Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Are we ready? Ready. We call the meeting Libert County Board of Commissioners to order. Good to see everyone for our midmon meeting which is held at 5:00 on the third Thursday of the month. Thank you for coming. Thank you for those of you who are looking at us on live stream. I do get to hear comments about that. You do critique us. So, thank you for for paying attention, Mr. Mosley. Has the meeting been properly advertised? Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Uh, at this time, if we stand for our invocation and pledge, Miss Mosley, if you lead us in that effort, we appreciate it. Please sir, sir,

let us go before the throne of grace. Gracious and kind father, we thank you for all that you do for us. We thank you for this beautiful day and your bountiful blessings. We pray your covering of this August body. We pray that you give them wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to transact the business of this community. We thank you for all uh that they give of their time and their service to make this community a better place. These not the blessings we ask in Jesus Christ the name. Jesus the Christ's name we pray. Amen. Let us pledge

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. I fully intended to join the pink out today, but I did not get that shirt out when I should have. When I got ready to get dressed, I went back to my usual, but I will play catchup tomorrow with you all who are pink. We certainly do um honor what that stands for and we praying for those who uh uh those who hold in memory and those who are in uh treatment and those who are the caretakers of those. So our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to to that demographic. At this time we will uh we're glad to have Commissioner Walton with us. Good to see you sir. Glad you come back. It's good to be back.

Yes sir. Commissioner Gills over at the city of Hinesville. They have him hostage right now until they get done over there. He'll be on uh proclamation river alive Dr. Karen Bell followed by National GIS. I'll just shorten the Scott wall. We are trying to do these u if you hadn't heard uh at our first Tuesday meeting. So, but we'll we'll get on track with that. But thank you. Oh, you brought you brought them all out today with you.

We're very passionate about our waterways. Good afternoon everyone. I'm Dr. Karen Bell with Keep Liberty Beautiful and we're here to talk about Rivers Alive. Rivers Alive is a state program. So it's not just us. We're um connecting with the whole state of Georgia between se um August to December 31st where we clean our waterways. It's just a awareness program that try to um let everybody know that we cannot live without our water. And if we don't take care it, it will not be able to take care of us. And the we use that by the power of volunteers. And because of that, I'm going just let our volunteers just say their name because they took time out of their busy schedule to be here. Even the youngest volunteer would keep Liberty Beautiful.

Neil Wilson, Ashley Roberts, Amanda Jeffers, volunteer coordinator at KOB. Britney Fox, local realtor. Alexandria Baptist, local realtor. And we have many more. We're um playing double duty. We have a group down there at the farmers market doing the pink out the um park and we're giving away pink um snap dragons. Snap dragon. I keep saying honeysuckles for some reason, but snap dragons. So, if you would like one, please come down after your meeting um to get some. Mr. Mosley,

Mr. Chair wanted to read this in short form. Rivers Alive 2025 proclamation Liberty County Board of Commissioners. Rivers Alive Cleanup is Georgia's annual volunteer waterway cleanup event that targets all waterways in the state, including streams, rivers, lakes, beaches, and wetlands. The mission of Rivers Alive is to create awareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia water resources. River Alive is held annually annually each fall and is a program of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division outreach program. Whereas the citizens of Liberty County recognize that all life is dependent upon clean water and strive to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of Georgia waters. And whereas Georgia has 70, 150 miles of streams and rivers that nourish our n our native plants and wildlife. And whereas October 25th, 2025 is the 53rd anniversary of the Clean Water Act and the International Day of Worldwide Monitoring. And whereas Keep Liberty Beautiful and the Liberty County Board of Commissioners are committed to evaluating the importance of volunteerism and mo and motivating everyone in our community to become stewards of the environment. Now therefore, be it resolved that I, Donald L. Love Levit, chairman of the Liberty County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim October the 25th, 2025 as River Alive Awareness Day in Liberty County, so acknowledge on this day, October 16th, 2025, and call this observance to the attention of our citizens. And sir, I would like to personally invite all of our um commissioners and Liberty County community and the surrounding um communities to come out on October the 25th from 9 to 12. We'll have location. We have our locations at Hinesville, at Bradwell Park. For the county, it'll be at James Brown Park. Midway will be at the Liberty County Community Complex. Walville, I'm sorry. Walaiville is on November the 15th. So, they're on a different date, November the 15th. Then

we have Riceboro, which is also on October the 25th at their um city hall. And a lunch will be um provided at the um Riceboro by SNF and Flemington City Hall will also have a cleanup. We're um we're post the dates for November the 15th for Walaiville Allenhurst and we're still waiting on Gum Branch and we'll post those dates once we get them.

All right. Thank you. If you all would just simply shift that way behind Mr. Mosley, Mr. Scott, Mr. Wall, will you please come and your team? Good evening, commissioners.

