BALDWIN COUNTY REGULAR MEETING August 06, 2024 1601 N Columbia St, Suite 220 6:00 PM  MINUTES  MEMBERS PRESENT John Westmoreland Kendrick Butts Henry Craig Emily Davis Sammy Hall OTHERS PRESENT Brandon Palmer Carlos Tobar Dawn Hudson Cindy Cunningham CALL TOORDER NVOCATION  Chairman John' Westmoreland called the August 6, 2024 Regular Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.  County Manager Carlos Tobar delivered the Invocation. Commissioner Henry Craig led the Pledge of Allegiance.  PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PRESENTATIONS  Mr. James Lunsford and Mr. Clarence Hall addressed the Board and expressed appreciation tot the County for allowing the youth group, We Care, to use the gym at the Recreation Department for ai free basketball camp. Mr. Lunsford stated approximately 601 kids participated in the program. Mr. Lunsford and Mr. Hall again thanked the County for making this possible. Commissioner Henry Craig made ar motion to approve the minutes of the July 16, 2024 Public Hearing, the. July 16, 2024 Regular Meeting, the. July 16, Executive Session and the July 29, 2024 Called Meeting as presented. Commissioner Emily Davis seconded the motion and it  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  passed unanimously. AMENDMENT TO AGENDA  Commissioner Sammy Hall made ar motion to amend the Agenda to allow the Coroner to address the Board. Commissioner Emily Davis seconded the motion and it passed Coroner John Gonzalez addressed Commissioners requesting authorization to hire one additional part-time deputy coroner. He stated the reason another deputy coroner is needed is duei to thet fact that all deputy coroners have fulltime jobs, and he would like to add someone thati is retired to be on call. Mr. Gonzalez reported there willl be no additional cost to County  unanimously.  except for training, dues, and per call payment.    Commissioner Henry Craig expressed concern about the possible legislation that would set Commissioner Emily Davis made a motion to approve hiring an additional part time deputy Commissioner Henry Craig stated ifs such legislation is approved, there willl be additional costs to the County for salaries and benefits. Commissioner Hall suggested approval of the part time deputy coroner through December 31, 2024 at which time the matter would be re-evaluated in Commissioner Emily Davis amended her motion to state authorization for the hiring of a part time deputy coroner through December 31, 2024 and revisit the approval of the position every 30 days thereafter pending possible legislation related to Coroners. Vice Chairman Kendrick  minimum salaries for coroners as well as provide them with benefits. coroner. Vice Chairman Kendrick Butts seconded the motion.  order to determine impact, ifany, of possible legislation.  Butts seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. ADMINSTRATVEFSCAL MATTERS Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG)  County Manager Carlos Tobar reported the bid opening for the LMIG road paving project was held. July 15lh, and four bids were received. He presented al bid tabulation of proposals received. Mr. Tobar stated iti is the recommendation of staff to award the bid to low! bidder, Commissioner Sammy Hall stated since the company has never been used by the County previously and is not currently GDOT certified has the County checked all qualifications and references. County Manager Carlos Tobar responded GDOT certification is not a requirement ini thel bid specifications, and County staff did check qualifications, and the company has applied for GDOT certification. County Attorney Brandon Palmer stated the County went through the public bid process as required. Commissioner Sammy Hall recommended that Vice Chairman Kendrick Butts made a motion to award the LMIG bid to Surface Masters in the amount of $3,658,185.85 as presented. Commissioner Henry Craig seconded the motion and County Manager Carlos Tobar reported the Sheriff's Office has been awarded a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grant Award int the amount of $24,598.96. He stated the grant will be used to purchase four dive suits, four full face masks, four communication systems, one Fire Chief Victor Young stated the Sheriff's Office and Fire Department are working together to move forward with the dive team, and the grant award will allow the purchase of necessary gear to perform essential duties in cold water conditions as well as be able to communicate Commissioner Henry Craig made a motion to accept the grant award as presented. Commissioner Emily Davis seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Revisions to Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy for Transit Program  Surface Masters in the amount of $3,658,185.85.  future bid documents include the requirement to be GDOT certified  itpassed unanimously.  Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grant Award  surface station and accessories for the department.  with surface support while performing underwater operations.  