Almost $100,000 in Grants Received Plus More Road Paving Projects Approved

The USDA was on hand at the called meeting of the Commission tonight to award $50,000 in grants toward new police cars and $48,000 toward other facilities' equipment. The County manager applied for a grant for 6 new police cars for $150,000. The USDA awarded a $50,000 grant and provided a loan for 4% at 60 months for the balance. This loan carries a payment equal to what the County is currently paying for 2 cars. So, two cars are free via the grant and the remaining four carry a payment equal to two car payments today. The County continues to drive operating costs down through the relationship with USDA. Likewise, the County manager applied last fall for a new boom truck for the road department, to be used for solid waste cleanup. Since the County is making the transition to house to house garbage, the grant of $48,000 will be used to purchase two new dump trucks. The payment for the remaining $91,000 at 4% for 5 years will come from the reduced road grader payments, making the purchase budget neutral so that it has no impact on the taxpayer.

The Commission, in a called meeting tonight, reviewed the bids for the Waynesville and Dude Circle Roads. Ray Richard of Golden Isles Engineering had reviewed all bids and calculations to ensure that the bidders all covered the appropriate scope. The Commission awarded the Waynesville Bid to the low bidder, Littlefield Construction, for $942,257. The Georgia DOT has funding of $600,000 on the Waynesville East project (from highway 82 to 110) and across 110 in front of the new Atkinson Upper Elementary School. Last fall, the Chairman and Mike Edgy traveled to Atlanta and worked with DOT to consolidate the funding for Waynesville East and Waynesville West projects.

The Commission also awarded the Dude Circle project to the low bidder, Littlefield Construction, for $98,543. When CSX last closed the crossing at 82 and all traffic had to be routed through Dude Circle, this caused major issues. With these improvements, an alternative route will be available for this major artery.

The County approved the LAST right of way agreement for Buster Walker Road tonight. The State had vowed to move the $300,000 for Buster Walker from fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2011. The ROW certification from the County attorney can now go to GA DOT, so that the notice of funding and contract can be awarded if the funding survived.

The Commission reviewed a summary of the road paving awards and an analysis of the road SPLOST funds. The Commission has awarded Satilla Church, Waynesville, Dude Circle, Boots Harrison, Oak Grove resurfacing and additional crush and run purchases. The Boots Harrison project will be partially completed by the road department, but the lowest bid number was used for the sake of analysis. The SPLOST account has $1.5 million in it. There have been $1.1 million in projects approved. Over the 10 months, while these projects are being completed, the one cent local option sales tax for roads will generate another $380,000, leaving about $725,000 in the road SPLOST account.

The County approved the low bid from Austin Construction of $84,291 for all irrigation equipment, installation and grassing at all 4 fields at the new County recreation park near Lulaton at the Forestry Department. The funding for this will come from the capital outlay account. The County consolidated several outdated and unused capital outlay accounts some months ago, establishing $95,000+ for recreation. The recreation portion of the SPLOST generates about $6,500 per month. A grant for $200,000 is in the application process for lights on the field. The County is researching other funding efforts to finish the minimum needs at the park, so that all sports can be played there starting in the spring.

Finally, the County discussed the bridge on Bethlehem Church Road in Hickox. Where the property owners who live next to the bridge have no desire to have the bridge repaired or replaced, others in the community would like it replaced. The County asked Ray Richard to put together some estimates on repairing or replacing the bridge. This will have to be done at the County’s expense, as that bridge is not on the State’s priority list. The State is working to replace the Caney Bay Bridge. Given the alternative routes available for the Bethlehem Church Road Bridge, it isn’t a priority for the State. Mr. Richard will bring estimates to the August meeting.