So, today we're here uh to promote GIS day, which will be on November the 19th of this year. Um just a brief overview on GIS. GIS day is an annual event celebrating and promoting awareness and understanding of geographical information system and technology and its application. The event took place, the first event took place in 1991 worldwide. City of Heinesville had their first event in 2001 and our first event here for the county was in 2009. What is GIS? GIS is technology that uses and creates, manage and analyzes and uses maps of all types uh for all types of data. Some of the uses within Liberty County, the assessor's office uses it for the parcel mapping and analyzing for to get your tax digest out. Prism 2.0 0 which we'll also just let you know we'll be updating here in the next u 90 days or so before I retire. Okay. 99 days. Okay. Um so with a new uh prison 3.0 be coming out. Uh planning commission uses it for zoning comp plan development. EMA for damage assessment and predicting of storms. Uh HDDA, which is Hinesville Development Authority, uses it for planning of housing. Uh Liberty County Industrial Authority or the Development Authority uses it to plan out new businesses come in. 911 with addressing, EMS, fire and sheriff uses it all for their services that they provide. Elections, big one right there. County commissioner districts, voter precincts and census is also involved in that. Wetlands, flood zones, mosquito control,

census, water systems and utilities. All these are you um services provided by GIS. So come by on the 19th and learn a little bit more about GIS. We'll have uh historical uh society coming in, HDDA, uh planning commission. I think Trent Long is bringing somebody that day. He hasn't confirmed yet. Yeah. All right. So, I threw you on the spot there, Trent. All right. You're welcome. And

you're welcome. Okay. Uh today we have uh Tyler. He's your all's GIS for the county. Jay, my assistant for the assessor's office. Also, we'll have the um CRC uh have a buff up here, too. And then uh city of Hinesville will also be here, too. So, with that, without any questions about GIS, you'll be set up in this room. Yes, sir. Be set up right here again. Uh if either you or someone will send us out send us out a calendar invite, that always helps us to get a calendar invite. Yes, sir. And I provided you all the flyer for that, too. Should be up here with your stuff. No, the flyer becomes another paper, my brother. I I get it. I understand. We'll have it posted around the building also too. Yep.

Mos

proclamation National Geographic information system day. Whereas a geographic information system integrates hardware, software and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically reference information. And whereas National Geographic information system day is November 19th, 2025. And whereas geograph geography awareness week promotes geographic literacy in schools and Liberty County is committed to expanding GIS to schools and the general public to showcase real world applications of GIS to help answer questions and solve problems by analyzing data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. Now therefore, I, Donald L. Levit, chairman of Liberty County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim November 19th, 2025 as National Geographic Information System Day in Liberty County, Georgia. We urge all citizens to participate in the GIS activities planned in Liberty County in Hinesville, Georgia.

You'll bring those forward. If Dr. Bell, you're in the rivers alive. Keep the beautiful team will come. We'll do a photo op and then Mr. Wall of you and your group will follow them. As always, put this on the rings in public. I'm baby free.

Dr. Bail, Dr. Bale bailed me out. Yeah. Eat rivers alive.

If you all rotate that way for the sake of flow. Thank you so much all that you do. Yes, ma'am.

How many years? 20 years. 20 years. That's a good number. Where'd you get my Where'd you find my young friend? All right. Where'd you find him? Where'd you find him? One, two, three. One, two, three. I think the calendar took like a year and a half to find it. I hope you got 20 years now. Yes, sir. Oh, that you do. Good to see some young blood in the house. Too far up the road. Where'd you go? Tennessee. Okay.

All right, Mr. Samantha. Um, good evening.

I'm here this evening to report on the county's August 2025 financials. Um, starting with the general fund at the end of August, we have collected approximately 7% of our budgeted revenues. Um, have spent 15% of our budgeted expenditures. Um, it's still very early in the fiscal year. Um, but it's right on track with last August. We currently have 4.2 months of operating expenditures in our unreserved fund balance. Um, this is up from last August for which we reported 3.5 months.

Um, looking at the departmental expenditures in the general fund for August, um, there are a few running slightly ahead for the year. um mostly due to the timing of contract renewals. This is um true for it, uh the sheriff's office, EMS. Um also, there's departments that wait until the new fiscal year to send their employees to training or it just falls uh during the early months of the year. So, we have um the elections department and the property assessor's office who uh who have who are over for their training. And then there's just a couple of miscellaneous vendor payments um required to be also paid at the beginning of the fiscal year. But for this point of the fiscal year, we're I'm not concerned about anything. Um certainly not about anyone going over at this point. Um, turning the page to solid waste. Um, solid waste currently has a small net income. I think I write down $184,000. Um, this is

We'll take it. Yes, absolutely. Because, as you know, as we go further into the fiscal year, it kind of turns it does um differently. additionally.

