[13:47] See everyone did get a a message from
[13:50] Commissioner Walden. They wouldn't be
[13:51] able to be here, but we're still praying
[13:52] for he and his recovery.
[13:57] » Michael, is it?
[13:58] >> Uhhuh. I need to move it closer.
[14:01] >> My monitor.
[14:02] >> That better?
[14:03] >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you.
[14:06] All right. At this time, we ask Mr.
[14:08] Moses to come lead us in our
[14:11] uh prayer. Has the meeting been properly
[14:13] advertised, sir?
[14:14] >> Yes, sir.
[14:14] >> I think I see evidence there. Will you
[14:15] please stand now for the prayer and
[14:17] pledge of allegiance?
[14:21] Let us pray. [clears throat] Kind
[14:23] benevolent father, we thank you for all
[14:24] that you do for us on a daily basis. We
[14:26] thank you for the sunshine as well as
[14:28] the rain. We pray that you be this
[14:30] August bodies to liberate the business
[14:32] of this community. And father God, we
[14:35] lift up our commissioner, Commissioner
[14:37] um Walden. Father God, pray that you be
[14:39] with him and strengthen him. Pray
[14:41] tonight that you continue to be with us.
[14:43] These all the blessings we ask in Jesus
[14:45] name. And everybody said, "Amen."
[14:47] >> Amen.
[14:50] >> To the flag of the United States of
[14:52] America and to the republic for which it
[14:55] stands, one nation under God,
[14:58] indivisible, with justice for all. I
[15:02] wonder what was that. What are you
[15:03] saying? [laughter]
[15:05] >> Hey,
[15:08] so [laughter] is that the right order?
[15:11] >> Nope.
[15:12] >> Let's change them right now then.
[15:13] >> Oh, I was looking.
[15:14] >> Let's change them right now.
[15:19] » The carpet carpet man. I know we all
[15:22] did. We all [laughter]
[15:24] >> mean
[15:28] [laughter]
[15:28] that. What's he doing?
[15:30] Took me a second to figure it out.
[15:36] » Yeah, those carpet people.
[15:40] >> If you hadn't noticed, we had the carpet
[15:41] replace them. When they replace the
[15:43] carpet, they transpose the flags.
[15:58] Thank you, gentlemen. Uh, presentations
[16:01] and recognitions. Boys and Girls Club,
[16:04] Opioid and Date Fund Check presentation.
[16:07] Uh, Miss Edna Walthy and her team are
[16:09] here. Would you please come to the
[16:11] podium, Miss Walth? the um a few years
[16:14] ago through the opioid settlement,
[16:17] counties, maybe communities, maybe
[16:19] cities too, I'm not sure, or counties
[16:22] are are are given opioid funds from the
[16:25] settlement to give to the organization
[16:27] to help combat drug use and drug
[16:30] prevention. And so our local Boys and
[16:33] Girls Club has uh applied and had been
[16:36] awarded. I'll hold the amount to just a
[16:38] minute. uh as well as the date funds.
[16:40] Those funds come from fines and
[16:41] forfeertures uh once again that can only
[16:44] be used for preventive measures uh drug
[16:46] and alcohol abuse. So we thank you all
[16:48] for for working that ministry if you
[16:51] will, you know, and with our young
[16:53] people especially. So who will who will
[16:55] greet us and then we'll have Mr. Let's
[16:58] see. I got it back here. Okay. Okay. Who
[17:00] will speak for the organization?
[17:01] >> Chairman speaks.
[17:02] >> Yeah.
[17:04] >> Merry,
[17:04] >> you just lost the chairman of y'all.
[17:07] [laughter]
[17:08] Good evening everybody.
[17:09] >> We want to thank you for [snorts] um
[17:12] this funding. We want to thank you for
[17:16] supporting us on behalf of the Boys and
[17:17] Girls Club and everything that's going
[17:19] forth. U for the continuous support is
[17:22] what I want to say because we recognize
[17:23] that you're always behind us of the
[17:25] years as we're coming through the ranks.
[17:27] So, we thank you and um
[17:31] please continue to support us and look
[17:34] out for us and pray for us as we go
[17:36] through these years and gather the youth
[17:38] in this county and keep them in a safe
[17:40] place and a safe environment.
[17:42] >> Thank you. You all will come up for your
[17:44] photo op. We have the check up here.
[17:51] » And we have with us none other than the
[17:53] club director.
[17:55] >> What's her name?
[17:56] >> Smile.
[17:57] >> Bridget Kelly.
[18:19] We can lower if you want somebody to
[18:21] come in the middle.
[18:26] » Oh no, he's raise it up.
[18:42] Yes. Appreciate it.
[18:45] >> Thank you. Thank you.
[18:46] >> And y'all pray for us that we'll get a
[18:48] national championship in the region that
[18:50] we in football again.
[18:54] >> All right.
[18:59] [laughter]
[18:59] >> No, no. I'll take this.
[19:03] >> I'll take that.
[19:05] I'll take
[19:08] Thank you. Appreciate you.
[19:11] >> All right,
[19:13] Chief Derby, please come forward.
[19:15] National firefighters month. We're going
[19:17] to roll right through these um rec
[19:19] proclamation and recognitions. Okay.
[19:21] >> Good evening, chairman and
[19:22] commissioners. September is firefighter
[19:24] appreciation month. Time to recognize
[19:26] the courage, dedication, and sacrifice
[19:27] of our firefighters who serve and
[19:29] protect community each day. On behalf of
[19:31] Liberty County Fire Rescue, I would like
[19:33] to extend my sincere appreciation to our
[19:36] firefighters and their families for
[19:38] their commitment, professionalism,
[19:40] and the service that they give Liberty
[19:42] County each day. We, as Liberty County,
[19:45] are proud to honor those who answer the
[19:48] call when the community needs them most.
[19:51] In celebration, Liberty County Fire
[19:53] Rescue will host a firefighter
[19:56] appreciation cookout on September 26th
[19:58] from 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Miller Park
[20:00] Fire Station for our staff. We invite
[20:03] you as the commission and county
[20:05] administration to join us as we
[20:07] celebrate to show our appreciation for
[20:08] our men and women and their families who
[20:10] serve our community.
[20:13] >> September 26. Yes, ma'am.
[20:15] >> Send us an invite.
[20:16] >> I will. Yes, ma'am.
[20:17] >> One of Thank you,
[20:19] >> Mr. Uh we're going to read all the
[20:21] resolutions tonight in short form.
[20:24] Proclamations September is firefighter
[20:26] appreciation month. Whereas the Liberty
[20:29] County Fire Services recognize the
[20:30] benefits derived from the hard work,
[20:32] sacrifices, and unwavering dedication
[20:34] that the fire service members have
[20:36] contributed throughout this country,
[20:37] including the communities of Liberty
[20:39] County. And whereas the role of
[20:40] firefighter today is one of dedication,
[20:43] commitment, sacrifice, and willingness
[20:45] to put their lives on the line. And now
[20:47] therefore, I, Donna El Love, and the
[20:49] Liberty County Board of Commissioners,
[20:50] do hereby proclaim September 2026 as
[20:53] Firefighter Appreciation Month, so
[20:54] declared on this 20th day of August,
[20:56] 2026, and urge all community members to
[20:58] honor the firefighters who paid the
[21:00] ultimate sacrifice for those they serve.
[21:05] >> All right. Do you have a team, sir? Are
[21:06] you
[21:07] >> I'm here by myself.
[21:08] >> Come on up, sir.
[21:09] >> Thank you.
[21:10] >> Bring that with you, if you will.
[21:13] >> Uh, Dr. Bear, you and your team are
[21:14] lining up. We're going to do three for
[21:17] one just as it's listed here. St.
[21:19] Catherine's Beach Sweep, Great Southeast
[21:21] Pollinator Census Proclamation, and
[21:23] Georgia Coast is not an astray
[21:25] proclamation.
[21:26] >> Come all together.
[21:27] >> All right,
[21:28] do it now.
[21:30] >> We're going
[21:45] Congratulations,
[21:56] sir. Thank you for what you do.
[22:00] » Is Miss Willa Lewis behaving down there?
[22:02] >> I don't know. I tried. [laughter]
[22:03] She already acting up.
[22:08] » Mr. Scott and Miss Wilson
[22:12] » and a baby. She even down. [laughter]
[22:16] >> All right, Dr. Bill to introduce those.
[22:18] >> Yes, sir. Good evening.
[22:19] >> Good evening. Afternoon.
[22:20] >> We're here to talk about um water,
[22:23] pollinators, and um cigarette butts. So,
[22:27] they all three um proclamations kind of
[22:30] go hand in hand.
[22:32] The beuite is what we do on St.
[22:34] Catherine's. And um unfortunately what
[22:38] we do on the mainland end up on our
[22:41] water in our waterways and on our
[22:43] beaches. So that's a cleanup that we get
[22:45] to do sometimes twice a year to help
[22:48] keep our waterways clean. And we look
[22:51] forward to doing that. We use this year
[22:53] we had about 40 um volunteers sign up
[22:57] and we look forward to actually doing
[23:00] that at a um a beach
[23:03] sweep on St. Catherine's soon. for the
[23:07] pollinator um census that's coming up.
[23:10] We um passed out some pollinator kits
[23:13] and you have some on your table. And
[23:15] what this is is actually making sure
[23:17] that we have pollinators around because
[23:21] we need them. They help us with our food
[23:25] and keep us alive. So you have some wild
[23:28] flowers that attract butterflies. So we
[23:30] hope you plant them. This weekend at the
[23:33] recycler fair, you'll be able to do a um
[23:35] pollinator census where you get to look
[23:38] at a plant for 15 minutes and count all
[23:41] the lovely friendly little uh flies or
[23:45] butterflies or any other insects that
[23:47] comes to that um plant. And we turn that
[23:50] information into the um University of
[23:52] Georgia um and it's five states, not
[23:55] just Georgia. It has expanded to all the
[23:58] way from North Carolina down to Florida.
[24:01] So, we're excited that Liberty County
[24:03] could be a part of that study. And then
[24:05] Georgia Coast is not ashtray. Um, you
[24:09] have a coaster in front of you or that
[24:12] was handed to you.
[24:14] And this just lets you know that
[24:16] cigarette butts is littered, too. I know
[24:19] that it's a small item, but it's one of
[24:22] the most dangerous and littered item in
[24:25] the world. Not just here in Liberty
[24:28] County, not just in the United States,
[24:30] in the world. And we here um keep Li
[24:34] beautiful, keep America beautiful with
[24:36] trios um tricycle. They terracycle. We
[24:41] actually recycle the cigarette
[24:42] [clears throat] butts and they make it
[24:44] into a um plastic form either what we
[24:48] can put on the ground for playgrounds or
[24:51] hard plastic like tables and chairs or
[24:53] ashtrays. um they recycled the cigarette
[24:57] butts. So we have that program here in
[25:00] Liberty County. We also offer free
[25:03] cigarette receptacle standalone or on
[25:07] the pole wall. You just let us know, we
[25:10] give you [clears throat] one for free.
[25:11] And we are now taking our volunteers are
[25:14] going around to the different
[25:15] restaurants or uh car dealership bars
[25:19] that these are located and collecting
[25:21] them for them. So the companies don't
[25:24] have to do it if they do not want to.
[25:26] Our volunteers are taking it upon
[25:28] themselves to collect them and mail them
[25:30] off. That's all three in a nutshell.
[25:32] >> You did a good job, Miss Moses. Seeing
[25:34] you do a good job.
[25:35] >> Okay. Precious. Proclamation St.
[25:38] Catherine's Beach Suite. Whereas
[25:40] adequate debris chokes aquatic debris
[25:43] chokes our waterways and oceans,
[25:45] threatening the lives of thousands of
[25:46] animals and birds and putting human
[25:48] health and safety at risk. And whereas
[25:50] as part of the keep Georgia Beautiful
[25:52] Foundation, St. Katherine's Beach Sweep
[25:54] Day is the largest one-day cleanup of
[25:56] Georgia beaches. And whereas for each of
[25:59] the past 13 years, volunteers have
[26:01] collected an average of 50 tons of
[26:03] debris while raising awareness of the
[26:05] importance of being good stewards of our
[26:06] environment. And now therefore, I Donald
[26:08] Levit and the Liberty [clears throat]
[26:10] County Board of Commissioners do hereby
[26:11] proclaim August 15th, 2026 as St.
