Boc Joint Planning & Zoning - Regular Meeting

Oh yeah, I told you. Okay, go. Good morning. The March 16th, 2026 work session of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners will come to order. Welcome, citizens of Douglas County. County Clerk, please take the role for the record.

Okay. Thank you, Chairman. Commissioner Henry Mitchell III, District 1, present. Commissioner Whitney Kenner Jones, District 2, present. Commissioner Martin Rexen, District Three. He is at ACCG training, so he won't be here this morning. And then Commissioner, Vice Chair Mark Alvarez, he is also at training. And then chairman, Dr. Ramona Jackson Jones, present. Thank you so much, Madame Clerk. Madame Clerk, did we have anyone sign up for public comment today? Yes, ma'am. We have one person. Okay. Thank you.

Okay. Uh before I call you up, just remember there's a three minute time limit. The buzzer will go off in like 2 minutes and 45 seconds. So please go ahead and wrap up your comments at that time. And uh the speaker is La Pink. And repeat your name and address when you address the podium.

That's LA Pink. I am a Douglasville resident. Um, I come here today and I think you guys need to get a time clock uh of what I witnessed of a parent that I had begged to come to this meeting um to give out her information that she was getting and thinking that one of you would contact her, show some compassion or some love uh to what was going on with her being that we do have um someone that is in our neighborhood running loose that is a murderer that had killed her son. So, I didn't come here to take time, but I did come here to put you guys on notice that I want to take your jobs because what we witnessed and you guys never moved, never even got up off of your bench to show the woman no love to even just stop. Y'all sent y'all guards to attack her for grieving. Now, keep in mind, we have a mother, a grieving mother, lost a son. We had the corner tell her that this wasn't self-defense. We had the DA tell her that her son was shot four times in the back of the head. But then we had the sheriff say that the DA was lying, that that didn't happen. Then she comes to the board of commissioner and y'all have her attacked by officers. What a slap in the community's face. This message today is not to y'all. It's to to the community. For them to be aware that each one of you that sit up here on this board cannot care about us. Because if you did, instead of having your guards attack her, throw her down to the ground because of some time that we can't even see. We We don't even know what time it is right now. Where the clock at? Get you a clock that we can see so we'll know our time when it's up.

So, I think that you guys should really go and brief yourself for the community and the community should be packed in here right now for what they witnessed and seen. I am embarrassed. I'm ashamed. And never would I would have thought that it would have came to Douglasville. Now, people said many things that Douglasville was corrupt. and I defended you, but never again because what I witnessed today will never ever happened to another parent. Know that that's my time. It's up. All right. Thank you so much for coming in today.

All right, Madam Clerk. Anyone else? No, ma'am. That was it. All right. Thank you. We're going to move on to the We're going to move on to the agenda adoption.

Board of Commissioners, there was an item that was inadvertently left off the agenda that needs to be added this morning. And county clerk, could you please read the agenda item? Yes, ma'am. authorization to enter into a recruitment agreement with Fedon International US Incorporated to conduct a search to identify a transportation manager for the Douglas County Department of Transportation up to the amount of $25,000 and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Okay. Uh thank you so much, Madame Clerk. Commissioners, are there any other changes that need to be made to the agenda at this time?

Yes, Madame Chair. Um, I spoke with my um other colleagues who are not hearing agenda item number 35. Um, we're asking for that one to be um deferred to the next agenda because they have comments and information that they'd like to weigh in. Okay. All right. So, with that being said, we will call a motion to defer the agenda item number 35. So, if you could uh Commissioner Ker Jones, if you could call a motion. Madam Chair, you actually have two changes. Motion to adopt the agenda with the addition of the one from Yeah, I was going to do that one. Okay. But I can do it back. I was going to do them all together.

You could do it in one motion. Okay. Yes. Okay. Commissioner Kenner Jones, would you please call the motion? Madame Chair, I move to um amend the agenda to add the recruitment item for transportation and to defer agenda item 35 to the uh April or to the March 30th, 2026 meeting.

All right, we have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion, board? We have a motion and a second. All in favor, please indicate by uh raising your right hand. We have a three- uh vote and the motion carries. All right. With no opposition, we're going to move on to um at this time, board of commissioners, do we have them? We just approved the agenda, so we're going to move on to the next item. As a reminder, each commissioner has three minutes to make remarks and two minutes for rebuttal. Next on the uh we have um be prepared tomorrow, board commissioners, regarding uh our meeting minutes. uh please rem uh review those minutes before tomorrow and be prepared to approve or deny accordingly. Also, we will have the financial report. Be prepared to adopt the financial budget report for the month of February 2026 in tomorrow's meeting. Also, we have a proclamation tomorrow proclaiming March 18, 2026 as transit employee appreciation day in Douglas County. The agenda begins and we will begin with our agenda agenda items. Uh clerk, madame clerk, would you please begin with those items, please?

Okay. Thank you, chairman. Number six, under grants, approval to accept the sponsorship agreement with AWS in the amount of $76,500 with no required match for projects that include the purchase of computer lab equipment, outdoor exercise equipment, and raised garden beds for the Fairburn Road Senior Center, and the purchase of outdoor solar benches for Selman Library. Amend the budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Consuela Gail Chris. Thank you. Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the board, county administration. I bring before you this morning a sponsorship agreement with AWS. As um our clerk stated, it is for um $76,500. There is no match. and um as she also stated is to purchase computer lab equipment and outdoor exercise equipment, raised garden beds for the Fabon Road Senior Center and solar benches for the um Selman Library once that building is um completely renovated.