Uh but this is um those assessments that are on the mobile home uh billings. Um this is still we're still kind of cash flush from that point of the fiscal year. Um and it it kind of it shows in solid waste. Um we've collected about 13% of our total revenues for the year for solid waste and have spent 9.5% of our expenditures. There are currently no departments um showing over budget for this fund. Turning to the next page, um the special revenue funds, the only one showing a variance through August is 911, but this is similar to some of our general fund departments. Um there were contracts signed at the beginning of the year that required larger um down payments or payments in full. And this is the case as well for 911. Um so we don't expect it to we do expect it to turn around as we continue out continue throughout the year. Um now moving to the sales tax reports. Um for teast we collected 1,93,000 for the month of August. We have collected 57.6 6 million in Teslas revenues um and spent 20 26.8 million on our um approved Tesplast projects. Sales tax 7 is a little bit higher than Tesplast. Uh we brought in 1,169,000 for the month of August. Um, this is another great month and people are continuing to spend within the county

and um, that's always a good thing. But this concludes August uh, report unless you have any additional questions. Yes, sir. Sorry. Just for the reference later on at the next report, can you bring to us the amount that's being collected from cell phones for 911? Yes. Okay. Yes, I can. Yes. Um the search charges that we get from the state. Yes, sir. Right. Have you seen that increase? I'd have to look at the

collections. Um, but I know that I did speak to Erica months ago and that we were going to receive an increase. I I can track that and and see where we are. Yes, sir. Because all the landlines are pretty well gone now. Yes, sir. And everybody has a cell phone pretty well. So, right. Or both. Yeah. What is a dollar? Is it still a dollar and a half per cell phone? Yes, sir. Yeah. Okay, there's a bunch. Thank you. Yes, sir. Pam, hold on. Mr. Mosa, let's um you know, at the ACCG conference, we said in that um general session with the next generation 911, next gen. Next gen,

right?

I'd like to to um have uh Erica come and explain that. You know, I think the general public needs to hear about that and where it's going. I know the funding is up in the air as it's going to get funded. something that we have to do because the technology we have now is being phased out and counties everywhere has to replace their systems u with that new system. So I think if we can be proactive with that it'd be a a good idea to do that. Um, when I saw all the traffic, all the cars at Publix, two things came to mind. We're missing some good T- splots pennies, but also I did I remember seeing a splash sign, a T-plot sign at the intersection so the public would know that we helped to fund that traffic signal.

Nope, they didn't think about it. Yeah. You're not going to get anything after it's already done. Yeah. Yeah. Uh cuz I saw those cars, man. those folk realize they're able to get in and out of there safely because this this commission, my mom would say, put it nickels and dimes together to uh have that traffic signal uh install. Let's look into that. Um Yes, sir. I don't believe there was one on Wallace Martin Road either. Really? Yeah. I don't know how many we have, but we need to be strategic in that. All right, Ma. Thank you very much.

Yes, Mr. Long.

Good evening. I gave you a little different format on my status report this month. I'm going to hit some of the highlights for you if you don't mind. Um, Commissioner Frasier, we have given the uh estimates on the sidewalks for those roads you talked to me about. Just let me know when you're ready for me to move forward on anything. Um, I'll be glad to get started on that. Just, uh, you give me the direction you want me to have and I'll move forward with that. Um, I think I'll I'll try to meet with my counterparts over with the city. Yes, sir. Just I it's it's your time. Absolutely. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Um, great news. We got the PFPR, which is a preliminary field plan review plans for the roundabout at uh 17 Bington Ferry Lewis Frasier turned in. Um they're due tomorrow. Uh we got everything turned in last Friday and had a few comments. We've been going back and forth trying to make sure everything's just right. So, uh we should meet that deadline for tomorrow just with ease. So, that's finished and I can breathe a little bit. Uh this has had me consumed for the last several weeks. you were to call it on that. So,

yes, sir. Um, Macintosh Lake Road intersection improvements, uh, Commissioner Walden, uh, those are permitted and everything's ready to go. Uh, we do have to post a bond for the permit, but everything is finished. So, when you're ready for me to put that out for bids, you just let me know and I'll I'll be glad to put that one out for bids. How How long is that going to be coming from the railroad tracks? the the length of the the length of the lane is 300 ft and the taper is 100 ft. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Uh Bacontown Road finally had a little bit of success today. Um we have been battling over a light pole

and waiting over a light pole. um finally got the guy to send me the invoice for moving that pole and we got that paid this afternoon and he told me once it was paid that they would have it moved in a week and a half. So apparently he's been trying to send me that invoice for two weeks and I've been like I was a phone call away. So but we got it we got it paid and um so I sent him a snapshot of where that was paid. So that is on its way to resolving itself and maybe that project will be back on board because the contractor is ready to go. Um and but that's that pole's in the critical path to move.

Okay.

All right. Um the Suz King Taylor Park uh used to be named Jones Creek Park. Uh we did get a Georgia Outdoor Stewardship uh grant submitted earlier this week. Uh the deadline for it is today. No, not today. Tomorrow. Uh but we did get it submitted earlier this week. So uh we had a lot of great work from uh the historic society and the office and Miss Hunter uh provided a lot of good help for us in trying to get that thing pulled together as well as recreation department. So uh it took a team effort, but we got it all pulled together and it looks great. Um so we're we're hoping we're going to be super competitive on that. Uh this is a pre-application. uh we'll have to give them more uh later on uh if we get shortlisted. So hopefully we'll get shortlisted and see where we can go. Um the second thing on Susie King um Miss Hunter make note of the let's say at the Flemington City Council meeting coastal DNR. I'm calling that name the coastal incentive grant. I know where they offer what's the group that was there.