[26:14] Catherine's beet sweet day throughout
[26:16] Liberty County. so declared on this 20th
[26:18] day of August 2026 and encourage all
[26:20] Georgians to work together to clean our
[26:22] beaches.
[26:25] Proclamation great southeast
[26:28] pollinator census. Whereas pollinator
[26:30] species such as birds and insects are
[26:32] essential partners of farmers and
[26:34] ranchers in producing much of our food
[26:36] supply. And whereas pollinator species
[26:39] provide significant environmental
[26:40] benefits that are necessary for
[26:42] maintaining healthy biodiverse echo
[26:45] ecosystems. And whereas the Libby County
[26:48] Board of Commissioners provide producers
[26:49] with conservation assistance to promote
[26:52] wise conservation stewardship including
[26:54] the protection and maintenance of
[26:56] pollinators and their habitats on
[26:57] working lands and wildlands. And now
[27:00] therefore, I Donald L. Belove it and the
[27:01] Liberty County Board of Commissioners do
[27:03] hereby proclaim August 21st and 22nd,
[27:06] 2026 as the great southeast pollinator
[27:08] census. So declare this 20th day of
[27:10] August 2026 and urge all citizens to
[27:13] recognize this observance.
[27:16] Proclamation Georgia coast is not an
[27:18] estrade. Whereas keep America beautiful,
[27:21] the nation's leading community
[27:22] improvement nonprofit organization that has taken aim at aggressively uh
[27:28] reducing cigarette litter and
[27:29] beautifying communities through its
[27:31] cigarette litter prevention program
[27:32] which launched in 2002. And whereas keep
[27:35] liberty beautiful was formed in 1983 and
[27:38] coordinates with other groups here in
[27:40] Liberty County and with Georgia's six
[27:42] coastal counties participating in the
[27:44] Georgia coast is not an astray outreach
[27:46] program and whereas keep liberty
[27:49] beautiful mission is to engage
[27:50] [clears throat] individuals businesses
[27:52] and governments to participate in this
[27:54] joint educational and outreach program
[27:56] which started June 1st 2024 and declare
[27:58] August 28 2026 the day for the Georgia
[28:02] coast is not estray [clears throat]
[28:03] message drink coasters to educate locals
[28:05] and visitors about cigarette litter
[28:08] being used throughout Liberty County.
[28:09] And now therefore, I, Donald L. Love it,
[28:11] and the Liberty County Board of
[28:12] Commissioners do hereby proclaim August
[28:13] 28th, 2026 as Georgia Coast is not
[28:16] astray awareness day in Liberty County.
[28:18] So declared on this 20th day of August
[28:20] 2026, I urge all organizations,
[28:22] businesses, and citizens to find ways to
[28:25] keep Liberty County beautiful. Um sir,
[28:29] can I um also say to help with the
[28:31] businesses and our citizens that go out
[28:34] on August 28th, if you take a picture
[28:36] with a coaster coastal that you um use
[28:40] at the restaurant, that restaurant would
[28:43] be put in for a um a prize tag and the
[28:47] um citizen would um be put in for a keep
[28:49] their beautiful [clears throat] swag. So
[28:51] we're trying to help the business that
[28:54] advertise and the go out and take the
[28:57] picture. Thank you. If you all will come
[28:59] on up for your photo op,
[29:11] [clears throat]
[29:30] Oh man, I should all sign.
[29:44] » She want to see the baby.
[29:47] >> One, two, three.
[29:57] Are
[29:58] >> we going to do them all?
[30:02] » Do them all.
[30:07] [laughter]
[30:10] » I guess I could have gave each one of
[30:12] them one to hold up, huh?
[30:23] All right.
[30:25] >> I think it was a different crowd,
[30:27] >> right?
[30:28] >> Come on.
[30:29] >> I should
[30:34] [crying]
[30:43] [applause]
[30:45] Thank you. All right.
[30:51] [clears throat]
[30:52] >> Thank you all. Spirit of volunteering is
[30:55] alive and well in Liberty County,
[30:56] Georgia.
[30:58] >> I thought Dr. Bell was going to brag
[30:59] about
[31:01] our local our boat captain here, but she
[31:03] didn't talk about it today.
[31:07] >> We had to postpone that particular day.
[31:10] >> I think I was the only captain.
[31:12] >> Really?
[31:13] >> Couldn't hold 40 people,
[31:14] >> dude.
[31:17] Thank you. Uh Keith Le a beautiful
[31:20] family. Uh item five, acknowledgement of
[31:22] the proclamation honor Senator Tunis
[31:24] camel senior and representative William
[31:26] Golden. Two of Georgia's original 33
[31:29] black legislators.
[31:30] Uh Representative Carl Gard from
[31:33] Savannah asked that we do this. We were
[31:35] up at the Liberty County Day Liberty
[31:37] County Fort Day. There was a celebration
[31:39] on the floor of the capital to recognize
[31:40] these people. is as America still
[31:43] celebrates it 250th birthday. This is a
[31:45] part of American history and we're proud
[31:46] that you know we always brag or announce
[31:49] that two people from Liberty County
[31:51] signed the declaration. So also two
[31:52] people from Liberty County serve as one
[31:55] as in the original uh legislators too
[31:57] from Liberty County. One being Tunis
[31:59] Campbell senior may not recognize that
[32:01] name but the other one is William A.
[32:03] Golden. And that's where Snelson Golden
[32:05] get his name from. actually hyphenated
[32:07] snelson- golden but they kind of over
[32:10] the years lost the hyphen in there but
[32:12] the golden and and um snelson golden's
[32:14] name come from represented uh honoring
[32:17] way he made golden for his work in Ly
[32:18] County all right thank you so much for
[32:20] that uh item C state judge annual
[32:23] presentation Judge Ginstead
[32:27] » afternoon [clears throat] everyone I
[32:29] don't know if I've met everyone but my
[32:31] name is Leonard Ginstead I'm the state
[32:33] court judge probably better known as
[32:35] Bubba Gren instead because I practice
[32:36] law here in Hinesville for 35 years. I
[32:39] see on here it says it's the annual
[32:43] judge presentation, but my
[32:46] administrative assistant said it was the
[32:47] first one. So, I guess it's the
[32:48] [laughter] first it is the first annual
[32:51] [clears throat] presentation by the
[32:52] state court. So, I wasn't really sure
[32:54] exactly what you wanted. So, I talk a
[32:57] little bit about what really state court
[32:59] is. State Court of Liberty County like
[33:02] all state courts in the state of Georgia
[33:04] were established by local legislation
[33:06] that was introduced into the general
[33:08] assembly to establish the state courts.
[33:11] Uh the difference between state courts
[33:14] and superior courts like the five
[33:15] superior court judges we have in the
[33:17] circuit over these six counties is that
[33:20] the state court only exercises
[33:22] jurisdiction in Liberty County, Georgia.
[33:25] Only things that occur in Liberty
[33:26] County. Uh statewide there are only 72
[33:31] state courts out of the 159 counties. So
[33:34] every county does not have a state
[33:36] court. In some counties like the larger
[33:39] ones, Fulton, Dicab, Bib, Chattam have
[33:43] multiple state court judges, but they
[33:45] all still only exercise jurisdiction
[33:48] over their county. Now, uh either the
[33:53] state court judges are either elected or
[33:56] appointed. If an uh by the governor
[33:59] depending on what needs to be done.
[34:01] Qualifications for state court judges
[34:03] are you have to be at least 30 years
[34:06] old, a resident of Georgia for three
[34:08] years, a licensed attorney for seven.
[34:11] That's it. That's all you have to be to
[34:13] run for state court judge if anybody's
[34:15] interested. [laughter] So
[34:18] we're elected for four-year terms and
[34:20] it's all nonpartisan elections. So, it's
[34:23] not Democrats, Republicans, because a
[34:26] judgeship is a nonpartisan
[34:28] uh position.
[34:30] I was elected in 2024, and I'm in my
[34:35] 19th month of being a state court judge.
[34:39] I took over for Judge Ostein. After
[34:42] Judge Ostein decided to retire from the
[34:44] position, now state courts uh handle
[34:47] both criminal and civil actions. I guess
[34:52] uh you have there
[34:53] >> what is a state court uh the traffic
[34:59] what we handle from a criminal side are
[35:00] misdemeanor cases that can be either
[35:02] traffic simple batteries assaults
[35:06] anything that's a misdemeanor in nature
[35:08] misdemeanor is defined as something that
[35:10] can be punished by no more than 12
[35:13] months in jail and andor no more than a
[35:16] $1,000 fine if it falls within that
[35:18] range then it can be handled in the
[35:21] state Court of Liberty County from a
[35:24] civil side. We handle civil disputes
[35:27] also as long as it's a civil dispute
[35:31] that does not uh it's not preserved for
[35:33] the exclusive jurisdiction of the
[35:36] superior courts. Superior courts have
[35:39] jurisdiction over domestic matters like
[35:42] divorces, child custody, child support,
[35:45] things of any domestic nature, real
[35:48] estate disputes, and anything that deals
[35:50] with giving an injunctive belief for
[35:53] something. Uh we handle things like
[35:56] personal injuries. We handle a lot of
[35:58] personal injuries in the state court of
[35:59] Liberty County. Things like slip and
[36:01] falls, car wrecks, things where
[36:04] someone's hurt by someone else's
[36:06] negligence. Uh we are also probably
[36:09] known as the medical malpractice court
[36:11] in this county. We handle a lot of
[36:13] medical malpractice cases where
[36:15] somebody's injured as a result of the
[36:17] alleged malpractice of a person or a
[36:20] organization. We handle a lot of
[36:23] contract disputes. with a lot of cases
[36:25] involving property damage. A lot of debt
[36:28] disputes where people uh especially
[36:31] collection agencies are filing actions
[36:34] trying to collect money that was lent
[36:36] and never repaid uh or either on
[36:40] contract or as a result of financing
[36:42] vehicles just where it wasn't paid back.
[36:45] Uh we also handle appeals from the
[36:49] magistrate court. people that have heard
[36:51] actions in the magistrate court where
[36:53] one of the parties didn't like the
[36:55] resolution that occurred in magistrate
[36:56] court
[36:57] >> hear the appeal
[36:58] >> they have the automatic appeal they come
[37:00] to the state court they also could come
[37:02] to the superior court but they seem to
[37:04] come to the state court so we hear the
[37:06] appeals from the state courts we issue
[37:09] bench warrants [clears throat] we set
[37:10] bonds we can revoke probation when we
[37:13] set them and we can set people on
[37:15] probation
[37:16] uh and things that we rule on can be
[37:19] directly appeal to the superior [snorts]
[37:21] court. I mean the Supreme Court of
[37:23] Georgia or the Georgia Court of Appeals
[37:25] depending on what kind of case it is.
[37:28] And like the Superior Courts here, uh we
[37:31] are a court of record, which means all
[37:34] the we follow the Georgia rules of
[37:36] evidence, the Georgia rules of civil
[37:37] procedure, uh and the Georgia rules of
[37:40] criminal procedure.
[37:43] Here
[37:45] is the three-year case load uh that
[37:48] we've had so far in the last three years
[37:51] in 24, 25, and 26. You see where you
[37:54] have the the criminal in blue, the
[37:56] civil, we have many, many more criminal
[37:59] cases that are filed rather than civil
[38:01] cases because all misdemeanors, traffic
[38:04] violations, things of that nature. All
[38:06] if you do not pay ahead of time, you
[38:10] come to our court. If it's not in the
[38:12] city limits of Hinesville, uh where the
[38:15] city of Hinesville writes it, it goes to
[38:16] the city of Hinesville and those can be
[38:18] appealed or if they demand a jury trial
[38:21] on the issues even in municipal court,
[38:23] they come up to my court, the civil
[38:25] court uh to the state court of Liberty
[38:28] County. And you see the difference in in
[38:31] 26 what's been filed so far. But if
[38:33] you'll flip to the next one, you'll see
[38:35] the difference right now. It's projected
[38:38] now from 26
[38:41] in 26 that we're going to have about a
[38:44] 60% increase of the civil cases that
[38:47] were filed the year before and a roughly
[38:50] a 60% increase in the criminal cases
[38:54] that were filed in 2025. I don't know if
[38:57] people have got more fragile or people
[39:00] get more irritated easily, but it
[39:02] appears that
[39:04] many many more criminal and civil cases
[39:06] are being filed at this time. Uh we have
[39:11] in the state court of Liberty County
[39:14] arraignments a [clears throat] couple of
[39:16] times a week to take care of the
[39:18] criminal cases that are filed. Uh we
[39:20] have trial terms and civil cases a
[39:23] couple times a [clears throat] year.
