County Commissioner Meeting

On the consent agenda the Board of Commissioners approved the following items.
• Approved the execution of the Coastal Incentive Grant.
• Appointed Ann Timmerman to Area 5 Regional Planning Board for Department of Behavioral Health & Development Disabilities.
• Approved lease supplement with Southeastern Bank for the purchase of a law enforcement vehicle.
• Approved new Exempt Plat Survey Submission Process (Tax Assessors Office to administer).
• Approved revised ATV ordinance as Presented by the County Attorney.
• Approved request from Elections Superintendent, Christine Turner, to permanently move Lulaton Voting Precinct to the new Recreation Park Building next to the Georgia Forestry.
• Approved payment of prorated annual leave to Mike Keen while he was an active employee.
• Approved writing a letter of Support to John Swaan, Executive Director, Magnolia BioPower, supporting their project to locate within Brantley County.
• Approved resolution to name bridge on Highway 301 “SGT. Harry E. Chesser Memorial Bridge” for his service to his country. This will require State approval in January after which they will purchase and install a sign displaying the new name in honor of SGT. Chesser.
• Approved contract with Underground Excavating to perform foundation dirt work for the first 4 baseball fields.
• Approved contract with Precision Paving to build and pave Baker Creek Road from the end of the existing paving to the end of the Recreation Park facility.
• Adopted Building Code Ordinance as Presented by the Planning Commission.
• Adopted a resolution allowing new County Manager Parrish Barwick to sign checks.


On the regular agenda, Commissioner O’Quinn tabled the first item dealing with the closing of Hodge Lane Road. For several months now, the Commission has struggled to comply with a request from a resident in that area to modify an existing road and close another that runs through property there. Since the property is in another land owner’s name, the requests will be delivered in writing from the landowner after a meeting with the County Manager. This should allow the Board to take action on this in November. The Chairman will ask that this item be placed on the November Work Session.

After much discussion, the Board agreed to have attorney Tom Lee contact the Satilla Regional Water System and prepare a letter supporting their project, but fell short of agreeing to provide right of way for the project. This project will provide fire hydrants along Central Avenue to the Big Creek, lowering home owner ISP ratings and therefore lowering home owner insurance rates.

The Board discussed Mr. Ryker Carter’s plat. Since a new ordinance was put in place that all taxes had to be paid prior to a plat being recorded, this has prevented Mr. Carter from filing a plat to consolidate some parcels on a piece of property. The Board had asked the County Manager to discuss this with the Tax Commissioner. Mr. Barwick reported that approximately $35,000 had been paid on the property, but that there was over twice that still owed on the property and that no written agreement existed between the Tax Commissioner and Mr. Carter. In other cases where the tax payer has entered into an agreement with the Tax Commissioner, she has postponed the sale of the property as long as that obligation is met. The Commissioners agreed that Mr. Carter needed to enter into a similar agreement with the Tax Commissioner to ensure all taxes would eventually be paid. After that was in place, the Board would be willing to reconsider, allowing this plat to be recorded.

The Fees for Beer, Wine and Liquor licenses, business license fees and other fees were reviewed. The fee amounts were found to be in line with surrounding counties so no items were modified. The Board did vote to amend the Business and Occupational Tax Ordinance such that the renewal of licenses could take place by mail. The Chairman asked the Board to consider liquor sales and consumption license with a pouring license. This would basically make such that liquor could no longer be sold by the bottle for public consumption at a place of business. By instituting a pouring license, responsibility would be placed on the business operator to discontinuing service to a patron who demonstrated signs of being unable to function. This also places responsibility on that business owner should that patron leave that facility and have an accident causing property damage and or personal injury. No action was taken, this was merely discussed.

The closing of Tiger Bay Road was discussed. The primary owner of that road is Varnes Timber Company. Commissioner Edgy spent time with Mr. Varnes, who eventually agreed to the closing of the road. Barry Chesser was in attendance of the meeting and supported the closing of the road as well. The Board voted to “start the process” of closing Tiger Bay Road between Highway 82 and Silas Harris Road. The Airport Road and Petty Crossing were on the agenda, but were scratched from consideration at this time.

The Commissioners took no action on the uniform item other than to give the County Manager time to review the process and individuals involved. There is some disconnect between the information provided by the employees and that provided by the uniform company. Mr. Barwick requested the opportunity to get to the bottom of this.