Yes. Yeah. Anyway, they have the coastal incentive grant and from the way she explained that, you know, she had been here some time ago where she explained that we might also qualify for some funds for that. Uh there's a lot of support now for doing nature trails and walkway, those kind of things. Lots of So, so we want to make sure that we go after it all. Yes, sir. No. Yes, sir. We if you make a note of that because like I said, we're trying to put together uh some for the cattle. Yeah. Pier as well. A

lot of support for that now. So, we actually met with Raymond Gross yesterday, uh, trying to rearrange that layout a little bit so that we could, uh, possibly fit an event center on it, uh, in the future. Uh, Raymond had a great idea of what to do as far as an event center or something a little bit better than what we had. So, uh, hopefully that'll come to fruition. And we can we can build parts of it at a time and get the building when we get the money for it. And uh this is going to be a it's going to have to be an elevated building because my ground elevation out there is in eight or nine range elevation wise and my flood zone I'll have to be 8t above the ground because my my flood elevation is 16. So I'll have to be an elevated building but we can make it all work and we might be able to make that look very attractive for something out in

let's go for it. Mhm. So but anyhow we're working on that. Now, as far as Jones Creek, and I didn't mean to get off on a tangent as far as the grants go, um but I helped you.

We took uh bids for the walking trail around um Jones Creek uh because we were thinking that we were going to be a little bit more than our policy of 25% over. Um and we got prices from uh several contractors and we got prices from the contractors working out there. Um if we do it as a change order to uh RL Construction, our current contractor out there, uh we will save about $60,000. Um we have overlap and if you look at the way the prices fall out and where the the money is, we end up being in better shape uh if we do it as a change order RL construction. Um I've also talked to uh Siddle Construction and told them kind of what was going on and why we're doing what we're doing and they understand. Um, so what we need to do tonight as far as that goes is we need to reject uh the bids that we received for uh Suz King Taylor Park walking trail and then we need to uh issue a change order to RL construction for $22,595. Now, just to kind of give you the the the lowdown that the contract price that we're rejecting tonight is $266,731 and we're going to do it for $22,595. So, a little over $60,000 savings by doing it as a change order. So, uh and we did discuss it with uh Mr. Mosley and the comm chairman uh before we made this decision kind of recommend it to you this way. Everybody clear?

Yeah. So, you want you want to reject the bid to uh Yeah. two actions. We have to reject the bids we received for the walking trail. Okay. And then next action is to issue a change order to RL construction for the construction of the walking trails. And I did ask Trent and thank you for clarifying. I wanted to make sure that we didn't create a bad um working relationship with No, sir. Before I made this recommendation to you, I I called him and talked to him. He did. Okay. All right. Mr. chairman. He chastised me a little bit, which I know it's in in Commissioner Steven. Are we looking at the same time limit on it? Yes, sir. How many days?

Actually, we can do it uh less with him. So, we got 60 days as a contract change order. We'd have to give 120 days on a new contract. Plus, we'd have 30 days of getting a contract executed. So, we'll save good bit of time doing it this way as well. So months you're talking about how long we should be finished in 60 days with this 60 days. Two months and there are contractors out there now working on the curb and gutter. So hopefully they'll just get him to stay. So do we need two two motions? Two actually one to to reject reject. One to reject and then and then one for the change order. Yes, sir.

Okay, Mr. Jim, I make a motion that we reject the bid on the walking trail. Yes, sir. Perfect. Second by Commissioner Steven and second Commissioner Thrift that we reject the bid from Settle in the M 266 731 on the walking trail. Okay. Any further discussion? All in favor? Show of hands. All right. This rejected. No. Motion to uh approve the change order for $22,595. How much?

22,595. 202595 for a savings of 60 over 60,000. That will be to Cal Construction. That will be to RL Construction. I got them backwards. Okay. RL RL construction. Got it. Gentlemen, I make a motion that we accept the bid going to RL Construction Company uh as a change order. Right. Yes, sir. Uh amount as stated in the amount of 202595. Second, motion and second. Motion by Commissioner Stevens. Second.

I'm trying to learn that Commissioner Frey. [Music] Uh that we accept the change order. Any further discussion? All in favor by show hands, please. How did you get settled name in there? He was a low on when we took competitive bids. Yeah. Did you include any lighting out there? I will have Yes, sir. We do have lighting that'll uh we've submitted to in this contract or you No, no, no. It's not in this contract. We've submitted it to Georgia Power and Georgia Power is putting a lighting package together for Jones Creek. Yes, sir. I believe CMC, too. But we're That should be I think they they've told me they could. So that's why I'm trying to Huh.