[39:25] Criminal trials
[39:26] uh terms a couple times a year. We also
[39:31] have uh criminal non-jury tri trials
[39:34] monthly for people that do not want a
[39:36] jury trial but want a bench trial which
[39:39] is a trial just in front of the judge
[39:40] making the determination of their guilt
[39:42] or innocence. We have those every month
[39:45] and sometimes like next week we have two
[39:48] [clears throat] days worth of bench
[39:50] trials for people that have been charged
[39:52] with criminal acts that wanted a trial
[39:55] on their case rather than work something
[39:57] out and plead to something. Uh and we
[40:00] have again criminal and civil trials
[40:03] trial uh jury terms two separate times a
[40:06] month I mean a year. Uh the uh civil
[40:10] trial terms are usually January
[40:15] and
[40:17] September I believe. Yeah. Now January
[40:20] and July. And the criminal trial terms
[40:23] that we said are in April and October.
[40:26] And depending on the uh volume that we
[40:29] have, we can increase and put additional
[40:32] trial terms in different areas and
[40:36] different months also and increase what
[40:37] we need to do to try to keep the case
[40:39] load down.
[40:41] That's all I can think to tell you right
[40:43] now about the state court. That might be
[40:46] more than you wanted to know, but I
[40:48] didn't know how much you wanted to know.
[40:51] Ask you answer any questions if you have
[40:53] any.
[40:54] >> Good briefing. Any questions for Judge
[40:55] Greenstead?
[40:59] » Thank you for your service.
[41:00] >> Thank you, sir.
[41:00] >> We appreciate.
[41:01] >> Appreciate you.
[41:02] >> Have a good day.
[41:05] >> Someone for the program, Miss James.
[41:11] She's been busy.
[41:34] » [clears throat]
[41:37] » Good evening everyone.
[41:39] >> I'm here to give a recap of the summer
[41:42] food program for year 2026. It has been
[41:46] a busy one.
[41:48] Okay. To start off, we um we operated
[41:52] out of 15 sites this year. Um and the
[41:55] program ran from June 1st to July 31st.
[41:59] During those days, we served 17,918
[42:03] meals throughout the county.
[42:07] Next slide. Okay.
[42:09] Summer program staff consists of the
[42:12] program coordinator, two program
[42:14] monitors, one being right here, site
[42:17] supervisors for each site. We have a few
[42:19] here, kitchen workers and delivery
[42:23] drivers for a total of 29 staff.
[42:27] Next slide shows
[42:29] um the count for each each site that was
[42:32] served. How many meals for each site?
[42:38] Next slide. Highlights for this year was
[42:41] our state inspection. There was no
[42:43] findings. They came and they um did a
[42:46] pop-up inspection on two sites um in the
[42:50] kitchen. They there was zero findings.
[42:52] Now, they still have to order to do the
[42:55] um paperwork, but they'll schedule an
[42:57] appointment to come back and do that
[43:00] going forward for um next year
[43:05] to implement hot meals. We will need
[43:07] additional freezers and um we'll meet
[43:10] with the uh the health department to to
[43:13] get the kitchens situated for that.
[43:17] >> So I excuse me. So our enhancement of
[43:21] the kitchen at the complex
[43:23] still leave them short of freezer space.
[43:25] Is that what I'm hearing you say?
[43:27] >> Yes, the freezer space and um the health
[43:30] department has to do one final walk
[43:32] through for like piping and stuff. They
[43:34] said there may be some minor issues
[43:36] there.
[43:41] Some more goals is to try and minimize
[43:43] staff shortages. We'll plan early and
[43:46] recruit strate strategically to ensure
[43:48] every area is fully staffed.
[43:51] some ways to do that for to keep staff
[43:54] retention
[43:56] [clears throat] things like this to
[43:57] recognize the workers that are here that
[44:00] give so much of their time and effort to
[44:03] make this this possible.
[44:07] As I mentioned, we plan to fully
[44:09] implement hot meals next year
[44:13] and [clears throat] hopefully we can add
[44:14] more student activities. We had a couple
[44:16] of guests come in um to do to visit
[44:20] certain sites. We had some people do
[44:23] financial literacy. We had some come and
[44:25] do activities with the um with the
[44:27] students and the children there. So uh
[44:31] we we plan to increase that activity and
[44:34] that'll boost uh boost participation at
[44:37] certain sites.
[44:42] » Any questions?
[44:43] >> What was your your average age?
[44:46] Well, that was you.
[44:47] >> The average age was between um five and
[44:51] maybe 12. Those were our our regulars.
[44:55] [clears throat]
[44:55] >> I'm thinking if you're going to
[44:57] interject, Miss Hunter.
[44:59] >> Yeah, we had
[44:59] >> educational piece. Then you
[45:03] don't say the same spill to your
[45:04] 5-year-old that you do to your 12y olds.
[45:07] maybe a little bit of a challenge unless
[45:09] somebody's
[45:10] >> we have like worksheets and things of
[45:13] that nature to um that kind of can age
[45:17] yes
[45:21] » those things
[45:22] >> Mr. Chairman, I just I I don't really
[45:24] have a question, but I have a comment.
[45:25] And you can see by the meals that were
[45:28] served, Gum Gum Branch had really
[45:30] >> um stepped up or increased the number,
[45:32] and I appreciate I'm not sure which
[45:34] worker you had out there, but she did a
[45:36] phenomenal job.
[45:37] >> She was out there early and staying late
[45:41] >> and um I appreciate that. Also, one
[45:43] thing I did notice, if we could get some
[45:45] bigger signs, maybe a little bit bigger
[45:48] sign.
[45:49] >> Bigger. Okay. or either banner to put on
[45:51] the fence, but I know a banner,
[45:54] >> you know, if we rent the park then it
[45:56] might get destroyed. But, you know,
[45:58] >> a bigger sign maybe out by the road, but
[46:00] otherwise I think Gum Branch did really good this year as [snorts] far as
[46:05] participants.
[46:07] >> And that worker bring her back out
[46:08] there. [laughter]
[46:10] >> Had to Yep. We I'm trying to get her
[46:12] back.
[46:12] >> They were they were there early.
[46:15] when I when I see the recommendation
[46:17] about uh recruitment and sustaining this
[46:21] is a program where where we pay up front
[46:23] then we reimburse from state. Um
[46:28] how how would you work in a pay increase
[46:30] for for staff based on that kind of
[46:34] formula? How would you work that in?
[46:43] Yeah, right. Sh.
[46:47] >> The reimbursement is for the food.
[46:50] >> Okay.
[46:51] >> So, that's county. Okay. All right. All
[46:54] right. Make a note. Okay. All right.
[46:58] Thank you all. Appreciate
[46:59] what you've done.
[46:59] >> You're welcome.
[47:02] >> Of course.
[47:04] >> Oh,
[47:06] well. Yeah. Come right on.
[47:07] >> Is that okay?
[47:08] >> Absolutely.
[47:17] That's kind of a bus driver. They don't
[47:19] work a lot of hours, but she gonna pay
[47:20] me decent average.
[47:25] » Yeah.
[47:30] [clears throat]
[47:42] » Yes, ma'am.
[47:44] Hello. How are you?
[47:49] Come on.
[47:53] » So nice.
[48:01] [clears throat]
[48:16] Patrick.
[48:17] >> Thank y'all.
[48:19] >> Thank you. How you doing?
[48:30] » Is Miss M Miss Hunter is is serving the
[48:32] hot meals going to produce any
[48:34] challenges next year doing that as
[48:36] versus the way we're doing it that
[48:38] going?
[48:38] >> No, sir. Actually,
[48:41] [clears throat and cough]
[48:42] >> actually, we think we do have the
[48:44] freezer space. It's just about preparing
[48:46] it in time, but um we could have
[48:48] implemented the hot meals this year,
[48:51] >> but in terms of getting the employees
[48:54] adjusted and making that change, we
[48:55] thought it would be too much for them.
[48:57] So, that's why we said we would just
[48:58] start fresh next year.
[48:59] >> Okay. All right. Thank you.
[49:05] All right. Uh, Miss Leopool,
[49:12] CVB update.
[49:19] Mr. Chairman, how are you?
[49:20] >> Miss Jasmine is passing out some swag
[49:23] for you.
[49:23] >> We love swag.
[49:24] >> Yes.
[49:29] » You weren't given my PowerPoint.
[49:32] >> Okay. It's going to be a [clears throat]
[49:33] really short update then.
[49:35] >> U Miss Maria had it. Yes, sir.
[49:37] >> I'll help you out. How about that? Oh,
[49:38] >> it's okay. So, we are before you today
[49:41] to do our by annual update. So, January
[49:43] through July, we have accomplished a lot
[49:45] of things. I will make sure that you get
[49:47] the PowerPoint. I'll get it to Miss
[49:48] Lamisha. Um it was sent ahead of time,
[49:51] but that's fine. I know she's been ill.
[49:54] Um so we've accomplished a lot of things
[49:56] during that time frame, including
[49:58] several spouse tours. We are also
[50:00] attending the newcomers fair still, so
[50:03] those welcome all of the new soldiers
[50:04] and families to Liberty County. Jasmine
[50:07] is usually out there. And we have some
[50:09] very dedicated volunteers that also help
[50:11] with that. So today we welcomed 56 new
[50:16] soldiers which is a lower number for us.
[50:18] Usually it's 100 or 200. They had some snafuss on base today but we had
[50:23] Mr. Alan Volskay with Georgia Power. We
[50:26] had Miss Ursula with Interstate Credit
[50:28] Union and Miss Charm, Miss Susie
[50:30] Sunshine herself out there welcoming new
[50:33] soldiers and families. Those are always
[50:35] interesting to me to hear, especially
[50:37] our young soldiers. A lot of them, they
[50:39] know they live in Georgia now, but
[50:40] that's about all they got.
[50:42] >> Um, so having those conversations and
[50:44] telling them about what the
[50:45] opportunities are here in Liberty County
[50:48] for them is always interesting to do.
[50:50] Um, we have also participated in the
[50:52] Susie King Taylor Ruben cutting. We
[50:54] hosted an evening under the stars before
[50:56] that and I'm also actively participating
[50:58] in the planning committee for that. So,
[51:00] we're happy to be involved. Um, we
[51:02] appreciate um, Mr. Mosley and Miss
[51:04] Hunter for involving us in all the
[51:06] things and making sure that we feel like
[51:08] we're part of all the planning. So, we
[51:10] we're happy to be there. Um we continue
[51:13] to pack lots of bags. Um we've packed
[51:15] some for Commissioner Gillard recently.
[51:17] Um and it feels like a million of them
[51:20] starting with Martin Luther King Day to now. Um we're always packing bags. We
[51:25] did have the honor of packing bags for
[51:26] the Atlanta Falcons when they visited
[51:28] Fort Stewart to do the touch or flag
[51:30] football game. Did you?
[51:31] >> We were asked to pack for those. um
[51:33] gentlemen. Uh we didn't get to meet
[51:35] them, but we did get to give them
[51:36] Liberty County swag, so that's good.
[51:38] They have hats and all the things. So
[51:40] hopefully we'll see photos um of them
[51:42] wearing them. Other than that, we
[51:44] continue to push forward with all the
[51:45] normal things that we do. And I'm happy
[51:48] to answer any questions if you have
[51:49] them.
[51:51] >> Any questions from the food truck festival? That's chamber,
[51:56] not CVB.
[51:57] >> It's both, sir. It's September 19th. We
[51:59] have 27 food trucks signed up. We're
[52:01] trying to get to 30. Um, so I think
[52:03] we'll get there. We have a petting zoo,
[52:05] bouncy houses, live music all day long.
[52:07] So that's from 11:00 to 4:00. Um,
[52:09] that'll be right here in downtown
[52:10] Hinesville. So we're excited about that.
[52:12] We're also in September participating in
[52:14] the Liberty County 250 committee that's
[52:17] formed. Um, so our first meeting is in
[52:20] se forming [laughter] is in September.
[52:23] So we're excited to get started.
[52:26] We have set the date for Fort Stewart
[52:28] Liberty County Day at the Capitol as
[52:29] well. Um, that's on February 24th, but
[52:32] you should plan to be there the 23rd and
[52:34] the 24th. So, in Atlanta the 23rd and
[52:37] the 24th. I sent the save the date out
[52:39] already.
