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ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Commissioners will meet in the upper courtroom of the courthouse on Thursday, July 18, 2024 - 9:00 AM for a regularly scheduled meeting. There will be a Town Hall Meeting at 8:45 AM for anyone who would like to speak to the commissioners about any issues that you may have. The meeting is open to the public will be broadcast live on Pike County Times' Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes.

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

This meeting was attended by Commissioners James Jenkins, Jason Proctor, Tim Daniel, and Tim Guy along with Chairman Briar Johnson, County Clerk Angela Blount, County Manager Brandon Rogers, and County Attorney Rob Morton.

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

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))

Motion to approve. Approve 5-0.

5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
a. Minutes of the June 25, 2024, Regular Monthly Meeting.
b. Minutes of the June 25, 2024, Executive Session.
c. Minutes of the June 27, 2024, Special Called Meeting.

Motion to approve all. Approved 5-0.

6. INVITED GUESTS

a. Employee Recognition for service to Pike County.
Christopher L. Goodman - Public Works

Christopher Goodman has been an employee in Pike County for 20 years. He has been the Road Superintendent for 15 years. CM Rogers said that Goodman has stepped into a role to help with daily basis at Public Works. Chairman Johnson said that he appreciated the report on last month's work.

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

Motion to accept the reports. Approved 5-0.

b. County Manager Report

Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:

General Fund ..... $734,867.48
Fire Dept. Donations ..... $11,347.61
Cash Reserve Account ..... $109,986.99
Jail Fund ..... $31,302.62
E-911 Fund ..... $81,609.45
DATE Fund ..... $31,830.25
Juvenile Court Fund ..... $13,745.14
Residential Impact Fee ..... $256,718.27
Commercial Impact Fees ..... $8,335.04
C.A.I.P Fund ..... $217,341.50
General Obligation SPLOST 2022-2028 ..... $1,675,807.26
L.M.I.G. Grant (DOT) ..... $44,274.31

Motion to accept the reports. Approved 5-0.

c. County Manager Comments.

Thank you to the Pike County Fire Department for taking care of of the scene at the Methodist Church. He also thanked Spalding and Upson County Fire Departments for coming to our aid. He said that there were issues with the Georgia Department of Transportation with Hwy 19 being closed off. He commended our Fire Department and EMA for keeping our people safe and and standing their ground. He also advised that Public Works went out to the scene because of structure issues where they thought that the building might collapse and to help get the fire out.

[Note from the Editor: I went out on the scene of the fire around 8:30 that evening, and it was still a little scary for our firefighters with some drivers paying more attention to what was left of the fire than the one lane of traffic that was open. I can't imagine how chaotic and dangerous it would have been for our fire fighters as they were actively fighting the fire and that lane of traffic had been opened up. Pike County needs to have a plan of action for when there is an emergency on one of the one way roads with a road closure because this isn't the first time it's happened. Remember the gasoline tanker at Circle K a few years back? Proper planning is essential.]

d. Commissioner Reports.

Commissioner Tim Daniel. Where are we on paving? CM Rogers advised that we are slower than he would like since the county is not paving right now. Said that he has been working with the county attorney on getting right of way for McKinley Road. Said that bid requirements are being worked on to get the work done on Watering Hole Pass.

Commissioner Tim Guy. Mentioned potholes on Shortcut Road.

Commissioner James Jenkins. Mentioned that Woodard Road had some ditching complaints.

Jenkins also asked where we stood on posting the Public Works Director's position. CM Rogers advised that this has not been done yet. Said that he is taking his time with the job description and that maybe it would be done this week.

Chairman Briar Johnson said that there are open positions on boards including Georgia Department of Behavioaal Health and Developmental Disabilities which is a 3 year term and another on West Georgia Region 4 EMS Council which is a 3 year term.

Johnson also asked everyone to keep the Methodist Church in their prayers.

e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.

None.