Okay. Any questions for our managing director, Dr. Gilchrist? Any questions? All right. Thank you, Dr. Gilchrist. Thank you. Number seven, authorization for chairman to sign physical designation form for the family connections partnership grant Douglas Core for the state physical year 2027 July 1st 2026 through June 30th 2027 pending final legal review. Jill Hopson.

Uh good morning. Each year the county agrees to be the fiscal agent for uh the Georgia Family Connections. Our local office is Douglas Core. Um, and we would, this is the authorization to be the fiscal agent for the fiscal year 27, which is July 1 through June 30 of 28. 27, sorry. Okay. Any questions for our manager, Chill Thompson? Any questions forward? All right. Thank you.

Okay. We'll move on to our business items. Number eight, approval for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to enter into a 5-year equipment lease with Lease Servicing Center, Inc. doing business as NCL Government Capital through Sourcewell contract 092424-NCL in the amount not to exceed $250,000 per per year first year to be funded by sheriff's office budget for the sheriff's office back-end computer infrastructure including the disaster recovery backup system network storage system and server system 50 vehicle computers routers, monitors, and all associated equipment and installation, and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Chief Deputy Connor,

morning. Good morning. So, good morning.

This is a this is a lease. If you recall the last we did the same thing about five years ago. It was a We did a lease purchase for um this the computers in the cars, the brackets that hold them in the cars and all the laptops and and the cameras and everything. There's about 50 cars that are on the old system that are it's defunct. It's it's not um that company sold to another company and then they just don't make it anymore. But we've still been running it because we have the software, but it's getting to the point when they die, we've got to replace them anyway. Um, this money was put in our pack for this year for the first year payment. We don't anticipate it being 250,000 a year. Um, but we we put it we we expect to be about 220 230, but the prices are so volatile right now that they're only giving us two week quotes. So, um, that's that's our our projected cost for it. And I believe that uh procurement has um made contact with this particular company. Last time we used Sunrust and they no longer do it from my understanding because of the equipment. They wanted something more collateral like a firet truck, something more tangible than just equipment and vehicles. So um they've they've spoken with them. Anthony Choy has and they're willing to do it from my understanding with this contract.

Okay. Any questions forward? Okay. Uh, Commissioner Kenner Jones, you have the floor. I just um the only thing I have a question on is uh the first year it's funded by the sheriff's office budget. What's the proposed funding source for years 2 through five? It would have to be budgeted in in the general in our general budget for next year. Do I guess do you have that wiggle room in your budget currently then to continue in in your existing budget or are you going to be asking for an increase to your budget? Killer Jones. Sorry, the communications was cussing at me because I didn't have my mic down. Um, so you you were saying that it's in your um budget for this year.

Next year, are you guys going to need an increase to your budget to cover this or are you going to be able to stay within your existing budget without an increase to be able to afford this? Yes. So, so the funding for this year was put into the packs. The the it was additional to our general budget. Um, so therefore it would have to be a re reoccurring cost and would have to be worked into the budget instead of a one-time fee. It would be spread out over is it five years I believe. Um, so do you know what the annual cost will be?

We're estimating less than 250 a year. the existing lease we were um I can't remember exactly what the amount was, but we'd run this lease for about five years before it ran out and we went a year or so without it. So, and so you guys would just need you you'll be you will be asking for an additional 250 every year on your Yes, for this particular item. Yes, we would. Thank you, Madam Chair. I yield back. Okay. Thank you so much, Commissioner Kennedy Jones. Commissioner Mitchell.

Yes. So you're thinking it's going to be less than 250 annually at the costwise when it comes to this based on all the cars or is this based on just a few cars this time around with the adjustment that you spoke of earlier? We anticipate it be less because um we we we we budgeted just a little high because of the volatility of the prices and how long it's going to take to secure the loan and get all that processing done because they're only giving us two week quotes. So this is this at least is probably got 20 or maybe 20 vendors. Yeah, about 10.

10 10 vendors. Um so it's not like Dale where you're going in and you're buying all this. There's 10 different vendors that we grouped into this one lease. Uh and I believe they're all on state contracts. So um just depending on how long it takes to to secure it, right? I think when we did the um when we did the uh at least the last set of quotes, what was it around 220? Around 220, but depending on how long it takes them to process this this lease and get and when they do the the work session, everything that we we project a little higher and this is the leasing of the equipment that goes inside the car, the computers and all that good stuff, I think. Would you say?

Yes, sir. Correct. Uh, and it's also the um No, that's on the other one. Yes, it's the dash cameras, um, the brackets, the keyboards, the cables, the installation, and the computers and everything that goes inside these 50 cars that are that are outdated. Also, some back end server infrastructure. You got server stuff in there, too. Okay. That that stores this backup system. And that includes the maintenance and all that kind of good stuff down the road when we kind of have to come back for some additional money. It it's all in that 250 of them. Yeah. And and and kind of going off what Commissioner Jones said. Um so this was in our budget

up until this year and it was taken because we had the lease ongoing. Um and it and it was determined last year that the lease had run out and so this year that money wasn't put in there, but it was put into the pack. So it didn't go back in the the lease line item. It went into the pack line item. So that money that was for the old lease that was there has been been taken but given over here. So

if you really look at it, it's just a little bit more than what we were getting from from prior. So that's why there probably is not a need to make any budget adjustments um other than in the future to move that money back over because I see I see the the uh the director of finance and looks like procurement kind of have a few comments that they might want to just let me let me hear from these guys just for just a quick moment. They always look like they was trying to rush the mic so I didn't want them to Good morning chair. Turn the microphone towards you. Sorry. Administration. Y'all hear me now? Yes. Then much better.

