JONES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Most places where people go to complain are not exactly welcoming, but that is not the case with the Jones County Board of Commissioners.
Constituents who come to complain at board meetings are routinely thanked and invited back. That was the case with two visitors to their May 2 meeting.
Board Chairman Chris Weidner called the business meeting to order, and Consulting Engineer Tim Ingram led the opening prayer and pledge. All Jones County Commissioners were in attendance.
Planning and Zoning items were first on the agenda. A conditional use was approved to allow metal siding on a dwelling on Highway 49. Tom Payne spoke during the discussion portion of the item about the fading of metal roofs in the county, particularly the roof on the Tri-Community building.
Payne suggested the county adopt a standard of the type of metal used. The speaker was a regular attendee to meetings in the past but had not attended often in person during the terms of current board members.
Weidner thanked him for coming to the meeting and welcomed him to come back and share more ideas.
Commissioner Daylon Martin made the motion to approve the conditional use, and the motion was approved unanimously.
The second zoning request was to for a variance to allow the creation of a private road to serve three lots on Roosevelt Road. Commissioner John Wood made the motion to approve, and the motion was approved unanimously.
The appointment to the River Edge Community Service Board was approved after being postponed for several meetings. Commissioner Sam Kitchens was concerned that the county was losing a representative on the board.
The commissioner said after meeting with the chairman of the River Edge board, he understood that was not the case. He nominated Alex Smith to fill the Jones County position on the board, and it was approved unanimously.
Earlene Hamilton was appointed to the Historic Preservation Commission, and it was discussed that there was another open position on the commission.
Ruby Potts was on the agenda as a visitor. She lives on Flatt Shoals Road and was concerned there are no weather sirens in the area. The speaker said it was a problem because when there is bad weather, she has no phone signal. That means that she does not receive the Code Red warnings even though she is signed up for it.
Emergency Management Director and Jones County Fire Chief explained that he has ordered three sirens and is waiting for their delivery and installation.
“We’ve never had a challenge like this, but we are doing our best,” he stated. “The money is there; we are waiting for the vendor.”
Potts also mentioned a problem with a ditch, said her street needs to be resurfaced and they need more of a police presence.
“I don’t want my greatgrand daughter driving on the road,” she said.
Weidner said the county would look at her ditch again and he also let her know that Flock cameras are being mounted countywide to help keep residents safe.
“You can be sure the Jones County Sheriff’s Office is watching,” he said.
The chairman thanked Potts for attending the meeting and invited her to come back.
New business
Ingram presented the bids received for the Homer Roberts Road water main extension project and made the recommendation to go with the low bidder Sellers Contracting Services of Gordon. The bid was in the amount of $2,248,000.
Four bids were received for the project. Ingram said the project was an important step because when there were issues in that area, it shuts down everyone.
Martin made the motion to approve the recommendation, and the motion was approved unanimously.
County Administrator Jason Rizner spoke to board members about the Jones County/Gray Housing Committee that did not meet the criteria to have its Georgia Initiative for Community Housing certification for 2023. He said more committee members needed to come forward to continue the program.
Rizner said the committee focuses on housing needs in both the county and city.
Being GICH certified gives the county an additional point for CDBG and CHIP grant applications as well as an additional point for tax credit applications. Commissioner Wendy Vaughn said she was a member of the committee and would start attending the meetings again.
Kitchens said he was first under the impression the committee was only for the benefit of the city, but he understands the importance of housing needs in the county. The commissioners appeared to agree by consensus that they wanted the Housing Committee to continue its work.
Clerk of the Board and Human Resources Director Shannon Wagner presented a Media Protection Policy that concerned the protection of documents for the fingerprinting of beer and wine license applicants. Vaughn made the motion to approve the policy, and it was approved unanimously.
Wagner also presented the commissioners with an Employee Relationships Policy. The policy concerns relationships between employees and those who have supervisory roles. The policy requires any relationship be disclosed immediately. Martin made the motion to approve the policy, and it was approved unanimously.
Comments
Graham stated that as soon as the renovations to the courthouse are complete, the roof of the Tri-Community building would be replaced. The same contractor is doing both projects. He said other metal roofs in the county are being watched.
The chief said the county received the state fireworks grant for the third year in a row. The grant amount is $25,000 and comes from the sale of fireworks. He said the funds would be used to purchase firefighting gear and equipment.
Graham said hurricane preparedness week is underway, and now is the time to prepare. He said information would be posted on the department’s Facebook page.
He also said the county’s new fire truck would be received May 4, which is six months behind schedule.
Graham said a training program is being developed for the truck, which is actually three fire trucks in one. He said the truck would be answering 98 percent of fire calls.
Vaughn said she had a great week of learning at last week’s ACCG conference. She said she took classes in government law, and she had a great time networking with other commissioners.
“I take pride in the fact that our Board works together,” she said.
Martin said he echoed Vaughn’s remarks, and he was also interested in regionalism, counties helping each other.
“Networking makes a difference,” he said.
Martin said the county needs to look at liquor sales and the Transportation SPLOST.
“We need to remember we lost $9 million in tax dollars last year,” he said.
Martin said people say they do not want another tax, but they are paying it in other counties.
Kitchens said that they need to talk about a regional T-SPLOST.
Commissioner John Wood mentioned Old Clinton War Days and pitched the idea of planting wildflowers along the side of county roads.
Weidner said he attended classes for finance and public safety at the conference. He said Jones County is known for its volunteers with animal rescue and the fire department.
May 4 called meeting
Weidner called the meeting to order that was held for the specific reason of choosing a plan for Jones County Employees’ health insurance.
Commissioners Kitchens and Wood were in attendance at the called meeting, which, with Weidner, constituted a quorum.
Johnathan Shaw with NFP went over options for the county. He said if the county stayed with Anthem, it would mean an 18 percent increase in the premium. That would amount to an $2.3 million increase.
Shaw recommended changing providers to CIGNA that would give the county a 2 percent decrease in its premium, while keeping good benefits for employees.
After a lengthy discussion about the options, Kitchens made the motion to accept Shaw’s recommendation and go with Cigna for the county’s health insurance. The motion was approved with a vote of 3-0.