[52:40] >> I may have missed it. The the theme for
[52:41] this year's Christmas
[52:43] >> Christmas parade is cowboy Christmas.
[52:45] >> Cowboy Christmas.
[52:45] >> Yep.
[52:46] >> So, your best cowboy boots and cowboy
[52:48] hat and all the duds.
[52:50] >> Boots on the ground.
[52:51] [laughter]
[52:54] >> Mr. Chair, I I just have a a quick
[52:56] question. Miss P. I appreciate
[52:58] everything you do. I know you have to s
[53:01] hold two hats at simultaneously
[53:03] sometimes, but uh you were saying uh
[53:07] with going out to for meeting the new
[53:09] soldiers that's on a monthly basis.
[53:11] >> No, it's every week.
[53:13] >> Every week.
[53:14] >> Um we don't do it every single week, but
[53:15] we try really hard.
[53:17] >> Oh, is that microphone?
[53:18] >> I know these mics are
[53:19] >> we have to pay to be out there. I'll
[53:22] back up just a little bit more. U
[53:24] because I am loud. We do have to pay for
[53:26] the opportunity to sponsor that to have
[53:28] a table. Um, so we get 51 opportunities
[53:31] in the year and if I'm paying for it,
[53:33] I'm trying to do it, sir.
[53:34] >> Right.
[53:34] >> I'm not going to waste those.
[53:36] >> Understood. I I guess uh with that being
[53:38] said and and when you were talking about
[53:40] the soldiers because you know I think
[53:43] sometimes when we talk about Liberty
[53:44] County and we talk about this being
[53:46] retirement community, I think people
[53:48] fail to realize most most soldiers are
[53:51] going into the military at 18.
[53:54] So even if they do 20 years, they're
[53:56] still 38. So and and I know dealing with
[54:00] active soldiers, the average age is what
[54:02] around what 21.
[54:04] >> We usually have more single soldiers
[54:05] that are young than we do have married
[54:07] soldiers. They rotate them through in
[54:08] two groups. Single soldiers and then the
[54:10] married.
[54:11] >> Okay. So I I guess the question I have
[54:13] is uh whenever you have communication
[54:15] with them, what what are they asking
[54:17] about our community? What are are some
[54:20] of the main questions that
[54:21] >> a lot of them want? Well, they complain
[54:22] about traffic, which we all complain
[54:24] about traffic,
[54:25] >> but they also want to know about outdoor
[54:26] opportunities and recreation. So, we are
[54:29] we have all of those materials with us
[54:31] to be able to have those conversations.
[54:34] So, where they can go fishing, where
[54:35] they can go hunting, where they can
[54:37] kayak, um all of those they do like the
[54:40] idea of festivals and outdoor events. Um
[54:42] and of course, young soldiers are going
[54:44] to like younger person activities. So,
[54:46] that might be a bar, it might be a
[54:47] brewery, it might be those, um which we
[54:49] have some of those here. We do have
[54:51] Brewery and Midway that we can direct
[54:52] them to. Of course, not our
[54:53] 18-year-olds, um, but the ones that are
[54:56] of age, um, Fort Stewart, I cannot speak
[54:58] for them, but they would certainly
[54:59] rather keep them here in our local
[55:01] community versus having them go far a
[55:03] field and potentially drink and drive.
[55:05] >> Absolutely. Okay. All right. Just just
[55:09] was trying to gauge
[55:10] >> a lot of outdoor.
[55:11] >> That's kind of what I hear Colonel
[55:12] Weaver say, too, just what you've said,
[55:14] right?
[55:14] >> Yeah. They're looking for outdoor.
[55:16] That's why we got to lean more toward
[55:18] the trails and the bike path and all
[55:20] that kind of stuff cuz cuz people look
[55:22] for that. Um and and you're right, they
[55:25] want to keep them off the road going to
[55:27] Savannah for some of these
[55:28] >> wherever they go. They would like to
[55:29] keep them here.
[55:30] >> Yeah. Yeah. Keep them safe and it helps
[55:33] towards our sales tax.
[55:35] >> It does if we can keep them here,
[55:37] >> right?
[55:38] >> All right. Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate
[55:39] it.
[55:39] >> Appreciate it.
[55:41] >> Yes. I I think this is might be the
[55:44] shortest presentation you've done in
[55:46] history. [laughter]
[55:52] » Um chairman, board of commissioners, um
[55:54] this year we wanted to do something a
[55:56] little bit different with our um summer
[55:59] enrichment program. And when
[56:01] brainstorming with u Miss Leah in a
[56:03] meeting, she offered to plan a um tour
[56:07] of Liberty County of Liberty County
[56:09] history. um she and her team planned the
[56:12] trip and even um showed the students how
[56:16] to cast out a net and took
[56:17] [clears throat] care of lunch and we
[56:19] just want to thank um Miss Leah for the
[56:21] work and the partnership not only on
[56:23] that event but all events um that in
[56:26] which we worked together
[56:29] please get a picture I want you to open
[56:31] it up and see what we got [laughter] is
[56:34] it a cast
[56:36] >> we'll turn around and let her get a
[56:37] picture
[56:38] >> choose open it slowly
[56:45] Oh, diet Dr. Pepper and lots of sour
[56:47] patch kids. I'm not [laughter] sure,
[56:49] sir. I'm not sure. He always takes all
[56:52] my sour kids.
[56:53] >> Leah,
[56:53] >> thank you. [laughter]
[56:56] They're not coming back.
[57:00] » Thank you. Let me go and say this
[57:02] publicly, Leah. Uh,
[57:04] you do a lot, Commissioner Fraser,
[57:06] right?
[57:06] >> [clears throat]
[57:06] >> wear so many hats and we car do a lot of
[57:08] things especially when it comes to
[57:09] greeting and treating people who visit
[57:12] our community. So, thank you for what
[57:13] you do. Your um your your footprint is
[57:17] well entrenched in the fiber soil of
[57:20] Liberty County, Georgia. Thank you so
[57:21] much.
[57:21] >> Working on the National Association of
[57:22] County Commissioners.
[57:23] >> We're working on that.
[57:24] >> Yeah. And and then on top of that, uh
[57:27] you know, she's my classmate. She she's a Liberty County High School
[57:30] Panther, by the way.
[57:32] >> Just just let y'all know.
[57:34] >> Yes. Yeah, not Bradwell Liberty.
[57:36] >> No comment. [laughter]
[57:40] » Thank you, Leo. Your team again. All
[57:42] right, Mr. Trent Long.
[57:48] » All right. How's everyone tonight?
[57:51] >> We're well.
[57:52] >> Um, [clears throat] I'll just kind of
[57:53] jump right in. Um, one of the things I
[57:55] want to talk about, um, a little bit are
[57:57] the sidewalk projects we have going for,
[57:59] uh, Commissioner Frasier. We are working
[58:01] on the uh Paul Castle Street sidewalks.
[58:04] Got that going and working on those,
[58:05] getting those ready to go. Do want to uh
[58:07] meet with you sometime next week or two
[58:09] to talk about Varnad Street and see what
[58:11] we want to do with it because those
[58:13] costs are going to be pretty high and
[58:15] [snorts] we'll make sure we're
[58:16] proceeding the right way.
[58:18] >> Yeah, we we just matter of fact, we'll
[58:21] meet and then we'll meet with uh get a
[58:24] meeting with hopefully with one of our
[58:26] administrators and and try to partner
[58:28] with the city of Hindsville as well.
[58:29] Okay, that's perfect.
[58:30] >> Sidewalks in.
[58:33] >> Okay.
[58:33] >> You have not because you asked not.
[58:37] >> Um, Commissioner Stevens has us working
[58:39] on the main trail roadway improvements.
[58:41] Um, [snorts] as we're building that
[58:43] roadway and getting that done, um, we're
[58:45] seeing that we're going to have to go
[58:47] when we're redoing, we have to we're
[58:49] raising the road a good bit. So, I've
[58:51] got to redo several people's driveways
[58:53] and I'm going to need to go into their
[58:54] yards to make the transition uh, good.
[58:57] So, I'm going to need some easements
[58:58] from folks. Uh, what I'd like to do is
[59:00] if we could within the next couple of
[59:02] weeks, let's try to have a town hall
[59:04] meeting out there [snorts] and meet
[59:06] somewhere on the site. Uh, and let
[59:08] residents come have it, you know, one
[59:10] afternoon after 5. That way we can talk
[59:13] to people what what we want to do and,
[59:16] you know, hopefully go ahead and and
[59:18] tackle that
[59:19] up [clears throat] front so we can get
[59:20] that one going.
[59:21] >> I'll have you a good date by Monday.
[59:23] >> Okay, that works good.
[59:26] Uh likewise on Butterblunt Road, we just
[59:28] have that one that we need to probably
[59:30] sit down and talk about which way we
[59:31] want to go with. Um because you know,
[59:34] she's kind of harder to get a hold of.
[59:36] So if we spend some time in the next
[59:38] week or two looking at what we need to
[59:40] do to accomplish that, then we can get
[59:42] that project on.
[59:43] >> Yeah. Whatever it takes to get this
[59:46] project out and on the bid for December
[59:49] 31, that's looking forward for
[59:52] >> I I really want to do that.
[59:54] >> Thank you. So, um
[59:58] I uh gave you a package. Uh we kind of
[1:00:01] have a updated layout of the roundabout
[1:00:03] that we're looking at crossroads at
[1:00:06] State Route 119 and Bington Ferry and
[1:00:08] Riceboro. Uh encourage you to take a
[1:00:11] look at it. We had a good meeting uh
[1:00:13] with some of the churches and the uh res
[1:00:15] you the owners of the four corners. Uh
[1:00:18] so I think we're in good shape to kind
[1:00:20] of start moving forward on that. uh
[1:00:23] after the meeting that we had the other
[1:00:25] day uh brought to [clears throat] my
[1:00:27] attention several of them now it was
[1:00:29] it's okay to look at the drawing but
[1:00:32] before we have another one we would like
[1:00:34] to see some they would like to see some
[1:00:35] flags out to show exactly they can look
[1:00:39] at it themselves
[1:00:41] >> okay
[1:00:41] >> what's going to go what trees going to
[1:00:43] go away
[1:00:44] >> and everything
[1:00:46] >> yeah we can do that we can actually
[1:00:47] paint some lines on the road so they can
[1:00:50] see where things are right
[1:00:51] >> and and try to do that. So, I I'd be
[1:00:53] more than happy to do that.
[1:00:54] >> So, as soon as you can get the closer
[1:00:56] you get to that, let me know and then
[1:00:57] I'll go ahead and have them
[1:00:59] >> okay,
[1:01:00] >> set up so go back.
[1:01:01] >> Um,
[1:01:03] let me get it on the calendar to get
[1:01:05] survey guys out there to paint some
[1:01:06] things up,
[1:01:07] >> right?
[1:01:07] >> And then, uh, we'll get it set up,
[1:01:08] >> put some flags out or whatever, too.
[1:01:10] >> Perfect.
[1:01:11] >> Yeah.
[1:01:11] >> Okay. I I I'll make sure I get that on
[1:01:13] our calendar for the guys to go out
[1:01:15] there and do that.
[1:01:16] >> Okay. All right.
[1:01:18] [clears throat] um
[1:01:21] Macintosh Lake Road. Uh this is uh one
[1:01:24] of Eddie's projects.
[1:01:26] We took proposals on this one today. Uh
[1:01:29] the lowest bid was JW Oliver uh for
[1:01:33] $391,471.50,
[1:01:36] which gives us a deceleration lane and a
[1:01:39] right turn lane. Uh which is a good
[1:01:42] price uh for the amount of work that is. So, um, we will be bringing
[1:01:46] that back to you at the regular meeting
[1:01:48] for action. Uh, we haven't gone through
[1:01:50] and done the bid tabulations and made
[1:01:51] sure everybody did all the math right
[1:01:53] and and did everything, but
[1:01:56] preliminarily that's kind of where we
[1:01:57] where we're standing. Um, Freeman Grove
[1:02:01] Road is finished. Um, so I'll be taking
[1:02:03] that off of my report for the next
[1:02:05] couple times. Sunshine Lake Road. There
[1:02:08] are some erosion control issues that,
[1:02:10] you know, the rain water we had last
[1:02:12] couple months really kind of took a toll
[1:02:14] on some of the uh dirt on the shoulders
[1:02:17] and he we've called him back several
[1:02:18] times and he's supposed to go back out
[1:02:20] there next week to fix the erosion
[1:02:23] again. He's been fairly [clears throat]
[1:02:25] responsive. He's a little slow this last
[1:02:27] time to come, but um we're trying to get
[1:02:30] him back out there.