I'm I'm I'm looking I'm trying to get it done the cheapest I can to make sure I get it right. I think that's it is coastal EMC territory. Okay. Yeah. Not not Georgia Power. If you made a mistake about it being Georgia Power, I don't want you to be making no more mistakes. No, I know it's not George P. But actually Georgia Power gave us $25,000 toward this part, too. They did. And we're so proud of that, man. Yeah. Yeah. Great community partner. I don't have nothing to do with that no more, but I'll take credit for it. We let you.

Um, so, uh, there were a lot of questions and, uh, not a lot of questions, but contractors are trying to put their live oak drive prices together and getting that done. Um, they've asked for some additional time, so we moved the bid opening to November 11th. um just gave them two extra weeks to kind of finish up some of their pricing on that so that we get our our best price. Um I think there were some other projects bidding at the same time that was causing a little bit of conflict. Um but it's moved from October 28 to November 11th. And I have given copies to LCPC and the city's engineer. I didn't try to give one to the uh city councilman in that district because it's a big set. I didn't really think she wanted one,

but I've talked to her about it, so she knows. Um, there's one more thing that I wanted to talk about. Yes. And in the islands highway box. Um, so we've been the DNR has been advertising this week for the CMPA permit that we applied for back in January. And so I I understand that there's a lot of blow up on Facebook. People are thinking we're going to tear out the box cover again, redo it. you know, right? Everything's fine. It's just we're going through the paperwork to make it work to get it done. This is a situation where they were behind the eightball when you got started. Mhm. Okay. Yes, sir.

And you know, really, this should have been advertising back in March time frame instead of the October time frame. Okay. All right. So, yes, sir. But we're not doing we're not changing anything. We're not tearing it back out. Yeah. No, we're not doing any of that. I was I was getting all kind of phone calls on that one. I bet you are. I I got a few myself. We're trying to create a excuse me a a two-way street of communication between the commissioners and Mr. Long. Yes, sir. He says we can always reach him. So, please reach out to him. Don't wait till tonight to try to get all your questions answered. Sometimes he doesn't have the answers, but he has assured me he'll be available 247.

I am. Well, the only question I got for him tonight is uh did you go back and review Homestone Road? Yes, sir. Okay. Yes, sir. So, I need to give I need to give you a different number on that. Keith Keith, it was low. I'll catch it later. And I agree that that it was low and uh I've had him on the water system doing water pressure testing and all, so he hadn't finished it up. So, Okay. All right. Yeah, he's he's been hopping. Okay. All right. Someone asked me a question. I know the answer. How how how much are we involved if at all with the bypass? I know it's a state project, but are they communicating with you or Jeffrey? Okay. Yes. Okay. They communicate with me almost daily. Okay.

Um so we have bi-weekly meetings uh via teams. Um, so far it's not been a lot of issues. Uh, been more issues with Waltarville's water system, uh, than to do with anything with Liberty County, but they are keeping a very close contact with us as the local liaison. So, it's moving pretty well and looking pretty good. Um, they are starting some of their test piles and stuff like that for the big bridge because that's going to be that's a 1500t long bridge. That's a That's a big old bridge. I know. I notic they got cranes out there. Yes, ma'am. And they're going to be out there for a while driving. That'll be our Savannah River Bridge

just about. Last thing I'll let you go. Um we talked in the meeting of the about the convenience center out of White having that. Yes. Reconfigured. Yes. Will you update us on maybe not tonight on where where that process is because that that's come up and we didn't know where where that was. Okay. So, we have a reconfiguration, but we need to secure additional property next door. So, what we need to do is convene somebody to help secure additional property from the Martin family. Right. Who is that somebody, sir? I don't know. I've got a I made contact with a guy today that can help us with that. Um, so we can talk about that a little bit more afterwards. You said the All White

the All White Convenience Center. Uh, I'll get back with you. You might have some connections. Yeah. Yeah. Yes, sir. I did have a question for him because it's kind of countywide with the restriping with the Elme money. Yes, ma'am. And the folks out my the I don't know if it was them you were going to they have done some of the work but they had they came out there and put new reflectors but didn't restrip the road. They got they got to come back and fix that. They're coming back. They're coming back. What in the world? Will they come out there and cruise at the stop sign? Different crews. One got ahead of the other. Watch your districts all that's getting um Yes, ma'am. They're coming back cuz they hadn't done the long line striping yet either.

I'm sorry. They hadn't done the long line striping yet. No, they haven't. No, the hand the handwork crew usually comes in after the long line striping crew. Oh, is that the way they did? And what happened is the long line this the hand striping crew got here before the long line striping. So, but also um we're we're looking at some stuff for Treport East, the Sunbury Road. Um because I think Bren Grant was looking for some additional stuff over there. Uh we're putting together a price for her to get a price to the LCDA, see if they want to fund it to piggy back on this contract because that road does need some help out there.

