1/18/2022 BOC Regular Session Minutes
GORDON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 18, 2022
The Gordon County Board of Commissioners held their Regular Meeting on January 18, 2022 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Administration Building.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Becky Hood, Chairman
Chad Steward, Vice Chairman
M. L. Bud Owens, Commissioner
Kevin Cunningham, Commissioner
Bruce Potts, Commissioner
OTHERS PRESENT
Jim Ledbetter, Administrator
Annette Berry, County Clerk
Media
Approximately 18 Guests
Chairman Hood called the meeting to order.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chairman Hood asked if there are any additions, omissions, or deletions to the Minutes for the Work Session and Regular Meeting of January 4, 2022. Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to approve the Minutes. Commissioner Steward seconded the motion and Commissioners Owens, Potts, Cunningham, and Steward voted aye. Motion passed.
ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Administrator Ledbetter read the report (copy attached).
COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT
Commissioner Owens reported that he attended a GDOT meeting, a Leadership Retreat where four county employees were in the Leadership program, Wendy Saylors, Ben Worley, Rusty Hogan, and Ashley Bailey.
Commissioner Potts reported on his Committee departments’ work and projects that they have been working on consisting of the Public Works Department, Fleet Management Department and the Buildings and Grounds Department. Also, reported that he attended the GDOT meeting at the Chamber, City of Refuge meeting, Airport Authority meeting, also attended a meeting regarding the homeless in Gordon County, the Department of Health Board meeting, and visited with the County Clerk and the Code Enforcement, attended the Airport Authority Board Meeting.
Chairman Hood thanked the Emergency Management Director, Courtney Taylor, for keeping everyone up dated on the recent weather incident and a possible upcoming one.
Commissioner Owens made a motion to open the Public Hearing for Zoning. Commissioner Potts seconded the motion and all voted aye.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR ZONING
A. Appl. #Z21-28 OWR, LLC’s Request to Rezone from A-1 to I-2 Heavy Industrial
Administrator Ledbetter read Application #Z21-28 OWR, LLC’s request to rezone from A-1 to I-2 heavy industrial. This property is the last of the Moore Farm property on South 41 and is for a manufacturing investment. This comes to the Board of Commissioners from the Planning Commission with their recommendations for approval. No one signed to speak for or against the rezoning.
Mr. Terry Brumlow, representing the applicant, came before the Board to request that this application be tabled until the February 15, 2022 meeting.
Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to table application #Z21-28 to the February 15, 2022 Board of Commissioners’ meeting. Commissioner Owens seconded the motion and Commissioner Cunningham, Owens, Steward, and Potts voted aye. Motion passed.
B. Appl. #Z21-42 Industrial VI Enterprises, LLC’s Request to Rezone from A-1 to I-1 Light Industrial
Administrator Ledbetter read Application #Z21-42 Industrial VI Enterprises’ request to rezone from A-1 to I-1 light industrial. This is at 5313 Fairmount Highway and is for 94 acres to build a little over one million square feet of warehousing. They will have to use old Highway 53 for access. This comes to the Board of Commissioners from the Planning Commission with no recommendations for the rezoning request. No one signed up to speak for or against the rezoning.
Mr. Valentine, representing the applicant, came before the Board to explain the rezoning application. The address is 5313 Fairmount Highway, but we are only purchasing all the portion of land south of the power line easement. We are planning to build a Class A industrial facility. As part of the investment, we will be extending sewer down Fairmount Highway a little more than ½ mile. Our property will be located in the County. We did a traffic study that wasn’t required, we show about 20 trucks total in the morning rush hour and close to 40 trucks total in and out in the evening rush hour. We have two driveways proposed on Highway 53 to serve the site.
Administrator Ledbetter advised that Highway 53, at that location right now, is still a State highway. DOT had declared that jurisdiction has transferred to Gordon County but the County Attorney pointed out to DOT that they had not paved Highway 53 completely, as was required by the contract, so in about 2023 they will do that paving. So it is still a State highway right now.
Mr. Valentine stated that they would abide by all Georgia DOT requirements or the County’s requirements. Also mentioned that they are looking to pursue another project the south side of Union Grove and looking to realign and improve that intersection. They have been in conversations with DOT at length to find a solution there. As far as the number of vehicles in and out, 110 total in the morning in and out, and fewer than that in the evening.
