Full Text
JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION FEBRUARY 1, 2016 7:00 P.M. The purpose of the meeting was to prepare the agenda for the February meeting. It was held at the Jefferson County Commissioners Office. Those present were as follows: Mitchell McGraw, Chairman; Gonice C. Davis, Member: Tommy New, Member; Johnny Davis, Member; Wayne Davis, Member; Adam Mestres, County Administrator; Dalton Dowdy, County Attorney; and Bonnie Wells, County Clerk. Chairman McGraw called meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Commissioner New gave the invocation. Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to amend the agenda by adding Landfill and Public Works Hours to New Business as item h. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to adopt the agenda. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. OLD BUSINESS Land Use & Development Ordinance County Attorney, Dalton Dowdy, presented the Land Use & Development Ordinance to the board with the inclusion of changes (change all the distances in the Land Use Ordinance from what they presently are to two thousand feet; specifically, the distances in Section 20-489) from the previous month’s meeting. Commissioner New also suggested the definition for stream be included in the ordinance. A Public Hearing will be scheduled for a later date. NEW BUSINESS Tax Assessor Board Appointment Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to re-appoint Charles Stewart to the Board of Assessors for an additional three year term. Mr. Stewart’s re-appointment will reconvene March 12, 2016 and end March 11, 2019. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. HR Help Line Liaison Appointment County Administrator, Adam Mestres, presented information to the board regarding a new service offered by ACCG Property and Liability Program. This service would require the appointment of an HR Help Line Liaison; this liaison would represent the county in the event a supervisor or supervisors had a legal issue regarding personnel; this service in no way replaces the county attorney. Mr. Mestres’ recommendation was to appoint the County Clerk, Bonnie Wells as the liaison. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to appoint Bonnie Wells as the HR Help Line Liaison. Commissioner Wayne Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Bank Building Plaque At Commissioner New’s request the county administrator presented the following quotes on a plaque for the bank building which now houses the tax assessor’s and the tax commissioner’s offices. ---PAGE BREAK--- Commissioner New wanted a plaque affixed to the building informing the citizens of the name and the year it was purchased. A plaque such as the one located on the Long House, Murphy House, and the Jefferson County Recreation Gym and Concession Stand. Commissioner Johnny Davis suggested naming the building for the late Emory Bargeron. The board reviewed the quotes but did not make a decision on the naming of the building. They decided to speak to Mr. Bargeron’s children before a decision was made, therefore this item was tabled. Change of Venue for Regular Meeting Commissioner Johnny Davis stated the board would recognize Dr. Gardner Hobbs at the Regular Meeting February 9th for his public service to the community as well as to the school system. Commissioner Johnny Davis then made a motion for the February 9th Regular Meeting’s venue be changed from the county commissioners’ office to the county courthouse. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Recreation Department Gym Usage County Administrator, Adam Mestres, presented a letter from Mrs. Tawana Jackson requesting the recreation department’s gymnasium be utilized by the Georgia Wildcats Youth Sports Club, a traveling basketball team, for practice. This item was brought before the board, at this time, for informational purposes only. Public Works Personnel and Roads Infrastructure County Administrator, Adam Mestres, conferred the need for a motor grader operator at the county roads department. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to hire two skilled machine operators with funds coming from TSPLOST until the new budget comes out. Commissioner Wayne Davis seconded the motion. Discussion: Commissioner Gonice Davis said everyone has utilized a portion of their TSPLOST because he hasn’t utilized any funds for his district. The county administrator said that’s why he wanted to bring the issue up; even if you’re talking about $150,000 a year for salaries, that’s still $150,000 a year out of a revenue stream that will sunset in six and half years. The board has to be willing to incorporate the amount over time and plan the process out, not just put the entire amount in at the end of a six year period. So at the end of year six you are ready to incorporate the money into the general fund. Somebody has to be ready to plan and not put the money out all at once. Commissioner Gonice Davis said they could not keep taking money from TSPLOST. The motion passed with a vote of three to two. Chairman McGraw, Commissioners Johnny Davis and Wayne Davis voted yes. Commissioners New and Gonice Davis voted no. ---PAGE BREAK--- Probation Office County Administrator, Adam Mestres, presented the request for the board of commissioners to sustain a probation office in the courthouse. The chairman suggested they use the old forestry building, but it would have to be a general consensus from the entire board. Commissioner Wayne Davis suggested they use either the old water department space or the old forestry building. The chairman said he would inform them of the available space. Landfill Hours Chairman McGraw brought before the board the hours of operation at the county landfill. The board discussed the options of going from four days at