[1:02:31] >> That's a question, Trent. Uh is this a
[1:02:34] good time? You mentioned the good bid
[1:02:37] price that came in. So, is this a good
[1:02:38] time to maximize the use of our Tesplas
[1:02:41] dollars?
[1:02:42] >> Well, I'm thinking we need to go ahead
[1:02:45] and get butter blown on out the road
[1:02:47] now.
[1:02:48] >> And anything else that I got that's
[1:02:49] close, get on out the door
[1:02:52] >> if we [clears throat] get in good
[1:02:52] prices. That's what
[1:02:53] >> Yes, sir. So, we have on both of these
[1:02:56] this St. John's Road that opened today
[1:02:59] as well for Allenhurst and Macintosh
[1:03:01] Lake Road. We both had eight contractors
[1:03:04] picked up bids and we had four proposals
[1:03:08] on each.
[1:03:10] >> Yeah.
[1:03:10] >> So, I thought that was fairly good. And
[1:03:13] uh likewise on Canyine Road, we had
[1:03:15] eight proposals.
[1:03:17] So, I I felt like we're getting some
[1:03:21] they're not as hungry. Let me back up.
[1:03:24] They're more hungry than they were just
[1:03:27] a couple months ago. The the level of
[1:03:29] work I think on the horizon is less. And
[1:03:32] so they're bidding more of these things.
[1:03:33] >> You think you see the same for the um
[1:03:35] sidewalk?
[1:03:37] >> Yes, sir.
[1:03:38] >> Okay.
[1:03:38] >> Sidewalks are so expensive now.
[1:03:40] >> Yeah.
[1:03:41] >> It's it's it's unbelievable. You know,
[1:03:44] uh I remember sidewalk projects, you
[1:03:47] know, when I first got up here compared
[1:03:49] to now. And
[1:03:50] >> Oh, you're not kidding.
[1:03:51] >> It's it's
[1:03:53] I don't I don't get it. But
[1:03:54] >> I'm hoping cows Paul Caswell is going to
[1:03:56] be a lot less because we we already have
[1:03:59] curb and gutter,
[1:04:00] >> right? It's going to be a lot easier to
[1:04:02] get down.
[1:04:03] >> The issue is, you know, the older
[1:04:05] subdivisions like
[1:04:07] >> Yeah. that have the old ditches.
[1:04:12] [clears throat]
[1:04:12] >> Like my neighborhood.
[1:04:14] >> Your your neighborhood has some really
[1:04:16] expensive sidewalks.
[1:04:18] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's why we
[1:04:21] didn't never finish.
[1:04:24] >> Yes, sir. Um, I was also asked to talk
[1:04:26] about Jones Creek and dredging. Um, I
[1:04:29] think there have been some questions
[1:04:30] about why we don't dredge uh the Jones
[1:04:33] Creek Lagoon and that was an old uh
[1:04:37] dredge area that was done when they
[1:04:39] built I95 and um it was used as a um
[1:04:45] a launch so to speak for boat ramp and
[1:04:48] over the years and it does fill up
[1:04:51] really quickly. So we have a lot of
[1:04:53] sediment that comes from the river that
[1:04:56] just goes in there and then water sits
[1:04:58] still and it drops out. So it just over
[1:05:00] time it really really
[1:05:03] the sediment builds up very quickly. Um
[1:05:06] we did we have looked at it several
[1:05:08] times over the last 20 years of what it
[1:05:11] would take to uh dredge it and the cost
[1:05:14] to dredge it is pretty extreme. I think
[1:05:18] last time we looked seven or eight years
[1:05:20] ago, it was more than $500,000 to drench
[1:05:23] it. And if you cut it down to just a
[1:05:27] like a channel to get in and out, uh,
[1:05:31] you know, everything kind of sloughs
[1:05:33] back down. And so it it becomes where do
[1:05:36] you stop because of all the sediment
[1:05:38] that is in there. And to make matters
[1:05:41] worse is um very much like JC Landing
[1:05:44] over in Jessa
[1:05:47] they dredge that out and they have to
[1:05:48] dredge it out every
[1:05:50] seven 10 years or something like that
[1:05:54] and it's very small you about twice the
[1:05:57] size of this room and it's
[1:06:00] $100,000 plus every time they do it out
[1:06:03] there it's huge and would be half
[1:06:06] million to a million dollars every
[1:06:10] five to seven years [clears throat] just
[1:06:12] to keep up with it. So it just becomes a
[1:06:14] an e economically unfeasible area to try
[1:06:17] to maintain on a regular basis.
[1:06:20] >> Trent, [clears throat]
[1:06:21] just curious, where would you take that
[1:06:24] what you dredge out?
[1:06:26] >> Well, that is that's a real real problem
[1:06:29] you because you have to find a place to
[1:06:30] take that material as well. And [snorts]
[1:06:33] then you know and once you start doing
[1:06:34] it on a regular basis, you've got to
[1:06:37] take it. And the process is not just
[1:06:39] that easy either because you've got to
[1:06:42] >> pump it. And for us, we got to pump it
[1:06:44] into bags and dewater it so we can get
[1:06:46] it loose enough or dry enough to haul
[1:06:49] off.
[1:06:50] >> So it it it just becomes quite an
[1:06:52] ordeal, right?
[1:06:54] >> So yeah, it just it's a great idea. It's
[1:06:58] just economically not really
[1:07:02] not recommended, I guess, is the best
[1:07:04] way to do it.
[1:07:06] While you on Junk Street, talk about the turning radius to get the boats in
[1:07:11] both sides.
[1:07:12] >> Yes, sir. Um, and that boat ramp is
[1:07:14] fairly small. So, we have it set up for
[1:07:16] small boats, not big tandem axle boats
[1:07:19] or anything like that. And so, we have a
[1:07:22] small turning radius to promote the
[1:07:25] smaller boats and not the larger boats
[1:07:27] coming in and out. So,
[1:07:30] >> and you can only use it
[1:07:32] couple hours each tide.
[1:07:36] Where might the larger votes put in,
[1:07:37] sir?
[1:07:40] >> So, there's couple places in Liberty
[1:07:43] County. Half moon is one of them. You
[1:07:45] can also do interstate paper. It's uh
[1:07:48] got a enough that you can get a little
[1:07:50] bit larger boat in there. Um you can go
[1:07:52] to Sunberry boat ramp.
[1:07:54] >> Um
[1:07:56] >> still got the boat ramp down
[1:07:59] Liberty County line down there. that I
[1:08:00] was about to say that's I drive by that
[1:08:02] one every day and and people are there
[1:08:04] all the time. Um it's that's just a long
[1:08:07] way out,
[1:08:08] >> right? But
[1:08:09] >> you know, when you put in that one, it's
[1:08:10] I've taken my boat up to it before
[1:08:12] [clears throat] and you're like, am I
[1:08:13] ever going to get there?
[1:08:15] >> What's it what's it a good 15 minutes
[1:08:17] drive from uh if you live on White to
[1:08:20] the Sunberry?
[1:08:21] >> Yeah, it is.
[1:08:22] >> 15 minutes. Yeah. From White down to
[1:08:24] Sunberry.
[1:08:25] >> Yes, sir.
[1:08:26] >> It's not crazy.
[1:08:30] If you're coming from Minesville, I will
[1:08:32] >> longer any of you need to keep going
[1:08:34] anyway. [laughter] Try
[1:08:38] >> can handle some good large boats,
[1:08:41] >> right? You know, we we have the the
[1:08:44] cattle hammock property that we got the
[1:08:45] marina set up for. And you know, I I
[1:08:48] think if we get start finding some money
[1:08:51] for that, um that'll be another good
[1:08:54] place. And then, you know, eventually
[1:08:56] we'll we'll find a technology or a way
[1:08:58] to get a boat launched there as well,
[1:09:03] you know, but you right now it's just
[1:09:06] you can get about two boats in an hour
[1:09:10] and you spend well over a million
[1:09:12] dollars. It's just, you know, a lot of
[1:09:15] money for a lot of very little output.
[1:09:17] think I want you to explain that because
[1:09:19] we've been hearing that from people and
[1:09:21] I know ever since I've been here uh
[1:09:24] occasionally that's been mentioned that
[1:09:25] it would just not be uh it' be a costly
[1:09:28] measure to do that and and it's not
[1:09:30] lasting it's not lasting so why would
[1:09:32] you
[1:09:33] >> if it were to stay a long time it would
[1:09:35] be great and if we had enough boat
[1:09:37] traffic
[1:09:38] >> and just the location of it is not going
[1:09:41] to generate the boat traffic that you
[1:09:42] need to
[1:09:43] >> to keep it turned up you know So, it's
[1:09:48] just
[1:09:50] e it's an economical thing.
[1:09:52] >> All right. Thank you, sir.
[1:09:53] >> Yes, sir. Um,
[1:09:57] live oak uh roadway improvements. We
[1:10:00] talked to the contractor. He's supposed
[1:10:01] to show up Wednesday or Thursday and
[1:10:04] start milling. So, you'll see some
[1:10:06] action happen out there next week.
[1:10:08] >> Thank you. I appreciate it.
[1:10:10] I think the weather this summer. Uh he
[1:10:13] had taken a couple of school jobs and
[1:10:16] then he was behind on school jobs
[1:10:18] because of the weather and we got behind
[1:10:21] the school jobs and so it just took a
[1:10:23] while to get done but I think we'll be
[1:10:25] there and get it done good.
[1:10:28] >> Um Mary Todd Road um we've been meeting
[1:10:32] with a lot of the uh [clears throat]
[1:10:35] property owners on the roadway. I've
[1:10:38] talked a little bit with Commissioner
[1:10:39] Thrift. Um, right now we have 72% that
[1:10:44] have either agreed or are willing to
[1:10:47] sign. Um, and what we'd like to do is
[1:10:50] we've presented all these folks with the
[1:10:52] appraisal that we did on the project,
[1:10:54] talk to them about it. Um, what we'd
[1:10:57] like to do is go ahead and release
[1:10:58] $37,000 and go ahead and purchase and
[1:11:02] record the 72% of the rightway that we
[1:11:05] do have. I want to make sure that we
[1:11:08] don't have people move or change
[1:11:10] ownerships while this is going on and delay the the the project any
[1:11:15] further. Um so if if we could get that
[1:11:19] money released to do that, that would be
[1:11:21] great.
[1:11:22] >> Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, I've been
[1:11:23] speaking with Trent and some of the
[1:11:24] property owners on Mary Todd and um
[1:11:29] like he said, we we've come a long way
[1:11:31] since we hired and got the appraisals
[1:11:35] from the um consultant. And while these
[1:11:39] folks are willing to uh sign it, sign
[1:11:42] the agreement, then I would make a
[1:11:44] motion that we release the funds to go
[1:11:46] ahead and pay these property owners for
[1:11:47] the property. It will be coming out my
[1:11:50] spl
[1:11:58] uh commission made a motion that we uh
[1:12:01] accept the the bid price of am I reading
[1:12:03] right Mr. Loan 957.
[1:12:06] >> No, no, we're not there yet.
[1:12:07] >> Not there yet.
[1:12:08] >> No, no. We're on Mary Todd Road7
[1:12:11] line.
[1:12:12] >> This is 30 county line.
[1:12:16] [laughter]
[1:12:16] >> Spend all your money.
[1:12:17] >> Yeah.
[1:12:18] >> he's spending more of the money.
[1:12:21] >> Second motion that
[1:12:23] >> 37,000
[1:12:24] up to 37,000.
[1:12:27] >> 37,000.
[1:12:28] >> Second.
[1:12:28] >> I thought you said 36, but 37
[1:12:31] in a second.
[1:12:32] >> Second.
[1:12:33] >> What's the number for the matter of
[1:12:34] record?
[1:12:35] >> 37,000.
[1:12:36] Any further discussion? I I do
[1:12:39] uh because I'm I'm just looking and it
[1:12:42] says that uh with a non-responsive
[1:12:46] 14 of the 21 certified receipts were
[1:12:48] received. So I I guess what I'm are or
[1:12:52] you don't have to just do some
[1:12:53] additional uh engineering if they
[1:12:56] >> So what we're going to we we've kind of
[1:12:58] set this up so that we can take other
[1:13:01] steps as far as trying to contact folks
[1:13:03] and moving through the process to obtain
[1:13:05] the rightway. Mhm.
