Cash Reserve Account .....
$417,445.85
Jail Fund ..... $34,218.57
E-911 Fund ..... $381,875.78
DATE Fund .....
$40,967.37
Juvenile Court Fund .....
$12,984.27
Residential Impact Fee .....
$1,218,794.65
Commercial Impact Fees .....
$169,879.31
C.A.I.P Fund ..... $37,315.13
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2016 ..... $1,936,106.47
L.M.I.G. Grant (DOT) ..... $570,982.64
c. County Manager Comments.
CM Rogers thanked the departments, Chairman, Commissioners, and County Attorney for taking care of the county while he was out.
As of Monday, July 11, Pike County has two paid firefighters Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a third to help with inspections, etc. The latest ISO inspection took place yesterday. The previous one was 6 years ago. Expecting a report in 6 to 8 months. We will have up to 2 years to make corrections and improvements. Currently a 5 in the county.
The Board of Commissioners is looking for a new finance officer for the county commission office. Applications online or in the commission office. Chairman Johnson asked, What are odds of talking to Tara Winstead and her staff about doing our financials? CM Rogers said that we have talked with her and have a short-term plan until we find someone. Someone from her office will be there 3 days a week for now. She has a lot of clients during tax season though. That would save us some money for a while if she will agree, Chairman Johnson said.
Until the weather clears up, the Vega Road project is on hold. After resurfacing, then a patch on Chapman Road. Vega, Chapman, and Twin Oaks Place will be restriped when done.
LOST meetings ongoing. Hoping to meet on July 26. Only about 30 more days to complete before it goes into remediation.
Republican Party has asked him to speak on July 19 in Concord. State of the County address.
d. Commissioner Reports.
Commissioner Tim Guy told Mr. Joe Parks that we are hopefully working together to move forward on speed bumps in Hilltop. Mr. Parks said thank you from the audience.
Commissioner Jason Proctor gave a list to CM Rogers already.
Commissioner Jenkins said that the commissioners are involved in the hiring a department head, but the commissioners are not included in firing, suspension, etc. and he would like to make a motion to amend our policy on this. Jenkins thought that we had discussed this in the past, but said that it wasn’t changed. County Manager has the authority over hiring and firing so this is a policy change. CM Rogers said that we have a policy that we have to follow. The question was asked is this just department heads? It was noted that current policy says that the CM can fire a department head without BOC permission. This would require at least 3 votes to confirm a termination within the county just like they do with a new hire. Jenkins said that he isn’t questioning the writeups, etc. because he knew Brandon would have that. He just wants the BOC to be a part of the process. Motion for the BOC to give an ok on all terminations. Tim Guy gave a second. He said that he doesn’t see a problem with this. The CM will have the documentation needed on that and doesn’t think it will take away from the CM. It just puts more eyes on the situation. Approved 4-0. [Note from the Editor: This gives needed protection to our department heads if they speak out about any issues in the county. Please note that the CM has no authority over elected officials like the Sheriff, Probate and Magistrate Court Judges, Superior Court Clerk, and the Tax Commissioner, but our department heads have no protection until this change is made to our county ordinances. I think it's a good move and commend our commissioners for doing this. Some may condemn me for not complaining that this was not on the agenda. To those detractors--many of whom are critical of my stance against the actions of our current CM and his mistreatment of the public and our employees--I simply ask this, Do you honestly think that the CM would have allowed this to be added to the agenda for a discussion? Please be honest with your reply, and yes, I'll be happy to upload a letter to the editor from my detractors as long as you are as polite as Mr. Maxedon was in his letter to the editor which remains on my Letters to the Editor page. There is a way to express your thoughts without being nasty. Sometimes things simply are what they are.]
Commissioner Jenkins also asked about keys to the Explorer which is at the Senior Center. The CM says that the Senior Center uses the Explorer every day. CM says that policy is that they pick up and deliver the keys every day. Code Enforcement uses the same vehicle in the afternoons. Chairman Johnson said that he saw the guy arriving and getting into the Explorer immediately before coming into the building. CM said that he doesn’t know if there has been a change to this. CM was supposed to check on this. The key with the fuel fob is no longer in the office.