And Mr. Brown made us aware that before he left that that road is going to have to have some attention. It does. I remember him saying that it does need some I think he said never had any attention. I don't think that we've ever stried it since it's been finished. If I recall correctly, Mr. Chairman, got one question for you. the gazebo at Bariton Ferry Lewis Frasier. Who owns it? We do. Who? I see a car over there. Yeah. So, it's it's actually was installed. It was installed as a TRT through the LCDA back in 200

one or 2000 2000 or 2001 because I I managed the contract to install it. Now, um when we get ready to build the road, um go away. You know, obviously the the gazebo is going to need to go somewhere,

but right now um I hate to say it, it's kind of a point of it's kind of a little problematic for us environmentally because of uh certain species of bats that are in the area that will roost in the trees or in the gazebo. and our environmental consultant is coming back down on Monday to inspect the gazebo and the trees. And we're probably going to have to have stipulation in the contract to build the roundabout that we can't do any land clearing between May 1st and July 31st because that's that's when those bats nest and we could very easily wipe out a colony of bats. Yeah. Okay. And that's a bad thing.

That's a bad thing. That's a bad thing. The the reason why I asked general cuz I've gotten a couple phone calls uh who maintains it because this is in bad shape. The one on the one on 17 now we took away the one that was at 95 and put it in storage. So yes, uh it' be a good time to they they need to Well, we it's too late now. We can't ease it out until we get the environmental stuff figured out. Yeah. So it's been seen. All right. All right. Okay. We're not trying to Mr. Chairman, I have a question.

Trent, um, did you have a chance to talk with Mayor Willis about the road projects in um, Allen Hurst? I forgot. I do apologize. I I I really did. I I did not do that. So, I will call him whenever you do. Just let me know if I could um meet with him. But he he does have one in mind, and I do want to I do want to help him with Yes, sir. Thank you. Uh and and I apologize. You did tell me to do that and I forgot to do it. I apologize.

Okay. And another thing, I was just looking further back on the report u about the track lane water system extension and the second bullet said you're working acquiring easements from the property owners. Um I know the um my wife owns property on there. So she she'll be getting a letter from us shortly. So we just we revised the easement plat. Okay. Um, and I'm thinking we're probably going to send those out next week. So, we got we finally got all the property lines kind of figured out where everything is and where it's going to go.

So, what that's when that um when that area was in my district, one of the reasons that um and I I was thinking about doing that, but the last thing I would have did is I know where you headed. Yeah. Okay. You know where I'm headed. I mean, it it need it needs to be there, but I wouldn't going to be the one to put it there. You know what I mean? But but I'm I'm all for it. So, just whenever you get ready, just just give us a call. You give us a call and we'll sign. I I can sign where her name goes. All the help I need. Now, um may want to next week, if you don't mind, let's stop by and let you and I point on the map where I'm thinking I'm stopping with the water line because I want to make sure you on your way in and I'll meet you down there.

Okay. Okay. That works great. Thank you. All right, everybody else. Y'all have a great night. Thank you very much. Thank you. Board of Health appointment. Um, Commissioner, if you want to take the lead on that, please.

Yes, sir. I can. Um, many of you may have gotten my email that Dr. Spelt, who was serving on the Liberty County Board of Health, has um no longer practices in Liberty County, and that's what one of the requirements to be on the board of health. Dr. for Cura has we have an application on her and she's willing to serve um to the expired term of Dr. Spelts and then she can reapply. So that would be my recommendation. Then when I make that motion

the chair entertain the mo the chair receives a motion with commission I'm gonna get it right commissioner razor from commissioner Stevens and a second from commissioner Fraser we that we will have Dr. Dr. Kira to assume the position on the um remaining health board to replace Dr. Speltz who no longer lives in our community. That is correct. Have I got it right? Okay. All right. Any further discussion? And the criteria that this person serves as a physician. She does. That is that is right. Must be a physician practicing in Liberty County. All in favor? Show hands please. She is appointed. Thank the lead on that.

Okay. Mr. Chairman, just I want to ask you about something commissioner can tell me what is the those term limits are four four years three um four yes I believe they are four four but this with this you know there are requirements for each segment for each um board member caseractractice in county in Liby County. I couldn't remember if there was four or six and six is a recreation board. Yeah, I think six is recreation is the only one.

No, six is five. We took the recreation back to five. Back to five. Forestry board. Forestry board has So, are they staggered? Longer than our turn. Still longer than our turn. That's all I have. Thank you, sir. Mr. Don, good good afternoon, sir. Sir, how are you? Very well, sir.

Mr. Chairman, commissioners. Um, today I'm come for you for an intergovernmental agreement. If you remember last year around July time frame, we did this intergovernmental agreement with uh Baldwin County for our sheltering plan. You got the slides with the the sheltering plan. Um once it went through you you adopted it in July of 24 last year DPH Red Cross and United Way their portions were removed because they already had a sheltering plan in place. So they didn't feel that they had to sign it. So the state took them off of it and now we had to come back and re get it re reassigned. We had a meeting um September the 2nd with Mr. Mosley and Mr. Carlos from Bowwin County. Everything is still online. The verbiage is the same verbiage. Their signatures just came off of the the plan that we adopted last year. And once we do it, if we get approved tonight, we will go to Bowwin County on Tuesday where their board of commissioners will sign it. and then we'll be good to go. And

I know you said, but tell me again what the glitch was, sir. Sir, tell me again what the glitch was that they fell off. They they already have. So DPH, Red Cross, and United Way already has a sheltering plan. They were on originally on the signature block. They wanted to come off because they already had a plan. So they just made it an attachment their plan where they don't sign the state plan if that if that makes sense. So they're playing the verbiage is the same. It's just DPH, Red Cross, their signature blocks came off of the thing. Now it's just going to be our county, Baldwin County, and the state. Okay.