8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

a. Approve/deny FY 2022-2023 Budget Amendments.

9. NEW BUSINESS

a. Consider use of Courthouse Grounds (Courthouse Lobby) from Christine Curry with Pike Historic Preservation on Friday, September 20, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Saturday, September 21, 2024 from 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 22, 2024 from 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. for Slow Exposures Photograph Festival 21st year.

b. Approve/deny proposed Pike County Public Works Fee Schedule.

Motion to approve the schedule. Approved 5-0. Click here to see the new Public Works Fee Schedule: http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/PublicWorksFeeSchedule7.18.24.pdf

c. Approve/deny Intergovernmental Agreement between City of Molena and Pike County related to insurance.

This started with the City of Concord about 2 years ago. They were losing employees because they could not offer benefits. Our broker couldn’t do it then, but they can now. We couldn’t implement last year but offered it this year. Doesn’t cost the county anything at all. The cities repay all costs. County Attorney Rob Morton. We asked that the City of Molena draft a document. Please approve a 1 year term with automatic renewals with letters for participants.

Chairman Briar Johnson. What about other cities? CM Rogers. We can do this next year for other cities if they want to participate, but we can’t do this mid year. Only at the beginning. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.

d. Approve/deny Resolution to increase per diem rate for Contract Court Reporters.

Griffin Judicial Circuit was looking to increase salaries for court reporters. We couldn’t pay the amount at an earlier time because it was high so they waited until now with a per diem. This is to retain them. It’s between $3,000 and $6,000 based on court days. Could be more or less depending on the need for Superior Court reporters. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.

e. Approve/deny Department of Revenue Consent Order.

This was postponed until a joint meeting could be held. Click here to read "BREAKING NEWS: Board of Assessors Make Recommendation on the Department of Revenue's Consent Order with the County" - http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BREAKINGNEWSconsentorder7.16.24.html. Click here to read "Board of Commissioners Workshop Thursday, July 18, 2024 - 2 p.m." which has the results of the workshop with members of The Pike County Board of Commissioners, the Tax Assessors Office and Board, and representatives from the Pike County Board of Education - http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOCWorkshop7.18.24.html.

10. PUBLIC COMMENT - None

11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - 9:29 a.m.

a. County Manager Brandon Rogers 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. Chairman Briar Johnson requests an Executive Session to discuss the possible acquisition of real property pursuant to O.C.G.A. 50-14-3 (b)(1).

Back in Session. 11:18 a.m.

County Attorney Rob Morton asked the Board to entertain a motion to authorize a Quit Claim Deed to STS Development pursuant to the reversion clause in the original deed recorded in 2019 related to the 1.29 acres that had been deeded to the county. Motion to authorize the execution of the Quit Claim Deed. Approved 4-0.

Pike County Times' Becky Watts and the Pike Journal Reporter's Rachel McDaniel spoke to County Attorney Morton to obtain more information after the meeting. Both were advised that this pertains to Whitehours Subdivision on Blackmon Road. The original deed required that the public safety facility (fire station) be completed within five years of being deeded to the county, and if the public safety facility (fire station) was not completed, the land would revert back to STS. He said that the fire station was in progress, but they had issues with water there. When asked what next? He replied, Maybe a better, more strategic location will be located to help citizens in the surrounding area.

Shannon Mullinax spoke to Pike County Times about this situation and said the following:
"STS Development Group is disappointed that the County was unable to work within the conditions set forth in the deed and provide the residents of District 1 with an operational fire station. Our hope from the time we gifted the land was that it would be utilized for its intended purpose in a timely fashion. We felt five years was more than enough time to get a fire station completed and were told that it would not be a problem to do so because the funds were budgeted for the year we contributed the property. The reversionary clause in the deed legally returned the property back to our firm, the signing of the warranty deed back to STS Development was simply a formality."

12. ADJOURNMENT

Agenda subject to revision.

Motion to adjourn. 11:19 a.m.

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