This is an informal rundown of what happened at the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners meeting.
Watch the meeting:
Call to Order, Welcome Media and Visitors – Chairman Roy Thompson
Invocation and Pledge – Commissioner Curt Deal
Roll Call – All Commissioners present
Approval of General Agenda
Consent Agenda
The consent agenda was voted on in one single motion. No objection was made by commissioners and there was no discussion on the consent agenda items. It was approved unanimously.
Minutes of Jun 20, 2023 8:30 AM
Minutes of Jun 27, 2023 8:30 AM
Minutes of Jul 5, 2023 5:30 PM
Motion to Approve Catastrophic Inmate Medical Insurance Renewal
Attached is a renewal quote from Hunt Insurance Group for catastrophic inmate medical insurance, covering inmates at the Bulloch County Jail and Bulloch County Correctional Institute. This renewal proposal provides the same per-claim limits as our current plan – a $75,000.00 specific deductible per inmate and a $500,000.00 limit of coverage per inmate. This insurance plan covers medical expenses that exceed $75,000.00, up to a maximum of $500,000.00 per covered claim ($1,000,000 policy maximum). The premium (cost) is $18,000, which is $4.00 per inmate per month. This represents a 3% increase from last year’s cost of $3.88 per inmate per month.
Approval to renew the Catastrophic Inmate Medical Insurance, with the terms shown on the attached proposal, is recommended.
Authorize a lease renewal for Bulloch County USDA Service Center
This agreement is a renewal for property located at 151 Langston Chapel Road. This renewal will reflect a 36-month extension of the term of the current lease to expire on 12/31/2026. Effective 1/1/2024, the three-year extension rate will generate revenue in the amount of $89,190.99 annually to the General Fund.
Motion to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC for the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
The Board of Commissioners approved staff to begin negotiations with GMC for the Statesboro-Bulloch County Long-Range Transportation Plan Update during the April 4, 2023 meeting. The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners and City of Statesboro will jointly fund the update with each committing 50% of the contract total. Bulloch County’s portion will be $190,000 and the City will be responsible for the remaining $190,000. Approval is recommended.
Motion to approve the purchase of computer replacements through Georgia Technologies in the amount of $47,650
Computers that are outdated and obsolete are replaced each budget year with Georgia Technologies’ assistance. This is the first set of replacement computers this year. Georgia Technologies has negotiated a discount with Dell on the County’s behalf. These computers are within budget and will be paid for with SPLOST funds. A copy of the requisition, proposal, and sole source justification form are attached. Approval is recommended.
Approval of Contract by and between Bulloch County and the Superior Court of Bulloch County for Probation Services
In order to comply with statutory requirements and the rules of the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council, the County must have a contract for the provision of probation services through the County’s Probation Department with the Superior Court of Bulloch County. At the Advisory Council’s request, the attached updated contract revises Section 6 to require supervision and monitoring on a “monthly” basis instead of on a “regular” basis. Approval is recommended.
Approval of Contract by and between Bulloch County and the Mayor and Council of the City of Portal, Georgia for Probation Services
In order to comply with statutory requirements and the rules of the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council, the County must have a contract with the City of Portal for the provision of probation services to the Municipal Court of Portal through the County’s Probation Department. At the Advisory Council’s request, the attached updated contract revises Section 6 to require supervision and monitoring on a “monthly” basis instead of on a “regular” basis. Approval is recommended.
Approval of Contract by and between Bulloch County and the State Court of Bulloch County for Probation Services
In order to comply with statutory requirements and the rules of the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council, the County must have a contract for the provision of probation services through the County’s Probation Department with the State Court of Bulloch County. At the Advisory Council’s request, the attached updated contract revises Section 6 to require supervision and monitoring on a “monthly” basis instead of on a “regular” basis. Approval is recommended.
Approve an Intergovernmental Agreement by and between the Bulloch County School District, Bulloch County, and the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office
Authorize the Sheriff and Chairman of the Bulloch County Commission to execute an agreement for the use of Sheriff Deputies as School Resources Officers for the Bulloch County Board of Education as stated under the terms and conditions.
Agreement by and Between Bulloch Academy, Incorporated, Bulloch County, and the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office
Authorize the Sheriff and Chairman of the Bulloch County Commission to execute an agreement for the use of Sheriff Deputies as School Resource Officers for Bulloch Academy Incorporated as stated under the terms and conditions of the Agreement.
Approve Reappointment of Shannon Robertson and Keith Wilkey and the appointment of Jeneane Brown as Trustees to the Statesboro-Bulloch Library Board.
The Statesboro-Bulloch Library Board has two Trustees at the end of their terms and eligible for reappointment. Their 2nd terms of service would be from 7/1/23-6/30/26. The board has one vacancy to fill and has received at least one application for service. The selected applicant would serve a term from 7/1/23- 6/30/25. Regional Library Director Jennifer Durham has requested the Board on Commissioners approve these reappointments and new appointment.
Public Comments
- Clara Rawls Eason addressed commissioners regarding Old Happy Road. Specifically, she petitioned commissioners to consider paving the road because of the increased traffic on the road, increased traffic speeds, and drainage issues which she said are expensive and dangerous. (10:00 mark in video)
- Beth Wolf addressed property taxes and the inconsistency with the cost of living. She also asked commissioners to consider instituting a homestead exemption to help reduce the tax burden.
Commission and Staff Comments
County Engineer Brad Deal spoke on Old Happy Road, which is approximately 2.5 miles long. Currently, 62% of the road frontage is accounted for with 65% of property owners in favor of paving the road. There are at least five property owners who oppose the paving, three of which say the opposition is because they do not want the traffic to increase on the road. Several years ago, $150,000 in TSPLOST funds were budgeted for the road, which are still available in this fiscal year. The road’s score of prioritization was 63, which is one of the highest scores of roads currently pending for consideration. Only Old Hightower Road has scored higher than Old Happy Road right now. He reiterated that the road connects Old Highway 46 and Mud Road, which will likely have more traffic as growth continues. The estimated cost for paving the whole road is approximately $2 million. He recommended moving forward with the survey and design to get a better grasp of what is ahead for cost and work. “It’s probably a worthy road in terms of paving, from the county’s standpoint,” he said.
Commissioners ultimately voted to ‘move forward with the project’ which simply means they will take the steps to formally begin the process.
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m.