County Manager Carlos Tobar stated in order for the County to participate in the 5311 Transit Program, the County must adopt the federal Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy for Transit Program employees even though the County has its own Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy. He discussed changes to the drug and alcohol policy as required by the federal transit authority which included orali fluid specimen, conditions considered as test refusals, and pre- Commissioner Henry Craig made ar motion to approve the revisions to the Transit Program Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy as presented. Vice Chairman Kendrick Butts seconded the  employment testing.  motion and it passed unanimously.    Surplus Property 136 Felton Drive  County Manager Tobar and County Attorney Palmer reported on County surplus property located at 136 Felton Drive. Mr. Tobar stated nothing can be built on the lot, and the Health Department Environmental office has said it will not perk. He recommended the property be declared surplus property and sealed bids be solicited or a public action be held to sell the County Attorney Brandon Palmer stated that State policy regulates this matter when you can't Commissioner Henry Craig made ar motion to declare the property at 136 Felton Drive as surplus property and to solicit sealed bids for the proper. Commissioner Emily Davis seconded  property.  make independent use of the property. the motion and it passed unanimously.  OLD BUSINESS  Commissioner Henry Craig reported Commissioners held a Strategic Planning meeting and the Sheriff's crime center was the top priority as a result of the meeting. He stated he would  like to ensure thisi is included in upcoming budget discussions. There was no New Business to come before the Board.  NEW BUSINESS  COUNTY MANAGER'S REPORT  County Manager Carlos Tobar presented highlights of his report on County projects to include thei following: some of the new signs have beeni installed at the Courthouse and the County is waiting on delivery of the last set of signs; HUD has approved the environmental document for the Memorial Library, and the County is waiting on release of funds; installation of new sound system in the Commission Chambers will be complete by the September 3rd meeting; staff registered for mandatory webinar on galvanized waterline replacement project; permit received and work has resumed on Log Cabin waterline replacement project; documents have been submitted tol DNR on the Fishing Creek Trail project and engineer has begun work on bid documents; waiting to receive contract from Federal Highway Administration on Oconee Heights Streetscape Project; bid documents are approximately 75% complete for the Crime Center; bids will be opened on August 14th for the pump ati the Golf Course; evaluation continuing on construction of pickleball courts; waiting on Georgia Soil and Water Authority permits on Harrisburg Park improvements; a scrap tire amnesty day will be held September 28th from 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Road Department, 311 Lindal Drive; public meeting to be held with homeowners on Rocky Creek Court after we get engineering report and  recommendations to look at options for this situation. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS Thei following citizens addressed the Board:  Tina Behne - 160 Pinel Drive NE, stated the end of Pine Drive has become a dumping ground. She took pics and sent to County' Manager. She requested signage tol be placed there to deter Ed Powelski, 121 Tara Place, again discussed the water problem at 130 Tara Place. He stated hel has heard nothing from County Engineer Wood. He presented a petition of residents in his neighborhood. He stated there are 57 homes there, and 37 additional homes are being proposed int the area. The residents do not want egress through Plantation Chase Bobby Chester, 125 Muscadine Trail, speakingi in support of Ed Powelski. He also does not want al lot more traffic in his neighborhood. Neighbors want another road to access those 37 Karley Lance, 131 Scarlett Way, Vice President of Plantation Chase Home Owners Association. The main concern is more traffic. She stated the HOA is asking that more options be looked at instead of putting access through private neighborhood. She also stated she had been told that striping of roads in their neighbornood was at the top of the list. Now they are being told iti is not necessary for roads to be striped since there are only  illegal dumping.  homes.  certain number of houses.    William Mosley, 3694 Sussex Drive, expressed concern regarding property reassessments. He provided information on 2023 property sales and assessments. He stated neighborhoods not on the lake have much higher percentages of assessed value than actual sales price of property; where lake property is assessed at a much lower percentage of sales price; If proposed legislation is approved next year, there will be a cap at 3% which will have a large  impact on tax collections. EXECUTIVE SESSION unanimously.  Vice Chairman Kendrick Butts made a motion to adjourn into Executive Session at 7:05 p.m. to discuss property acquisition. Commissioner Emily Davis seconded the motion and it passed  RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING  Commissioner Henry Craig made ar motion to reconvene the Regular Meeting at 7:40 p.m. Commissioner Emily Davis seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  ADJOURNMENT  Commissioner Henry Craig made a motion to adjourn the Regular Meeting at 7:40 p.m. Vice  Chairman Kendrick Butts seconded the motion andi it passed unanimously.  Respectfully: submitted,  Chairman  AMRAL  K. Cunningham  County Clerk  g