[1:13:06] >> Uh so we're trying to follow the the
[1:13:08] federal process for obtaining rights
[1:13:11] away. Um our what we're going to have to
[1:13:14] do on these others that are in red is
[1:13:16] just going to have to go knock on doors
[1:13:18] and hopefully find people at night or
[1:13:20] weekends or something,
[1:13:22] >> right?
[1:13:23] >> But but what I'm saying in the case of
[1:13:25] you not getting you know the whole 100%
[1:13:28] what would be the next step? So um what
[1:13:32] we have to do is you know prove our
[1:13:35] efforts to get in touch with everyone
[1:13:37] and once we've proved our effort like
[1:13:39] imminent domain or something
[1:13:40] >> we start moving toward imminent domain
[1:13:41] >> okay right
[1:13:43] >> you could say
[1:13:44] >> that's kind of that's kind of the
[1:13:45] process [laughter] we're going through
[1:13:46] so we
[1:13:47] >> that is that is the that is the end
[1:13:50] >> that is the end
[1:13:52] >> result if I can't do it
[1:13:54] >> right okay
[1:13:56] >> all right
[1:13:57] >> okay we have a motion second discussion
[1:13:59] everybody ready all in favor Favor, show
[1:14:00] of hands, please. 37,000. Okay. All
[1:14:03] right. I apologize for jumping ahead. I
[1:14:05] was looking at the
[1:14:07] No, no worries. I'm trying to save
[1:14:09] County Line Road to the last because it
[1:14:11] is a line item by itself from the
[1:14:12] agenda.
[1:14:13] >> I see it is. Yeah.
[1:14:14] >> Okay. Um I've talked to Miss Julie
[1:14:16] Martin a little bit about the Alawite
[1:14:18] Convenience Center. I'm going to need to
[1:14:20] get in touch [clears throat] Mr. Van
[1:14:21] Martin and talk to him a little bit
[1:14:22] about that. Um, so I'm in the process of
[1:14:25] trying to make those contacts to start
[1:14:27] working on getting that one done because
[1:14:29] that is next on our capital improvements
[1:14:32] list for solid waste and uh part of that
[1:14:34] is relocating uh quarter drive so it
[1:14:38] doesn't intersect so close to Highway
[1:14:41] 84. Um, so we just got to have the the
[1:14:45] rightway in the property to be able to
[1:14:47] do it.
[1:14:48] >> So that's next on our list to be able to
[1:14:50] try to acquire.
[1:14:51] >> All right. Um,
[1:14:55] County Line Road. That's okay for me to
[1:14:58] go ahead and move to county line.
[1:15:00] >> Um, oh, I did not I skipped it. Um,
[1:15:04] Commissioner Gillard did ask me to talk
[1:15:06] a little bit about make sure I had on my
[1:15:08] list the the St. John's Drew and and the
[1:15:12] proposals came in today for 600 no
[1:15:14] $790,000
[1:15:16] for uh St. John, but I'll try to let him
[1:15:20] know that as well. County Line Road. Um
[1:15:24] we did receive eight eight bids. Um the
[1:15:29] lowest responsible builder was McClendon
[1:15:31] Enterprises and uh we have a job going
[1:15:34] on with them now in Jessup and I have
[1:15:36] done uh several projects with Mlendon
[1:15:39] Enterprises over my career and all of
[1:15:41] them have turned out well. Um and their
[1:15:45] price was $957,960.
[1:15:51] Um, we recommend and Commissioner Thrift
[1:15:54] does have the money to do this plus a
[1:15:55] 10% contingency and it also leaves
[1:15:58] enough money as the proceeds come in for
[1:16:01] Mary Todd Road that she'll be able to
[1:16:03] build Mary Todd Road once we get the
[1:16:05] rightway. Um, so we're not just
[1:16:08] depleting your funds.
[1:16:09] >> That's right. I've been very good
[1:16:11] steward of my money.
[1:16:14] >> That's right. So I recommend that we
[1:16:17] enter in a contract Mlennon Enterprises
[1:16:19] for $957,
[1:16:22] >> $960
[1:16:23] 13 cents plus a 10% contingency.
[1:16:27] >> Yes, sir.
[1:16:28] >> You want to make that statement again,
[1:16:29] but it came in what?
[1:16:30] >> It came in really under under what we
[1:16:33] had originally estimated. I think it was
[1:16:35] a little over [clears throat] 1.1
[1:16:37] something like that. And it came in at
[1:16:39] 957. So, um I would make a motion that
[1:16:43] we go ahead and approve McClendon
[1:16:45] Enterprises
[1:16:48] for the um
[1:16:51] repaving of County Line Road
[1:16:53] >> in the amount of second that
[1:16:55] >> 957
[1:16:57] >> sorry
[1:16:58] >> $957
[1:17:00] 960 and 13 plus the 10% contingency fund
[1:17:05] >> and this project is to start
[1:17:08] >> we have to give them what we'll do is if
[1:17:10] once you approve it,
[1:17:12] >> um we will have to issue contracts and
[1:17:14] it'll be about 45 days before we give
[1:17:16] them notice to proceed.
[1:17:17] >> Okay. By the time we get through this,
[1:17:20] it's going to be a little bit.
[1:17:21] >> Okay.
[1:17:22] >> And and how long is this the length of
[1:17:25] >> that road there is?
[1:17:27] >> Two, three miles.
[1:17:28] >> We're doing a little over two miles.
[1:17:29] >> I saw all the way through. We're going
[1:17:32] to
[1:17:33] >> uh long long road.
[1:17:35] >> And that's resurfacing.
[1:17:37] >> Yes, it's resurfacing.
[1:17:38] >> Okay. Now resurfacing and deep patching.
[1:17:40] >> Deep patch. There's some bad right bad.
[1:17:42] >> You're starting at r patch.
[1:17:44] >> Starting right patch going the other
[1:17:45] way. Yes ma'am. [snorts]
[1:17:47] >> Then we're also doing OGI course which
[1:17:49] is open graded interface which should
[1:17:52] help the reflective cracking. There's a
[1:17:54] lot of cracks in it and the OGI helps
[1:17:57] keep the cracks from coming through.
[1:17:59] I'm not trying to get in the weeds, but
[1:18:06] » I can get a road,
[1:18:08] >> right? She she's getting two miles of
[1:18:11] roads
[1:18:12] >> compared to his sidewalks.
[1:18:13] >> And my sidewalks and and I understand
[1:18:15] him piping and and all of that, but
[1:18:18] that's not Ronaldo. That That's not even
[1:18:21] What is that a half a mile? Two miles?
[1:18:23] >> No,
[1:18:25] I don't know. But it goes
[1:18:26] >> It's a little It's a little more than a
[1:18:28] half mile. Yeah.
[1:18:29] >> Right. It's It's not a mile. I I know
[1:18:31] it's not a mile. I've I've walked that
[1:18:33] street as a kid forever.
[1:18:35] >> Yeah. It's And and it's, you know, the
[1:18:37] difference is just the intensity of
[1:18:39] work.
[1:18:40] >> Yeah.
[1:18:40] >> On Live Oak Drive versus
[1:18:42] >> Man, I'm in business.
[1:18:45] I need to just be in sidewalks.
[1:18:47] [laughter]
[1:18:48] >> That is unbelievable.
[1:18:52] U Clinton, where they where are they
[1:18:54] from?
[1:18:56] Just out of curiosity,
[1:19:00] >> you say you work with
[1:19:01] >> more Southwest Georgia, but they do a
[1:19:04] lot of stuff.
[1:19:04] >> Okay.
[1:19:05] >> They're the primary contractors doing
[1:19:07] all you see all the Evans contractors
[1:19:09] >> building the building. They do a lot of
[1:19:11] the site work stuff.
[1:19:12] >> Oh, you're comfortable with them. Okay.
[1:19:13] >> Okay. They're they're they're topnotch.
[1:19:16] All right. All in favor, show your
[1:19:18] hands, please, so commissioners can get
[1:19:20] the work started on County Land Road.
[1:19:22] >> Talking about that for a while. And Mr.
[1:19:25] Chair, we we do have it in our ordinance
[1:19:28] in for Liberty County that all new
[1:19:31] developers have to do curb and gutter.
[1:19:33] Right.
[1:19:33] >> We do.
[1:19:34] >> Okay. I just want to verify that because
[1:19:37] I I don't want the next commissioner
[1:19:39] that might be sitting in my chair, one
[1:19:40] of y'all chairs
[1:19:41] >> to want to put some sidewalks and it
[1:19:44] cost him an arm and a leg to be able to
[1:19:46] do it.
[1:19:48] >> Unless we give them appearance
[1:19:49] >> cuz cuz this him to be put in the email.
[1:19:51] So he'd come over there to the city.
[1:19:53] He'll walk over there with me
[1:19:55] >> with us.
[1:19:56] >> We'll
[1:19:57] >> please.
[1:19:57] >> We'll do it.
[1:19:59] >> You know, you know, remember to see it
[1:20:02] over here.
[1:20:03] >> Yeah.
[1:20:04] >> So,
[1:20:04] >> yes, sir,
[1:20:05] >> man.
[1:20:05] >> All right.
[1:20:06] >> That's all I have.
[1:20:07] >> Thank you, sir.
[1:20:08] >> Thank you,
[1:20:09] >> just want to say thank you for the signs
[1:20:11] on Highway 84.
[1:20:13] >> Yes, sir.
[1:20:15] >> They got it in. They got them in.
[1:20:16] >> Oh, you didn't know? I'm sorry.
[1:20:17] >> I didn't notice.
[1:20:19] >> You're welcome.
[1:20:20] >> Yeah.
[1:20:20] >> I'm glad they got there.
[1:20:21] >> Yeah. So, well, thank you very much.
[1:20:23] Y'all have a great evening.
[1:20:25] >> Uh, did we vote? We voted. Did we? We
[1:20:28] did.
[1:20:30] >> Uh, Mr. Wales
[1:20:35] to John Deere Tractors.
[1:20:39] » I told you I'd be back.
[1:20:40] >> You did.
[1:20:42] >> We're not going to keep you long
[1:20:43] tonight. Hey.
[1:20:44] >> No.
[1:20:45] >> Make it home in time for dinner.
[1:20:47] >> Yeah.
[1:20:48] >> Or see them boys play ball.
[1:20:50] >> Yeah. Yeah, we sent out some bids to try
[1:20:53] to replace a couple tractors. Um,
[1:20:55] unfortunately, we didn't get one bid
[1:20:57] back. I sent out bids to three different
[1:20:59] companies. And when I questioned that,
[1:21:01] the uh they simply could not provide the
[1:21:03] tractor, so they didn't bid on it.
[1:21:06] >> We got a bid back from AP Pro uh for 200
[1:21:10] horse tractors after trade is 16393.
[1:21:18] » You said they couldn't get the didn't
[1:21:20] get the tractors. They didn't know when
[1:21:22] they would be able to get them, so they
[1:21:23] didn't bid on it.
[1:21:24] >> Coming from overseas. Are they coming
[1:21:26] from overseas? I'm just asking.
[1:21:28] >> No. Well, I'm not sure where the
[1:21:30] tractors coming from, but the guy I've
[1:21:31] been working with, he's got them. He's
[1:21:33] got one in Brunswick and got one in
[1:21:35] Augusta.
[1:21:35] >> Yeah,
[1:21:36] >> they can get
[1:21:38] >> I'm not sure. I reckon it's just high
[1:21:40] demand for the tractors. They just don't
[1:21:42] have them.
[1:21:43] >> Sounds like you getting into the Where's
[1:21:45] Crystal? the the same
[1:21:49] concerns that getting EMS's and getting
[1:21:51] fire trucks and stuff. Now it's hard to
[1:21:53] get
[1:21:53] >> Yeah. any equipment is it's it's gotten
[1:21:56] better actually, but it's still hard to get equipment
[1:22:01] >> coming from the straighter or moves
[1:22:02] >> two wheel drive
[1:22:03] >> four-wheel drive.
[1:22:08] You look into that lawsuit
[1:22:11] with the fire trucks and
[1:22:15] Thank you.
[1:22:17] Out outside of um
[1:22:21] the availability, you comfortable with
[1:22:23] the uh with the price, sir?
