Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

invitation, please. Please bow your heads. Heavenly Father, thank you for this day and this opportunity to serve the citizens of our great county. As we approach the matters at hand, help us to have the wisdom to see the things clearly and to make decisions that are pleasing to you. As always, I ask you to watch over our employees and to give special protection to our police officers and our emergency service providers. I also ask you for special divine protection over our servicemen and women as they are risking their lives for the good of our nation and for the well-being of the people across the world. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen.

Please join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Let the record show we have a full quorum of commissioners. Commissioners, you have the minutes from the February 17th, 2026 meeting in your packet. If you've had a chance to review them, I'll accept a motion to do so. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to accept as presented. Second. Any questions? All in favor, raise your right hand. Those minutes are approved. Mr. Johnson, I see no changes to the agenda. Ready for your approval, Mr. Chairman. It is approved. Under [clears throat] special recognition, I think we have some youth leadership here

where I know you're here. There you go. Why don't you stand up and uh tell us your name and what schools you attend? I'm good at I'm high school. I'm Catherine. I'm home and I'm also I'm in 11th grade and I go to Lake. Welcome.

Fantastic. Welcome. Thank you for coming this evening. We do have one [sighs] declaration. The March 26th theater in our schools month presentation. Vice Chairman Couch, I believe you're going to handle this. Yes. Thank you.

Good evening. I'd like to call Eli Bicil and his classmates down to receive the proclamation. We'll just stand right along here will be great. So, as I understand you're the first Harlem High School to student to serve as a Georgia State thesian officer. Is that correct? Congratulations. That's quite an accomplishment. There are several Harlem High School alumni up up here this evening including myself. So I graduated in 1999 and I actually participated I think in one play and drama wasn't very good and so they didn't ask me back but um but we're very glad to have y'all and I'm going to read this proclamation and then if you would like to say a few words afterwards we would welcome you to do so. Whereas Columbia County is fortunate to have the state-of-the-art performing arts center, Harden Auditorium, Ladya A Pavilion, and the Columbia County Amphitheater where citizens can enjoy live Broadway shows, musicals, plays, concerts, comedies, family entertainment, and locally based arts. And whereas the importance and value of theater education in the lives of students in our community and across the state cannot be overstated, preparing students for careers both inside and out of the arts are essential and help bolster the economy and vitalize and connect communities. And whereas theater programs provide students with personal and professional opportunities for self-expression, creativity, and career exploration, all while enhancing students self-confidence, collaboration skills, and community connection through the arts. And whereas organizations like Georgia Thesbsians, a statewide organization serving over 6,000 middle and high school theater students across Georgia, including students in Colombia County, help support students by providing educational, financial, and

performance opportunities to students of every background. And whereas dedicated theater educators, students, and community members contribute to the vibrant cultural fabric of our community through their passion for the performing arts. Now, therefore, the Columbia County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim March 2026 as theater in our schools month signed this day, March 3rd, 2026. I'll present this to you. And would you like to say a few words? Um, I'm gonna pass the microphone to my director, Miss Tulle.

Hi, I'm Jillian Tulle. I am the theater director at Harlem High School. And I just want to say thank you for this. Uh, theater is very important uh to my lovely students up here as well as to myself. Uh, theater in our schools months recognizes uh the impact that theater has on education um throughout the country. And yes. Okay. Thank you. You thank you all for being here. Thank you. [applause]

Commissioners, you have the consent agenda in front of you. These items on the consent agenda have been through the necessary committees and received the necessary votes to be placed on this agenda. So, if they still meet with your approval, I'll accept one motion to do so. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to accept all of the consent agenda items as presented. Second. Are there any questions? There's a motion in the second on the floor. All in favor, raise your right hand. That motion carries. We're going to move on to our debate agenda. I make a motion to disapprove RZ25-12-04 reszoning from

No, excuse me. I'm reading the wrong one. Let me start over. Okay. I make a motion to postpone RZ251204 reszoning from CC to R2 for property located at tax map 073A parcels 154 and 155. This will be taken up in the next commission meeting two weeks from tonight on the 17th. Second. Couple of folks have asked to speak. Mr. James Blankenship.