Um, commissioners, the total budget line item was 1.4 million uh split up between the two sheriff offices that you all approved starting next year. And to address Commissioner Kenner Jones concern, only about 400,000 of that will be recurring. That's splitting between these two line items. We will eliminate 1 million of it because it's not recurring. Okay. Okay. Y

and that's what uh deputy chief was alluding to. The recurring part actually ran out the previous year. the entire thing they had to put in pack C because we always start a budget at base level eliminating non-recurring expenses in a conservative manner and so yeah they it will actually save about a million dollars from the 1.7 for 2027. I I I now that you say that I remember that whole conversation again though. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that insight. hearing.

Just wanted to kind of reiterate what chief was saying. Good morning, Madam Chair, commissioners, county administration. Um, just wanted to reiterate what chief was saying. This actual lease is with NCL, which is a part of Sourcewell. And so, based upon the numbers that we currently have, uh, the lease will be about 238,000 a year. So, it will be less than the 250. U, but it's based upon the numbers we have now. So, if they come in with lower numbers, of course, the lease agreement will be lower. Um, but we do have uh NCL who is prepared to finance this for us out front and we just pay for it over a 5-year period. Understood. Okay. Thank you.

I just I wanted to mention one more thing. Out of that 1.4 that director OSHA talked about, the the million was where we bought the body cameras up front. Saved700,000 I believe it was for buying it all up front. Okay. Okay. I remember. I remember. Okay. Thank you. And uh with that being stated, I appreciate it and I yield back, Madam Chair. Okay. Thank you so much, Commissioner Mitchell. Um Madam Clerk, the next item,

number nine, approval for Douglas County Sheriff's Office to initiate a 5-year lease agreement with Dale Cambridge computer for computer equipment in the estimated amount of $137,28.78 per year. first year to be funded by sheriff's office budget to refresh all laptops and desktops at the Douglas County Sheriff's Office which are all outdated and authorized the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Chief Deputy Connor, so this particular line, this item is for the desktops and laptops inside the sheriff's office. Um, include any servers or anything on this one? Just

just Okay. So the current ones that we have are six years old and they were on a lease just like this one that expired last year. So we went a year without being with any fees for the computers and it's time to get back and refresh them. And uh they're running slow. They're um you know things are costing taking a lot more space now than they did before. Um, there's a lot of video evidence that we store and and have to process and have to keep up with with the the current wind versions. Any questions for Chief Deputy Connors? Any questions? All right. Thank you, Chief. Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

All right. Um, Madam Clerk, number 10, approval of an an employment contract with William Henderson as an assistant public defender for state court to fill a vacant position already approved in the budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Public defender Oops. Hey, good morning. My name is Kayla Corals. I'm one of the assistant public defenders. Um, Miss Miles is out, so she asked me to come and stand in her place for this. You bet. Yes, thank you. Um, yes, we

we have um talked to Mr. Henderson um and we are waiting for final approval with HR. Um, but I do believe he has cleared legal so far. So, we're just waiting on final approval for his candidacy. Um, I believe that it's already been budgeted and all of that. Okay. Any questions? Board, we have any questions. All right. Thank you for coming in. Shar, did you get her name? Yes, ma'am. Okay, you have a name. Okay, thank you.

Number 11, approval to execute and fiscal year 2026 budget letter from the Department of Family and Children Services in accordance with the approved budget amount of $75,000, $6,250 per month, and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Jill Hopson. Hello again. Um, we have each year the county budgets um funding for the Department of Family and Children Services for the 26 calendar year it was $75,000. We have a letter that needs to go to DHS just stating that needs to be signed. That's it.

Okay. Any questions more regarding this letter for DH? Yep. Thank you, DHS. Thank you so much, manager. All right. The floor back. Okay. Number 12, approval to renew an annual agreement with CBM Atlanta in the amount of $89,70.84 for janitorial services at Douglas County Courthouse to be funded by the building services budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Stephanie Morgan. Good morning. Good morning.

This is just a request to renew the annual agreement with CBM for janitorial services here at the courthouse. It will be through the remainder of this year and with the option to renew for 2027 and then it will go out for bids for 2028. Okay. Any questions forward? Okay. Commissioner Mitchell. So, so this is just the completion of this year. This 8970 that's for total for the year. Oh, total for the year. Okay. Okay. I was going to say like that was interesting to see it. Okay. So, this is for the entire year. Yes, but the contract ends at the end of this year and they'll renew sometime with the option to renew. Yes. In 2027.

Got it. Okay. Okay. All right. All righty. And And have we did we ever work on trying to pull these vendors together and try to Okay. Procurement director is kind of making his way. Yeah. Cuz I was sliding down.

Okay. Yes, sir. Uh we are doing that now. Um, we are actually looking at putting together one complete RFP that will take care of all of our locations. Uh, Deputy Director Ross is working on that now, compiling all that information. She has received all of our locations from um, Mark Dean, who is a part of, uh, managing director Worthington's group. And so, we have all the buildings now. We're looking at all of the uh, square footage as well as this building. And so, what we're looking at is putting together an RFP that has about two, three different sections uh, on it. So, we'll have um parks and wreck, I think, has quite a few buildings. And so, we'll put all of theirs in one slot and put everything else in another slot, including the courthouse. And so, what we'll do is we'll look at the difference between combining them with one or maybe possibly having two contracts versus having the multiple. So, we are on it. Yes, sir.