June Called Meeting & Budget Hearing

In the called meeting on 6-17-2010, the Commission reviewed bids for the paving of Satilla Church Road. Ray Richard of Golden Isles Engineering (GEIC) provided a bid summary for the Commissioners. The meeting was called as the Commission didn’t want to wait until the July meeting to move the process of paving this road forward. The Commission awarded the contract to the low bidder, Allen Owens Construction, at $207,303.01. The scope of this project includes clearing the right of way, working with utilities to move their wires and plant, all dirt work to the design specifications, installing soil cement and double surface treatment. A notice to proceed will be delivered tomorrow. The company will have to provide bonds and insurance and complete contracts. The goal is to have them mobilized within 30 days and have them on site working.

The Commission approved the final right of way (ROW) deed on the DOT portion of Mt. Calvary Road. The County attorney can now certify that ROW and deliver that to Georgia DOT, securing the $25,000 in funding that is in place for that road. This has been particularly tricky, since the property had gone back to the bank and the note had been sold several times. It took the County’s willingness to condemn the property and the notification of same to get the bank to respond. The issues with one property owner on the remaining portion of Mt Calvary (between the bridge and High Bluff) are believed to be resolved. If this is the case, the survey will be modified, the design updated and final ROW plats created so that the ROW can be acquired from property owners to pave the section between the bridge and High Bluff. The County also approved the ROW deed returning unneeded property on Mt. Calvary to the Crews family on Mt. Calvary Road. They have provided the new ROW that the County will need, so this process simply completes the exchange.

The Commission approved the purchase of up to $100,000 of crush and run, including any cost for delivery. This will be purchased from the Road SPLOST account. The County manager has negotiated a very good price with a company that needs to get the product moved from the current location. The County approved the County manager working with the County attorney to secure a storage location on the east end near the roads where the crush and run is to be used. Recently, the County agreed to have the County road department perform the clearing, grubbing and base material installation on Boots Harrison, which will require a substantial amount of this material. The County discussed the need for a vibratory rolling packer to be used along, with the install of this material. The County manager confirmed that he has the use of a roller and can rent one when needed for short periods of time. One will be needed eventually, but that purchase will be put off until it is absolutely necessary.

The Commission had asked GEIC to review the State Awarded contract that Littlefield Construction is executing, which includes the resurfacing of 0.8 miles of Oak Grove Road. The request was to see if Littlefield would extend that State bid award from the end of their project to 301. This would allow the County to leverage the lower State contract bid. Based on the unit prices in that contract, and the fact that the company is already on-site working so no relocation and setup fees would be needed, also drove the price down. The Commission approved extending the project at the County’s expense on that State award for approximately 3.5 miles of Oak Grove Road, for a total price of $164,135.80. This would resurface Oak Grove from Raybon Rock Road West to Highway 301.

Finally, the County reviewed the road grader bids for the remaining road graders which come off of lease (and more importantly out of warranty) this year. The bids were reviewed from Caterpillar, Volvo and John Deere. The Commission approved the replacement using the low bidder, John Deere. Those units with slopers (to pull ditches) will be replaced with John Deere for a cost of $209,750 and a payment $26,947.94. Those units without slopers will be replaced with John Deere with a cost of $176,975 with a cost of $19,793.36. In each case, the County will reduce the annual payment and receive new equipment that will once again be under warranty. The bigger savings comes with the new maintenance contract. In the current contract, the County pays time and mileage for any time a vendor mechanic travels to the County to look at a grader. This one change will save the County between $20,000 and $25,000 annually. The County has a grader in the shop today, getting a new transmission, which comes off of lease on June 20th. If that failure had happened in 2 weeks it would have cost the County more than the annual payment on the machine. Plus, the County is now without a vital piece of equipment.

Next Tuesday, the County will open the bids for Waynesville Road and Dude Circle paving projects.

A public hearing on the budget was held at 6pm. The County discussed several items of interest. Only a couple of changes were made that produced no sizable change in the expense or revenue budget. Once the County has a digest from the Tax Assessor's office, a millage rate can be calculated. The next budget review will be next month.

Commission Office Roof Repairs

The Brantley County Commission continued its attack on leaky roofs this week as the low bidder began work on the County Commission Office. The contract group was at work early, given the triple digit temperatures and above average humidity. They were forced to take frequent breaks and leave the roof entirely through the hottest part of the day, but the job is nearly complete. They will be working with with low bidder on the paint and wood replacement portion of this renovation project to replace some facial boards without damaging the new roof work. It is such a blessing to see the County's assets being properly, yet efficiently maintained.