[1:22:24] >> I have. We we actually, you know, back
[1:22:26] when a couple months ago when I bid them
[1:22:28] out, the other dealers had tractors and
[1:22:30] they bid. It's all right there in line
[1:22:32] from what it was.
[1:22:33] >> Okay. Okay.
[1:22:34] >> So, I I know what other dealers prices
[1:22:36] is.
[1:22:36] >> All right. Okay.
[1:22:37] >> But they they just didn't have the
[1:22:38] tractors now. Didn't know when
[1:22:39] >> And you're comfortable with with the
[1:22:41] durability?
[1:22:42] >> I I hope so.
[1:22:43] >> Yeah. I've looked at them and talked to
[1:22:45] people and
[1:22:47] I'm hope I'm hopeful.
[1:22:49] >> No one gives you a bad uh
[1:22:51] >> No, I haven't got any bad anything bad
[1:22:53] on
[1:22:54] >> Okay. Okay. All right. Commissioners.
[1:22:57] >> Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman,
[1:23:02] » sir, I make a motion that we
[1:23:07] work.
[1:23:08] >> Second in the amount of 1639103.
[1:23:12] All right. And the shelf life on these
[1:23:14] are
[1:23:15] >> sir the shelf life. You think they're
[1:23:18] going to last for how long?
[1:23:20] >> Two summers. [laughter]
[1:23:22] >> You know, it's funny thing. I've got
[1:23:24] tractors from 2008. I'm still running,
[1:23:26] >> right?
[1:23:27] >> Some of them, you know, these I'm
[1:23:29] replacing from 2020. I
[1:23:32] >> I hope I hope
[1:23:34] >> if it helps. Uh in the area I work in, I
[1:23:37] have six John Deere tractors. They're
[1:23:40] 2009 models. It's still going strong.
[1:23:44] >> Oh, I I have a O8 at the house.
[1:23:46] >> Yeah, but it's not most most of you.
[1:23:48] >> Yeah, I don't use it like that.
[1:23:49] >> County department and state and
[1:23:51] everybody's going to John Deere.
[1:23:52] >> I'm not on it every day.
[1:23:55] >> All right. All in favor? Show hands. All
[1:23:58] right, sir.
[1:23:58] >> Thank you.
[1:24:00] Hey, John Deere is forever,
[1:24:02] though.
[1:24:03] >> Timber tax resolution. Mr.
[1:24:06] >> Mr. Chair, he's getting mess.
[1:24:09] [laughter]
[1:24:11] I'm okay with
[1:24:13] >> you making a commercial.
[1:24:20] » Mr. Chair, uh what we have before you is
[1:24:23] information from the state of Georgia.
[1:24:25] We talked about this on last year and at
[1:24:27] the time we thought that we had to have
[1:24:29] damage and um couple in July chairman
[1:24:35] received a notification from department
[1:24:36] of revenue and I received information
[1:24:38] from ACCG saying guys y'all got money uh
[1:24:42] in this bill and y'all need to take
[1:24:43] advantage of it. Uh it's part of House
[1:24:46] Bill 223, which is the Timberland's
[1:24:48] Recovery Exemption Earnings Stability
[1:24:50] Act, otherwise known as the Tree Act.
[1:24:52] And basically has to do with all the
[1:24:53] local governments that were involved
[1:24:55] with when Hurricane Harlem came in and
[1:24:57] damaged, uh properties and trees during
[1:25:00] that time period. And so, uh, in order
[1:25:03] to apply for the funds, we have to pass
[1:25:04] a resolution, which is in your packet.
[1:25:06] And then we apply for a res, um, we, um,
[1:25:10] uh, complete an application. And what we
[1:25:14] are what we look at is they looking at
[1:25:15] the average and our average that they
[1:25:17] had of timber was $97,000.
[1:25:21] So uh uh Miss uh Richardson has prepared
[1:25:24] application that's ready to go. So
[1:25:26] tonight that depends on you guys passing
[1:25:28] the resolution. Now for any property
[1:25:31] owner that's affected, what they would
[1:25:33] do is go to the department of revenues
[1:25:35] website and they would complete a uh
[1:25:38] application. uh department of revenue
[1:25:41] would vet it and then they would send it
[1:25:42] to us and the tax commissioner would cut
[1:25:44] of a check for whatever amount that
[1:25:46] their property was damaged.
[1:25:50] Commissioner Bl, but we we talked to the
[1:25:52] people few people few people few people few in your area
[1:25:54] >> they didn't feel they had enough
[1:25:56] >> they had some damage but didn't feel
[1:25:57] like they had enough to qualify for any
[1:25:59] help
[1:26:00] >> but but you were saying any damage
[1:26:03] >> well trees for trees
[1:26:05] >> trees trees
[1:26:06] >> so if a tree fell in your yard
[1:26:08] >> well no [laughter]
[1:26:13] » so the tree will have to fall in your
[1:26:14] yard
[1:26:15] >> then hit half the building or
[1:26:19] It's for timber though.
[1:26:20] >> You have to have a timber. It probably
[1:26:21] has to be in conservation.
[1:26:23] >> Don't have to be in conservation.
[1:26:24] >> I would think planted pine trees
[1:26:28] >> like a tree farm.
[1:26:29] [snorts]
[1:26:32] >> Forest or have tree farms. Tree farms.
[1:26:36] >> Was it that in science class when when
[1:26:39] they asked about
[1:26:40] >> you? If if if a tree falls
[1:26:43] >> in in the middle of the forest and no
[1:26:45] one hears it,
[1:26:46] >> is it still a sound? Y'all don't
[1:26:48] remember that.
[1:26:49] >> I I do.
[1:26:50] >> Oh, my bad.
[1:26:52] >> Graduated in the eighth. [laughter]
[1:26:55] >> So, so it's Hey, let's not leave on the
[1:26:58] table. Chair entertain a motion. So,
[1:27:00] move second.
[1:27:01] >> Second.
[1:27:01] further discussion. All in favor?
[1:27:03] Show of hands, please. Let's do our part
[1:27:06] to bring in
[1:27:09] uh whatever those funds you quoted 97.
[1:27:13] >> They they said we were eligible up to
[1:27:14] 130, but they I was reading again today.
[1:27:17] It said uh whatever your three-year
[1:27:18] average is and they provided that was
[1:27:21] 97,000 and some change.
[1:27:22] >> We'll take it.
[1:27:25] >> All right. Thank you, sir. You between
[1:27:28] Liberty County Sheriff and Liberty
[1:27:30] Regional Attorney Kelly Davis.
[1:27:33] >> How are you, sir?
[1:27:33] >> Good.
[1:27:34] evening. I think everyone is
[1:27:36] familiar with the security concerns at
[1:27:38] the hospital and the agreement that's
[1:27:39] proposed between the hospital and the
[1:27:41] sheriff's department. Uh the hospital
[1:27:43] would like to contract with the
[1:27:44] sheriff's department to provide uh
[1:27:46] exclusive full-time deputies at the
[1:27:48] hospital. That'd be four deputies as
[1:27:51] well as provide necessary equipment in
[1:27:53] one vehicle. Um and the hospitals
[1:27:55] assumed full responsibility for payment
[1:27:57] of these deputies as well as all
[1:27:59] benefits and training related equipment,
[1:28:02] personal equipment they may need in
[1:28:04] connection with the their job. And the
[1:28:06] agreement that's before you tonight has
[1:28:08] not yet been finally approved by the
[1:28:10] hospital authority, but I think everyone
[1:28:11] is asking the board approve it now
[1:28:13] subject to approval of the the chairman
[1:28:15] and whatever changes might be
[1:28:16] recommended by me. Um just to advance
[1:28:19] the the process. Uh and I think I
[1:28:22] mentioned at your last meeting or
[1:28:23] meeting before the the board really has
[1:28:25] no active role in this arrangement. Your
[1:28:28] only rule role is to budget the funds
[1:28:30] and collect reimbursement from the
[1:28:32] hospital authority. And so there will no
[1:28:34] be out-of- pocket costs paid by the
[1:28:35] board of commissioners. Uh the hospital
[1:28:37] agreed to pay all costs associated with
[1:28:39] the security. So if it's uh the pleasure
[1:28:42] of the board, I just ask that you
[1:28:43] authorize the chairman to sign theou
[1:28:46] between the county, the sheriff, and the
[1:28:47] hospital authority to allow security to
[1:28:49] be put in place as soon as possible. If
[1:28:52] you have any questions, I'll be happy to
[1:28:53] answer them, but Commissioner Thrift
[1:28:54] might be able to answer the security
[1:28:56] concerns better than better than I
[1:28:58] could.
[1:28:58] >> Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, like I I spoke
[1:29:01] at the last meeting, there's definitely
[1:29:03] a need for security at the hospital.
[1:29:08] Uh they currently have
[1:29:10] um a contract with the
[1:29:13] sheriff's department, but it's not as um
[1:29:19] stringent, I guess, as this one would
[1:29:21] be. And this is kind of in line with
[1:29:23] like the one that commissioners have
[1:29:24] with the board of education.
[1:29:26] >> Yes, ma'am. U and so and I know the
[1:29:29] first year of it of the uh like he said
[1:29:32] it's going to be
[1:29:35] a wash really because the hospital is
[1:29:37] going to reimburse the county back but
[1:29:39] anyway the first year set up and
[1:29:41] everything is a little bit higher then
[1:29:43] they'll negotiate
[1:29:45] uh or I believe that they have a price
[1:29:47] in there for the following year which is
[1:29:49] a little less but we are having some
[1:29:52] issues or they are having some issues
[1:29:54] over there with uh patients that need to
[1:29:57] be addressed. And uh
[1:30:00] I make a motion we go ahead and approve
[1:30:02] this intergovernment or this agreement
[1:30:05] with the sheriff and the Liberty
[1:30:07] Regional Medical Center Hospital
[1:30:09] Authority.
[1:30:10] >> A second. My one comment is that
[1:30:13] one of the retirees who's a friend of
[1:30:14] mine and
[1:30:16] Mr. Stevens very well was injured at the
[1:30:19] hospital.
[1:30:20] >> They've had several employees injured
[1:30:22] and had to go out on medical on U
[1:30:26] FMLA
[1:30:27] >> FMLA or you know and it's just
[1:30:31] >> needs to be done
[1:30:32] >> and that is one specific concern the
[1:30:34] agreement address is not only emergency
[1:30:36] department security but security for
[1:30:38] parking areas as well.
[1:30:40] Yes.
[1:30:47] » Not the county commissioners making the
[1:30:50] choosing who works sheriff.
[1:30:53] >> That is right. They'll make up the
[1:30:54] schedule.
[1:30:55] >> I hope that they will consider that the
[1:30:57] law enforcement that they choose that
[1:31:00] they are capable of handling mental
[1:31:03] patient
[1:31:06] » and I hope so too.
[1:31:08] >> Right. because most of those patients
[1:31:10] that are causing
[1:31:13] uh the harm over there are mental
[1:31:14] patients and they need they need a
[1:31:16] special type of assistance over there
[1:31:19] for those patients.
[1:31:20] >> That's a good point and that will be the
[1:31:21] focus of a lot of the training of the
[1:31:22] personnel assigned there.
[1:31:24] >> Yes sir.
[1:31:25] >> I was listening to NPR and they did a a
[1:31:27] story on this how prevalent it is
[1:31:29] country nationwide.
[1:31:30] >> Yes.
[1:31:31] >> Injuries in hospitals. Uh nurses are
[1:31:34] getting very concerned about their
[1:31:36] security. I say nurses, hospital staff
[1:31:38] in general.
[1:31:40] All right. Further discussion. All in
[1:31:42] favor? Show of hands, please. All right.
[1:31:45] >> Thank you.
[1:31:46] >> Execute that contract, sir.
[1:31:49] Mr. Dodd, Homeland Security Grant
[1:31:53] and the weather report.
[1:31:56] >> Good evening, Mr. Chairman, [laughter]
[1:31:58] commissioners.
[1:31:59] >> Hi, I'm raining. Last year around
[1:32:03] August, September, we approached Miss
[1:32:04] Rhonda with a voter registration about a
[1:32:06] Homeland Security grant um if she wanted
[1:32:09] to apply for it. Well, she gave us the
[1:32:11] paperwork and she did apply for it and
[1:32:13] then we just found out last week that
[1:32:15] she did get approved for 66,600.
[1:32:20] >> Sir, I thought you said something.
[1:32:22] >> I said, "Wow."
[1:32:23] >> $66,676.65.