Administrator Ledbetter stated that this came up in December for hearing by the Board, but it was continued at that meeting due to someone being ill. In that December meeting the Board called out and had a sign-up sheet. But nobody was signed up to speak and then it was continued at that time. It has been advertised.
Commissioner Potts made a motion to approve application #Z21-42. Commissioner Owens seconded the motion and Commissioners Potts, Owens, Steward, and Cunningham voted aye. Motion passed.
C. Appl. #Z21-35 Ralph E. Beauchamp’s Request to Rezone from R-1 to A-1
Administrator Ledbetter read Application #Z21-35 Ralph E. Beauchamp’s request to rezone from R-1 to A-1. This is just over one acre of land and the applicant wishes to add this to another several acres in order to have cattle and horses on the property. This comes to the Board of Commissioners from the Planning Commission with their recommendations for approval. No one signed up to speak for or against the rezoning.
Mr. Beauchamp, the applicant, came before the Board and commented that he has just moved here from Maryland and is retiring here and wishes to have some cattle and horses on the property – not any chickens.
Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to approve application #Z21-35. Commissioner Owens seconded the motion and Commissioners Cunningham, Owens, Potts, and Steward voted aye. Motion passed.
D. and E. Applications #Z21-43 and #Z21-44 InLight Real Estate Acquisitions’ Request to Rezone from A-1 to I-1 light industrial.
Administrator Ledbetter read Applications #Z21-43 and #Z21-44 InLight Real Estate Acquisitions’ request to rezone from A-1 to I-1 light industrial. These are the last two properties coming together for the InLight development. This is to add to a development on Dodd Avenue that is being planned by InLight. InLight has also promised that this would not be dumping traffic on to Gardner Springs. This comes to the Board of Commissioners from the Planning Commission with their recommendations for approval on #Z21-43 and #Z21-44.
Mr. Terry Brumlow, representing the applicant came before the Board and stated that there is no access on to Gardner Springs for this development.
Commissioner Potts made a motion to approve applications #Z21-43 and #Z21-44. Commissioner Owens seconded the motion and Commissioners Potts, Owens, Cunningham, and Steward voted aye. Motion passed.
Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to close the public hearing for zoning. Commissioner Potts seconded the motion and all voted aye.
CONSIDERATION OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
CONSIDERATION OF NEW BUSINESS
BUDGET AMENDMENT TO RECORD 10% COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES FY2022 JANUARY – JUNE BUDGET
Administrator Ledbetter advised the Board that this is for the Cost of Living Allowance for employees. The total cost of this adjustment for Fiscal Year 2022 Budget for January through June is $642,875.00.
Commissioner Potts made a motion to approve the Budget Amendment. Commissioner Cunningham seconded the motion and Commissioners Owens, Cunningham, Potts, and Steward voted aye. Motion passed.
STATEMENT OF GROSS MAXIMUM PRICE FOR THE MAIN COURTHOUSE BUILDING RENOVATION
Administrator Ledbetter advised that this is the Statement of Gross Maximum Price for the main courthouse building renovation project. This project started out in 2011 with a SPLOST referendum to collect $12,000,000 for the annex and the courthouse. Those numbers are really not possible anymore. With inflation the gross maximum price for the main courthouse of $6,347,672 with inflation as it exists now, it also includes a deductive alternate. On the second floor courtroom, the large main courtroom, that floor will be Magistrate Court. The original plans called to leave that courtroom as is, but for Magistrate Court functions it is too big. We could reduce the size of that courtroom and pick up some more office space. If we leave the courtroom as is it will be a deduction of $174, 354.
Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to approve the Statement of Gross maximum price for the main courthouse building renovation. Commissioner Steward seconded the motion and Commissioners Cunningham, Potts, Owens, and Steward voted aye. Motion passed.
2022/2023 LMIG PROPOSAL FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Administrator Ledbetter advised that this is the annual LMIG proposal. This is not our total paving, but this is our LMIG paving to do 18.99 miles. The State has allotted an LMIG grant of $847,610.26; we have a 30% local match, which will be $254,283.78.
Commissioner Potts made a motion to approve the 2022/2023 LMIG proposal from the Public Works Department. Commissioner Owens seconded the motion and Commissioners Potts, Owens, Cunningham, and Steward voted aye. Motion passed.
ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to adjourn the Regular Meeting. Commissioner Owens seconded the motion and all voted aye.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m.
