Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good evening. We call the Where's my Oh, there she is. Where my right hand? [clears throat] We call the meeting of the Libert County Board of Commissioners to order. Good to see everyone. Thank you for coming. Uh, Mr. Moses, has the meeting been properly advertised? Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir. Do I see Patrick? See, not here. Yeah. Okay, he's on the way. Thank you all so much for coming. This is our regular meeting uh first Tuesday 6 o'clock. We also meet the third Thursday 5 o'clock. And of course our meetings are live stream. So you are welcome to take advantage of those opportunities. While I'm thinking about it, let me go ahead and tell those who are out there in the audience of the live stream. If you haven't voted, you got 58 minutes by [clears throat] that clock on the wall, you know, to get in. I hope you would go and exercise your right to vote. We have some very important um [clears throat] how do I say things for lack of a better word on on the ballot this time that very important to the future progress of Liberty County. So I wish you would uh participate in that effort. Thank you so much for considering doing that. Uh go go to your precincts and make your voice heard and your vote count. Thank you so much for that opportunity. At this time uh we have uh the some people say the better half. We have Miss Kathy Paige who's coming tonight to lead us in our invocation. Would you please stand for our invocation and our pledge of allegiance? Minister Kathy Paige, a radio personality in in Hinesville, Liberty County.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Good evening. Good evening.

Our father and our God. Oh, how grateful we are, Lord, that you have allowed us to gather in this place corporately. Lord, we lift up the board of commissioners before you tonight. We thank you for the wisdom, for the knowledge that you've given to them to come together to discuss the affairs of our county. God, we thank you so much for moving in this room upon each and every item that is on the agenda tonight. And Father, we want to lift up our community that's being affected by this shutdown right now. We lift up the soldiers to you. We lift up the personnel, the staff, God, everyone that needs a touch from you in this hour. We're so grateful for what's going to transpire in this meeting and we thank you for using chairman love it to lead us in it. In Jesus' name we pray and give you praise. Amen. And amen.

Our pledge of allegiance. 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. Thank you. [clears throat] Now we all know why you are a radio personality. Good to have you. [clears throat] At this time, Commissioner Gillard wants to give us an update on Commissioner Walden. Many of us know that he has not been able to attend a few of our meetings. So, if you will let us know how he's doing, we appreciate it. Commissioner Gill.

Yes. Uh, Mr. Chairman. Thanks. Uh, good evening, everyone. Uh Eddie, as some of you may know, had a surgery a couple of weeks ago now and um he's uh still recovering um ever since um the surgery and the surgery was successful. He's um still in the hospital up in the Atlanta area and he um I've been texting his wife and talking to his children and yesterday um to my surprise um he called and you know I talked with him for about 10 minutes and he's uh he's doing well. He's um still Eddie the fact if y'all know what I'm talking about. But he he's um [snorts] he's doing well and you know asking about county business and a few other things and just um just recovering slowly. He's still got a a good while before he's back up here with us. But just ask that you continue to keep him and his family in prayer. Um but all all is well.

Thank you commissioner. We are praying for our friend and our brother his recovery. All right, commissioners. Our agenda calls for the approval of minutes from the month of October. Can you believe how the years is flying by? Yes, it is. [clears throat] October minutes will require our approval. So move, Mr. Chair. Second. Motion and second we approve the events of October 2nd and 16th. Any further discussion? All in favor by show of hands, please. Any opposition? Minutes are approved. Thank you. All right. Recognition recognition of Chief Assessor Keith Payne. How are you, sir? Doing well. How you doing today? Very well, thank you.

Your your board chair is going to come and speak first. Come on, madam board chair. Good to see. Good to see you and the members of the board. You want your board members to stand while you do this or I think that's a good idea. Our other two board members, we have two board members who were unable to attend. They had other things going on tonight, but these are our other two board members and you know it's it's they do a great job. I have to say they were they can stand there or they can stand with you. Whatever your pleasure for the whole wide world can see you.

By the way, I'm Lee Steel. I'm the chairperson of the board of assessors. Um, and I just want to say uh Keith is has been with us about a year and so far so good [laughter] without where we wanted. No pressure. Um, [snorts]

basically on behalf of the Liberty County Board of Assessors, which is us, of course, it's my privilege to recognize Mr. Keith Payne. He's our chief appraiser for his exceptional professional accomplishments. Mr. Japan has recently earned two of the highest professional designations in the property assessment field. And that is not easy to do. Let me tell you, there's a lot of studying and test to go through. Uh the Georgia Certified Appraiser, GCA, from the Georgia Association of Assessing Officials and the Assessment Administration Specialist, which is AAS, from the International Association of Assessing Officers. The AAS designation attained by fewer than 10% of all IAO international um members represents one of the highest honors I profession can bestow and like I said it's not easy to get. Now we are lucky tonight because we have two members to come present the award. Um one is Bobby Fiser and he is president of the WGA GAO. Sorry about that. And you want to bring bring up Mr. Bishop as well, please. He's the chief appraiser of Camden County, vice president of the DWAO, and this gentleman's from states for bullet county. So, [clears throat] if you will step forward and

Sure. Welcome to the sweet land of liberty.

That's right. So, good evening and I appreciate uh Keith for inviting me down here to present this award. Um the GCA and the AASU uh designations as chairman Steele said are amongst the highest designations that our profession offers. Um the GCA designation is our statewide professional designation uh achieved by uh Keith will be the 42nd in the nearly 60 years that this designation has been offered. Uh there's currently I think 11 active members of the organization that hold this designation. the chief appraisers of all three of the largest metro counties, Dicab, Fulton, and Cobb, hold this designation. So, Keith is joining a very esteemed rank uh of chief appraisers in the state. So, it's my honor to present this certificate of designation to Mr. Keith Payne um on behalf of the 1500 members of the Georgia Association of Assessing Officials. So, congratulations, Keith. Thank you. [applause] I had a few words. [laughter] You deserve a few words, sir. Uh, thank you, Madam Chair, chairman, commissioners. I'm truly honored by this recognition and proud to serve Liberty County in this capacity. Earning the Georgia Certified Assessor Appraiser and Assessment Administration specialist designation has been both a professional goal and a personal milestone. These achievements represent one of the highest levels of accomplishment in our field and a continued commitment to professional excellence. They also reflect not just individual effort but the support and collaboration of an outstanding team. I want to thank our Liberty County Board of Assessors, my staff and the appraisal department and mentors who've guided me along my way. Together, we will continue to

uphold fairness, transparency, and professionalism in every aspect of our work, serving the citizens of Liberty County with integ with integrity and pride. Thank you again for this honor. [applause] Now, if it's your desire, we'll provide for you a photo op, sir.

Yeah, that's I definitely want to get a photo op. [laughter] Those gentlemen at the board will come. if you would. Congratulations to you and the that achievement and to what your staff does every day for Liberty County. your my board chair and your association VIP.

How we doing? We're good. We're back. Can you Okay, I can see everybody now. Okay, good. Ready? One, two, three. One, two, three. And one, two, three. All right, we got everybody. One more round of applause. [applause] [snorts]

It's certainly a blessing to have someone of that caliber on our staff here in Liberty County. I'm [clears throat] reminded though, uh, saw [snorts] posted somewhere. A young lady is not a county commission uh achievement, but it's one for Liberty County. A young lady from Liberty Liberty College and Career Academy is the career academy student of the year. She's right here from Liberty County, Georgia. So, you know, that makes us feel Liberty County proud. So, Keith, thank you for your contributions. Thank you. Uh no old business. Uh amendment to the county's retirement plan, Mr. Mosley. Mr. Chair.

Uh, members of the commission, uh, I have before you a amendment to the, uh, county's personnel policy that would basically allow executive team members as well as the members of the, um, the two the three boards to be vested early without having to go through the 5-year period. Uh, we deem this as a recruitment tool. And um there are only out of the people that will be affected, we're talking about five individuals. Uh and this would be no additional funds uh expended for the county. Commissioners, we discussed it at before the work session at the work session [clears throat] as presented for us for our approval. Uh are there any questions for Mr. Mosley?

Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, I've had several questions. I've contacted several entities in around the community and the ACCG staff that came at our last board meeting. Um I'm concerned um of the cost. You know, Mr. Moser, you said there would be no cost, but no extra cost. I don't It will cost the county and that's my concern. My biggest concern is the cost that it will because we got 17 that this um will eventually come on to the new plan. We got five now. Yes, ma'am.

But right now in um I think it was Miss Swanson that came and she [clears throat] mentioned that the right now it take we're five years vested. Yes ma'am. They leave in two years. They only take what they put into the retirement plan, which is two and a half%. The other two and a half% that they do not get goes into that the pool goes into the pool, which will help offset the [clears throat] county's 2.5% going forward. Right. So, it will cost the county.

I I don't see how it cannot. I know it may be a recruitment tool, but I don't think it's a retention tool. And that's why we have it in place the way [snorts] it is now, because we had um problems retaining our employees. And at one time, Liberty County's salary scale was not level to where it should be. And a lot of our employees stayed with us because of the retirement plan. So, it was retention, not recruitment. [clears throat] Um, also that Miss Swanson said there was only one county in the region that she represents that has this type of plan. And there's 159 counties and the rest of them that I talked to, I didn't talk to all the counties, but other entities, the city, they have retirements, but most all of them are five years retention. Um, I don't know that I could personally support it because I do believe it will cost the county and we having um issues, you know, with a higher than other places millage rate that will be going out soon. I believe I would put any of the employees we currently have in Liberty County up against any other county of employees. We got the best right here. [clears throat] And I believe that you know the retention is what is going to get us there. You we have five now that have taken these places. Um, out of 17, [clears throat] we have five that would

qualify to go under the new plan. I would think it would take three to five years. They may come in with their expertise, but to get them settled into the position [snorts] they have, [clears throat] whether it be Liberty County or another county, to they see how we do things here and how they have to get along and get out in the community and see how everything works around here. We're not a Gwynette County, you know, we're not there yet, but I I'm I'm really concerned about the cost of Okay, Mr. Chair, and that that's mine,

Mr. One of the things that I paid I didn't I looked at it the other night but it didn't ring a bell but now it does. We've got these department heads but you don't have the second in command involved but in just one spot one position. Why couldn't we have not looked at all of the department heads and at least the second in command? When we uh looked at it uh commissioner, we did consider the uh second and hand, but the key here was that that you would reward those or not reward, but you would recognize those who were at department head level and that if those individuals were promoted, then they could uh have that opportunity. But again, this is for at again for those who don't have the five years. In a lot of cases, your seconds would have been uh vested. And also, I think the lady said that uh if we wanted to, we could go back and revise it for elected officials.

She did. [clears throat] Yes, sir. And that is that is something y'all could do. That's for like all of the constitutional officers, right? Most of, as we've discussed, most of the constitutional officers already in different investment plans. Okay. Yes, ma'am. I had another question. [snorts] Okay, Mr. Yes, [clears throat] ma'am. Um, cut my mic back on. Under these 17 that you have here, I hate to do that, but one of them is county administrator. Yes, ma'am. She said that contracts contracted employees did not qualify under this plan. And you're under a contract, right? But I'm vested already. [laughter] But still

the person if another one comes in [clears throat and cough] I guess we would have to tell them I don't know I'm I'm not I'm not I'm not if another one came in and he wasn't in the contract going to be contracted Mr. Brown was with us so long. Yeah. He wasn't a contracted employee. But I just need to make that clear. Mhm. That's all right. No, no offense taken. That's true. Take it. All right. Um, listen. So, so is it Well, I guess you hear from everybody. I was going to say, is it further information we need or or I'm sir, we've had it before us three times. I think we need to take action. Uh, you want to look at the um elected officials [clears throat] part?

No, sir. I don't I don't I need to look at budgets, you know, and and I know [clears throat] by looking at the budget and the military and the tax adjust already that we can't afford it. I say let's lay it aside and come back at it later. For now, I make a motion that we if we if we table it, we're going to have to set a date for come back and look at it. And I mean, the cost is just going up. You actually can table until next year. that three times. [laughter] I'm ready to vote. I'm just trying to give you options. No, sir. I've done looked. I've explored, right?