And it's the same same thing. It's a This right here is where we we will be uh evacuating to right here in Baldwin County. As you can see, it takes it's almost like our Schuman center. It's a capacity of 397. The most we anticip well we anticipate is 150 will be evacuated. And the same thing with us. We will evacuate using um the board of educ board of education school buses to evacuate our citizens out of Liberty County to Bowwin County. Okay. Three. All right.

This read is procedural. Any questions for Mr. doubt about the request. Straight forward. All right. Chair a motion then. So move. Motion by Commissioner Frederick, second by Commissioner Stevens that we approve the agreement between Liberty County and Baldwin County. Baldwin County for emergency shelter. All right. Hope we don't have to use it. Me neither, sir. Cuz what? We got a month left in the season. End of November. Yes, sir. Month and a half. We're on the down slope. You can't breathe until then. All in favor of the proposal, show of hands, please. All right. All right. Motion passes. Take your field trip to Baldwin County.

Thank you, sir. Um, Mr. Hendris, if we get out of here in an hour, boy, be quiet. Be quiet. See, no pressure,

right? I was going to read through this whole thing, but no, I'm not going to do it anymore. Um, good evening, everyone. Um before you I have aou um that is um to be adopted hopefully. This is something that the um state has given to all extension offices across the state of Georgia. It's pretty generic, pretty standardou um and it just outlines the expectations between the local extension offices um and their local governing body. So of course with us that's the board of commissioners. Um I have met previously uh with Samantha, Joseph, um who else was there? Laura and Clint uh just to talk through some of the things here. Nothing much has changed. Um but there is a one additional section and that just outlines the expectations as it relates to IT um computer uh internet connectivity and things like that which we already have in place. So um it's just kind of a document to help with expectations on both sides.

A little bit more about the IT piece that they're trying to ensure that we have uh controls. Yes. Um so for example like um one of the things listed here is that the county would provide internet connectivity right or that they would provide phones and things that we could use in the office. So again things that most counties are already doing but it's um it's documented now. So um and I'm not a tech guy by any means but I know we we're getting everything we need. So Mr. Mos. Um, anything to add to his presentation? That's right. We went over everything.

All right. Staff recommendation. All right. Chair entertain a motion then. So move, Mr. Chairman. Is there a second? M. Second. A motion from Commissioner Stevens. Second Commission Froove the MOU um between us and univers. Thank you guys for what you do working with. our young people. I see a lot of activity out there. So, and then I hear about the school system sometimes. So, yes, sir. Thank you. Good investment in young people. It's further discuss. Yeah. All in favor, show your hands, please. All right. Thank you, Aaron.

Five minutes. Six minutes. No, no pressure again. Quickly, Mr. Chair, members of the commission, um Bob Bob gave me the the honor of sharing that um that GEMA has notified the county that we will receive $1.2 million of reimbursement from the Islands Highway Covert. So, all right. All right. Uh I I give uh Bob all Commissioner Walter. Now, what's the time table on that? Check in the mail. back.

I got an email from her today. She's going to go to uh Atlanta and since this project has been so long, she's going to hand deliver it. So, I expect it probably Tuesday, Wednesday of next week. All right. Okay. Thank you. Are we still How are we still fairing? I know we we were um ambitious enough to get our paperwork in early. So, other counties still in line waiting for their Yes, sir. on the the hurricane you're talking.

Yes, sir. So, um the hurricane. So, we're still waiting on FEMA to approve our debris for our category A, which is I think it's the total is like 512,000 still left on that. And category C, which is our three parks, it was 80 63,000. They got all the paperwork on that. Still waiting for it to get approved. And then our category Z, which is all the time with the EMA, the finance, Mr. Mosley, that there's I think it's at 70,000 right now. But we can't do anything with that project until A and C is done. But they have all the paperwork. We're just waiting on FEMA to obligate it the the money. Good work. Good work.

All right. Just send us an email when the check gets dropped off at the office. I I think they want to do a photo ops. I'm not sure cuz we got approved that in 2020 if you remember. It was 2020. So we've been working that for a while. Thank you for your diligence. Yes, sir. We give Bob and his staff credit, Mr. Chair. They've been very working very hard on that project. And the second thing, Mr. Chair, I would like to report is we receive our insurance premium in the amount of $2.1 million. So, keep it coming. Keep it coming.