If you will, sir, just please state your name and address for the record. Yes, sir. I'm James Blankenship. I uh own property 309, Top of Road. Uh yeah, I was hoping uh that we could postpone this uh meeting because or the vote because uh me and the developer have reached terms on uh price. Now we just need a little bit more time to come to terms on the due diligence period, earnest money, that kind of stuff. Um, and so with us getting this close, I was like, I think it'd be for the best if we just postpone for all parties and uh until that time. Two weeks.

Sounds good. Two weeks. Carol Chase, [clears throat] she's not coming. Not coming. Okay. And then Saj is he here?

Good evening. Saj Lani 3957 Hammonds Ferry. Um, I would get into it a little further, but if that's the motion and that's the the uh committee's uh preference to delay the here the decision on this issue, uh, we have no opposition. Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Any debate, discussion, questions? We're postponing it till I believe the 17th of March, next meeting. There's a motion and second on the floor. All on All in favor, please raise your right hand. That motion passes. Excuse [clears throat] me.

Next. Mhm. Please. I make a motion to disapprove RZ 260201 reszoning from R2 to CC for property located at tax map 078 partial 078 and 079. Second. This is a request to resz on from R2 to CC for a uh a community commercial parcel. Uh we did have a lot of feedback from the area around this parcel. All negative other than the applicant themselves. I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about it. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to point out that my motion is to disapprove not um allow to withdraw. So it'll be six months before they could come back.

Right. So noted. Any questions, discussion? There's a motion and second on the floor. All in favor raise right hand. Motion carries. No legal matters or requests for a view by committee. Uh Miss Camry Wood. [clears throat] [snorts] Please state your name and address of the record and take five minutes. Ma'am,

my name is Camry Wood, 473 Cambridge Way in Martinez. Um, I really just wanted to make a simple request and that's to impose a moratorum on further construction or development of data centers. Um, basically it's just uh looking around the state of Georgia, there's a number of counties and cities that have done this. Um, and a lot of them have done it in order to continue to assess impacts and to allow legislation that's currently um pending at the in the state house and senate to um see where that's going to shake out in the future. Um, so that I I would there are definitely at least 10 bills uh currently in circulation uh dealing with either the public service commission utility cost allocation as it applies to data centers or bills that are uh pending a statewide moratorium on data center development. Um and the state of Florida has also decided to put in place a statewide moratorum. So there um I don't think there's any shame in taking a pause to think for a little bit and to assess and to see how the legislature shakes out at the state level. Um and so that would be my recommendation is to put in place a moratorum until the end of this calendar year.

Thank you. Yes. You have any questions for me? No ma'am. Okay. Thanks. I know there are a number of bills that uh dealing with this subject. So it'll be interesting to see where they go. [clears throat] Uh on to the executive session. Commissioner Carowway, I believe we have a couple items. Yes, sir. M1A, I make a motion to accept the donation of.13 acres of temporary easement from Aldi Incorporated, partial 062086G for the Ryzen South Parkway and Shamlin Road connector project. Second.

It is a donation of an easement for us to construct this project. Any questions? There's a motion, second on the floor. All in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Next is M1B. I make a [clears throat] motion to approve the settlement agreement with Farmington Estates Property Owners Association, partial 067 C382 and 067C071.

Second. So this is a settlement for [clears throat] a a condemnation, a friendly condemnation deal with an HOA. We were unable to obtain the actual signature, so we had to go through the court system. This makes them whole. This offer finalizes that settlement, makes them whole. Questions? There's a motion and second on the floor. All in favor, raise your right hand. The motion carries.

Okay. The next one is M1 C. I make a motion to approve $41,400 to Kenneth Harp, partial 060 060 and 26,500 to Barry Foss, partial 060 019 to obtain right-ofway and or easements for the Herford Farm Road widening project. Second. These are standard negotiations, standard acquisitions for the project. We're at 96% complete. Should have five more next meeting. Very good motion and a second on the floor. All in favor raise your right hand. That motion carries. There's only one motion that needs to be made.

I make a motion to adjurnn. We are adjourned.