I've called and I and she came. I've talked to her at ACCG meeting. Retention. Retention. And Liberty County's got the best right now. Right. So, I make a motion we deny the request for the um amendment to the retirement plan. Is there a second to that motion? Second.

Motion and second that we deny the request at this [clears throat] time. Any further discussion? All in favor? Show of hands, please. All right. The chair is going to abstain. Okay. The motion is the amendment is denied.

Verance request, Mr. Rickson. [clears throat]

Evening, Chairman Levit, members of the board, general. Tonight we have a hold over from the last meeting. You tabled uh this variance request and asked that we bring it back tonight. So, if you'd like, I can go through this and kind of refresh your memory since you've slept 30 times since that time. Um, this is a a variance request that's been submitted by uh the owners, Jack and Beatatric Telus, to have an accessory building in the front yard setback. Uh, the ordinance requires all uh accessory buildings and residential [clears throat] areas to be in the in the in the either the sideyard or the rear yard. And this one is clearly been built in the front yard. Uh pursuant to this section, that's a section 302B of the UDO, uh accessory uh structures have to be located in the side of rear yard. Uh the 1.1 acre parcel is located on 31 Shavetown Lane in unincorporated Liberty County. And you can see there the tax map partial number. Uh here's the sign and the ad in the coastal courier. And this is the vicinity map. You can see this is on Coastal Highway. This is Shavetown Road. This property fronts on Coastal Highway and Shavetown Road, but the front uh as defined by the UDO is Shavetown Road. So, uh the this the accessory building is located in the front yard facing Shavetown Road. And this is just a close-up view. Uh Shavetown Road, Coastal Highway. The home is right here. And the building is just slightly to the in the front yard of the home. And the zoning map here, you can see this property is zoned AR1. And you can see the flood map there. Uh this property is not in the flood plane. And the wetlands just the very bottom corner of the property there is in the flood plane. And this is the narrative. They just simple and sweet. Uh I'm applying for a sideyard variance for the 12x 24 that they be placed in the front yard setback. And this is a survey of the property that shows you where Shavetown Road is.

And this is the rest of the property. The house is located here. The building is located about right here. And that makes it easy for you. There's the house. There's the building. Uh you got two driveways. One off of Highway 17 and one off of Shavetown Road. And the septic system is located over here between the house and Highway 17. And you can see there a picture of the uh the home. And the building is located just to the just slightly to the front in the front yard of the home. And this is a another view of the of the property. You can see the relationship of the home to the to the building. And this is just looking at the rear yard behind the home. And you can see that the property falls off a good bit immediately behind the home. And you can see there just kind of indicates the slope again how the how the property falls off behind the home. [snorts] And this is uh looking looking back toward Midway on Highway 17. variance criteria. They're extraordinary. We have to look at uh six different things. They're extraordinary or exceptional conditions pertaining to the size of the uh subject property in question because of the size, shape, or topography. Uh we answered that question. No. While the property does have a slight slope in the backyard, this was created when the uh field was brought in to level the lot for the home. Number two, such conditions are peculiar to the subject property. [clears throat] uh we we we claim there that there's no peculiar condition about the property. Number three, the application of the ordinance uh to the subject property would create an unnecessary hardship and we concluded there that more fuel could be brought in to create a level area in the rear yard to put the building or a smaller building in the rear yard. Number four, relief if granted would not cause substantial detriment to the public good or impair the purposes and intent of this ordinance. Uh we concluded there that would not be a detriment to the public good if you granted this variance. Number [clears throat] five, relief if granted

will represent the minimum variance that will afford relief and will represent the least deviation possible from the ordinance. And our answer there was no a smaller accessory building could be put on the property which could meet the intent of the ordinance. OCPC heard this at their September meeting and they recommended disapproval. Uh the board agreed with the staff of recommendation of disapproval for this variance per the current accessory building regulations. However, planning commission put a special condition which I'm telling you I told you last time I'm telling you this time that the board of commissioners consider this the the character of the area when making this final decision because it is a rural area and there are other uh other accessory buildings in the immediate area that are either either in or or near the front yard. So that's the recommendation of the board board of of the planning commission this approval with that caveat. So I'd be glad to answer any questions. We also as you requested we have the building [clears throat] and licensing department here and also the applicants are here again. So I'd be glad to

if I remember correctly um I'm reading what the minutes said said I asked you Miss Moser to speak with Judge McGurt. Did I do that? This did go to Judge McGurt. I I attended that hearing as as did the building and licensing people. And the reason for that was the building was started without a permit. All right. But they're going to address their presentation. They are. Okay. All right. Well, building license, let's see. Well, petitioner, we've heard your uh Well, petitioner, has anything changed from your request since last time? Everything still the same? Sir, is it has anything changed from your request from the last time? Every your request is still the same. Yes, sir. Okay. All right. just hear from building and license

cuz we were told that uh if I remember correctly that um there was not a stop work order. This is there was not actually a stop work order. There was a um a violation letter sent to the the talis. But don't let me interrupt your presentation if you want.

Okay. Um this started way back in November actually when the mobile home was put on the property. [clears throat] Um and uh then in um December um we did a a had to get a corrected plot plan on the property because they had decided they wanted to move the mobile home to a different spot on the lot. So that changed the plot plan. So that changed a little bit. Um, I think we have a slide program, Clint. Okay. Right here. And if you if you'll go through. Is it right here? Okay. Here we go. Okay. If it'll work.

Well, I can't read that. [laughter] I can just read it from here. [clears throat] It'd be a lot better. Um on uh we did a final mobile home inspection on December 17th and there was no building other than the mobile home on the property. I did that inspection myself. Um on or around somewhere around the 24th to the 29th of December, it was noticed by our code enforcement that there was a storage building placed on the property. So um they did not have a permit for that first building. So, we reached out to the mobile home company because they deliver storage buildings also and told them that they needed to get a permit. So, they came in uh the telles did come in and uh and that was on January 6th of this year and they got a permit for the first building that was there. Okay. So again, after that was done, February 25th, it was almost two months later, we go back out there to check the the progress of that building. And um they're building another building beside that one without a permit for that one. So they are in violation again of building a new building on the property without a permit and it's in the front yard also.

[snorts] So sometime after that the other building got removed. Um let's see now I might be able to read the next thing if you go through it Clint. Okay that's the permit that was issued for the first building here. Okay that was an after the fact permit and that that right there is a zoning approval letter and I think y'all have this in your packet showing them go back to that other one Clint right there in the purple that's highlighted telling them they had to put the building in the rear of the property. Now, this was after the fact. Okay. All right. Go to the next one, Clint. So, when they came in, they brought they did this uh plot plan right here showing where they were going to move that first building. You see it over there in the yellow. That would have been legal. Okay?

But they never did that and they started building a new building without the permit. Okay? So, a letter, a certified letter was sent again explaining they were in violation of putting a building there without a permit. And uh it was signed for May 20 21st and signed for. So somewhere between that time they came into the office and about to certify later they was verbally told not to build anymore on that new building. Stop. Don't do it no more. Well, they continued because now the building is pretty much finished. Um, and so we turned it over to the magistrate court. That's our that's our out. That's where we go to with violations. It ends up in magistrate court. Well, it goes to magistrate court and then they decide that they want to do a variance after the fact. So, they've done their applicant. I can't see that up there. [laughter] I'd just rather talk to you about it. And um and that's where we're at. The magistrate court put it off until they heard from you. They were waiting to hear what you did with the variance before before they did anything else. But regardless, they're still in violation for the second building.

And it's not the first time we've dealt with this about buildings with them without permits. So that's where we're at. Do you have any questions for me? I'll try to give you the best answers I can. Mr. M, Mr. Chair. Yes, [clears throat] sir. Are any of these slabs on I mean any of these buildings on concrete slab? They're not. No, sir. The first one is gone now. They I guess they had that removed and the second one I think is on block. Um but no, it's not on a slab. Okay. All right. So Tony, they're in violation of the second building because they haven't paid a permit. That's right. Pay paid the price for that. That's right.

And it's in the wrong location. That's right. Since it's right beside where the other one was. They were told to stop. Yes. They needed to move forward with this. And I've rode by and seen it. It's almost in a finished state other than maybe some paint. That's right. Um from what I could tell, um kind of like it meant they was going to build it. Didn't care what nobody said. Regardless, Mr. Chair, I I just have two quick questions. Okay. So, uh looking at this drawing from the plot plan. Yes. [clears throat] You're saying in the yellow highlighted area? Yes. They could put it there.

They could put it there and it would have been legal because that's in the side or to the rear. Okay. Yes. It would have been perfectly. And that's where they said they were going to move the first building to, but they never did. And then they started building another one right beside the other one. Okay. And then I guess the second question is hypothetically speaking, if they never would have came and and got a permit uh and he built it, what what would happen? [clears throat] Well, what happened if if it wasn't caught and it would just be there like all these other buildings that get But when you catch it, right, we we take them to magistrate court. Okay.

That's that is our avenue. We don't have a fine system with our county. Our our avenue is take you to magistrate court and judge McGurt will set fines and then he will also instruct you. You have to move it. Okay. So that's where we're at. All right. Um Tony looking at this drawing out outside of this square to the to the right or which would be to the east of this drawing. That's US 17. That's 17 out on that end.

Okay. and and the house is kind of in the center, the upper part. And they want to put a building where it's highlighted in yellow. That's that was their drawing where they were going to move the first original building. And I'm going to show you up here because it's a lot easier. This this was the first building where they were going to it's back here. It's like it was here.

So when they came in and we told them they couldn't put it there, they drew this plan saying, "Okay, we'll move it over here." and it would have been perfectly legal and that would have been the end of it. But they never did that. They started building another one right next to it in the in the wrong place. Okay. Well, um and around around that square again um the adjacent property owners is there. Um they're just out in the middle by There's none. Just them. They border 17 and there's property owner owners to this side of them. There's nothing to the back of them. Right. I know it's property owners, but is there um any kind of development? Does someone else have a mobile home? Just is just it's just them out there

just to the left of them. There's more people in there. There is. What would the distance be to where the next family lives? Um I think there's 7500. Yeah, something like that.

Um but we we found this during our travels. No, no one called from surrounding areas and complained about it. No, what happened was is we've had we had an issue with the mobile home. It was moved there and then they had to remove it and had to do another plot plan. So, we we kind of had our eyes on that property on what was going on and our code enforcement saw the building there. So, of course, when we see something, you know, we try to handle it or we handle on a on a complaint, but when we know something's wrong, we try to handle that. That's been, you know, that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to, you know, be more consistent in what we do.

I understand that. And I guess the the other question would be for Mr. Rickson from the planning commission. Jeeoff, you said that they um the planning commission voted to disapprove and in your narrative, you said that um for us to um take into consideration the characteristics of the area. Yeah. Well, when y'all voted, did did y'all take into consideration [clears throat] the characteristics?

Well, no. The the staff took into consideration what the UDO says. It says it says accessory buildings have to be in the side or the rear yard. The planning commission had some empathy for the apple because they c came in and said, you know, our our septic tank drain fields in the rear and there's other people up and down the road that have uh buildings in the front yard. So, uh will you make this exception? So the the the planning commission felt like they were going to put it on y'all just like the

mag which [clears throat] is what I'm saying. I mean you know they they vote it down and then they say but hey if y'all want to do something different please consider the characteristics which I mean seemed like to me they they should have considered the characteristic. I mean and and we going to consider the characteristics and and we going to vote. I mean, you know, that that's what we do. But, um, just found that I don't know if they don't quite understand that that part. I think they feel like you have more discretion than they have. So, they they felt like they needed to kind of stick with the ordinance and they felt like you had more discretion than they have. They didn't want to draw the hard line in the sand. I'll see it.

Mr. Chair, uh, I guess to to the owners, I mean, We've been talking about this storage unit for quite a with all the due respect. I mean, we're talking about the storage unit. Uh, is there any way possible you all could just move it in that little yellow square? Are y'all willing to do that? I need you to come to the mic. Please, if you could come to the mic. Is it without respect? It's just a yes or no. said before the uh building is on uh 4x12 blocks sitting on the building anchored to the ground, right?