The Commissioners voted to resend the award of bid to Jody Foster for landfill scrap or “white good” materials. A second motion was passed awarding that bid to Arthur Keen III. Work will start immediately to remove these items.

The County Manager reported that the local Sheriff had utilized inmates who volunteered to clean up around the old recreation facility and had done a wonderful job. He’s had a conversation with the Sheriff about starting a local work detail around the County and that further talks would take place including some of the Commissioners. The Sheriff supports the concept and would like to meet with the County Manager and Commissioners to work out the details and legalities. This is not meant to displace the prison detail that is currently used, but to supplement it.

The County approved the purchase of crushed up asphalt from Precision Paving for $15 per ton delivered. This is a good price and with their resurfacing Highway 301 for 25 miles, this type of opportunity may not come along again for a long time. Since this material will be used to build roads, SPLOST dollars can be used to purchase the material. There was some concern over the material sitting up too long and hardening so the County will need to work to get it out on the roads that need it worse quickly. What a problem to have.

The Commissioners discussed the canal at County Line Road on the West end of the County. The County Manager and one Commissioner walked the canal and could find nothing that required it to be cleaned out. The Commission did ask the County Manager to have a discussion with the Ware County Manager about a joint effort to pave that road between the sections of pavement that already exist.

The Commissioners approved the contract with Ecological Planning Group Inc to Administer the Coastal Incentive Grant. The output from this will be a “land use plan” which will involve the County Engineer and others on a board that will be chosen by the Commissioners. This will provide a baseline for the first phase of zoning around the County.

The board also appointed Mr. Andy Hickox to the Airport Authority and Mr. David Royster to the Planning Commission.

The Coard approved the new Article IV pertaining to mobile homes / manufactured homes. The Board modified the ordinance changing the minimum age for a mobile home to be brought into the County to 15 years. This means that no mobile home shall be brought into Brantley County that is older than 15 years. Any mobile home already in the County can be moved around the County, as long as the proper inspections are done, which is a basic part of the ordinance. An inhabitability inspection will take place and homes that are deemed fit will have to be brought up to standard. A copy of that ordinance will be made available on this site and at the County office once these edits take place. The ordinance will go into affect December 1st, 2009.

The Board agreed to have the 5 plus acres North of the Schlatterville Park surveyed and plat prepared so that is can be made part of the Schlatterville Recreation Park. This was to have been done in years gone by, but was never completed. The County Manager will check with Harry Strickland to see if the survey was done and, if not, will have that done and the appropriate documents brought before the Board.

The current spending limits for the County were discussed, but no action was taken.

The County voted to adopt a resolution prepared by the County attorney to return a parcel of land to Mr. W.C. Lane that had been deeded to the County some years ago. This is to be done once the timber taxes are paid on the timber that was removed from the property. The County also adopted a resolution to quitclaim any rights to property currently owned by Foroja Inc (aka Dairy Queen).

The Board went into executive session for litigation and personnel.

After returning from the Executive Session, Commissioner Greg O’Quinn made the motion to allow those Constitutional Officers who so desired to seek counsel as the County Attorney had stated that there was a conflict of interest which could trigger such an action. Mr. O’Quinn further moved that the County pay for said counsel, based on Georgia Statutes specifically designed for such an event. Commissioner Edgy seconded the motion only for the sake of discussion. Commissioners Summerlin and Herrin spoke against the motion as did Commissioner Edgy. The vote was taken and the motion died 3-1 with Commissioner O’Quinn casting the only positive vote. The Board instructed the Chairman to communicate this action to the Constitutional Officers.

Commissioners meet with Development Authority, Hoboken and Chamber

In a meeting held at the Strickland Lodge today, 9-24-2009, two Commissioners met with members from the City of Hoboken, the Development Authority and the Chamber of Commerce.

Commissioner Linton Herrin and Chairman Ron Ham shared with the team some of the policies and longterm items that the Board has under review. Jeannie Boland and Gary Strickland of the Development Authority shared items that are on the drawing board for Industrial and Commercial development within and outside of the Industrial Park. Mrs. Linda from Hoboken presented the annual events and some new ideas that the Chamber of Commerce has in the works.

This is the one of the first meetings of its kind in Brantley County but all present vowed that it not be the last.