The County had $25,000 budgeted for repairs to this facility. The roof and painting costs combined bring the total cost to over $7500 below that threshold, leaving money for any emergency repairs, or that can be turned into debt repayment if it is not needed.

June Regular Meeting

During public participation, Mrs. Mary Gibson gave the Commission an update on the Airport. The meeting with the Airport Authority and their newest attorney, Mr. Clint Wright of Jacksonville, has proven productive. Modified language for a “take over agreement” was placed before the Airport Authority that met with their approval, as well as the approval of the County Attorney and the Chairman. This text will be delivered by the County Attorney, who will take the lead in negotiating the final language. The hope is that a contract will be in place in coming weeks so that Littlefield will get to work completing the airport.

The Commission approved, on the Consent agenda of their regular June 2010 meeting, the following items:
• The land exchange with Pryce Brooker for property next door to the courthouse, pending the advertisement that is scheduled to run this week,
• Awarding D&D Decorators the job of completing the painting and repair work needed at the County Commission offices,
• Awarding the well project at the new recreation park near Lulaton to Middleton Well Drilling,
• The intergovernmental agreement with the City of Nahunta relating to building codes, code enforcement and fees (the City will now consider the agreement),
• The right of way (ROW) agreement and timber agreement on Dude Circle with Plum Creek.

The first item on the agenda was a review of the Family Connections grant. One of the two grants that feed this program was reduced this year to $44,000. Some belt tightening will have to take place.

On the regular agenda, the Commission voted to close Tiger Bay Road from Highway 82 down to Perry Hickox Road. A public hearing on this closing prior to the regular meeting drew no participants.

The County received bids for the Boots Harrison Road paving project. There was much discussion about the alternatives and the vendors involved. The extended discussion ended with the County throwing out all the bids and voting to have the road crew clear the ROW, build the road bed and install the aggregate base to the specifications designed by Golden Isles Engineering. Once that is complete, the County will revisit bids for either double surface treatment (a rock road) or regular plant mix (regular asphalt). According to sources at tonight’s meeting, the asphalt can cost twice as much. There are 4 other roads that are out for bid, or soon will be out for bid. Obviously, the County’s crew can only work on one road at a time. So, the next awards will have to go to contract resources. This, plus the Boots Harrison Road, is a County project with no matching funds. Waynesville Road, Dude Circle and Satilla Church Road will all come before the Board in coming weeks for bid considerations. The Commission also empowered the County manager to work with local timber agencies to clear the usable timber off of the right of way that the County now owns on these roads. That process will start as soon as a firm is selected.

The mobile home ordinance was reviewed by the Commission. With only a couple of slight modifications, the ordinance was approved as submitted and will take effect 45 days from tonight.

The Commission passed a resolution asking the State legislators to change legislation on County Commission elections so that each County could choose whether they wanted to be partisan or non-partisan.

The Commission empowered the County Manager and the Clerk to put together a draft of an application using the one that the Clerk provided and some guidelines provided by the Commissioners. The goal here was to get more people on the road involved and to require the one requesting the closure to take on the responsibility of performing the necessary analysis, communication and bear that expense.

The Commission approved a bid by B&R Roofing of Brantley County for $9,000 to replace the shingles on the County Commission office.

The Commission also approved a condemnation ordinance which basically summarizes the authority that the County has in this respect as outlined by State law. This ordinance will take effect in 45 days. The ordinance allows the County or groups of individuals within a community the right to initiate a process where a dilapidated, dangerous and or otherwise hazardous building or mobile home could be put on notice such that it is brought up to a level consistent with health and safety regulations. Otherwise, the building would be torn down at the owner’s expense.

The County Manager asked that the Citizen Re-entry program be allowed to reside in the St. Illa Office Complex with Cooperative Extension.