Uh we don't have no skids under it like the other building. The first building that came had skids on it where we could slide it and we would had to dismantle it totally. We we got $6,000 in the building. Uh, and I would like to answer your question. We can't move it unless we dismantle it all all together. Uh, one of the questions he said we didn't have a building permit, but we got show him that we paid for a building permit that was never issued. So, we'd like to somebody answer where that money went. That $400 went if the permit was not issued. from from my recolleation. I

He's right there and I got the receipt showing we paid for it, right? I I I think we we spoke about that uh previously. That was for the other first number one that the home center. Yeah. Home center, right? But uh this is the second So, so, so again, sir, are I guess my question is, are you all willing [clears throat] to to build in that area, the yellow square? Uh, yes, sir. I mean, we can do that if if it's feasible. If y'all vote for it to do that, we can do that. But we'd have to tear the other building down, right? I mean, that's not that's not our call.

Yeah. I mean with all of respect uh just just looking at from I guess the communication p previous communication and that they have told you all uh to stop building and then also who who drew this uh comment on what you said they stopped we was never told orally or by letter. The only time we remembered saying uh to stop building is when we went to court the first time which was in August that we was ordered to stop building then. That's the only time we ever had any compensation. That's fine. So So whenever you went to court and they told you to stop, did you stop?

Well, sure. We didn't build anything. We hadn't done anything to that building. Right. I guess one one more question and then we can we can move on for a vote. Uh this particular drawing of the spot plan. Who who drew this? Oh, you mean? Yeah, we did. You did? Yeah. So, you drew it? Yes, sir. You drew that square where you said the storage was going to be at located. The trailer, the mobile home. We drew where the mobile home was going to be put. So, so who drew the the highlighted yellow area? We didn't do it. They did it, I guess. Absolutely not. I don't know who drew that. Let's say it was Hitsensville Home Center. I mean,

so so so you're saying you drew just the portion where it says the house on that? Yes, sir. The mobile home itself. We drew that out. And but we You drew the where it says Woods and you drew where it says Highway US7. Yes. You did all of that? Yes, sir. And we didn't know that the land dropped off at the back because we were never told. Right. So sir, so the little circle where it says well, you drew that, too. Uh, right there. Yes.

So you drew where it says driveway as well, but you didn't draw where it says storage. No, sir. That yellow, we did not draw that on there. I don't know who highlighted that unless it's Hindsville Home Center. All right. Thank you. Ready to vote. gives us commissioner from that district. Yeah. And [clears throat] uh thank you sir. It uh I make a motion that we uh not give the variance and everything and they just have to they have to relocate the shed, tear it down where they got to

second. All the evidence says that they will try to get notified. They were notified not the bill. So I make a motion to deny the variance. Second motion and a second that we uh really approve the recommendation of uh of LCPC of disapproval and just let me make a comment. Uh sir uh the that's kind of where Commissioner Rage was leading. There's a lot of um non-compliance that that comes to mind. Um while there may be similar character situations in the area, most of those things happen before our ordinances. So they've been there historically. But but we're operating now under ordinance that does not allow this without a variance request. Um so if if we as a commission just openly allow that to happen all over the county, we'll be a hodgepodge county, you know, and we try not to bring that to Liberty County. We can't go back to fix what's been done. I know you said you saw that in the air. I understand that. But that's before the ordinance that we have now. But from this point, moving on. And then when a judge says stop, even uh when your county staff says stop, stop, you know, like we tell young people, don't don't fight, you know, on the side of the road, don't fight with the police officer. Go to court, you know. So when when someone advises a citizen, not just picking on you [cough] to stop and come get it resolved. But if you keep building and keep adding on, then that's just that shows disrespect for those whose jobs there are to help to maintain the ordinance that Liberty County has to abide by. Now, are they all perfect? No. So, I'm not saying that I'm saying, but we have those on the books for a reason. So, that's kind of what I see here as as you speak to us, but we're not picking on you, Miss Tis. Um, but we do have to, you know, that's why we had our staff come in and then I had forgotten about the I don't remember the the judgement g piece. So, so he was waiting on us to

see what we were going to what we're going to do. Um, but uh you've heard from us and heard from the commissioner of that district that that we uh find the need to disapprove this various request. So, we wish you the best in in having that uh uh she had moved as best you can. Well, one more thing. Um yeah, when we went to court, like I said, thank you. That was the only time that we were ever informed

to put a stop order on the building and we did at that time. So, I'm going to read about what you said because that's what happened. And I'm not going to lie about that. We didn't receive no letters. We didn't no information or oral reports or nothing about the building. It was stopped when we went to court in August. So regardless of what anybody says, that's my opinion. Yes, sir. And you have that right. All in favor of the disapproval, show hands, please. All right. We we unanimously vote to disapprove the to approve the disapproval from LCPC. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Tutis.

Mer, he does have option to to go back and do right the right. Yes. Yes. You you made that very clear. Yeah. Well, Mr. Chairman, he he did say that he had a receipt for some for $400 something that was paid that was the first bill the non transferable the one that was

all right Mr. Rickson first reading the flood plane ordinance. Um this uh I can do it justice. This conversation came about as a result of what happened to Liberty County in August primarily and no less what happened when Helen came through here and showed so many weak spots when it comes to drainage in Liberty County. I say weak spots now. There are some places which have been identified commission talking about that where people just built in low places. And ladies and gentlemen, if you're listening to me, don't build your house in low spot. When the heavy rains come, that rain is going to find you. [clears throat] And then what happens when it happens? You call us. Yeah. [clears throat] Yeah.

Don't build your houses in these liberty county is a coastal county. We got lots of low areas. The land may be cheap, but it's not good. Yeah. Not good land. We say it's cheap for a reason. Yeah. Cheap for a reason. Yeah. So, don't be. So, we're trying to help with this. This is our start to to to address this. Uh so, Mr. Rick, if you will present, please.

Thank you, Chairman. That was a great lead in. Um the Liberty County has had a flood plane ordinance. uh for 40 years. You adopted it in 1987 and you adopted pretty much the model ordinance that's put out by FEMA. FEMA is the federal or federal agency that underwrites uh flood insurance and that's why people in Liberty County are able to buy insurance because you have a flood protection ordinance. Uh now this model ordinance uh which is pretty much largely as you adopted it back in ' 87 uh does have uh FEMA does allow for uh some discretion local discretion if you want to require u homes to be built higher than the flood plane. Uh you currently require them to be a foot higher than the flood plane. What's proposed what you've discussed and you've asked us to draw up is requiring them to be two feet above the flood plane. So like if this is the flood plane out there and that the land you were talking about just now currently you require uh the the finished floor to be this high, you're proposing doubling that to make that two feet above the flood plane. And you know during the drought season uh that might be considered a burden, but when it's flooding uh that's that's a blessing. So, it's uh it kind of has two sides to it, but uh because there is a little bit more cost in raising that flood that floor, but when when it's flooding time, uh it it really [clears throat] pays off. And uh you talked about the storms last year. The biggest storm that I remember was Hurricane Debbie, which was the one it was the wet one. It wasn't the destructive one like we had with Hela, but I wrote around Hinesville, and we had some flooding in the streets, but we didn't have any flooding in the structures. And I think that's largely due to the fact that we do require that flood that free board. I think some of you went out during the most recent times and you saw that flooding was getting a little bit too close to the to the floor finished floor. So that's where this came from to uh suggest to change the ordinance to require the free board to be two feet instead of just one ft. So what we've done is we've take

this we've taken this ordinance and every place where you had 1 foot uh elevation for uh new construction any new residential construction or uh non-residential construction and in addition to that and mobile homes uh any any any place where people are going to be dwelling or um where people going to be living or working. you're uh we're changing or you're you're you're suggesting that we change from one feet to two feet uh just just to raise that floor up one additional foot to to to provide some additional insurance that people people's structures won't get flooded. So that's what we've done and pretty much uh this is a model ordinance that FEMA puts out but they do allow for you to you the option to make this this this be one ft above the the flood plane or whatever you want it to be. So, uh, what's been suggested is that we've changed that to two feet. So, we've gone through the entire ordinance and everywhere there's a there's a 1 foot, uh, requirement above the flood plane, we've changed that to two feet. So, this is first reading. Uh, I think you asked us to bring it to you tonight for first reading. Anyone to consider it again at your next meeting for a for final action. So, I'll be glad to answer any questions about this proposal.

We have been thinking about this, commissioners, and then I heard on TV that city of Savannah was doing something similar [clears throat] to this. I said, "Well, and for the same reason." Well, Savannah has it worse than we do. Uh for the same reason. So, that let's let's at least talk about this, maybe put this into effect. Um I mean, outside of u uh deferring the phone calls, just a good thing to do. Uh and I know there's a lot of people who move to Liberty County, they don't know a wetland from, you know, they [clears throat] just buy. No,

they just buy and they build and then they then they get caught. But the phone calls come to us. That's right. So, we're trying to help you to help yourself. That's what we are. Any any questions for Mr. Rickersonson or thoughts? It's just the first reading, but yeah, chairman. Yeah. Will you take this to the other uh municipalities or will this was just stay rural area?

This is just for the unincorporated area of Liberty County, but you you you'll be setting a precedent here. So, some of the other cities might follow suit as common. Okay. Just just so everybody's clear, this is mostly going to affect what we call stick built homes and everything. Mobile homes already come about three foot off the ground. We have to block them up. So, they'll probably still do their same thing other than just me can recommend please put as much filter under your mobile home where you don't have this issue and everything. Um because we are in a lower line county. Um most of it's going to affect stick built homes. That's right. These rolling homes, mobile homes, because I mean, people's going to be asking questions. I just trying to make it clear. It's going to pretty well affect stick built homes.

If it's a stick built home and they're building it on the slab, that builder is going to have to bring in some additional dirt to raise that raise that building pad up. So, the slab will be higher than it currently is. That's right. Yeah. Block foundation, monolithic, whatever it may be. Have to raise it up. That's right. You know, let me Kelly [clears throat] Davis here. U we we have some um I I'll use the term developers in the area who are locating mobile homes mobile homes in lowlying areas and we don't know yet what we can do about it but we put them on notice that that this can't continue

because once again the same thing happened once that uh mobile home is sold and they walk away and and one of those heavy rains come, they're calling they're calling the commissioners. So, I'm not sure yet what action going to be, but just put them on notice that we are taking notice of that and and this is a start, you know, to help our homeowners, but but we're also looking at what we might be able to do to prevent that from becoming something that happens uh more prevalent. It's happening now too much for me, you know. Uh but we don't we're not going to sit by and just let that happen without trying to do something to prevent that. So y'all may need Kelly to get me out of something, but

but we'll put those folk on notice that this can't continue. Once again to unsuspecting homeowners. All right. So we'll bring this back, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you. We appreciate you. Miss Erica, thank you for coming. Uh, she presented to us, ladies and gentlemen, about this uh, technology and our work session. So, well, we asking her tonight to give the what's that thing they do in in college when writing papers. What the kind of version you call that? May I keep [laughter] you want a a briefing? A a brief [laughter]

will please. and and the lead in uh I'm proud to say that uh I help you that Liberty County the technology we have now is conducive to where we need to go with the next gen. Correct. So we we're we're in good shape but just for awareness um Liberty County here this uh we're moving in this direction because the technology we have some people have is going to be totally outdated. Uh but there will be it's done at a cost, right? So there's a cost somewhere, right? Just don't know what that is yet,

right? Um good afternoon. I'm going to kind of fly through this just to give a quick briefing. Um, our current 911 system is an enhanced 911 system using the copper lines, which is a 1970s technology built for landlines. And while it's been reliable for decades, it's now reaching the end of its useful life and is also incompatible with how most of our citizens communicate today. Uh, over 80% of our 911 calls come from mobile devices. Yet our legacy system struggles with two critical issues. That's location accuracy and media limit media limitation because our legacy system is voice only meaning we can't get um photos and videos which can be vital in an emergency. The solution is NextG 911 which will bring our emergency response capabilities into the 21st century. NextGen 911 is a secure nationwide internet protocol-based emergency communication system which will replace the analog uh 911 infrastructure that we currently have. Um I kind of think of it as moving from AOL dialup services to a more modern broadband network such as a fiber network. The two key components for nextgen will be emergency services IP network which is called Ezet. Uh this is a high-speed data network backbone that'll replace all the old copper circuits uh and connect all the public safety answering points or PAPs 911 centers in Georgia which ga our communications authority is working on coordinating that and managing the statewide system. The other key component is nextgen core services and these would be our software functions that handle the capabilities such as location validation and routing 911 calls based on GIS.