Got it. And and and how soon kind of where are we in timeline? The the if I can go to the end and come back, we're hoping to have an RFP out, have it evaluated. uh and brought before you all before the budget is approved. That way the departments can be um understand what portion of their portion of the budget they will be required to make sure they have for the cleaning services. Great. So we're looking at a July um time frame of issuing the RFP August uh of the evaluation. So I think the budget timeline is in there as well. So we're hoping to have it ready for the departments by then.

Okay. Okay. Good. Good. Thank you. I appreciate that. Yes, sir. And and that was my only question to add to kind of see kind of where are we with that whole timeline and that potentially grouping everybody together to hopefully find a savings. Now there may not be a savings. So it might end up being that we need to continue it the way we're doing it. So but we'll we'll once we find that out then we'll know. Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you madam chair. Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Kenner Jones. You have the floor. This is probably for you too, Director Choice. Um I I just want to make sure in this timeline, are we accounting for each of these contracts if we have cancellation provisions that we need to um meet to be able to get these contracts consolidated if it is a cost savings?

Yes. And what we've done is we've asked for all the renewals. The reason this one came up is because we needed some work to be done at the courthouse and we realized we never renewed the contract. So we're renewing all the contracts based on the year, the calendar year. So everything is should be um going out this year. And so we have 60 I think most of them are 60-day termination uh agreements and so we should have plenty of time. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yield back. Okay. Thank you so much, Commissioner Kenner Jones. All right. Any other questions? Thank you so much, Director Morgan.

All right. Number 13, approval of an an agreement with ACCG to update the county administration services agreement for the 457B deferred compensation retirement plan to reflect the re to reflect the revised fee schedule for participants effective July 1st, 2026 and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Paula McGee,

as you all can tell, I'm not Danielle Nichols. I'm filling in for her today. So, good morning board of commissioners and county administration. So, with ACCG, they are revising their administrative services agreement for the 457B plan. As has been mentioned, this goes into effect July 1st of 2026. And the revised change is adding three new tanches for larger larger jurisdictions whose plans total uh range from 50 million to over a 100red million. And so ACCG is required to advise all jurisdictions of this change at least 120 days in uh prior to the effective date. And so the revised agreement reflects the addition of the trenches and there will be no additional cost to the county. I know that was probably one of the first questions you had. Now participants uh will have some quarterly administrative fees as with any investment type plan. Uh it will increase slightly but it's based on the individual balances. Okay. Any questions for our deputy director McGee? So,

so you kind of answered the question that we were going to definitely be pro trying to ask. So, but um so more or less the cost if there's any additional cost will be associated with the individual that plan with the individual who happened to have that plan or associated with that plan that uh what is it uh 457b plan right? Correct. and and that that that that increase or decrease would come on their side as a correct. Yes. The county would not bear any of that. Got it. Okay. All right. Thank you. All right. I yield back. Okay. Commissioner Mitchell. Any other questions? All right. Thank you so much, Deputy Director. Number four. Thank you.

Excuse me. Number 14, approval of an an agreement with Accuracy Commercial Cleaning Services for the cleaning services of Boundary Waters Aquatic Center in the amount of $16,120 to be funded by the parks and recreation department's budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Chad Griffin.

Good morning, chairman, board of commissioners, and county administration. Uh this is a contract with Accuracy Commercial Cleaning to clean the aquatic center, the locker rooms, uh pool deck, uh lobby, and lobby restrooms and our gym uh for the remainder of the years, four times a month. Um so, you know, we we just did that big renovation at the aquatic center. We make sure we're keeping it clean and getting the specialized cleaning done at the aquatic center. Okay. Thank you so much. Uh any questions, board? No questions. All right. Thank you, Director Griffin. Thank you.

Number 15, approval of an an agreement with SNL integrated for the purchase of installation of annotated monitors for Superior Court. Number four, in the amount of $24,846.58 to be funded by the Superior Court judges budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending legal review. Justin Ricks. I do not see him in here. Okay. Well, we'll go on to the next item and hopefully he'll be here. Would you like for us to email him and ask him to come in? Please email him, but we're going to move on to the next item.

Number 16, approval to renew and an agreement with Snyder Geospatial Q Public in the amount of $27,718.20 20 cents to be funded by the board of assessors budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Steve Balffor.

Good morning, Madame Chair, commissioners, county administration. This is regarding Q public. This is our uh renewal of our annual contract. uh they provide us with um online appeal for services and all data that's displayed maps to the public and um this is our annual renewal. Okay, any questions forward?

Okay, no questions. Thank you so much. Number 17, approval to renew printing and mailing of 2026 notice of assessments agreement with Harris print and mail in the amount not to exceed $45,000 to be funded by the board of assessors budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Steve Boutfor is our uh assessment notices to print and mail. The amount should not exceed 45. We um for context, last year the total was 40,000 for mail in 56,000 notices and um we will um be using them to send our notices this year. And um just for public awareness, our notices may change again this year. So, um, Department of Revenue is reviewing current notices and, um, if, um, it's signed the the bill, the new bill, um, we're going to have a few changes coming in.

Any questions for Chief Appraiser? Commissioner Mitchell, you have the floor. Can you I guess can you speak to those potential changes or I know it's not hadn't passed through the house or the senate whichever way wherever it is now I guess or uh in general the um last year they introduced the roll back rate and we had to do preliminary um roll back um estimates etc. this they may be repealing that law. So, it may change, but um as you know uh it's not um final until it's signed into law and that would change that would make the notices a lot more simple.

Right. So, the last time we did this, we did all these notification inserts and all that other good stuff. Exactly. Go ahead. So this may um address our um the the bill too with Harris sprint because we had an additional page that um we may not need this year. Okay. So I think that's that might be a good uh in my opinion it's good but it's a wait and see with with the house bills.