The County approved the draft Junk Yard Ordinance that was provided by the County attorney after much discussion and review. This ordinance will take effect in 45 days. After that time, persons who have numerous junk cars, scrap metal, wire, household appliances, electronics and many other items listed in the ordinance will be governed by this ordinance. Many will be asked to acquire a business license and all will be asked to comply with the components of the ordinance that require privacy fences, hedges or other items that will block the visibility of the stored items from those passing by.

The commission rescinded their previous vote to allow the Tax Assessor’s Board to hire a new Real Property Appraiser. In last month’s meeting, the Commission had approved this item. But, during the budget hearings, the County received estimated revenue figures for the remainder of the year that were not as optimistic as those previously developed. In order to be conservative, the Commission, in the budget hearing last week, eliminated all new employees. These included personnel from EMS, Sheriff, Tax Assessor, Library and Road Department. The objective was to “keep what was in place” but to hold growth off at least one more year to ensure that the operating debt is eliminated. That could still happen in 2010, but everyone will have to be very careful.

The County approved the new agreement with the Georgia Forestry Commission and opted to pay them quarterly.

The County reviewed the road marking projects that were recently approved by DOT for $200,000. These include Riverside Rock Road, Raybon Rock Road, Caney Bay and Old 259. The County will get optional bids to “scalp” that side of these roads, where it is needed, to eliminate hydroplaning. On a separate note, the County is also researching the cost to extend the resurfacing of Knox Street from the end of the current DOT project to the 301 intersection. There are other roads that need resurfacing badly, such as Trudie Road and more.

The County approved a resolution adding an additional credit card to the 6 that are in use today. There were over two dozen in use when this group of Commissioners took office. The County also heard a request from the coroner for a refrigerated unit to place bodies in once they are in the coroner’s possession. The places where the County has been going are starting to reserve space, leaving the County out in the cold. The request was for $3450.

The recreation bids for irrigation and grassing were considered. The County is going to search for less expensive alternatives for irrigation and bring them back to the July meeting.

BTC Video by Robby Thomas

June Work Session

Public Hearing on Potential USDA loan grant for police cars and boom truck.

Prior to the June work session, the County Commission held a public hearing to allow public input and Commission discussion on the USDA loan grant program that the County is investigating. This is just a part of the initial process to bring the process to light and allow everyone to get involved. The County is investigating the potential grant and loan processing for 5 police cars. The rotation the County attempts to maintain is 3 police cars traded in each year. The process the County is investigating could yield a $50,000 grant so that 2 of the 5 police cars are paid for by USDA. This also could allow for the remaining cars to be financed for 60 months at 4%, versus 36 months at a higher rate. This allows the County to basically budget the same payment for 5 cars that it is now paying for 3 cars. This is the process that the County has recently used for road graders, which is working very well.

The Commission also discussed the second USDA item, which was the loan grant for a new boom truck, which is typically used in conjunction with clean up around dumpsters. With the County going to house to house garbage pickup later this year, the need for this equipment was discussed. Since this loan grant process started in late December, the process has just gotten to the public hearing stage. The County Manager met with the USDA today and asked if the same $50,000 grant could be reassigned to other much needed assets in the same department. The discussion of changing that to two dump trucks was also discussed. The County purchased two used dump trucks last year, which gives us a total of 4, with at least 2 and usually 3 of them on the road at any given time, with one in the shop. These assets have allowed the County to make the progress that is has with roads and the recreation park this year.

The public hearing ended with the County Commission and all present much better informed as to the USDA programs that are under investigation and the benefit to the Brantley County Tax Payer.

June Work Session Covers Roads, Recreation and more.

During public participation, Bill and Jennifer Matlock discussed the junk yard that is rapidly growing near their property. They expressed concerns over the comings and goings, the requirement for a business license and exactly how the participants are accessing the property. The group was certain that there were covenants on the subdivision which should be enforced by the homeowner’s association. Mr. Greg Howard came to discuss Howard rail road crossing. There are 8 homes on this spur off of highway 82 just West of Nahunta. The crossing in its current state is extremely rough. He asked the County to contact CSX about repairing the crossing. Clint Waldron came to discuss the right of way for Mt. Calvary Road near the intersection with High Bluff. With the current design, Mr. Waldron is giving much of the property needed for the road. He has met with the County Engineer and they have developed an alternative. The County will get the surveyor involved to make the changes so that new Right of Way plats can be produced for the property owners in that area. These have to all be acquired before the road can be paved.