Some of the um differences between NextG 911 versus our legacy system call routing currently based on tower sectors often large sectors. Uh nextgen will be based on highly accurate map coordinates. Right now we receive voice only. We can get text but you have to buy um different uh software to receive that. NextG would allow us to receive voice, text, messages, photos, live video and send those to the um people on scene in in the field. System resiliency. Right now we have a centralized circuit switch that's prone to failure and with nextgen we'll be able to automatically and seamlessly reroute our calls to an adjacent pap if needed. Uh an interoperability same thing difficult slow to transfer information. If I have information to give to long county I have to call them and give it out versus with nextgen if I send everything they get it all. They get all the information without me having to relay it. give a phone number and then call the person back

for the sake of the law or tell them the value of being able to do a text or photo or video to the

so that would add value. There's often times when uh someone calls and they're they're telling us what they see. We ask the questions that we think may need to be asked, we relay that. It's kind of like a game of telephone, but by the time we give it out to the officers over the air, something could have changed. We may not have asked the right question. It may come across differently. being able to send a picture of exactly what's happening to that officer. He can see everything he needs to see right there for himself, for the fire department, uh, for safety reasons. Anything they need to see, we can send that directly to them. They can then ask us questions. Hey, can you ask them, you know, ABC? And we can get that answer for them.

And if I'm not able to speak, I might be able to. Right. Exactly. fix.

So, Georgia must transition to non uh nextgen. Life safety and accuracy is the primary driver here. Uh the ability to receive precise location correlates to faster dispatches and lives saved. There's also been a legislative mandate, uh House Bill 423, which is a major step forward mandating that all new 911 systems meet the new uh nextgen 911 standard. and it shows the state's commitment to modernization, requiring all existing PAPs to align with this uh uh direction. Georgia is one of the last states in the southeast to fully implement statewide nextgen. All of our neighboring count uh state uh states have done it. Florida,

Alabama, e Alabama has [laughter] Alabama, um, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida is in the process of implementing it now. Georgia has not. So, we we've got to get on on the bandwagon here. Really? [laughter]

Cyber security. Um, the new Ezet again will be overseen by GEA uh will be enhanced with cyber security to protect the public safety in infrastructure which is much needed. funding 911 um systems in Georgia are currently funded through our local search charge. Um I will say that our uh search charges cover 70% 71% of our current budget. So we're doing pretty good there. Um the state has committed by creating a resolution to create a study committee on funding for nextgen 911 to help us move forward in the funding and matching. I won't say matching. I don't know how much they're going to give [laughter] but they're going to um doing this study to see what it takes to build our infrastructure. We've got to get that Ezet infrastructure built. Georgia PAPs our role actively coordinating with GEA continuing to um uh work with them for the state's plan to connecting on the Ezet um continue studying how to fund the network backbone uh we will have to allocate resources to make sure we do comprehensive training for our telecommunicators and IT because it'll be a whole new system here um and just to continue advocating in summary Marine NextG is not a luxury. It's a vital necessary replacement for an outdated network. Uh delivers better location accuracy, allows for multimedia communication, and increases the resiliency and interoperability of our PAP. And we just respectfully ask for your continued support like you've always done uh as we move forward to the 21st century.

Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you so much. Thank you. Now the words on the street eat 911. [clears throat] What's it going to cost? Approved contract with Buckley Associates to begin construction design for the electors election voters restoration building.

Mr. Chair, you have uh the board unit board have before you a contract uh AIA contract with Buckling Associates to start the construction design. Uh this body approved the site at the October meeting. Uh this contract is for to move forward with the architect. Uh he work on an hourly basis until the budget is set. Um afterwards you'll notice in the contract it sets for standard fee which they pretty much charge us six 6% of the project budget. Uh we'll meet with Mr. um we'll meet with Mr. Brown tomorrow who's worked with them very closely and also we're scheduled to meet with the architect on next um Thursday to start the process with the budget. So tonight we will ask the board to approve the contract with Buckley to move forward with the design. Um this project is uh there are fund there are funds to start this pro process in the current splash

current splash. All right we've been discussing that you know this is just the progress of it. So next step I I suggest that we also create this flowchart kind of thing so keep us on track where we are uh in this process. All right. M ready for a motion. I make a motion we approve the contract with Buckley and Associates begin construction design for election voter registration building. Is that the old health department building site in Flemington? Yes. Yes ma'am. Very detailed. [clears throat] Very detailed. Yes. Motion second. Any further discussion?

All in favor show hands please. Motion carries. Motion approved. We can move on with that. They they'll be I'm surprised none of them are here tonight there. Oh, they're busy. [laughter] They busy. It's election day. I was just just thinking this has nothing to do with the um what we just voted on, but that that location that Patriots Trail coming out there, 84 people coming up trying to get to Hinesville.

Um I you know, we do have that big sports complex back there. Um, and I know we just got a light at Publix and we just got a light at like Laris Cur and you know from Dairy Queen to Patriots Trail is just a probably stone throw, but it's um not so much for the activity that takes place at the voters registration office, but that baseball complex and that sports complex down there that there's a lot of traffic. And I know if I need to say this out loud, but I may as well. I um I go through that apartment complex with the big flag. Do you?

And and me and everybody else because you you can't I would coming out coming out and coming back into Hindsville, you you can't make a a left with everything even you know trying trying to get out of there. So you'd be happy to know sir that making that road official road is on T-PL. Okay. Yeah. So, it'll be official roadway between Schuman Recre and the apartment complex. Um, the one that I'm seeing to go through. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you. It's on the T-spot list. Yes, sir. For that reason. Yeah. To help get traffic to the light. Bring them to the light. Okay.

Uh, renaming the Liberty County Parks Recreation to Liberty County Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services. Mr. Mr. Chair, members of the board, uh we have before you a letter from the uh advisory board of the recreation department and they approved at their August 12th meeting um to send forth uh this letter requesting the board of commissioners change it from the recreation department to the Liberty County Parks Recreation and Leisure Service uh in recognition that they are expanding in terms of their service delivery and and they would like to be recognized as such. Mr. Mos, are you expanding the in [clears throat] terms of things that they're doing, programming and etc.

What are some of the things that they are doing? Well, I'm glad you asked. You have a new pickle ball courts and uh I passed by the other day and nobody was out there. Oh, [laughter] it must was 2 in the morning. [laughter] And and Commissioner, they're exploring more things they can do for seniors. Yeah. Okay. What? Mr. Chairman, um, you Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, the it's the um the leisure part. There's of the leisure services. What What would that be? You say something for senior citizens such as different programs or something? Yes, sir.

Like, well, I guess a senior citizen could play baseball if you wanted to, but what what's the the additional expansion um in the leisure area? Because I guess the name is about the same except for the leisure portion. So, what's what what's under some of that hidden? Do do you know anything right off the top? Well, Commissioner, we have a a commissioner over here that's on the rec department board and I would love for him to to chime in on that conversation. Okay, Commissioner Fraser, what's what's under [laughter] what's under the leisure head and and all and does this does that leisure that they're talking about does it have a I in it unlike this one?

Spell wrong, right? [laughter] Right. I suppose have I I didn't know if it was too kind of We're going to find out. Right. Well, uh I uh I I think the board in its entirety, they're just looking for uh not just what they're providing to this community today, but uh what the future growth of Liberty County and and additional projects and and programs that they're trying to uh bring to this community from, like you said, from from 9 months to to 99. So I think that's what they were uh looking at for the most part

in in most in most communities even in Chattam County that that's what they're basically called as well. I I think around the state most people are getting away from just the recreation because I think people whenever you think about recreation you just think about uh you know the athletic sports for you know the kids between ages of four and 14 but I think this current board is looking you know for future growth from that perspective. But and and I guess um under the leisure category when I think about that I think of um I think it's a sport called shuffle ball and if and if that's one of them under the leisure category that would mean um a facility or something like that or you could do that anywhere. I'm talking to Joe and he's writing.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. [laughter] Well, no. Uh I I still don't know what what falls under the leisure heading right if if if anything is it is it seriously and and if it is something under that does that in would we have to build another facility for the leisure portion of this? Um, we got parks, we got recreation, and um, you know, I'm still trying to just just figure what

I I I again, I think, uh, the board is just looking at different options for for the future and the future growth of Liberty County and in additional options. And I think from from their perspective, this is, you know, ground zero. This is the first portion of of changing the identity and the growth you know to to answer your question as direct department services grow there will be new uh buildings that would be anticipated

that's what I figured okay um thanks I guess what's your pleasure this or we can have we can certainly invite the LCRD director to him. If you're really interested, that seems like a Excuse me. That seems like a lot of words to put on like a logo or something on their hat or their cap or their uniform. I don't know. I know you said on their board and that's what we do. We get I I know that's what we do. Like like like prime example. I just think about the planning of

and I'm about to address that like even with most businesses, you know, it might be on their LLC, but then you still doing business as something else. You understand what I'm saying, right? I I I think they have thought all that out already. and and most of our buildings don't even have Liberty County Recreation Department on it with the signage. But [clears throat] I know, but I've seen like t-shirts and caps that they wear. But anyway, whatever we need to know, but I don't understand the leisure service

is and it's long. Let's just bring the director. Let's table it for the day and bring the director. Okay. All right. Sounds good enough for me. Well, we need this to be something. No, when you understand, you understand. When you don't, you don't. Yeah. Money to do things. It it it's not costing us nothing cuz we don't have anything. Okay. Never mind. Mo moving on. because this is a she's better prepared next time to explain that.

Uh Marjanda Marginal Davis alcohol license application. Thank you for helping with [laughter] Please tell I'm not the only one that Okay, Mr. Mr. chair and members of the board, uh you have it before you application license from uh Miss Davis uh at the location of of 5195 Highway 196 West Suite. Um the application meet the requirements of the uh ordinance, but there are a number of concerns that uh staff have about this particular application and I would like for them to be entered to the record their concerns.

Okay, sir. Uh

hello. How is everybody this evening? Good evening.

Um we typically our office um doesn't typically come up here for alcohol applications. Um but we had to reach out for this one um because we have received numerous complaints on the property. Um, Miss um, Miss Davis originally was issued a business license to operate a teen nightclub at that location. Um, her hours of operation, I believe, were to be Friday and Saturday night from like 7 to 11. Um, zoning did approve it to go there. I don't think the teen club worked out. I don't think it was as profit profitable maybe as she thought it was going to be. So, she decided to turn it into an adult nightclub. She did come by our office. Um, we discussed the process for applying for a alcohol application and business license. She submitted um both the alcohol license and the business license application, but she did not wait for her approval before she opened up the nightclub. So, um we started getting some complaints from the neighbors. Um there was already five um 911 calls sent out to that location for disturbances

from neighbors from well the neighbors called. Yes. Uh this was going on 4:00 in the morning, 3:00 in the morning, 3 5:00 in the morning that these calls were coming in to 911. Um Mr. Chairman, Miss Nik Nikki, [clears throat] these calls were how close together? Within 6 months, 3 months? No, this just happened recently. Recently? Oh, yes. Um, we're talking 105, 10:11, 10:12, that time frame. The first week of October time.

Yeah. Yeah. And then within two weeks in October, then I started getting phone calls. Right. Anyway, you can go ahead. Is this in a neighborhood or quiet community? Uh, it's right off of 196 West um going towards the Gum Branch area. It's Wells Road in 196 is the intersection. It's like a little strip area. They had a liquor store there at one time. They had the Amazon bin store there at one time. It's been several different little businesses. But there there are residents across the street and on both sides and another business on the back side. Correct. Um I'm just trying to picture where that is. Is it past the fire station? The um before

is it past the baseball field? Before back up to right across from the gas station past right patch road where the Amazon place used to be. You don't the what now? Amazon had a little place on the right hand side. Amazon the delivery people who are now um Schuman's gas station. Okay. Okay. You know, it's like right across from that area. It's across from that. Yeah. Kind of cate across from that. [clears throat]

So, um Commissioner Thrift, you want to speak to it's in your district. You want to speak to this? Uh so let me get let me get my bearing. So because of the and we'll get the petition in just a second. So the alcohol of the business was open before getting the license. Correct. And there have been discussion about the process necessary to acquire license. Yes.