ten hours per day to five days at eight hours per day. The board discussed extensively, the time the inmates are released to come out and the number of days the landfill is actually open. Mr. Mestres reminded the board the vote to have four ten hour work days was unanimous when it was initially voted on four years ago and that he firmly believes that is the way to go. The four ten hour shifts were put in place to get the most out of the inmates. Scheduled Public Comments There were no scheduled public comments. Public Comments on Agenda Items Mrs. Doreatha Davis made comments regarding the hiring of equipment operators. Adjournment Commissioner New made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Attest: County Clerk Mitchell McGraw, Chairman Gonice C. Davis, Vice Chairman H. G. Thomas New, Member Johnny A. Davis, Member Charles Wayne Davis, Member JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 9, 2016 7:00 P.M. This was the regular scheduled meeting for the month of February. It was held at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Those present were as follows: Mitchell McGraw, Chairman; Gonice C. Davis, Member: Tommy New, Member; Johnny Davis, Member; Wayne Davis, Member; Adam Mestres, County Administrator; Dalton Dowdy, County Attorney; and Bonnie Wells, County Clerk. Chairman McGraw called the meeting to order and Commissioner Johnny Davis gave the invocation. ---PAGE BREAK--- Chairman McGraw welcomed guests and presented Dr. Gardner J. Hobbs with a resolution honoring him and proclaiming February 9, 2016 as “Gardner J. Hobbs Day”. Numerous congregates from Dr. Hobbs’ church, New Zion; former students; commissioners; and constituents of Jefferson County were on hand to express gratitude and appreciation for numerous things Dr. Hobbs has done and continues to do for Jefferson County, his church, and etc. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to amend and adopt the agenda. The amendments are as follows: add as item d, The Development Authority Report and item e, The Hospital Authority Report. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to adopt the minutes. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to forego the reports. Commissioner Wayne Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Consent Agenda Motion to appoint Charles Stewart to Tax Assessor Board Motion to appoint Bonnie V. Wells as HR Help Line liaison Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to adopt the Consent Agenda. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. OLD BUSINESS Bank Building Plaque Chairman McGraw stated this item will be tabled until next month. Public Works Personnel and Roads Infrastructure Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to hire two operators with their salaries coming from TSPLOST until the new budget cycle begins. Commissioner Wayne Davis seconded the motion, but with the following amendment; rather than have the money come from general fund all at once, allow it to come out over a two year period. Discussion: Commissioner Wayne Davis said instead of taking the money from general fund all at once, take half this year and the balance the next year. Then over the course of two years, you will already have them “bled in” and it won’t be such a shock on the budget at one time. Commissioner Gonice Davis asked if they were going to take all the money from TSPLOST. Commissioner Wayne Davis said no, they want to hire two employees, both of them will be from TSPLOST’s budget initially, when it’s time to do the budget, one of them will drop from TSPLOST and come into the general fund budget, with the other one coming into the general fund budget the following year. So instead of taking a $100,000 hit on the budget at one time it will only be $50,000 or whatever the price is. Commissioner Gonice Davis said that’s where he got confused; and that TSPLOST money was for roads; and he is going to have his roads. He said if two full time people were hired they would be there forever. Commissioner New asked if they were talking about hiring two or three people and they already have one. The county administrator said they approved two for hire last year, but they only hired one, and he is paid from TSPLOST fully. Commissioner New said they’ve already done that, he said they should just hire one, put it in the budget and be done with it. Commissioner New also said the operator approved for hire last year to come from TSPLOST has been wiped completely out. Two operators will now be hired with their salaries coming from general funds. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to hire two new operators with their salaries coming from general fund effective July 1, 2016. Commissioner New seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. New made a motion to hire two people with both of them placed in the budget, when the budget is done in July. Probation Office The probation office will be moving out of the current facility June 30th and they made a request to the board for office space. Commissioner Gonice Davis made a motion to provide the probation department with the old Georgia Forestry Building with the county doing a little work on it. Commissioner Wayne Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. NEW BUSINESS DHS FY 2017 Technical Proposal County Administrator, Adam Mestres, presented, for the Transit Department, the Department of Human Services FY 2017 Technical Proposal for approval. Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to accept the DHS FY 2017 Technical Proposal. Commissioner New seconded the motion. The vote was passed unanimously. Clerk of Superior Court Old Revenue Accounts ---PAGE BREAK--- For informational purposes the County Attorney, Dalton Dowdy and the Clerk of Superior Court, Anne Durden presented to the board bank balances from five old revenue accounts maintained by the previous clerk of court totaling $161,266.42. Mr. Dowdy explained it was with reasonable certainty the funds do belong to the county and allocated as the board so chooses. This item was for informational purposes only. Vacant Courthouse Offices County Administrator, Adam Mestres, presented to the board a request to move the law library from upstairs in the courthouse to the old tax assessor’s office downstairs in the courthouse; thereby freeing up space to be utilized as a conference room for lawyers. The law library currently has $90,000 in their fund and it is specifically used, by statute, for anything regarding the law library; therefore it could be used for necessary renovations to the new location for the library. Commissioner New made a motion to move the law library from upstairs to the old tax assessor’s office downstairs. Commissioner Wayne Davis seconded the motion. Discussion: Commissioner Johnny Davis wanted to know who was going to see about the necessary renovation efforts. Commissioner Gonice Davis said they have money to do the renovations. The county administrator explained the law library was a fund that was controlled by the board of commissioners, but the law defines what the funds can be used for. It would have to go through the law library committee but at the end of the day the board had the final say so. The funds to renovate would come from the law library line item. Commissioner Johnny Davis wanted to know who would do the renovations. The county administrator explained there would not be any actual renovations, they only needed to purchase tables and bookshelves. The vote passed unanimously. Sale of Surplus Property County Administrator, Adam Mestres recommended the board declare as surplus property, the following items: 2005 Crown Victoria w/150,000 plus miles; 2005 Crown Victoria w/200,000 plus miles and a blown head gasket; 1999 Crown Victoria w/200,000 plus miles; and 2000 Ford E-350 Van w/200,000 plus miles. Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to place the aforementioned vehicles on GovDeals.com. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded the motion. The vote passed unanimously. Development Authority Report Greg Sellars, Development Authority Director presented the board with a report of things happening with the development authority. Hospital Authority Report Steve Widener, Jefferson Hospital CEO, presented the board with a report of things happening with the hospital. Scheduled Public Comments There were no scheduled public comments. Public Comments on Agenda Items Joseph Wheeler made comments regarding TSPLOST. Adjournment Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to adjourn the regular meeting. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded the motion. The vote was passed unanimously. Attest: County Clerk Mitchell McGraw, Chairman Gonice C. Davis, Vice Chairman H. G. Thomas New, Member Johnny A. Davis, Member ---PAGE BREAK--- Charles Wayne Davis, Member JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL CALL MEETING FEBRUARY 18, 2016 10:00 A.M. This was a special call meeting to discuss paving a portion of Butcher Penn Road. It was held at the Jefferson County Commissioner’s Office. Those present were as follows: Mitchell McGraw, Chairman; Gonice C. Davis, Member: Tommy New, Member; Johnny Davis, Member; Wayne Davis, Member; Adam Mestres, County Administrator; Dalton Dowdy, County Attorney; and Bonnie Wells, County Clerk. Chairman McGraw called the meeting to order and led the pledge of allegiance. Commissioner Wayne Davis gave the invocation. Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to adopt the agenda. Commissioner New seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. NEW BUSINESS Paving a Portion of Butcher Penn Road County Administrator, Adam Mestres, presented information on Jefferson County granting permission for the paving of a portion of Butcher Penn Road. Mr. Mestres shared with the board a quote from C & H Paving in the amount of $86,000, which will come from Kamin Mines, to pave a portion of the aforementioned road. Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to allow Kamin Mines to go on and pave the road. Commissioner New seconded the motion. Discussion: The county administrator wanted to clarify, Kamin has the contract with C & H Paving directly. The agreement the county needs is for future road maintenance and permission allowing them on the county’s right-of-way. This will continue to be a county road and continue to be the county’s right-of-way, Kamin is only paying the upfront costs to have the road paved. Mr. Akins said he would send over a copy of the agreement they have with Warrenton County and a copy of the contract with C & H Paving. The vote was unanimously passed. Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion allowing the county to pay half of the cost for paving the road ($43,000) to help Kamin out. Commissioner New seconded the motion. Discussion: The county administrator said the contract with Kamin and C & H Paving was for $86,000 and if the county were going to do that, they would have to redo the contract. The county attorney reiterated what the administrator said. In order for the county to pay a portion, they would have to be a party to the contract. As it stood right now Kamin was to pay 100% of the cost. Commissioner Wayne Davis withdrew his motion; and Commissioner New withdrew his second. Adjournment Commissioner Wayne Davis made a motion to adjourn the regular meeting. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously passed. Attest: County Clerk Mitchell McGraw, Chairman Gonice C. Davis, Vice Chairman H. G. Thomas New, Member Johnny A. Davis, Member ---PAGE BREAK--- Charles Wayne Davis, Member