LAURENS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 6, 2011 @ 4:00 P.M.
The Laurens County Board of Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 4:00 P.M. Present were Chairman Buddy Adams and Commissioners Emory Lake, Roscoe Brower, Tommy Daniel, County Attorney Billy Kight and County Administrator Bryan Rogers. Commissioner Mullis was absent from this meeting because of the illness of his wife. Commissioner Emory Lake gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The first item was the approval of the minutes of the November 1, 2011 regular meeting. Commissioner Tommy Daniel made a motion to approve the minutes for the regular meeting. Commissioner Emory Lake seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
The next item was Pay Off Tan Note. County Administrator Bryan Rogers stated this is the TAN note that the Commissioners authorized borrowing this past August. Mr. Rogers stated that all debts have to be paid off as of 12/31/11 and the principal is $1.75 million dollars. Mr. Rogers stated the Commissioners just need to make the motion to pay off the note. Commissioner Emory Lake made a motion to pay off the TAN note. Commissioner Roscoe Brower seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
Next was to pay off the Industrial Note. Mr. Rogers stated this is the note on the old Rockwell Building and the property with it that the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) will be paying off. Mr. Rogers stated before the SPLOST Tax was done, this was set up on a one year note in the amount of $5,310,000 and this needs to be paid off and it will be paid back with the SPLOST. Commissioner Roscoe Brower made a motion to pay off the Industrial Note in the amount of $5,310,000. Chairman Buddy Adams seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
The next item was Authorization for New SPLOST Account. County Administrator Bryan Rogers stated the new SPLOST was passed in March, 2011, but the money won’t officially start coming in until July, 2012. Mr. Rogers stated he would like to go ahead and open up an account for this SPLOST money because of the industrial note and other things and get it booked. Commissioner Emory Lake made a motion to go ahead and authorize that a new bank account be opened up for the new SPLOST money which will be available July 2012. Commissioner Tommy Daniel seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
Next was the Authorization for a Sanitation User Fee Enterprise Fund Account. Chairman Buddy Adams stated he wanted to clarify that there will be no property tax money used in this account; it will be strictly user fees and insurance premium tax user monies utilized to operate the collection centers. Mr. Rogers stated that was correct and there will be no property tax money used, the county’s portion of the insurance premium tax will be used to fill any gaps and insurance premium tax money by law has to be used in the un-incorporated portions of the county. Mr. Rogers stated this account needs to be open so that when the first draw of the user fee money comes in, the money will be placed into this special account. Commissioner Emory Lake made a motion to authorize to open a bank account for the User Fee money and to authorize the creation of the enterprise fund that will operate it. Commissioner Roscoe Brower seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
The next item was 2012 Beer and Wine License Approval. County Administrator Bryan Rogers stated all the current 2011 Beer and Wine License holders have been approved by the Sheriff’s Department as worthy of renewal. Mr. Rogers stated as of July 2011, the state passed a law that requires the license holders meet the criteria of the SAVE program in which they have to provide proof that they are not illegal aliens by bringing a copy of a green card, birth certificate or drivers license. Commissioner Roscoe Brower made a motion to approve the 2012 Beer and Wine license pending their submission of the SAVE documents.
Next was Library Appointments. Chairman Buddy Adams stated Kathy Malone and Francis Lewis appointments are up and they both have stated they would like to be reappointed to serve another term on the Library Board. Commissioner Emory Lake made a motion to reappoint Kathy Malone and Francis Lewis to serve another term on the Library Board. Chairman Buddy Adams seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
The next item was the Health Department Board Appointment. Chairman Adams stated Dr. Carruth’s term is expired and the Health Department Board has asked that Dr. Carruth be reappointed. Commissioner Emory Lake stated he serves on that board also and Dr. Carruth does a great job. Commissioner Lake stated he would like to make a motion to reappoint Dr. Carruth to serve another term on the Health Board. Commissioner Tommy Daniel seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
Next was the Tax Assessor Board Appointment. Chairman Adams stated Mr. J.M. Warren’s appointment on the Tax Assessor Board has expired and he would like to serve another term. Chairman Adams stated Mr. Warren does a great job serving on this board and he would like to make a motion to reappoint him to serve another term. Commissioner Roscoe Brower seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
The next item was the Recreation Board Appointment. Commissioner Emory Lake stated Mr. Woodrow Williams and Ms. Cynthia Green appointments have expired. Commissioner Lake stated he and Commissioner Daniel serve on this board and to date; the board has not had time to speak with Mr. Williams or Ms. Green, so he would like to table these appointments.