Okay. All right. And then on on top of that was the complaints from the neighbors or whomever. All right. Even help me out with this. I'm not sure this is how if we even dictate this. What determines the business operation hours? What determines I mean you said there were some 5:00 calls. What says that you got to close at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00? How's that? I mean, we do have a noise ordinance. Um, there was lots of noise complaints. Um, I mean, we don't we can't really dictate that.

Yeah, Mr. Chairman, the call that I was receiving from my constituents was noise, um, parking, and parking there. Yeah. Some screaming. It just wasn't a good situation. Waking waking those folks up that were sleeping. Um, I just don't know that that type of business is a good fit for that community. Um, it started off as a teen club or event center or something like that and then it escalated into a an adult I think it was advertised they were open 2 to 5 a.m.

and those folks out there are sleep sleeping and then there's yes got chaotic there a time or two. We were sent some video footage um of the place and I had to share it with our fire marshal, our fire deputy. Yeah, the occupancy load was 50. There was way more than 50 people in the videos. So, they they were even going over their occupancy load that they should have had. Did you have something else? Mr. Chair, you asked about hours. Um, I noticed uh in some jurisdictions the alcohol license ordinances do specify certain hours of operation. So that that you could serve. So that kind of controls people hours.

Oh, really? Yes. So I guess Liberty counties is 24 hours. No, no, no. I wouldn't think so. All right. So, this is coming before us for the approval of the alcohol license. Okay. All right. But, Mr. Chair, I I guess the question I have is uh so we normally don't go through this process for the alcohol license. Every alcohol license comes to y'all for approval. They vetted. Yeah. And they bring they saying that all the boxes have been checked. Right. Right. Right. Yeah. because of the extended circumstances around this and the like and the business operated before getting the licenses,

right? I mean, but I I I I get that they might not have a alcohol license. But were they serving alcohol? Yes. Or were they giving it away or was alcohol? They were ser they were serving it. it my dad. I mean, okay, I'm just saying because that's that's a little kind of kind of

the um for a business such as this, don't the um uh law enforcement have to um approve it or something like that? So, is is that I'm looking at this handout here and um there's a something here from the sheriff's department. It just doesn't um it don't um say what what what they recommended on here. It just said um criminal record attached, no NCIC warrants, and is someone's signature on here. Um, but I I mean I you would think that it would be some form or some the recommendation from law enforcement would be that that's not part of this.

It's in there in there. It is. It is this page right here. Confidentiality report. We cannot disclose some of this information, but our ordinance is based on if you're a convicted felon or not. So, the sheriff recommended approval based on our ordinance, right, which is um I mean that's law enforcement and um the the the calls and the the the different u episodes and instances that you mentioned, but this according to this the the sheriff office approve it

based on the history like they don't they don't go through calls or anything like that right well I mean um they approved it based on whatever but but it's it's it's approved by law enforcement I mean for criminal history check huh for the criminal history check that's all they check for right but again this is um it's part of the packet and the sheriff approved. Okay, that's all I have, Mr. Chairman. And Mr. Chairman, there are several of the neighbors here that you know, I know this at no

open session or whatever, but the ones closest to the uh establishment. Let me hear for the petitioner first and I'll if you all will send the representative just a second whoever was going to speak for um Miss Davis would you please you want to come and speak to what we've been discussing please ma'am

yeah excuse my attire I didn't have time to get dressed I came straight from the kitchen um uh I started this a teen club I came and went and got um my business license for my teen club was very profitable for a few weeks and then I just couldn't keep up with, you know, getting the teens to promote and certain things. I ended up going back to the business license office and said, "Hey, you know, one of my partners said, "Hey, why don't we just try to um you know, rent it out to adults?" Because everyone keeps asking us about the venue. Can you can we rent the building? Can we rent the building? So, I said, you know, why we're paying rent, paying electric, paying water, paying all these bills, and losing money on the building. um let's just go ahead and try to rent it out to make some money um while I get my business license. Well, the new list the new license for the adult club. So, I haven't started running a nightclub. And this may be the impression that they're under. If you look at our social media or anything, it's us allowing people to rent our space out to have parties, to have events. It hasn't been Anivvia's us the owners doing events. I wouldn't even went through the process to get my license and pay 1,700 bucks and waste all these thousands of dollars for the the the building itself. The AC went out on me. I've been spending and like putting a lot of money out on the property. Um and I haven't been able to, you know, recoup any of my fund well recoup any of the money back. So, she's saying that we started a nightclub. We did not start a nightclub. We have party promoters that's been coming to us saying, "Hey, can we use your event, your can we use your space? We'll pay you. We haven't been making a dime. We haven't been making money. They have rented our space out to to do parties while we're while we await for the

liquor license." So, I'm not under what I I'm not sure what Nikki's um saying is totally true because we've been trying to, you know, stay on a safe stay. We're not trying to do anything to to knock our our liquor license out the park. That's so that's why we said, "Hey, let these other promoters give the the the spot publicity so when we do get approved, we are already ready to go to make that money back that we've been spinning." Um, she's saying about the complaints. Um, I haven't even seen any of these complaints. Everyone just keeps talking about them. Anytime that law enforcement has ever came to the property, they always came and said, "Hey, you know, we just riding through." One one of the officers came and said, "Hey, uh, a 911 call came through, but we just heard noise in the background." It wasn't a complaint. Then um one of the neighbors or some lady contacted the business number and said, "Hey, um this is the she I don't for one, I never did my research on that area. She told me that it was crackfested and it was she I don't know what what her terminology was. She said it was a real bad area. Me the whole time while we were getting the building together, I did see multiple police multiple police officers sitting in the parking lot. And I did kind of think like, well, what's going on over here that I keep seeing officers, but I was just thinking that officers was patrolling the traffic. The lady called and said, "Hey, I heard some noise out there." And I thought it was smokers or something. And I said, "What do you mean smokers?" And she said, "Well, this is a crackfested metham meth some type of drug area, and they the smokers be out here." And that's what I thought it was, some smokers. And I said, "No, man. We have a business. We have a teen club. they it were, you know, parties that were booked and um she said, "Well, you should be able to close at a certain time because I thought it was some smokers out there." And I said, "Ma'am, I'm not aware of what smokers or what methamphetamine or

whatever the drugs you're talking about. I'm not sure." So, I said, "We will try to keep the noise down. I apologize for disturbing you, but we do have a business license and these parties are already booked." and she said, "Well, uh, something about Liberty wouldn't I mean, Gun Branch wouldn't allow that and Liberty don't care. I said, "Ma'am, I'm I'm not I don't think that's the case here, but it's an event that was already booked. So, I'm sorry that we disturbed you, but I would tell my DJ because some of the DJs, they do bring different speakers and extra amps, so it may have been a little noisy." I apologized to her and I said, "Ma'am, I will make sure that my DJ does not bring that extra amp or those extra speakers to disturb you or you know, and when the business license office agreed to give me that teen club, they knew that it was going to be noise and they know that that area is zoned for a C3. So, I'm just we're 200 feet away from the residential area to all the houses. So, when they agreed to give me that teen club, you knew it was going to be noise. So, I'm just not really sure what we're hitting around for. Is it my liquor license that you guys just don't want to give me? Is it the noise? Is it the business? What is it? Because we're picking at a lot of things and I'm not really sure. I think we're getting lost. Multiple officers has pulled up in that area. This is not my first business. I do run a strict, tight uh professional business. I do not try to break the law. I've been here for three years a paying tax taxpayer in Liberty County. Any business I ever did, I've always did it right. I haven't tried to cut corners or get over on anyone. I've paid every fee they asked me to pay. I've done everything I'm supposed to do.

Davis, I don't mean to cut you off, but do you own that strip mall? No, I don't. I wondering written it out to another Yeah, we were just We were just trying to get some of our money back. You're on the lease, I guess. with Mr. Web or whomever owns it. It's is Bert Bert Webb. Okay. So, you're on that lease and we with her, but then you rent it out to someone else. No, they were doing parties and then are you there whenever they're having um I will accept their deposit and I will just give them a breakdown of, you know, just the different things that we allow. You have to have security. You don't have security. It may be once I may pop in or I may have like one of my partners or my

you know 2 two two 2:00 in the morning they have I have a licensed security team that I have a contract with that are licensed and every time the police came there they reassured them like hey everything is under control there's no fighting going on they're licensed they have you know they're armed and they always reassured that the officers that pulled up five times in and you know well the five times half of them were accidents they claimed that's what the officers pulled up and told But there were 911 calls complaining about that. Can I see them? I don't have them. You be at the sheriff's department. You'll have to get them from the sheriff at the sheriff.

When I went to the sheriff's department, they referred me back to Nikki and Nikki told me about the complaints, but her order sheriff department hasn't given me any complaints. It's just like hearsay. No one showed me. Concern as the commissioner that represents those people out there of the time of the morning that you're having those parties. Okay. So if if it's the time or we just saying it's just the timing that we need to stop earlier other issues you know so with a liquor license when it comes to getting a liquor license what is all the determinations because like he said the comm I mean the sheriff approved it right for my liquor license

cuz it's like we're crossing a lot of different lines and we're I'm not I'm getting lost. Yeah. Sheriff just had one question. The business was open as a as a teen club originally. Yes. Okay. And what what were the hours of operation? Um we had stopped around maybe 12 p.m. I mean but that that's because it was kids and I I know I wouldn't allow my my teenager to be out too late a.m. So So you you um you operating a teen club, a licensed teen club. Yes. And um and I guess you you're going to change we're trying to merge it. Yes. And go and go in another direction.

Yes. And until you get approved for that other direction, you you um you're um circumventing that by allowing people to have parties just try to make some of the money because the bills are still I can fully understand that. Uh but uh Mr. Mos, chairman or anybody maybe um Tony um if you have a business open for that, can you can you use it for something else? Huh? Not with alcohol. Sell alcohol. Alcohol.

But but if let's say if they wasn't selling alcohol and she had a teen club and someone said, "Hey man, this is a nice building. We want to have a party here this weekend." They they could do that. Okay. Okay. Can't hear you.

Not bring some um to the discussion business, but the issue for the inspe you said the issues get lost. My my question was if you have a teen club and it's closed and somebody say, "Hey man, this is a nice building. My daughter wants to have a party. Can the people that you know that have the business for the teen club use it for something else? Yes, sir. Okay. That wasn't the issue. I'm not saying that was the issue. That was the question. Oh, yes.

That that was my question. But just to bring it back to the board is that the reason why the department recommended is because the violation of the alcohol or allegedly admitted that she served alcohol even though she said she didn't serve alcohol. She didn't say that. [clears throat] Right. But

Mr. Chair, there are extenduating circumstances that our county attorney did say they could be taking a consideration for this this license. the issues with the parking, the issues with the noise, and the other issues. So, there are those circumstances y'all can take into consideration. Yeah, that that portion of the building that she's rented is very small. Very small, ma'am. The parking and the parking party. No parking. It It's a lot of parking. Moved. No, I'm not I can't speak on any other business. I've I've been renting the building. I'm actually in the building every day when I'm there. So I know a car

to be honest. Maybe I didn't even know it was opened until I got calls. I've never seen no one there actually. But anyway, that's beside the point. We're getting way too Okay. Okay. Let me Can I speak to Can I speak? Can I? Yeah. Closing closing statement that we hear from Excuse me, sir. Um let me introduce myself. My name is Anthony

Kilgore. I'm um part business owner with her and the teen club was definitely our main focus. I'm um I just got I've been out of prison since 2016. The teen club was my idea. I I worked with Coach Hollis. I' I've worked with different I've sat on the re-entry board for with Daisy Jones. When I first came home, I was on on the re-entry board and this is this is my passion. The only reason we switched it up to an event center because and as a matter of fact, my brother just passed away in April. We had a we had a repass at the building. So to say that you can't have something else in it, that's that's that's a discrepancy.