The County Commission developed their agenda for next week’s regular meeting. The Commission placed the exchange of property with Mr. William “Pryce” Brooker on the consent agenda. In this exchange, Mr. Brooker will receive property on the East end of land owned by the County, and the County will gain much needed frontage on the side street facing the courthouse.

The Commission heard from the County Manager on the status of the 5 remaining road graders that have leases that expire this year. The Commission is currently acquiring bids and allowing equipment manufacturers to bring in equipment for “trial runs”, as long as there is no cost to the County. A decision will have to be made on how to move forward in the July regular meeting.

The Commission placed the approval of Right of Way agreement for Dude Circle on the Consent Agenda.

The Commission placed the approval of Boots Harrison Road bid(s) on the regular agenda. These bids were opened today and will be reviewed and evaluated by engineering such that a recommendation and summary of all bids will be made available at that time. The Commission hopes to have the winning bidder working on that road within 30 days.

The Commission placed the approval of the modifications to the Mobile Home Ordinance on the regular agenda and asked the attorney to prepare a complete ordinance with existing and new language.

The Commission discussed a resolution requesting that the State legislature allow the Brantley County Commission to be elected in the nonpartisan election. One Commissioner opposed the motion, so it was placed on the regular agenda of next week’s meeting.

The Commission discussed a process and multiple application options, which would lead up to a road being submitted to the County Commission for closure. This should allow more of the citizens along the road to get involved and more investigation to be completed to see if the road is a serious candidate for closure. The State bill that was passed in this session which dealt with road closures was also discussed. This item was placed on the regular agenda.

The County manager presented the Commission with a plan to paint and make repairs at the County Commission office using the low bidder from the courthouse work that was recently completed. This item was placed on the Consent agenda. An item was placed on the consent agenda to award the Recreation Park well to Kevin Middleton well drilling.

The County discussed a Condemnation Ordinance for Abandoned Homes and Mobile Homes. The attorney provided a draft for the County’s review. This was placed on the regular agenda.

The County discussed an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Nahunta which, will allow the County and City to work together, share a common set of construction and mobile home specification and share the revenues produced through the fee structure to recoup expenses. The approval of the draft agreement was placed on the consent agenda.

The Commission reviewed information provided by Beaver Brooks of Sunny Brooks in Waynesville. They have a summer ministry where over 100 students will come to the Waynesville area and help residents clean up and make general repairs to their homes. This is a great program. They ask the County provide a dumpster for the trash at the project site and waive the tire fee for the tires that this group may collect. The Commission will draw up a resolution supporting the project and provide the requested assistance. The focus of this summer’s work will be Waynesville, with the hope of reaching out to other parts of the County in summers to come.

The County manager presented a program called Citizen Re-Entry Program. Mrs. Bessie Cohen and Mrs. Irene Roundtree were at the meeting and provided the County with the definition of the new program and the certification that they are about to acquire. All that they need from the County is an office with a phone and a computer that they can use to meet with individuals that have met their debt to society and are about to reenter our community. The Commission asked the County Manager to come up with some alternatives and have them at the regular meeting next week.

The Commission discussed a junk yard ordinance. For months, concerns have mounted over a junk yard that is rapidly developing on the west end of the County on Central Avenue. The Commission asked the County attorney to review alternatives and bring some drafts to the regular meeting. The County Manager was instructed to have the County code enforcement group review the situation and make sure no existing ordinances or laws are being broken. Originally the Commission wanted to manage this situation with the upcoming Future Land Use Management (FLUTAC) results which will lead to the first round of zoning. Action may be necessary before those codes are ready for implementation.