Right. And and again it's not know it's not law but I was just curious to know cuz I haven't been following that particular bill. So that's why I was just curious to know what were the changes because I know we we had a fire drill on the last round, you know. Exactly. And we got there which was really good with the help of staff and you guys and and the tax commissioner and others. So but okay. All right. So I guess now I'll pay attention to that particular bill now. Yes. There are about 45 bills that are being discussed as we speak. Got it. Okay. Thank you very much. I yield back, Madam Chair.

Okay. Thank you so much, Commissioner Mitchell. Any other questions? All right. Okay. Approval to renew a professional services contract with the appraisal pro solution LLC for appraisal consulting at $56 per hour to be funded from the existing appraisal department's budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Steve Balffor

and this is for um appraisal pro solution who is playing an integral role with our analytics and the Tyler um it there she works with the Tyler system I would consider an expert and um we're working with appraisal solution and um would like to renew this agreement. Okay. Any questions for just one? Okay. Commissioner Kenner Jones, you have the floor. Um, just one. I know that they're an expert. Is this a a potential position that you would want somebody to be permanent and full-time for or is this um standard or customary to always just have a

It would be um initially um we had advertised for a permanent position which we could not get and as a result of that we we went this route. Yeah. And so I guess is it your long-term goal or solution to find somebody that's permanent and would have intimate knowledge of Douglas County or are you fine with operating on this contractual agreement? I I am flexible. Um ideally it would be um I would prefer one on contract but um this is an alternate method to get the services. Thank you madam chair. You're back. Okay. Thank you commissioner Kenna Jones. All right. There are no more questions. Thank you so much, uh, Chief Appraiser. Thank you.

Okay, chairman. We're going to go back to number 15. Approval of an an agreement with SNL Integrated for the purchase and installation of annot an annotated monitors in the Superior Courtroom number four in the amount of $24,846.58 to be funded by the Superior Court judge's budget budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending legal review. Justin Rigs. Good morning, board. My apologies for the delay. Mhm.

Um, last December, we got a um a grant to um fund annotated monitors in the other three superior courtrooms. We weren't necessarily sure what was going to happen with superior courtroom 4. So, we asked for um the amount of the budget, the money. Um my apologies, I'm catching my breath. So, we asked for the money and um Judge Kiger's new startup budget to cover that. So, we're just asking for uh the board to sign or approval. Okay. Any questions, board? Okay. No questions. Thank you. All right. Thank you. All right. Madam clerk.

Okay. We'll go back to number 19 now. approval of a 2026 task or quarters with Atlantic Coast Consulting totaling $61,800 to be funded by the department's budget. These are required EPD 2026-1 groundwater monitoring and reporting June events 2026 two remaining capacity reports 2026-3 groundwater monitoring and reporting December event 2026 for annual storm water reporting 2026 5-year permit review and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Heath Coward.

Good morning, Madame Chair, commissioners. Good morning, county administration. Hey, so yeah, as she said, this is a yearly u request and it's u to be in compliance with EPD, state, federal regulations for testing um monitoring. This is what we have to do. So, any further questions? Okay. All right.

Board commissions, we have any questions? No questions. Number 20, approval of rate changes for transfer station refused from $59 to $60 per ton and construction and demolition materials from $78 to $80 per ton due to the penny retirement and the nickel to follow and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Heath Coward.

Hey, good morning again. So, um, yeah, we've had, you know, ever since they did away with the penny, we've we have been bringing in pennies. We've been holding them. We've been rationing them out the best as possible, hoarding them if we get a whole bunch of them. But, uh, they're gone. We can't get anymore. Um, so, how do we deal with this problem of giving back the correct change to our customers? And this is the best answer we come up with. So, any questions? Any questions for

Madame U chair? This will appear as a form of a resolution to um go from the $59 to the $60 a ton. Um and so that will be in your packets for tomorrow. Okay. All right. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you so much, Director Tower. Thank you. Okay. Number 21, approval of the implementation of $100 per patient EMS response fee for assessed and treated non-transport patients with no impact to the county's budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Chief Allen,

uh good morning, Madam Chair, uh commissioners, county administration. So, the uh within the fire department, we're looking at uh wanting to uh add a $100 uh emergency response fee um for assess for uh treating non uh non-transport uh patients. Um the fee is designed strippy as a uh cost recovery mechanism um to offset consumable for EMS supplies and pharmaceuticals are utilized during patient care. Any questions? Board chief, I just had one for you. This $100 is when you looked at your consumables, is that on an average of what we're losing in terms of, you know, charges or is not even there, but could you come up to the mic uh deputy chief and just answer the question?

Good morning. Um just we had a couple of things that we had jotted down. Glue gun, which is routinely given with the non-transport, um is $250. cardiac arrest. Uh we average about 500 in consumables. Um so $100 is a little bit of a cost recovery, but it's certainly not everything. Yes. Okay. I just wanted to make that clarity for, you know, so our citizens. Absolutely. Yeah. Okay. Any other question? Commissioner Mitchell, you have the floor. Yeah. So, you know, we we we tackled this, wasn't it, a year ago or something, right? Um come to the mic, I guess. So but but with that so and we left I don't recall exactly kind of we ended up not doing this because of the cost to the citizens

correct and now we're back trying to say that this we we we got to we got to incur we're incurring a huge cost however there's no there there's no way to kind of get back that $500 or 250 depending depending upon the situation that you guys are dealing with. What other counties that we compare this to that does this and kind of what are their numbers ranging from? So, a lot of your ambulance companies uh or sorry, a lot of your counties are run by a private ambulance and so they push u transport in order to be able to recoup those costs.