[1:32:27] What I'm here for tonight is just to get
[1:32:29] the approval with the the Mr. Chairman's
[1:32:33] signature that we go into that agreement
[1:32:35] with it. And what she's going to use
[1:32:36] that money for is uh she's buying
[1:32:41] 40,000 of it around ballpark figure is
[1:32:44] for security purposes and then the other
[1:32:46] 20,000 she's buying u like a emergency
[1:32:51] panic button for her uh pole workers.
[1:32:54] Then that's what she's going to do. And
[1:32:55] right now we have to sign the paperwork
[1:32:58] to get into the agreement with the the
[1:33:00] GEMA and then she can purchase the stuff
[1:33:03] once they approve it.
[1:33:06] Questions for Mr. Dodd.
[1:33:08] It's amazing what we have to do for
[1:33:10] security nowadays.
[1:33:12] >> That's where we are. All right. Let's
[1:33:15] please allow uh our board of elections
[1:33:18] to receive a granted amount of
[1:33:20] $66,676.65
[1:33:22] 65 cents for secure security purposes as
[1:33:26] stated by Mr. D. Chain a motion.
[1:33:28] >> So move Mr. Chair.
[1:33:29] >> Is there a second that motion? Motion
[1:33:30] and second we approve. Present any
[1:33:32] further question. All in favor? Show
[1:33:34] hands please. All right. We may miss
[1:33:37] >> that is a Hey, sir. One thing that is a
[1:33:40] 100%. We don't have to match nothing.
[1:33:42] It's not a 7525. It's straight 100%.
[1:33:45] >> All right, sir. Getting better and
[1:33:47] better.
[1:33:54] weather.
[1:33:55] >> You got one
[1:33:56] >> weather is going to be hot. [laughter]
[1:33:58] >> I can promise you it's gonna be hot. Um
[1:34:02] >> Oh, you got you got it on paper.
[1:34:04] >> Yes,
[1:34:05] >> I knew I knew Mr. Chairman was going to
[1:34:07] ask me, so I brought it. [laughter] I
[1:34:08] know we're going to have a heat advisory
[1:34:10] probably to u possibly tomorrow. They're
[1:34:12] expecting some rain to come in tomorrow
[1:34:14] evening, but the heat heat index
[1:34:17] tomorrow, we're looking at 106, 105.
[1:34:21] Um,
[1:34:23] and then possibly
[1:34:25] cooling down a little bit on uh the
[1:34:28] weekend, but rain, no, uh, tropical
[1:34:32] weather. That's the good thing, but it's
[1:34:33] just going to be heat,
[1:34:35] >> right? And and I'm I'm glad you kind of
[1:34:37] mentioned that. And I know in the past
[1:34:39] we've had discussions about you know
[1:34:41] having uh because of the weather either it's
[1:34:47] super hot or super cold where we have
[1:34:49] like warming stations in the winter time
[1:34:51] and cooling stations and and I
[1:34:54] understand the city of Hinesville has
[1:34:56] done their part [clears throat] and I
[1:34:58] know I represent I get elected in
[1:35:00] Hinesville but I represent all Liberty
[1:35:02] County. So, what I'm saying is we we
[1:35:04] have citizens outside of Hinesville who
[1:35:07] might need those those type of needs.
[1:35:09] And I know Chattam County, you know,
[1:35:11] they they have some things. I was
[1:35:14] watching uh WTOC the other day. And I
[1:35:16] know Chattam County even right now they
[1:35:19] have cooling uh stations for for their
[1:35:21] citizens. And Buford, they were just
[1:35:23] talking about other communities that had them. And I just wanted to know
[1:35:27] and I know that's your your area because
[1:35:30] we're talking about weather. Do are we
[1:35:33] in the future are going to start looking
[1:35:34] at at expanding where we have some type
[1:35:37] of facility for for our for our
[1:35:41] citizens? Sorry, Mr. I put you on I mean
[1:35:44] y'all talking about weather.
[1:35:45] >> I know the city of Hinesville's got the
[1:35:47] agreement with uh Bethl the the church
[1:35:50] [clears throat] for the heating and
[1:35:51] cooling and I know Trip always sends the
[1:35:54] weather and we keep in contact with that
[1:35:56] right there. I know some of the
[1:35:58] municipalities and I can speak for
[1:35:59] Watabil. I know Chief Maxwell has opened
[1:36:01] up the the fire station if people is
[1:36:04] cooling. Um and it's just we go back to
[1:36:07] the same thing space and the the money
[1:36:10] to fund something like that. Um that's
[1:36:12] the the biggest thing I think everybody
[1:36:15] in Liberty County is on the same sheet
[1:36:17] as you. But when it comes down to the
[1:36:20] space and the funds to man it to to
[1:36:23] support that shelter,
[1:36:25] >> understood.
[1:36:26] >> Find a way to make one.
[1:36:28] >> And generally they generally quote the
[1:36:30] liability issue too. You know I
[1:36:33] kind of like you said before I'm not
[1:36:34] going to stir that too much because I
[1:36:35] don't want
[1:36:36] >> I mean I understand but I I think that's
[1:36:38] I mean every every [clears throat]
[1:36:39] season during the winter time is a
[1:36:42] discussion, the summertime is a
[1:36:43] discussion. So I I don't
[1:36:45] >> I I think um
[1:36:49] >> Yeah. Okay.
[1:36:50] >> Right. Or or just just talk to some of
[1:36:53] your peers, you know, from around this
[1:36:55] particular area.
[1:36:56] >> And uh well, I can speak for region uh
[1:36:58] area of five with all the EMA directors.
[1:37:01] There's 13 counties. We're all in the
[1:37:03] same same position in Chattam County.
[1:37:06] You know, they're they're involved in
[1:37:07] that area, too,
[1:37:08] >> right? Um all of us face the same same
[1:37:12] things with but with them when we start
[1:37:15] talking about that shelters
[1:37:17] >> for for uh you know the heat or the
[1:37:20] cold.
[1:37:20] >> Right. Right. Right. All right. I I just
[1:37:22] want to know if we are going to come
[1:37:25] with some type of strategic plan for
[1:37:27] that but or we just going to let
[1:37:30] Hinesville handle every everything.
[1:37:32] Either way I just wanted to mention it.
[1:37:35] >> Thank you sir.
[1:37:36] >> No problem. [clears throat] All right,
[1:37:38] Mr. D. Yes.
[1:37:42] >> So, last year um January January of
[1:37:46] 2025, this board uh approved us to
[1:37:49] rewrite our um or update our hazard
[1:37:53] mitigation plan for the the whole
[1:37:55] county, the multi- jurisdictions. Um we
[1:37:58] went through we had a kickoff meeting in
[1:38:00] March of last year and we did all the briefings. I know my my staff we
[1:38:05] worked a lot with uh AG with that's the
[1:38:07] one that we we uh we we picked um right
[1:38:12] now the plan has went through GEMA and
[1:38:15] FEMA.
[1:38:17] It's been approved on the uh exceptions
[1:38:20] that we have to go through all the the
[1:38:22] government agencies to get it adopted.
[1:38:25] We've done um we've done four well this
[1:38:29] is the fourth one and we got the other
[1:38:31] municipalities scheduled to adopt this
[1:38:33] plan. Only thing I'm asking tonight is
[1:38:35] just to adopt a multi-jurisdiction plan.
[1:38:38] That way we can send it up to FEMA. We
[1:38:40] can get the plan back.
[1:38:41] >> Is wavville on board?
[1:38:44] >> Well Tuesday [laughter] we're presenting
[1:38:46] Tuesday.
[1:38:48] >> I mean you get it. Never mind.
[1:38:50] >> I got it.
[1:38:51] >> Never mind. Thank you. [laughter]
[1:38:54] Chair entertain a motion.
[1:38:55] >> A move, Mr. Chair.
[1:38:57] >> Second. We approve.
[1:38:59] [laughter]
[1:39:00] >> Thank you.
[1:39:00] >> No problem.
[1:39:01] >> All in favor.
[1:39:04] Miss Monica, you have that there.
[1:39:06] >> Okay. All right. Administrative report.
[1:39:08] Mr. Mosley,
[1:39:10] >> chair and board of commissioners
[1:39:12] briefly. Uh under human resources, we
[1:39:15] have started the uh process for our
[1:39:18] paying compensation study. uh on the
[1:39:20] splash negotiations. we have start are
[1:39:22] meeting with our cities to start that
[1:39:24] process of negotiating projects and
[1:39:26] we'll be bringing a list uh to the board
[1:39:30] at our work session on Wednesday and our
[1:39:33] upcoming events is a work session for
[1:39:35] Wednesday of course and then the ribbon
[1:39:37] cutting and dedication for the new MS on
[1:39:39] September 3rd 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Uh in in
[1:39:43] going back um we on yesterday we got a
[1:39:46] chance to meet with uh Miss Brien Grant
[1:39:48] and Miss Melissa McCay from the um uh
[1:39:51] development authority and they talked
[1:39:52] about the Georgia Tech study and what I
[1:39:55] would love to do in the in one of next
[1:39:58] upcoming uh sessions is have y'all get a
[1:40:00] debriefing on that. I think it's some
[1:40:02] great information in terms of what it
[1:40:04] costs to provide services with dollars
[1:40:06] with tax dollars. And on that note, I've
[1:40:10] been asked to serve on a ACCG special ad
[1:40:13] hoc committee dealing with the um tax
[1:40:16] issues that will be coming before the
[1:40:17] legislature. And on Tuesday at library
[1:40:20] board meeting, I got a chance to talk
[1:40:22] with Chattam County manager Michael
[1:40:24] Keigler and he's going to assemble some
[1:40:25] of the coastal county managers to talk
[1:40:27] about it. Uh we know from our
[1:40:29] consultant, Mr. McDonald, that the issue
[1:40:31] will not go away. It will be back on the
[1:40:34] uh 2027 Georgia General Assembly agenda.
[1:40:37] So, uh, we need to have some strategies
[1:40:39] in terms of how we're going to address
[1:40:40] the issue. So, just want to give y'all
[1:40:42] an update on that.
[1:40:44] >> Yes, sir.
[1:40:46] >> Where are we with the
[1:40:50] vehicle?
[1:40:51] >> Uh, if I remember correctly, I think
[1:40:53] we're at about the 75% mark.
[1:40:55] >> I've been seeing them.
[1:40:58] >> Uh, it was it was paused and it's going
[1:41:00] to it's started back.
[1:41:07] >> No sir, but we'll we'll get it done.
[1:41:10] >> I guess my question has all the decals
[1:41:12] and paper.
[1:41:14] >> Yes, sir.
[1:41:15] >> They should go on the vehicle.
[1:41:16] >> Yes, sir.
[1:41:19] >> Shows up good when I'm passing them by
[1:41:22] on the street. So,
[1:41:23] >> yeah,
[1:41:24] >> sir. Shows up good.
[1:41:25] >> Yes, sir. It does. It does. It looks
[1:41:26] good.
[1:41:27] >> The numbers on them and all. I'm
[1:41:29] tracking.
[1:41:31] >> Thank you, sir. All right. Um, ladies
[1:41:35] and gentlemen, we now need to go into
[1:41:36] executive session for a real estate
[1:41:38] matter. Chair and take a motion to
[1:41:39] adjourn this session to go into
[1:41:41] executive session.
[1:41:42] >> I'll move, Mr. Chair.
[1:41:43] >> Second of that.
[1:41:44] >> All in favor, show of hands, please.
[1:41:45] We'll now go into secret session for a
[1:41:47] real estate matter.
[2:22:15] Motion to come out executive session.
[2:22:19] >> A motion to come out, sir. Recession.
[2:22:22] >> Uhhuh.
[2:22:23] >> Second.
[2:22:23] All in favor?
[2:22:26] Mot.
[2:22:28] >> Second.
[2:22:28] >> All in favor?
[2:22:31] >> All right, sir.
[2:22:32] >> Yes, sir.
[2:22:34] >> Oh. Let me see.
[2:22:37] >> Oh, by the way, y'all, I lost my keys.
[2:22:40] >> You don't fit losing things,
[2:22:41] >> man. Listen. No. No. I got smart this
[2:22:43] time.
[2:22:46] >> I know. Yeah, that was
[2:22:49] >> cuz I had a violation.
[2:22:51] >> No, listen. I lost for both my trucks.
[2:22:55] >> So, I only was able to one,
[2:23:01] $600.
[2:23:03] Listen.