Yes, sir. Uh, also uh chairman um Lori and Clinton, we went to um uh Flemington as we shared the board and uh they're going to reconsider us in terms of the commercial contract. So, we're excited about that as well. um got word from city of Walterville chair, members of the board that they're going to try to pay off the remaining balance. So we'll hopefully that that'll happen. What? Same question. Timeline. Um they were waiting on insurance premium money to come in. So hopefully that'll occur next week. We'll do a follow-up call tomorrow to see if we can expedite that. I want my money, OC.

Big word crying. I tried to pay off college for my kids. I'm still paying it off. Trying is All right. Go ahead. Set a deadline on it, Mr. Chairman. M comm sir.

Uh also, Mr. Chair, uh Samantha's got her final digest information and she's putting together the uh material for the milit rate and she is want to have something complete uh done for next week. So, we want to start meeting uh and moving forward from there. Uh in your packet, there's a notification annexation from uh Paul Simon, who's city engineer for the city of Riceboro. Uh they want to do this this annexation through the legislative method. Um there's some additional information I want to request from Mr. Simon so I can be able to provide y'all with some additional information. And the last thing is that a reminder of our work session, which uh a notice has been sent out for October the 29th from 4:30 to 6:00 here in the council chambers. Quick question. I promise I can do it in 30 seconds.

Yes, sir. Um, annexation through legislative when the city of Hinesville does they just send us notice. There there are three methods by annexation. There's the 6% method, there's the 80% method and then it's legislative method. Okay? And which is where they go through the legislature and it's do it as a local act through the lo through the legislature and and basically most of the legislators do it as a friendly reminder. I mean as a as a friend of of the local delegation which in this case Representative Williams. Yeah. You said, Mr. Chairman, the city of H did what then? When when they they just send us a notice, which they have to inform us. Yes, sir. That they're going to ask property, but but nothing goes through Atlanta uh to do it. But I know there were three different methods. I didn't know. Yes, sir.

But the citizens down there have to vote it in, right? Uh there there's criteria for that, too. Not always. Under legislative method, they it is a vote. Yeah. So So the legislature passed it, but it goes as a local referendum to the city of uh Rice. method different criteria. I'm learning. I'm in school, too. Learning like, well, I know in Commissioner Thresh district, they were want to annex to Curtis Road. Is that correct? Curtis Road. They turned it down. There was a referendum. Then just that pocket of people were able to vote on it and then Yeah. didn't pass.

What if uh let me say this publicly, we want to appreciate the city of Flemington for their welcoming spirit that we went there. uh to talk about the um commercial waste. Uh it was not their intent to help me out to deny Liberty County opportunity to u continue providing that service. Uh and they're going to go back and review the contract and see what uh room there is to to reverse that. Okay. All right. So, we appreciate the city of Plymouth. No, we started late. Ask about that.

We started late. the commercial waste has to be done. A man that owns a restaurant, he owns a business, he's the one that would make a decision on the commercial waste. Is that true? I mean, why would you I mean, I don't know why this Yeah, I can see them picking up the household garbage, Joe, but if um public's decided, hey, I'm going to let Sullivan or I'm going to let Atlantic and across the street somebody else wants it. I mean, how can you deny that person who picks up their trash? I don't think you can.

I mean, in Hinesville, it's the franchise picks it up in Hinesville. Atlantic picks it up in Hinesville. That's why I'm kind of a little bit confused on that. But Commissioner, that's trash. That's life. We're talking trash. But I I mean, seriously, I I think just a franchise. I think long as they don't declare as a franchise, you they do have that right to choose. Do what now? As long as they don't declare as a franchise, they they do have a right to choose. Do does the city of Hinesville, Gary? But the city of Heville don't pick up We pick up commercial if they got poly carts, but we don't pick up the big green boxes. Right. But I'm just saying the you've got other other haulers in Hinesville.

Yeah. Well, the county halls in Hinesville, right? And Atlantic. That's why I'm wondering. I didn't But it's under It's under the franchise black ordinance that Yes, sir. And and that says only Donald Levit's company can can pick up.

Well, I guess if if if that's the way Flemington does it, then they can. But I I was I would tend to agree with Eddie that if a a commercial business was doing business in Flemington and they decided that they wanted someone to haul their trash that they had that choice. But maybe that's not the case. It's obvious that's the case in Hinesville because the county pick up some and Atlantic Solid Waste pick up some and god knows who else picks up some and we pick up some from commercial if they got five or six poly carts.

So I mean it's not you know mandatory that if you're in Hinesville and commercial that Hinesville picks it up because we don't even have the capability to pick up. best Flemington desire that it's open, but um they're working through that as we speak. I don't want to speak out of turn. Yeah, but they're working toward just what you described, sir. Right. Okay. All right. That's it. The meeting that's Mr. Mos the meeting that's on the 29th is is it in here? Is it back airport? Right in here. Yes, sir. For the public, can everybody? Yes, sir. We'll do the advertisements. Those regular meeting. Anything else for good of order? My goodness. Chair take a motion to adjurnn.

So move second. All in favor. [Music] That side. This side was going