For Douglas County, we look at it more of what is the best uh care for the patient. Um, we're not trying to transport patients that don't want to go. We can provide care on scene. Um, off the top of my head, the cab charges a fee. I think it's 158 156 or 158. I'd have to get back with you on some other counties, but like I said, most of them that are served by private ambulance companies. They're looking to get the 5 to $700 um on the low end up to 17 to 2,000 for the transport. So, a lot of them don't even offer um to for patients to be able to be left on scene because they want that reimbursement.

And and and wouldn't that sort of take uh a potential patient thinking about a cost? He or she may end up saying, "Well, I don't want to be transported. I don't even want you to, you know, mess with me." So, I would I can avoid a $100 fee yet along $500 for an ambulance type visit. I mean, uh transport. And and I I guess what I don't want to see is I want to make sure that we are concerned about that patient versus the cost that he or she is trying to avoid.

Absolutely. The uh MAIH program which you guys approved in 2024 has been phenomenal. Um and that's funded by our general fund or through our operational fund I should say. Um but that's been huge. there is a subsection of our population um that uses us for um access to primary care and um that that MIH program has been invaluable. Um so this program should help with some cost recovery for the patients that aren't transported but overall when someone calls 911 in the county you're going to get an ambulance if you can you know pay not pay you're going to get an ambulance. Great. Absolutely. And how would you apply this particular cost?

So it would only be occurred if there was a uh patient assessment or intervention. We do run uh lift assist for the elderly. They fall out of bed, um need assistance getting back up. Those patients will not receive any type of of of fee. That's that's part of what we do. Uh we're just trying to recover the um consumables that are used when we provide assessment and intervention. Got it. And and that's when that that particular $100 fee if this passes, that's when that would be charged to that individual. Correct. And again, the collection side of that happens. How would it be coming from you guys collecting this or us trying to collect this or is it a collection agency that kind of jumps in and collects for you guys? If we if this passes,

we'll use our EMS uh EMSMC which is our new billing company that um bills for our transports. The same company would send these notices out. Got it. Got it. Okay. Okay. All righty. Thank you. Uh and I yield back. Okay. Uh Deputy Chief, just one more question from that coding side. So, this is part of a coding, you know, the coding the ICD10.

Uhu. Uhhuh. And I actually wrote it down because I figured you might ask me. It's um A0998. The insurance companies just haven't caught up yet. There are codes for these services. Medicaid does provide reimbursement. Um we have heard that some larger insurance companies do, but then our new our new billing department said that they do not. So, right now we're just looking at Medicaid, but it's kind of like AI where medicine is progressed before everything is in place. So eventually you're going to see this to be able to be recouped through insurance companies. It's just taking time. Yep. Okay. All right. Thank you. Any other questions, Board? All right, Madam Clerk.

Uh number 22, approval of a new medical director agreement with Dr. Brett Cannon, resultant of solicitation 26-004 in the amount of $14,400 annually to be funded by the fire department budget and authorized the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Chief Allen, so uh we went through the process to uh look for a new uh medical director and uh this is the results where we uh we've actually found one. Okay, any questions board? No questions. Thank you so much. Okay. Number 23. Chief and Chief. Thank you.

Number 23. Approval of a contract modification with Allen Smith Consulting, Inc. for the splice 2022 Fairburn Road Senior Center project for $37,800 and extend the contract through 12:30 2026 and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Julia Jenko.

Good morning, Madame Chair, commissioners, county administration. Um this is simply um as y'all aware that the Fairburn senior road um senior citizen project, excuse me, um had multiple delays and consequently we will have that project wrapped up and ready for beginning the transition into it by June of this summer. However, um Allan Smith Consulting is the oversight um fac group that does the CBD community base um CBDG grant and they require having to be able to validate 320 citizens using the facility and they are asking for a six-month extension to be able to do that once the facility is up and running to verify that it is met the requirements of the grant. I'm simply recovering that I did add a 20% contingency in this just in case we had any other additional delay so I do not have to come back to the board and ask for more money again.

Okay. Any questions for our director Jenko? Any questions? Okay. Commissioner Hitchell I'm I'm just trying to help me understand it again. the this 37800 is is spent because the the CBDG grant requires a separate grant oversight authority, right?

And that's what um Allan Smith is and that's how they manage the the execution of the grant and this project is funded by three different funding sources, SPLAS, ARPA and CBDG. And that money is then required to be it's not just a matter of administrating the grant is that they have to verify the funds are being expended and used as intended within the grant program and we speaking of all the funds CBD it's a it's a collective thing that they oversight correct on our behalf.

Okay. And then for this piece is they have one of the conditions of giving us the grant was having 320 citizens being proven that they are actually using or benefit fitting from the pro from the program and we won't be able to quantify or qualify that until after the facility opens in June. So we give them a six-month window to be able to show that. Got it. Okay. And when the what's the timing of this? Uh, is it essentially we're just extending the grant um or this process through the end of the year. Got it. Got it. Cuz we should be opening somewhere in June. Yes, sir. Of 2020. Okay. Got it. Okay. Thank you. All right. I yield back.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Mitchell. All right. If there are no questions, we're going to move on to the next item item. Thank you so much, Director Jenka. Number 24, approval to renew yearly maintenance and subscription agreement with Converge One for the protection of Douglas County BOC digital networking infrastructure in the amount of 104,538 to be funded by the information services department budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Elliot Bugs.

