LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MINUTES WORK SESSION Tuesday, May 27, 2025 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairman Bill Slaughter Commissioner Scott Orenstein Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker Commissioner Demarcus Marshall Commissioner Michael Smith Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans was not present. Chairman Slaughter called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. MINUTES The minutes were presented for the work session of April 21, 2025 and the regular session of April 22, 2025. No revisions to the minutes were requested. APPOINTMENTS Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority County Manager, Paige Dukes presented the appointment. Mrs. Dukes stated Jeff Sikes' term expires May 21, 2025 and he has expressed a desire to be reappointed. Mr. Ben Hogan would also like to be considered for this appointment. Chairman Slaughter stated Mr. Sikes does a fantastic job for reappointment. Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging County Manager, Paige Dukes presented the appointment. Mrs. Dukes stated the term of Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans expires June 30, 2025 and she's expressed a desire to continue to serve. South Georgia Community Service Board County Manager, Paige Dukes presented the appointment. Mrs. Dukes stated that due to Chairman Slaughter being appointed to the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, he can no longer serve. Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans has expressed a desire to serve on this board. Chairman Slaughter mentioned this position is specifically for elected officials and Vice Chairperson Evans is very qualified. FOR CONSIDERATION 2025 Local Road Assistance (LRA) Administration Funds Application Director of Engineering Services, Chad McLeod, presented the item. Mr. McLeod stated the Georgia Department of Transportation announced that the Governor and the Legislature included the Local Road Assistance (LRA) in the amended fiscal year 2025 budget. The LRA funds will be distributed using the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application System and will require no matching funds. The fiscal year 2025 LRA amount for Lowndes County is $1,677,028.92. If approved, the funds will be used for the resurfacing of Newsome Road, Radar Site Road, Coffee Road, Hemby Lane and Webb Road North. Commissioner Wisenbaker asked if this is a complete resurfacing of the entire road on Newsome Road. Mr. McLeod responded he would verify. Commissioner Marshall asked if bike lanes would be included in this project. Mr. McLeod responded this covers only resurfacing, not sidewalks or bike lanes. Updated Debris Removal Contract Pricing with Ashbritt EMA Director, Ashley Tye presented the item. Mr. Tye stated that last June, Lowndes County entered into an agreement with Ashbritt Environmental as the County's primary disaster-related debris removal contractor. As part of their contract renewal, vendors are allowed to request updated pricing based on the Consumer Pricing Index. Ashbritt has submitted a request with a 1.9% increase over the original contract. Commissioner Wisenbaker asked if any work was currently going on with Ashbritt, related to Hurricane Helene. Mr. Tye responded no sir, all debris removal has been completed. Chairman Slaughter mentioned when Lowndes County approved Ashbritt initially, there were two additional vendors in the past; Mr. Tye stated the other vendors have not asked for an increase. Chairman Slaughter stated based on the other bids, from a primary contractor's standpoint, does the 1.9% increase change Ashbritt's position. Mr. Tye responded he would verify the numbers. Commissioner Smith asked when will the contract be in place and active, Mr. Tye answered June 25, 2025. Commissioner Orenstein stated he does not believe people understand what 1.9% would be as it relates to dollar amounts. Mr. Tye answered that if this 1.9% increase had been in effect with Hurricane Idalia it would equate to approximately $125,000.00; if it had been in effect with Hurricane Helene, it would equate to approximately $500,000.00. BID Bid for Mini Excavator for Public Works Purchasing Agent, Amy Woods, presented the item. Mrs. Woods stated Lowndes County has solicited bids for a new mini excavator for the Public Works Department. Mrs. Woods stated one bid was received from Yancey Bros. in the amount of $171,453.00. Mrs. Woods mentioned this equipment is being used to clean easements that are too small to reach with a larger excavator. Mrs. Dukes asked Public Works Director, Robin Cumbus to give the commission a response regarding this purchase. Mrs. Cumbus stated that after Hurricane Helene, this type of excavator was leased from Yancey and it helped greatly with removing tree debris in easements that larger excavators could not access. Mrs. Cumbus also mentioned it has attachments which could be used for multipurpose uses. Mrs. Cumbus asked Fleet Maintenance Supervisor, Troy Terry, to speak on the size of the excavator, Mr. Terry responded that this size is close to a mid-size excavator. REPORTS - County Manager County Manager, Paige Dukes asked Public Information Officer, Meghan Barwick and Historic Courthouse Facility & Marketing Coordinator, Jessica Ganas to come up and speak regarding Lowndes County's designation as a stop on the 2025 Blue Star Museum event. Mrs. Barwick stated that the Blue Star Museum is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and museums across America, offering free admission to the nation's active-duty military personnel and their families. The Lowndes County Historic Courthouse along with the Turner Center for the Arts and the Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum have been added to this program. This program runs now through Labor Day weekend. Mrs. Dukes asked Mrs. Ganas to update the commission regarding the Fall Ramble. Mrs. Ganas stated the Fall Ramble will be held October 10-12, 2025; the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation will bring their statewide historic tour, which is called the Ramble, which has not happened here since 1989. Mrs. Ganas stated five hundred members of the Georgia Trust will be here in our area to tour forty historic locations. Commissioner Wisenbaker asked if there is a date set for the bicentennial celebration, Mrs. Ganas answered December 23, 2025. Mrs. Dukes responded a schedule of events will be sent out soon County Manager, Paige Dukes, requested an executive session for attorney-client privilege regarding the proposed disposition of real estate. At 8:46 a.m. Commissioner Marshall made a motion to enter into executive session for the purpose of proposed disposition of real estate, second by Commissioner Orenstein. All voted in favor, no one opposed. Motion carried. 