The next item was the Joint Resolution Opposing Federal Courthouse Closure. Chairman Adams stated the City of Dublin has already approved and signed the resolution. County Administrator Bryan Rogers stated he will be sending each of the Federal representatives a copy of the resolution. Chairman Buddy Adams suggested someone form a committee and start getting signatures and also encourage all the citizens to take a part in trying to save the Federal Courthouse. Commissioner Emory Lake suggested putting something in the newspaper with phone numbers to the federal representatives and to encourage the public to call and voice their opinion on this issue. (Exhibit “A”)
Next was to discuss the purchase of a Fire Truck. County Administrator Bryan Rogers stated the county has been fortunate in getting the ISO ratings lowered and upgrading equipment plays a big part in this. Mr. Rogers stated the most economical way to do this is to find used fire trucks instead of purchasing brand new fire trucks which can run close to $200,000. Mr. Rogers stated he was informed of a 1990 fire truck with less than 25,000 miles on it at a price of $30,000. Mr. Rogers stated he arranged to have the fire truck brought here and the public works mechanics have check it out thoroughly and cannot find anything wrong with it. Mr. Rogers also stated the engine has very few hours on it and it is completely equipped with the latest equipment. Mr. Rogers stated he has spoken with Rural Fire Director Don Bryant and his thoughts were that this was a great deal. Mr. Rogers stated this will be purchased from funds in the SPLOST account. Commissioner Roscoe Brower made a motion to purchase the fire truck for $30,000 and pay for it with SPLOST funds. Commissioner Tommy Daniel seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
The next item was the Budget Amendment Resolution. County Administrator Bryan Rogers stated when the budget was done in July; the Commissioners discussed just putting the user fee money in a separate account in the general fund. Mr. Rogers stated basically the Commissioners need to establish an Enterprise Fund to account for sanitation services that were originally included in the General Fund. Mr. Rogers stated the amendment will decrease the General Fund budget and establish an Enterprise Fund budget by moving the revenues and expenditures for sanitation services to the Enterprise Fund. Commissioner Emory Lake made a motion to amend the resolution. Commissioner Roscoe Brower seconded the motion. All voted in favor. (Exhibit “B”)
RECOGNITION OF CITIZENS:
Mr. Foster Goff stated the sound system in the board room was much better and clearer. Mr. Goff also ask about how the public is informed about called meetings. Mr. Rogers stated the newspaper has to be given a 24 hour notice prior to the meeting. Mr. Rogers stated if there is an emergency called meeting, you can give less notice than that but the reason for the emergency called meeting must be included in the minutes.
Mr. Richard Whitworth ask what will happen if the user fee money is not enough to cover the garbage fee. Mr. Rogers stated it won’t be enough this year so the difference will be paid with the Insurance Premium Tax, which has to be used for services provided in the unincorporated areas only and will be used to cover any losses.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Commissioner Emory Lake stated he would like to get the approval of the board to authorize Mr. Rogers to look into the vehicle the coroner uses to pick up bodies. Commissioner Lake stated the coroner said the vehicle he is currently using is not sufficient for transporting and he would like Mr. Rogers to get with the coroner and get quotes for replacing the vehicle after further discussion with the Coroner.
County Attorney Billy Kight stated courthouse security has some x-ray equipment that was given to them by another law enforcement agency and this equipment has now been replaced by new equipment from a grant. Mr. Kight stated he would like the board to consider declaring the old equipment surplus so that it can be given to another law enforcement agency that needs it. Commissioner Tommy Daniel made a motion to surplus the used x-ray equipment. Commissioner Emory Lake seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
County Administrator Bryan Rogers stated the collection center holiday schedule will be to close at noon on Christmas Eve, closed Sunday, Christmas Day and will open Monday and Tuesday and then be closed Sunday, New Years Day. Mr. Rogers also stated beginning January 1, 2012, the sanitation permit will start being utilized. Mr. Rogers stated there will be signs going up at every center stating the beginning date to start using the permits. Mr. Rogers also stated there has been a lot of talk lately about the Hospital Authority money. Mr. Rogers asked Payton Towns from the Courier Herald to make sure he printed that the $7.2 million dollars is still in the Georgia Long term Investment Pool Account.
Mr. Rogers also asked the board if possible, to go ahead and appoint a chairman and vice-chairman for the coming year, that way, the new chairman could take the gavel at the first meeting of the New Year which will be January 3, 2012.
Commissioner Emory Lake made a motion to appoint Commissioner Roscoe Brower as the new Chairman for the year 2012. Commissioner Tommy Daniel seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
Commissioner Buddy Adams made a motion to appoint Commissioner Emory Lake as Vice-Chairman for the year 2012. Commissioner Tommy Daniel seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