Good morning, Madam Chair, commissioners, uh, administration. This is for our yearly um anti virus and firewall protection u renewal. Um just need a signature to go ahead and do it for this year. Um it's already in our budget already for this year. Okay. Any questions?

All right. Number 25. Approval of a service agreement modification with Tyler Munis for the current Munis BL and central property agreement module implementation project in the amount of $53,547 $27,900 onetime fee 25647's yearly fee to be funded by general fund from general appropriations designated for countywide system upgrades augmentation and authorized the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Elliot Bugs,

good morning again. Um, this is for our Tyler Munice project we have currently going on. It's a additional module for the business license. Um, they were previously using Camino for their business license. We're not using anymore. So, um, it's just an addition to what we already have in place for Munis. Okay. Any questions, board? Okay. Commissioner Kenner Jones. Um, how many years or is it an auto? It's annual contract and then autorenew after that. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. No, no other questions. Okay. Any other questions? All right. Next item.

Okay. Number 26. Approval of a service agreement modification with Tyler Munis for the current Munis conversions agreement module implementation project in the amount of $98,400 to be funded by general fund from general appropriations designated for countywide systems upgrades augmentation and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Elliot Bugs.

Yes, this portion here is for the conversions. The vendor is requiring us to put this um in place for just conversions. Um if they do something that's uh already compatible, we're going to get charged for it, but just a a fee they set out to not exceed the prices down there. Okay. Any questions board or director? All right. Okay.

27. Approval of a service agreement modification with Tyler Munis for the current Munis employee expense reimbursement module implementation project in the amount of $17,927 $13,500 onetime fee $4,427 yearly fee to be funded in general fund from general appropriations designated for countywide systems upgrades augmentation and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents. ments pending final legal review. Elliot Bugs,

this one is for uh addition to the EER module. Um just an extra module we needed to add to the munis project for the employee expense reimbursement program. Okay. Any questions board regarding that commissioner Mitchell? Yes. So I guess probably for the county manager, but you might is all this already budgeted for and accounted for? It is. Okay. Okay. All right. Because we're just kind of rattling off all these numbers and all that. I just want to make sure that in the budget somewhere we've accounted for all of that. It's it's it's been placed in general appropriations that they anticipated a number of these changes um last year.

And I guess will this be ongoing that we'll actually now place this within his budget moving forward or I guess we'll have that conversation during budget season. Yeah, we'll have I mean some of it again you're seeing onetime setup fees but then you're seeing these recurring right annual cost of the module which we'll have to incorporate going forward. Right. Okay. So that's the plan though I guess. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Cuz I want just make sure we plan the only two could be signatures to to move forward with them. Understood. Yes. Thank you sir. Yes sir. Oh I sorry. Okay. Thank you so much. Any other questions? You have the floor madam clerk.

Number 28. Approval of a service agreement modification with New Horizon for EAC services in the amount of $699 to be funded by theformational services department budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Elliot Bugs, this is for a modification of our EAC. Right now, we're currently paying about $3,500 a month for EAC for legacy equipment, but with the upgrade to the new equipment, the price go down to $699 per month. But in order to move forward this, I need a signature to say if we can change the prop. Okay. Any questions, board? All right. We hear savings.

All right. Madam clerk. Okay. Number 29. Approval to renew yearly agreement with Prescidio for Rubric Microsoft Office 365 backups renewals 2026 for the Douglas County Board of Commissioners digital networking infrastructure in the amount of $65,5927 to be funded by theformational services department budget and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Elliot Bugs. This is for the yearly renewal of our 0365 um cloud backups. Um this it goes year to year. So just bring it up to get signature for approve for the next year. This year I'm sorry.

Okay. Any questions for direct above? Okay. No questions. All right. You have a good day. All right. You too. Number 30. Approval of a master lease agreement with the city of Douglasville for rental of event space at the Douglasville Conference Center through December 31st, 2026 and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review.

Good morning, Madam Chair, board of commissioners, county administrator. Um, this is our annual agreement with the city of Douglasville for the use of the conference center space. Um, typically we do do this in January or December, but because of the conference center being closed and being remodeled, we're bringing this agreement. This is the same agreement that we've done every year. This allows us to be able to move forward without coming to the board for every event because sometimes time gets in the way and be and able to do that. So, we're bringing just the master agreement that has already been um looked at by our attorney as well as the city of Douglasville's attorney and we've used it in the past. Okay,

any questions board? All right, thank you so much. Okay, next item. Okay, number 31. Approval of a letter to US senators and representatives to request support for the bipartisan bridges and safety infrastructure for community success basics act HR 7437. This bipartisan bill will make significant improvements to federal transportation programs to help Douglas County access formula funding for crucial transportation projects and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Tiffany Stewart Stanley.

Thank you. So, we've been asked by the National Association of Counties to join in with the other 3,600 um 3,68 counties in um petitioning and sending information to our congressional delegates regarding the basics act, which is the bridges and safety infrastructure for community success act. And what the the basis of this act is is just mostly diverting funding from federal transportation programs more to our state and local governments and our regional planning commissions. It also um furthers some of the um significant portions of the infrastructure and investment jobs act continuing those things to make sure that our local bridges and our local roads are um receiving the funding that they need to receive. Um, this is in line with our state legislative priority of long-term transportation funding mechanisms that says Douglas County supports the creation of a long-term sustainable transportation funding mechanism that provides counties with predictable and adequate resources to m maintain local road and bridge infrastructure and it also um is in compliance with our strategic plan which one of our objectives is to improve and modernize transportation infrastructure under the priority mobility. So, we're just asking for permission um for this letter to be sent to our congressional delegation um to make sure that we have the adequate funding to support our bridges and local infrastructure. As we know, we do uh maintain 700 miles of roads and 92 bridges. That's all you

Okay. Any questions for all right? No questions. Okay. Number 32 will be appointment of Angela O'Neal to the Douglas County Douglasville Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority Board effective April 3rd, 2026. Then number 33 will be appointment of Larry Tony to the planning and zoning board to fulfill the term of previous member. Let me see. 34 is approval of a revised committee policy and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. I do have a question.