2 ADJOURNMENT At 8:58 a.m. Chairman Slaughter reconvened the work session with no additional information being discussed. Commissioner Marshall made a motion to adjourn the work session meeting, second by Commissioner Orenstein. Chairman Slaughter adjourned the meeting. 3 LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MINUTES REGULAR SESSION Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - 5:30 PM COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairman Bill Slaughter Commissioner Scott Orenstein Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker Commissioner Demarcus Marshall Commissioner Michael Smith Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans was not present. Chairman Bill Slaughter called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. INVOCATION Commissioner Orenstein PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG Commissioner Orenstein MINUTES The minutes were presented for the work session of April 21, 2025 and the regular session of April 22, 2025. No revisions to the minutes were requested. Commissioner Orenstein made a motion to approve the minutes as presented, second by Commissioner Marshall. All voted in favor, no one opposed. Motion carried. APPOINTMENTS Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority County Manager, Paige Dukes, presented the appointment. Mrs. Dukes stated Jeff Sikes' term expires May 21, 2025 and he has expressed a desire to be reappointed. Mr. Ben Hogan would also like to be considered for this appointment. Commissioner Wisenbaker nominated Mr. Jeff Sikes for reappointment. There being no other nominations, Mr. Jeff Sikes was reappointed by acclamation. Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging County Manager, Paige Dukes, presented the appointment. Mrs. Dukes stated the term of Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans expires June 30, 2025 and she's expressed a desire to continue to serve. Commissioner Marshall nominated Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans for reappointment. There being no other nominations, Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans was reappointed by acclamation. South Georgia Community Service Board County Manager, Paige Dukes, presented the appointment. Mrs. Dukes stated that due to Chairman Slaughter being appointed to the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, he can no longer serve on this board. Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans has expressed a desire to serve. Commissioner Wisenbaker nominated Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans for appointment. There being no other nominations, Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans was appointed by acclamation. FOR CONSIDERATION 2025 Local Road Assistance (LRA) Administration Funds Application Director of Engineering Services, Chad McLeod, presented the item. Mr. McLeod stated the Georgia Department of Transportation announced that the Governor included the Local Road Assistance (LRA) in the amended fiscal year 2025 budget. The LRA funds will be distributed using the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application System and will require no matching funds. The fiscal year 2025 LRA amount for Lowndes County is $1,677,028.92. If approved, the funds will be used for the resurfacing of Newsome Road, Radar Site Road, Coffee Road, Hemby Lane and Webb Road North. Mr. McLeod stated to answer a question from the work session, three roads will be paved the entire length, which are Newsome Road, Radar Site Road and Hemby Lane. Commissioner Marshall asked a projected start date, Mr. McLeod answered that if this application is approved, it will go out for bid in August. Commissioner Wisenbaker made a motion to approve the item as presented, second by Commissioner Smith. All voted in favor, no one opposed. Motion carried. Updated Debris Removal Contract Pricing with Ashbritt EMA Director, Ashley Tye presented the item. Mr. Tye stated that last June, Lowndes County entered into an agreement with Ashbritt Environmental as the County's primary disaster-related debris removal contractor. As part of their contract renewal, vendors are allowed to request updated pricing based on the Consumer Pricing Index. Ashbritt has submitted a request with a 1.9% increase over the original contract. Additionally, Mr. Tye stated, as discussed at the work session meeting this morning, with the increase, it would not change the scoring and/or ranking of the other vendors. Commissioner Wisenbaker made a motion to approve Ashbritt Environmental for an additional one-year term, to include the updated pricing schedule, second by Commissioner Smith. All voted in favor, no one opposed. Motion carried. BID Bid for Mini Excavator for Public Works Finance Director, Stephanie Black, presented the item. Ms. Black stated Lowndes County has solicited bids for a new mini excavator for the Public Works Department. Ms. Black mentioned this equipment is being used to clean easements that are too small to reach with al larger excavator. Ms. Black stated in the range of excavators, this is mid-size. Ms. Black stated one bid was received from Yancey Bros. in the amount of $171,453.00. Commissioner Marshall made a motion to approve Yancey Bros. in the amount of $171,453.00, second by Commissioner Orenstein. All voted in favor, no one opposed. Motion carried. REPORTS - County Manager County Manager, Paige Dukes mentioned the items below: Mrs. Dukes stated work on Val Del Road began today and Public Information Officer, Meghan Barwick will update facebook posts with current information. There is a meeting scheduled this week with the city managers regarding the planning for SPLOST IX. A FEMA recovery workshop at the staff level will be held on May 28th at the EOC from 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. June 4th will be the next policy meeting with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) being held at the Southern Georgia Regional Commission office. On. June 8th, the plans should be ready for the Lowndes County Civic Center roof with a few upgrades. On June 11th, there will be a NIMS training held at the Lowndes County EOC for our elected officials. Bicentennial events will be posted soon. Commissioner Orenstein asked for an update on the Lowndes County Animal Shelter, Mr. McLeod stated that the RFP is ninety percent complete and will hopefully be ready to advertise by the end of next week. 2 Commissioner Marshall asked regarding social media updates regarding the Val Del Road Improvements, Mrs. Dukes responded that Mrs. Barwick will be updating social media with the most current information. CITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD - There were no citizens wishing to be heard. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Marshall made a motion to adjourn the regular session meeting. Chairman Slaughter adjourned the meeting at 5:43 p.m. 3