6/2/2020 BOC Work Session Minutes
GORDON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
WORK SESSION MINUTES
JUNE 2, 2020
The Gordon County Board of Commissioners held a Work Session Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Administration Building.
Members Present
Becky Hood, Chairman
M. L. Owens, Commissioner
Norris Sexton, Commissioner
Kevin Cunningham, Commissioner
Chad Steward, Commissioner
Others Present
Jim Ledbetter, County Administrator
Annette Berry, County Clerk
Approximately 12 Guests
Chairman Hood called the meeting to order.
County Administrator Ledbetter explained each item on the Agenda for the Regular Meeting.
Don Holley, Director of Parks and Recreation, spoke to the Board regarding opening up more recreation facilities during this phase I of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr. Holley would like to open up recreation such as the baseball field, soccer and football fields, and the gym. The Recreation Department would oversee maintaining social distancing, cap at 25 people at one time, and sanitize facilities. We have the manpower to sanitize. We want to open the gym to non-contact sports. The weight room would be 10 people maximum at a time. No organized games at this time open with normal operating hours. There was a consensus of the Board to allow the Parks and Recreation facilities to open up with restrictions as laid out by the Director.
Administrator Ledbetter discussed with the Board the Ordinance amendment to the Lease Law that the Board has been discussing for the last few months. In cases where the Animal Control people cite someone and then it has gone to court, the largest fine was $250. Last year we cited somebody whose dogs had become a real problem, the judge found that our leash law did not have a penalty provision in it. While our ordinances have a penalty provision, the way this particular ordinance is worded it could be construed that way, to where the judge was correct.
Commissioner Sexton asked to have this brought back up due to an incident in his neighborhood where a handicapped man was attacked by a dog that is a chronic problem. Our remedy right now, if we can catch the dog, we impound the dog until the owner pays the fee to get the dog out. Commissioner Sexton spoke about two pit bulls in his neighborhood causing neighbors to be afraid to get out in their yards. There have been dog bites and chasing people into their houses or their vehicles to get away from them. There are a lot of people who walk that street and a lot of kids in the neighborhood also senior citizens. If we had this amendment to the leash law, and people find out it’s going to cost them something for not taking care of their animals and if there is a charge against them, I think it would help. Commissioner Sexton asked to put this item for the ordinance amendment on the agenda for the Board to vote on for a maximum fine of $1,000 and possibly 6 months jail, maximum that the judge could do. There was a consensus that this item is added for a first reading to the agenda of the next Board meeting on June 16, 2020.
Administrator Ledbetter informed the Board that the fine that we have in our ordinance ends up being at the discretion of the judge. The way it’s worded, anyone receiving a citation could be fined not to exceed $1000 or confinement not to exceed 6 months in jail. That would be the maximum that the judge could do.
Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to go into Executive Session for personnel matters. Commissioner Owens seconded the motion and all voted aye. Executive Session began at 5:58 pm.
Commissioner Owens made a motion to close the Executive Session and go back into the Work Session. Commissioner Sexton seconded the motion and all voted aye.
Commissioner Sextons made a motion to adjourn the Work Session and go into the Regular Meeting. Commissioner Steward seconded the motion and all voted aye.
There being no further business, the Work Session adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