Okay. Um on behalf of you have Thank you. on behalf of um Commissioner Raxton. Um are these appointments district specific appointments? I think the planning and zoning board one is, but it is. They they both are. Yes, ma'am. Um so district one commissioners here. That's for the water and sewer authority. No district the appointment to Laratuni is is district three

district three district I mean uh the appointment of the water and sewer authority is an appointment that comes about every four years a letter comes from the water and sewer authority to uh myself and the clerk so we can refill is posted for two weeks and I believe you say she's the only person that applied and we can discuss this further if we go. Yeah. And then we have that one is fine. Okay. Yeah, that one is fine for for Commissioner Raxton. Um, do I need to I guess this is a question for legal make a motion to suspend the rules to defer this item. Can you repeat that? I'm sorry.

Um, for number 33, Commissioner Axton would like to be here um because it's a district district specific appointment. Mhm. So, um but I I missed that one. Um when I asked to have the other item deferred. So, can I make a motion to defer that now or do I need to suspend the rules and then um it'll go on new business tomorrow anyway. It won't be on consent. So, tomorrow you can just do a motion at that time to move it to the April I'm sorry, the March 30th agenda. Thank you, Madam Chair. You're back. Okay. Okay.

Madam clerk, you can It was one item that you had added earlier from the beginning. Do you want to read that one? Yes, ma'am. I will. Was there any questions regarding the number 34? None. Okay. Uh let's see. 35. We deferred to the next meeting. We added uh which would be number 36. Authorization to enter into a recruitment services agreement with Fedon International, Inc. to conduct a search to identify a transportation manager for the Douglas County Department of Transportation up to the amount of 25,000 and authorize the chairman to sign all related documents pending final legal review. Paula McGee.

Hello again. Um I do want to make one change which I wasn't able to tell you about. Since we submitted this, the amount is up to 20,000 instead of 25,000. Okay.

But basically, uh we have been seeking a transportation manager for several months. uh with no luck. Um and they do have very specific skill sets and it's been difficult for us to fill. So we did reach out to a recruiter specializing in these areas and um for them to provide us with a candidate pool. It doesn't mean that we still won't identify someone on our own and not incur these fees, but should we find a candidate through them, we would incur those fees and it's a onetime fee. And we do have things in contract that would allow us to get monies back in the event that a candidate is not successful up to a certain time period.

Okay, any questions board? All right, no questions, Deputy Director. Next on our agenda is approval of expenses, the approval of Commissioner Martin Rexton's reimburseable expenses for the month of February 2026 in the amount of $200. And that's a local expense. Okay. Okay.

Okay. All right. No questions about that. Okay. Commissioner Mitch, you have a question. And this probably be for legal uh number 34 going backwards back to the item the approval of the committee policy is that policy is what the additional things that that's been added to the um committee structure or I'm just trying to clarify what that what is that though it is did you guys receive a copy of the the draft? Yes. Clerk is saying yes. You guys are saying no. It's in the in your uh Dropbox and portal. Oh, gotcha.

But the answer to your question is yes. But I certainly would encourage you guys to review it so that if you have any questions and it's not something for which we'll get consent, we need to have that conversation so it can be moved. Well, let's not put it on the consent agenda, but um I'll go and look. So, I guess move to pieces. Yeah. So, should we wait and and have this so we can I don't know if looks like everybody may not have looked at that though to verify that. Should we pull it off and wait till the next meeting so we can all get a chance to really take a hard look at that or should we discuss it tomorrow and decide?

So, I I think that will need to be deferred to your colleagues on whether they're ready or are you guys ready for whatever that that number 34 is? I I I have a a sneaking suspicion that Commissioner Raxton will probably have input on that as well. So, I would join you in deferring that to the March 30th meeting so that they can be here. So, we'll treat it like the other one. It will go it will not go in consent and then the motion can be made along with that other item, right, to move it. Okay. Okay. Sounds good. Thank you. So, we'll do that tomorrow. Or you rather I'm so sorry. This is work session. We can just take it off. It just won't appear tomorrow. Okay. It just won't appear tomorrow.

So, can we do that for 34 and for It'll be 34 35 and 33. Right. 34 35 or 33 34 and 35. Mhm. Okay. Any other discussion, board, before I tap on the shoulders of our county attorney? Okay. If we don't have any other discussion, um, board of commissioners, um, first of all, attorney, do we need to go into executive session? Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Board of Commissioners and, uh, certainly, let me just pivot back just a second, uh, to the citizens. Uh, please, if you could bear with us, the board of commissioners and I will be engaging in an executive session. So, we will take a slight pause for the calls and we will return once I call for the motion momentarily. Board of Commissioners, do we have a motion to move into executive session to discuss litigation, personnel, real estate, and cyber security? Do we have a motion? So moved.

We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion in a second. Any discussion board? We have a motion and a second. Please prepare to cast your votes. Mine didn't share. Mine didn't pop up. just we can chairman if yours was a yes we can it's a yes okay it just didn't come up okay we have a 300 vote and the motion carries with no opposition and board of commissioners I will see you all upstairs and citizens again your patience is highly appreciated thank