We've had more than just night serving the alcohol. But I'm saying we have day we had day parties. It's a lady that just lost her son. She's doing a memorial there. It's a teen club. It's just an event space clearly. That's what we were pushing for. If the alcohol can't go through, then can we just do a event space? I mean, I understand we didn't get any violations. You were doing the event space. [clears throat]

No one gave us a No one gave us a violation. The officers did not come shut us down. Nikki just called me and told me shut it down. But I have not gotten any violations. So, I haven't been served. I haven't violated anything. I understand when she said, "Hey, this can't happen." We shut it down. Where's I [clears throat] haven't got any warnings. I haven't got any violations. I haven't gotten anything. So it's like to say that I'm already denied before I even you and we we it is a teen club. We we have program set up right now with uh Wesley car I have not I'm sorry I had not seen a car one there but anyway I mean there going by at the same time do you go there every day Mr. Chair again [clears throat]

but anyway that I I want to let him finish them bring the Okay. All right.

And we're not

Thank you for letting us talk. First of all, I'm not a lawyer, so I'm not very smart. But I know when I see things that are not right and I see something that's not right right across the road from my house when me and my husband get anxiety anxiety attacks come Friday and Saturday because we know stuff like that is going to go on across the road from my house and we get woke up at 2:15. They usually start arriv arriving at 2:09 in the morning. On Saturday morning and Sunday morning and they party the whole parking lot. I have a picture right here from October 12th. The parking lot,

it is completely packed full of cars. Completely. You couldn't get another car in there. They had cars going down Wells Road and back out because there was no place in that parking lot to park. Parked in front also parked in front of the businesses and the business across the road at they park right at the garage.

These people who own who leased this building have with the for the garage usually have one or two cars parked over here that they're working on or waiting to be worked on. These people were parked on the 12th of October, Sunday morning, right up against this building. And the owners of the business told me the cars were even parked in the grass between the highway and the building. And they saw on their camera that these parters were had the trunk of their vehicle open, drinking out of the trunks of their vehicle and throwing the trash on the garage's property. We had to we have to put up with this. We have to put up with that at 2 o'clock in the morning till 5:00 in the morning.

We were we were pleased this weekend. They were supposed to have a party on the 1st of November at 2:00 to 5, but it didn't happen. Thank God it didn't happen. They didn't have a party at for two weeks in October, the latter part of October. Thank God we got some peace and quiet. We've seen things on my property across the street that I'm know 99% came from the parters. It didn't come from my trash. We've seen one Sunday that when we first started hearing about the parties and watching them, the first Sunday they had the party from 2:00 to 5 in the morning. The next morning, a after five o'clock after we started wandering around that parking lot and across the road was full of garbage. Pure garbage. And there was liquor bottles right up against the building. That's what they're having out there. We We've lived out there in Gum Branch all my life. I'm 70 years old and we shouldn't have to put up with that kind of partying across the street from my house.

We've also got a petition and a noise ordinance from there's a noise ordinance. Let let me let if I might just let me read a few little passages here that we'll give you we'll give you this petition.

Yeah. Let me read this little piece right here. It's uh Liberty County Codes uh 26-51 anti-noise regulations. If you look at section 26-52, miscellaneous prohibitive noise talks about radios, phonographs, loud noise, ampl amplified sound with such volume particular particularly during the hours of 11 p.m. and 700 p.m. as to annoy as disturb uh the quiet comfort and repose of persons in any office, hospital or in any dwelling h hotel or other type residence or any other person in the vicinity. And it goes [clears throat] on no yelling, shouting, singing, whistling.

And it's it's it's yours. I mean, it's your it's your coach here. And it goes on to also say yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling, singing on the public streets out in the the businesses there, particularly between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7 a.m. Folks, they do not start till 2 a.m. If this was a teen club,

2 a.m. If this is supposed to be a teen club, how many teens, how many mothers would let their teen children go to a party at 2 to 5 in the morning? How many there AC across the street? I've seen the parters park across the street at the gas station. Like I said, they parked right up next to the garage and w I was told by the garage owners, they wandered right around the building like they own the place. We don't need that out in the city of Gum Branch. Okay. Well, and also at that time there's also police cars at that at that building that are being worked on. Yep.

There are are cars outside while these folks are pulling in and perking up there to party again 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Thank y'all. You got it. Did is that enough? Yes, sir. Yes. Thank you. I might tell you sleep deprivation makes you crazy. It really does. Yes, sir. Thank you. I I just have a a few questions. So, I I understand I guess uh Mr. Mosley. Oh, no. Y'all fine.

Oh, thank you. uh with the noise ordinance and also whenever you were talking about the uh she's you can rent out a facility if you own a facility. You you can that's totally legal. She don't own Well Well, what I'm saying is if she if she leases a place that's not that's not I I'm I'm trying to figure out what the issue is because we're going uh approval of the alcohol

alcohol license. She can continue to keep her teen club event center. So, she is only licensed for a teen club and it was only supposed to be from the hours of like 7 to 11 in her business plan that she gave us. It is not an event center. It is not licensed for an event center. That would have to be a totally separate license. On the storefront, it says team club.

Yes. And then also Tom, with all respect, I think I have a floor right now. Thank you. Uh, but she went through the the pro she went through the process to uh to get the alcohol license cuz she was switching it over. Correct. Correct. Yes.

And the sheriff went and normally the same protocol that we always go through and it says to be issued. So that part is checked. The issue is I've heard noise. I've heard uh what else was it? Uh parking.

Uh we've heard numerous things. But another question I have, do we have an ordinance where you know a particular bar in that particular area has to what's what's the time that they have to close? So, the time is on on Friday night, like going into Saturday morning, um they would have to shut down at 2:45 a.m. And on Saturday night, they would have to shut down at 11:45 p.m. And that's that's the county. That is section 4-22, hours of sale. Um for the consumption on premises on premise,

that is consumption on premise. We we we need 11:45 on a Saturday on premise. Where where in America do a bar close at 11:45? At 11:45 on a Saturday. Where? I'm I'm I'm just asking where.

But if that's what that's our ordinance and I I I hear that, but what I'm saying is that's something that we probably need to look into. But that that's that's down the road. What what I'm saying is now and I'm just playing devil's advocate. You all are saying that she's been serving, but who's who's saying that? Because I can tell you from ATF if you don't have a It's weird. I'm telling you, if you don't have a alcohol license, people could bring alcohol in. But if you have a alcohol license, it's illegal. Don't ask me how I know. Mr. Chairman, you ready for a motion?

Yes. So, so um share with us again the the um comments from the county attorneys. Don't take into consideration things such as parking, noise, and uh prior issues being out of whack, not being in proper order as considerations and making a decision.

And and that's That's as a uh a teen club, not as um I mean you said there the noise that's the noise generated from a teen club. The parking that's parking for a teen club or I mean you said the attorney said that we could take that into consideration. We talking it's a teen club on the record, right? That that's what it is. She is currently licensed for a teen club, but she has applied for a license for an a nightclub, like an adult nightclub. So, she's changing her license from the teen club to the adult.

She she's um applying to change the the type of business or she or she's just um requesting to sell alcohol at the business. No, she's changing the type of business to an adult nightclub with the sales of alcohol. Okay. But this this just says here on of E that alcohol license application, right? That's all we have to bring before you guys is the alcohol application. So she for for a teen club is No, not for the teen club. Like she's changing. She's shutting the teen club down and wants to open an adult nightclub, same location,

with alcohol sales and and we are here to reviewed um her applications for alcohol sales. Okay. Mhm. And all [clears throat] this other stuff came up. Um nothing I mean it's it's not in this packet anything about that. That's that's not in there. what what's in there is just the fact that she applied for alcohol license and it looks like it got a approved by law enforcement and there there's not much else in here but the other stuff is coming up um you know in addition to that. Okay.

Right. And the sheriff department only does the background check part of it. That's all they do. They don't check anything else. zoning has to do their check. They have to check the distance requirements. The sheriff only does the background. That's it. He doesn't run police reports. He doesn't go out to the site. He just has to check to make sure there's no convicted sellers to to sell alcohol there to have a a liquor license there. There's um the zoning is have to be so many feet from a church, from a school, this and that and the other. And um so does it um it does require does that fit that criteria? Yes, zoning did sign off on it.

Zon, excuse me, zoning. They could sell alcohol there based on the the zoning restrictions. Yes. Based on zoning, it's in the correct zoning to sell alcohol. Okay. And um and I don't know if the county has that. Uh Mr. Chairman, commissioners, uh Mr. Mostly I I know in in Hinesville parking um in the occupied building you you have to have let's say if it's um and I'm just going to throw this number out. Let's say if the building is um according to fire marshall for 100 people you have to have x x amount of parking spaces right

now. Is is that considered [clears throat] by zoning as well? zoning will have to once we I mean it's I guess I don't know like what her plans are if we didn't approve the alcohol if she would still proceed with the adult nightclub part of it. You know what I'm saying? Like she's got to try to get the alcohol approved first and then everything else has to fall into place. So fire marshall has to do his check. She she's right there. I I would like to think if if she get a alcohol license, she's going to proceed with the Atlanta Club unless she's going to open up a liquor store, right? It was already a liquor store before.

I I guess a liquor store would have different parking requirements as opposed to it only stayed open maybe six or nine months. Zoning already cleared the parking for the teen club. For the teen club that Yeah. Yes. So the adults club is just a different I mean it's just a different age group. It's not really already the parking lot already approved the liquor the C3 the commercial zone zoning approved everything the only thing we're here for is the liquor

my background help me help me with something okay facts are here it was for a teen club that they were licensed for and all but now they're by her own statement, she decides not to do this. Maybe it wasn't profitable, whatever reasons. Uh the other young man said that his heart was into the teen club, but everything's went from the teen club to an alcohol license and probably another type of business, which probably would justify the alcohol license if she did a different type of business license. I did. She has it. So she applied to apply for but we will not issue this without having the approval

for the liquor because we can't issue a license for an adult nightclub to serve alcohol because it's an adult nightclub with alcohol.

But where where did the passion go, you know, that you had for such a teen club, you know, um just throwing this out there, but it uh we went from one drastic measure, one one nice measure to a drastic measure, so to speak. the kids were asking us to stay open later. So, I was saying like I didn't want to really be getting into people's parents and them, you know, I I know nowadays kids start to sneak alcohol and do different things. And I just said maybe this this era is a little too much for me. When I grew up, I wasn't into all the things that these kids are into now. So, I just kind of like said, "Hey, let's just transition and just deal with adults." We keep having adults reach out to us asking us about parties. They keep asking us, "Hey, can we the The space is lovely. Can we rent it? Can we do this? Can we do a open mic? Can we do a date [clears throat] party? Can we do a baby shower? Can we do a a memorial? They're asking for multiple different things. So that's why I said, "Hey, maybe this is a way for us to increase sales if we had alcohol because I didn't want it to be under the radar." So that's why I went through the process. I did everything they the I mean, I did everything that license and inspection asked me to do. Now these complaints that I cannot those. I mean, I can now that I know that they're here, but it should not affect my liquor license. I My background has checked. I paid my fees. I paid everything. The the the sheriff's has signed off on everything. We're hear about a couple of complaints. And I'm not saying that it's not important because I don't want to disturb the the the people. But as C3 with license signing off on it, they already checked the parking lot. Fire marshal already came out and cleared everything. We I already checked all my boxes. So, I don't want the noise complaint to just knock my bill, my business out just because, you get what I'm saying? I will keep the noise down or we can sit up here and come to some type of agreement that, hey, we need to close a little earlier. But to to to try to knock my

liquor license, my background has cleared. My fingerprint has cleared. Everything I've checked every box. I've done everything I'm supposed to do. I paid my fees. I paid my fines. So, but at at some point at in this whole process with the pictures I've seen, people are parking on private property and stuff also and that's causing a problem. Bert Web, the one that leases the building. That whole plaza and that whole area is hers. She already approved. We have permission from the owner of that. All that land they're parking on is from the owner. She owns that whole entire thing. She's trying to sell it to me.