Commissioner Jenkins said that part-time (PT) and full-time (FT) have been a discussion of late. At the last couple of meetings, he asked for the number of part-time people working for the county who are receiving benefits. He said that he was advised that there are 16 PT employees, and none getting benefits. None of our PT get benefits. But Jenkins said that there is someone working 15-20 hours and getting vacation benefits of a FT employee. When the CM asked who it was so he could research this, and Jenkins said, "I’ll call and tell you who it is. You know who it is." [Note from the Editor: The person wasn’t named. I put in an open records request as follows: "Pursuant to the Open Records Law, I request a copy of the following item that was mentioned in today's meeting: 1) A copy of the list of part-time employees that Commissioner Jenkins referenced when he was speaking. 2) A copy of each part-time employee's contract with the county along with their benefits package. If this is not available, a copy of something on paper like a pay stub, etc. will suffice." I received a reply which is correct according to state law--and I have no issue with--which read, "Pursuant to your Open Records Request received on Wednesday July 13, 2022 via email regarding Part Time Employees, 1) There is not a list of part-time employees that Commissioner Jenkins referenced when he was speaking. Per O.C.G.A. 50-18-71(j) No public officer or agency shall be required to prepare new reports, summaries, or compilations not in existence at the time of the request. 2) Part-time employees do not have a contract with the county, they do not receive benefits. Human Resources would have to recreate a pay stub which would fall under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71(j)." Since this is the case, I respectfully request that commissioners to ensure that the CM follows up on this to ensure that our ordinances are being followed for EVERY part-time employee, and that either the CM or the commissioners say something publicly in a later meeting to let the public know that this issue has been investigated and advise the results of the investigation.]
Chairman Briar Johnson. We have a couple of paid FD people now. He said that he bumped into a family whose house was hit by lighting a couple of weeks ago. [Note from the Editor: This occurred before policy was put into place with volunteers at the station 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.] Our volunteers responded quickly and saved their house. They are thankful for the quick response of the fire department.
Chairman Johnson added that the ladies in the commission office need thanks too for taking care of things while the CM was out of town. He thanked the county clerk and the office staff for their work while the CM was done. He told the CM that that they know a lot and our department heads do too and can fill you in on what happened while you were gone. He thanked them all for their work while the CM was gone.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.
County Attorney Rob Morton advised that arraignments begin at 10 am. We have 6 on the docket today. [Note from the Editor: Animal Control has been quite busy and is bringing money into the county which is going into the general fund when it is collected after a decision from the court. Click on the link at the top of the page to see the information on all of the departments that is provided prior to each meeting to commissioners and the public. Kudos to our BOC and staff for ensuring this level of sunshine to the public. Click on "Online agenda" for this meeting and "Department Reports." The June 2022 Monthly Animal Control Report shows that $7,000 in citations were issued for the month for nuisance, cruelty, tethering, and not having proof of rabies vaccinations.]
He advised that a new lawsuit was filed at the end of June though it was not directly against the county and Probate Judge Ginny Blakeney was named improperly. A law firm in Griffin filed a lawsuit about the Republican Primary and named her though she is not the Elections Superintendent. We have filed a motion to dismiss because Judge Blakeney did not handle the election. However, it was supposed to be filed within 5 days of the certification of election results which was June 6 and the lawsuit was not filed until June 23 so it’s improper anyway.
SPLOST updates on financing are in the works.
He worked on the COBRA agreement that CM Rogers sent him before Rogers' departure. He tried to get updated with modifications and has been advised that it was resolved with only one change that was submitted. He thanked Jennifer Gilow in the Commission Officer for her work on this.
He advised that the county is working with Walker Chandler with respect to his open records on this Flat Shoals River access. There is a meeting scheduled tomorrow to go through documents. He will provide an update at a later date.
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Approve/deny the Second Reading and Final Adoption of the proposed revision to Section 36.17 of the Pike County Code regarding Military Leave of Absence (MLOA).
There have been no changes since the draft at the last meeting. Track the state law provisions to ensure that if the state changes anything, the county doesn’t have to change anything. Motion to approve 2nd reading. Approved 4-0. [Note from the Editor: Thank you to the commissioners for following up on this complaint and changing our ordinances as needed.]
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Approve/deny SFY 2023 contract between Pike County Board of Commissioners and Three Rivers Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging.
This is the annual contract. Motion to approve the contract. County Attorney said that this includes anyone who needs to sign this. Included in the motion. Approved 4-0.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT - None
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - None
12. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn. 9:25 a.m.
Agenda subject to revision.
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