She owns it. Yes, I have. You just went through something similar a while back. We're 200 ft. I'm trying to figure out how they can even see because we're 200 ft. All right. The main issue we're having I know exactly what it is

okay. My grandparents are seven years old. They live right next door. That's not is the noise. The issue is the parking. It has gotten to the point where they have had to, if you drive by the property. So, their business right here, my grandparents place is right here. If you drive by, you'll see they have had to put postage all along the road because we have had multiple issues of people parking on private properties. That property is paid by their by their money. The property taxes paid by them is not public. We've had issues like people coming on the property and honestly the way this merges into the liquor license deal. The way we see it and many other people in our community with this scientific is that we believe that alcohol sales and consumption in this place in this very quiet mostly residential area will only cause these problems to become a further issue. And that is why the noise that is The parking has been brought up and

I do have right here. Thank you. We similar. We we were not contemplating entertaining a public hearing. [laughter] That's right. We have to really go to the public hearing, but we want to hear from everybody. So, so bringing it back as you say. So, your presentation, your question is to deny the alcohol license. Yes,

she she is good with her business license for her teen center. Yes, she is licensed for a teen center. Yeah. And your reason again for recommending disapproval alcohol license R or reasons give once again just to be clear.

Well, we didn't meet our occupancy load. We had too many people out there and then we started with the complaints. I mean, that's all we have to go on. We opened an event center because that's what she wants to call it. We open an event center without a license. All right. Um, commissioners, that's what we have to uh [clears throat] decide on. But the the request here tonight, even though we heard a lot of other stuff, is to deny the alcohol license. Now, she you have an application in hand for her to uh operate a

she has applied for an adult nightclub with alcohol. Yeah. This is the business license application. Okay. That's what we're looking at tonight. Yeah. I'm trying to make sure. Is that what we're looking at tonight? The alcohol license. Correct. Mhm. What I mean, you said once you approve the alcohol license, then we can approve the business license. Okay. But we can't issue a business license for an adult nightclub with alcohol without the alcohol license approval. And then and then it still has to go to the state right away. Has to go to the state.

Yes, we forward our license to the [clears throat] state for their approval. Right. Okay. So they take it a while. Okay. I thought you were clearing it up for me, but I'm I'm not so sure that you did. No, no fault of your own. One more time. The application that you have that's that's new that she has. That's Yes. Yes. She is already licensed for a teen nightclub. He's good to go. She can Yes, she can have her teen nightclub to operate between the hours of I'm pretty sure it was 7 to 11 Friday and Saturday. Okay. Okay. Okay. But this is something this is from one Yes. to the other with alcohol.

Uh and you saying the all the concerns that we listen to and parking is one of them. Yes. So, so, so that application you have in hand, would it would it pass the parking smell test? Is that um Mr. Rickettson would have to answer that question. That's a zoning question. I think it's so many parking spaces per square footage of a building is how it would be calculated. Sharon, I think the event center is new to me. I I I'm I'm familiar with that because I'm pre presenting one of those to Heville tomorrow and y'all have the same ordinance that they do. An event center requires 200 square feet

uh see a parking space for every 200 square feet. So I looked it up on the property record. This building I don't know if you have all the building or just a part of the building. One one of it it's like a fourth of it. The sweet a the building is 5,000 square feet. So you got about

no other tenants. No other tenants in that that shopping. So B said that we are able to use that the behind the building and all that's her property. She's already given us permission to use all of that. When I first bought my my first application for the team, it would have been the same ordinance for the team. It's only adults. So I think we're getting lost with this parking thing. The parking is still if it was 100 teams in the building, it would be 100 cars. It's 100 adults in the building 100 cars. Zoning already had approved that that parking lot for everything. So, I'm just we we approved a parking lot for a teen club. Correct.

Now, now I'm hearing it was an event center. That's what it's being used for because that's what the that's what generated the complaints. An event center, if we if we evaluated that, you'd have to have one space for every 200 square feet. That building is 5,000 square feet. So, you need about 25 parking spaces. I I haven't had a chance to look and see how many spaces are are marked spaces are there. If we had if we delayed this another couple weeks, I could probably give you a more professional evaluation, but I'm thinking on my feet right now. They're not. I understand. And we're not here for an event center. Like she did not apply for an event center. So if we go to It's only an adult nightclub. Nightclub. Would that you would have to look that up for parking.

I need to look that up. I don't have that book here. But there is a formula that tells you how much how much parking you need for an adult nightclub because she's only renting sweet A and then you know that's the only that would be that would only be a fourth of it. So I'm guessing that's about 1300 square feet. Uh the parking would be based on that and it has to be like parking with striping parking not park anywhere everywhere right with handicap. Uh

I think [clears throat] she's got those down there. Well, and I guess uh and you know, we could um after this we don't have to talk about parking, but if the owner, Miss Webb, I think what Miss Davis said,

if she gave them um permission to use whatever is there, then um even though the ordinance may say, you know, X for, you know, this for that, then they could request a variance um for parking with the letter or the approval. from the owner. I mean, what that that would be something that we would have to vote on separate, but but according to the ordinance, it's it's so many spaces per square feet or according to the type of business. And if they didn't meet that, they could come and request a variance and have uh the letter from Miss Web supporting that that it's okay to do that after hours or whatever. But again, that's that's that's different. Okay. Commissioner. [clears throat] Yes, sir.

I got question. We've had issues not like this, but when we come up, we heard it before. Somebody come up for zoning and we go through everything and we come up right on the end say it's just for zoning. All right. [clears throat] This is just for the alcohol license, right?

Yeah. And and and one other thing, I I think Miss Davis also said that these the complaints and and I think you got 911 calls or police reports that um and I don't know where they go, but um this is the first she said that she's heard of them. I mean, no no policeman that was called to go out to this location for noise. Um like the next day, you know, witness saying, "Hey, Miss Davis, we got this from your from your um business." No, no one has made her aware of any of this. I I think she said that she just heard about it tonight in in some cases, but but it's I mean it's a documented call. It's a 911 call for that location, but

yes, and she can um she's more than welcome to fill out a open record online. I'm not saying that um that it didn't happen because it did happen. I'm saying that this is the first that she's been made aware that at her place of business this kind of activity is um is taking place, right? I mean, I don't know what the deputies do when they go out there. I mean, it's in the call the call log,

right? But but I would think if um if like if I had a dog in my yard that what that was doing something when when um somebody complained that when they come they gonna kind of knock on my door and say, "Hey, look here. this is we we we responding to this call. She didn't get anything like that to saying that um that people were parked on side of the road. She didn't get anything to say that u that there was a lot of noise and that people were doing all kind of stuff at 2 or 5:00 in the morning. She hadn't been made aware of that until tonight. At least that's what she just said, right? And maybe if she wasn't on scene, um I I don't know. I mean they they show on here that they talked to somebody

be at 5:00 in the morning but uh right I mean uh think a followup by law enforcement would have um said you know we need to go to business license and find out who owns this place and go to them doing regular business hours or something. But I mean, she found this out at a at a commission meeting that the business that she's been licensed to operate is causing all this havoc throughout that community and she's just finding it out. She's unaware of any of that. At least that's what she that's what I understood her saying.

Chair chairman, I do have the parking requirement. I just looked at that while everybody was talking. Uh it's it's one space for every three persons. I think you said there were 50 occupants. It was rated for 50 occupants. think yeah their occupancy load is 50. So that would be 18 parking spaces. I I think they probably have that. So the parking is not going strikeed out but she probably could get that done. That could be required. All right. Commissioners, your district.

Yes, sir. Mr. Mr. Chairman, I'm going to uh make a motion that we deny the request for the adult for the alcohol license because of those folks that are living in and around that area and the parking across Highway 196, which is a very dangerous that is a dangerous intersection to start off with the accidents. Very dangerous intersection. And she can continue with what she's doing currently. Okay. With the teen club. Is there a second to the motion? No. Then the second. Yes, sir. I'll second it. You second. All right. I was about to say.

All right. Any further discussion? I mean, we had a lot to Well, again, Mr. Chairman, so we we the motion is to deny the license um for for the new business alcohol. Yes. That would be the alcohol. [clears throat] Okay. So, it's the new business that's wanting the alcohol license. And um and I think um it was said that they can't get the license um for the new business without approving this.

Yeah. But they can't get the license for the new business without us approving the application for the alcohol. That's that's that's questionable in my opinion that that that's So if we approve the alcohol then they could get a license to open up a club if they passed all the other steps. Yes. But but if they let's say if they want to open up a not and no one is going to open up a club and not sell without without selling alcohol. But if they did then then then they good and then they could come back later on and say hey I want to sell alcohol. Yes. Yeah, absolutely. And that's the C way before the horse, but but but they could do that,

right? They they could request to change the type of business to a nightclub. Mhm. I'm sure they and then they open up. You say, "Yeah, and then next month sometime they say, "Oh man, this is a good idea. Let's let's sell alcohol." And then they apply for alcohol. She did. That's what she did. Yeah. That's state law. That's state law. Who do we have in Atlanta making laws like that? And and again for everyone, even if she opens it up, it's not illegal to have alcohol being brought in, unless you have a liquor license.

If you have a liquor license, it's illegal for people to bring alcohol in. But if you don't have one, they can still bring alcohol in. And again, that's state law. All right. All in favor of the is that's all the discussion. Sorry. You good, sir? I've been good. All right. All in favor of the motion as presented. Let nobody show hands, please. Opposition. Two. Three.

Three. Okay. So, the motion is the motion fails. It it's basically no action because there was no neither positive nor affirmative. I mean affirmed nor negative. So basically it's a no action vote. But we can make a motion. I guess it won't make a difference, but we can still make a motion for approval. And I make a motion for approval. Somebody will second it.

Mr. Chairman, the reason that I I voted against it, I I just don't see I mean, you know, we have a packet here with um with all the tees crossed in the eyes and um and we the motion was to u not approve it, but the paperwork is is is in order, you know. So, I I'll second the motion. A motion in a second. uh to approve the alcohol application based on the application. Everything is um is where it needs to be.

All right. Any further discussion other than what I've heard. Okay. All in favor of that motion, raise your hands. All opposed, raise your hands. So, where do we go from here? Where's the edit when you need it? [laughter] Yeah. Yeah. Uh, action. All right. We Yeah. Bring it back up. Yeah. Yeah. I remember that happening once before a long time ago. I forgot what the issue was, but but um check with Kelly.

Yes, if you will. Um, where's Miss Davis? Um, as as you very well solved, it's like a tie a draw. So, right now you can't take any further action. You you have a teen center. So, you have alcohol license. I know that she said that even though it's just a teen Am I still allowed to rent the the venue out? They they did say that it is allowed. They both just said that I am allowed. Nikki told me that I cannot do anything outside of that. I have a lady that's having a memorial for her son that passed away during incarceration and she's having an event at my space. I already agreed and took her money and then I also have a 18th birthday. I have a couple events already lined up that's just being rented for the venue that has nothing to do with alcohol. Mhm.

So that's all I came up here for. That's all I came up here for was alcohol. And I understand that, you know, all this these other factors just fell into my application, which is not fair because all you guys were supposed to do was agree on the alcohol. It wasn't supposed to be the distraction. But now, Miss Davis, you're not allowed to tell us what we No, I understand. But my application, my background, I've done everything I'm supposed to. I paid my 1700. I've been spending money money. I've been losing money because I had to stop business because Nikki told me that I can't have any other events outside of the team. But am I allowed like they said I am able to have other events? I mean, you know, use my space for events, right? Or no, you can rent our building. Yeah.

But you if you're talking about teen events, not have any involved. Okay. What does it say? We have only licensed them for a teen nightclub, not an event center. That would be a totally separate license that they would have to apply for and then it would have to go through zoning and zoning would have to approve it. It would have to go through our fire department. They would have to approve it as an event center. We have only licensed it at 4:18 nightclub to operate between the hours of 8 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Nothing else.

All right, that's it. Miss Davis, until you reapply, right? And and they and they they can't. So, I tried to apply for if I apply for I'm just trying to figure out because when I went up there to just do an event center or I'm just trying to figure I was getting a liquor license confused with the nightclub. If I go back and apply for event center, do I have to wait two or three months just to get approved for the event center? How long is your process? Because event center is almost it's just we're changing the age difference. Yeah, but it's more than My process is at the counter. It would probably take about 15 minutes, but but I don't know how long the fire takes or the other process of of that, but the zoning is pretty quick.

Okay. So, it shouldn't be a long time. But can I can I background check? Once you get the application, they'll bring they'll bring it back. Uh let me let me say this to you. I'm just meeting you for the first time. uh uh and and we always applaud people who are entrepreneurs who go into business. We do and we like that. But you have to take ear to what these people are saying who live in that neighborhood. There's no way you can totally ignore that. I'm not trying to. That's why I thought we could come up with an agreement to say, "Hey, we're approving a liquor license. You guys need to close by like any other establishment." to just knock me out, waited two or three months for this and I've spent out thousands of dollars.

And Mr. Rickson is right. There is another yard away from what told me to be right. I am 200 yard away from every rest. That's why we all we go. All right, we got it. We got it. But Mr. chairman, regardless of what kind of business you had that we have ordinances that deals with what I would refer to as bad actors. Even if it's a teen center that that's legally licensed to operate. And if you had some that's kind of where I was headed, if you had some teens going there doing something against that, then there's there's ordinances. If the teens were going there

between between those hours and blasting the music, there's a noise ordinance. If the teens would go in there and and they were parking all up and down the road and and closing litter, throwing Burger King bags out. I'm not going to say alcohol, Burger King back, creating anything against the ordinance. There are ordinances and enforcement measures to take care of that. Yes. And it' be the same for a nightclub, be the same for an event center, same for for for every every kind of business. We have ordinances that um that that that govern that. We do. Oh and and and also Mr. Chair,

uh it was stated that if we deny that then they will deny the event center. Oh, is she gone? I think Oh, hey. No, she she just has to apply for it. So what? But I think she applied for No, she she's only applied for an adult nightclub with alcohol. She's already licensed for the teen center. So, in other words, she could come there tomorrow. She can come to my office tomorrow and I will give her another business license application and she'll fill it out and then she'll take it to zoning. Zoning will sign off on it. Fire will sign off on it. Listen, I'm I'm I'm just Never mind.

She has to just go through the whole process. It's fine. Thank you. Yes. Right. Can I just say one? Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. I I've been more than gracious to allow all this public. It's really above and beyond what we normally do. So So hope this group would appreciate what's happened here tonight and not thinking, you know, these people are being mean and nasty, but we have no we have we would not have generally allowed this much back into that's just totally out of our decorum for this kind of commission, you And I'm all for you trying to help out the club like the gentleman said. Trying to get I hope you appreciate that.

All right. Uh oh, we got some stuff up. Don't don't don't Okay. Uh board appointments. Uh yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, we have um appointments. Thank you. Vic and zoning. Thank you. some of our best employees in Liberty County presented tonight. We appreciate y'all. All right. Li County Development Authority. Yes, sir. We had one application. Miss Melissa Ray would like to be reappointed. Uh second. No, that's not a motion. I I know that's He motioned. I I'll make the motion. Okay.

A second. Miss Melissa Ray. We got that y'all. Commissioner Blunt. Okay. Any further discussion? All in favor, Miss Melissa Ray to be reappoint Development Authority. Please raise your hands. I can vouch for her. She has done a great job. Yes, sir. Next item we have is for the hospital board appointment. And uh we have two positions available there and we only had one apply for each position. Remember, we have to send them three names and then they

uh make the recommend uh make the vote on it. But our recommendation for the first position would be to reappoint Kimberly Ryan, hospital board. Second. Motion second. We reappoint Miss Kim Ryan. Any further discussion? All in favor? Show hands, please. We'll send that name forward. I'm sorry, y'all. Yes, he did. Mr. Chairman, the next one will be we uh recommend Miss Stephanie Ostein. Is there a motion to that effect? So move, Mr. Chair. Second.

Motion in a second. We reappoint Miss Stephanie Ostein also as a name to be submitted to hospital authority. Any further discussion? All in favor? Show hand, please. From what I'm told, she served well also. Yes, sir. Thank you. Now, always, you know, we always have to kind of get bailed out on this thing. So we two positions. We only had two names, right? Yes, sir. So we have to send one over here and one over here. Yes. Kind of do M. Y'all you good on that, sir? Okay. All right. All right. Administrative report, Mr. Chair. Three things.

He's smiling. That's a good thing. Number one, uh you have before you uh some seal bids that we receive. Uh I misrote them and it had to do with playground equipment. So, what I would love for you guys to do tonight is reject it and I can send notifications back to these individuals. And this is for the playground equipment at Jones Park. I need to sell the equipment, not just remove it. And and I wrote it up incorrectly. So, I just need to So, I need y'all to reject this. What would what they um But the bids stand, right? We're going to reject the bids. Rebid and and and redo it. And redo it. Yeah.

Well, the people that bid, would they see this? I mean, like the guy that bid $150. I'm going to I'm going to send a letter and I'mma put this in there. He at least heard it. [laughter] That's what I'm saying. I mean, so, so that's what I'm going to do. [laughter] Cuz he'll be notified. He'll be notified. But I mean, but he he kind of know what the I promise you I thought the same thing. [laughter] Okay. Oh, man. Second, right? We got a motion. I made a motion. Second reb and Commissioner Gill has me thinking. So, well, everybody get to see. So, it's fair. Everybody can go out the second time and Okay. All right. I'm better.

But you you said that the I'm better now. The the bid the bid is for for removal and and whatnot. It's actually for the purchase and removal. We I wrote it up for just the removal. Yeah. So, that was sort of error on my part. Eron. Yeah. So, so I need to put his purchase because I want him to buy it then remove it. I don't want him just to remove it. I was ready to vote on number four. [laughter] Oh, that that was getting real simple. All in favor for that. That's our man. [laughter] Hey, listen. And I wanted to be out there to see him do it.

The second thing, Mr. chair is uh something that Commissioner uh Gearot brought up and that was to assist uh the city of Hinesville for the removal of some of the debris over at the Heindaw Center. And so uh I talked with uh Mr. Ryan Arnold who's handling this project. I talked to him that day and he will submit a formal bid to um to the board to the city council in terms of getting the project moving forward and also talk to Commissioner Gear who also brought it up. So, I'd like to defer to Commissioner Gill for details on this project.

In our work session last week, we we we talked about that. Um the bids came in and um you know they they were um the cost was a little higher than than what we had allocated but we had talked that we were going to um try to do some in kind work to remove some of that from that from that cost to supplement it in a way. Um, as a matter of fact, there's a a mobile classroom over there, old double wide trailer, and uh the public works department is going to tear that down and haul it the debris to the transfer station, and we'll keep the um the tipping fee tickets separate, but but I think we talked about waving the fee for the tipping fee as part of this project. That's what we talked about last week, and we going to start that. Uh Georgia Power went by there today and verify that there's no um power connected. So my guys are going to tear it down by the end of the week, haul it off. We keep the tickets separate and I'll get them to Mr. Mosley so that we could um that'll be the part of the um the inind work that that that we'll be providing to that project. And and then we also talked about when the big demolition starts that um Clinton was going to get involved and do something similar. Put a construction trailer there and and do the same thing to wave the fees for for that. It it may not be as a whole lot of material. I know asbestous has to be handled separate, but any debris that comes from the um the constru the renovation that Clinton was going to haul that cuz he had these commercial dumpsters. That's correct. and he was going to handle that and we'll keep the tickets separate for that as well and all of that pile up into the the fee for that. I mean the total for the inind [clears throat] services that both the city and the county um provided

and if I'm not mistaken that could work in our favor sometimes Miss Hunter for um grant applications that you have some skin in the game as we call it. Um yeah well you know that that's happening now because uh the the public works department through the city we we cut the grass we we and and we we got records of how many times we cut it and the cost associate associated with that from a talking to um Mr. How would the mayor and council um we we've got that documented so that that cost is okay would go toward the grant situation. Right.

But we we going to do that uh hopefully we'll be finished with that double wide trailer by Friday. Um and and I I was reminded that we have done something like this uh previously. Um I just forgot what the project was. I understood from Mr. Brown that y'all had waved tippage fees when y'all were doing some of the cleanups in certain part of the community uh years ago.

We did district four. We did. Yeah. Okay. All right. M Mr. Chair, I I just have uh one quick thing uh for for you and the and the rest of the board. Um again, tonight's election night. You know, every now and then we it's election night and we have a board meeting that coexists. Uh in the future, is there any way possible we could look at at least for election night to not meet? Up to us. Yes, sir.

I mean, you know, I I remember last year, you know, uh we had a county commissioner. It was election day and [laughter] and he came but and even just to show respect and uh to the other municipalities, you know, there's a couple elections going on. It's at our discretion, we can do that. We just got to be aware of those pending days. Oh, you're itching, aren't you, my friend? [laughter] You have you have a presentation, sir? I have one more report. Uh Mr. Mr. Stanley, would you hold on? Yes, sir. Is your mic on?

I got I cut I cut off. I didn't want to hear you breathing. [laughter] Mr. Chair, Mr. Mosie, we need to schedule a meeting with some of our friends of Sunberry. Uh chairman is well aware of it. Me, you, Trent, Clinton. [snorts] uh about two more from uh three more from Sunberry to discuss the issue with the the flooding down there. So, we need to schedule that meeting as soon as possible. Okay. We can do it up here.

Okay. Okay, there has been kind of related we talked about earlier some an area that floods and we just need to sit around the table and talk about it rather than doing splendid fashion uh and explain to those folk how how county operates, you know, how drainage [clears throat] operates and what we have uh in motion to improve drainage. So everybody will be on the same same sheet of music, right? You know, email here, text, that's not it. Let's just sit around the table and openly discuss it and then we'll leave there knowing what direction we we're making with that. Okay. And for them to be educated on just what the c things can't do on personal property. Right.

Yes. I got everybody. All right. Mr. Chair, members of the board, um we were just sent our election results and Mr. Stanley, if you don't mind. Uh it's too late. me with technology. Oh, no. He's got me. So, Mr. Chairman, uh we did uh the voters of Liberty County did approve uh TL. Get to the good stuff. Get to the good stuff. And [applause] floss. Let me see the number. Let me see the number. Go back. Yeah. Te about 60%. Almost 61%. Yay. Mhm. And yeah,

so they they almost 7. Yeah. Should Yeah. The the mayor elections for the cities. Okay. It's the unofficial results, but they'll they'll certify everything in the morning. It's pretty close. [laughter] They'll they'll certify it in the morning. Back to the mayor elections, please, sir. Uh mayor elections, please. Mr. Stanley, I believe in the great city of Midway that our new mayor is. Well, Flemington showing up first. Mayor B, Mayor Le Ber, congratulations to him, man.

See, for city council, what they did they do the top how many vote getters? That's what they do. Four. Okay. Boy, that Midway. So, so Midway got look like a runoff. He didn't get re-elected. So, so, so what's your what's your charter say? No, it's No, it's the top four vote getters. Okay. Yes. Okay. Okay. So, the same applies to Flemington. Do we know? Does it? Oh, there. Hey. Oh, that's right. [laughter] How about the mayor? So, they're all council people. They're all the midway. Will they will they have a top? That's what she said. I'm sorry. Top four vote getters.

What about the mayor's race at Midway? run off, man. Clint think, man, we can read real quick. I know. That's you. That's you scrolling, isn't it? Yeah. [laughter] Look how Look how close they all are. Everybody's got 30 something%. Keep talking. Keep going. I know. There's a lot of names on Midway. Midway will have a a runoff for the mayor. Boy, almost neck and neck. That was close. I'm trying to Wait, they had a lot. That's good. And so the city council midway the top top four. Okay. I wish they would put him in like Clementine.

Help me out, Leah. Who's Donovan? Okay. Uhhuh. Janet Jones and Rhonda Thomas. Okay. Okay. Ah. Oh. All right. Okay. They all won all got 10.23 10.1 All right. Every vote counts. Mr. Chair one, [clears throat]

Mr. Sir. Yes, sir. To Miss Leah. Yes, sir. and the team. Thank you all for your hard work. Mr. Cameron was out helping us out today today. Last night. Yeah. And today. Yeah. So, as y'all get ready to journ, Mr. Chairman, uh we have some members. We have some folk who have been involved in the election and uh they would like to have a little eating uh and celebrate with us tonight. So, um, if if you may, and I I apologize. Um, let let the record show that we had in our presence tonight the mayor of the fine city of Gum Branch, Miss Tina E.,

you sat through a whole meeting. Brother Hart, [laughter] thank you. Mayor Proton, [applause] city clerk from the city of Midway. Yeah. [applause] All right, good to have you. All right, let's all put for the good of order. That's it. A motion that we can move and celebrate. So move. Second. Second. All in favor. All right.