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Lucas C. Allison

Dispatch Correspondent

The Wilcox Board of Commissioners held a Public Hearing on Tuesday September 5, 2023, to hear from citizens in favor of and opposed to the proposed closing and abandoning of Pintail Lane as a County maintained road.  Several citizens were present at the hearing.  No one present  opposed the closing and abandoning Mr. Ralph McKinney, who is one of the landowners affected by the closing and requested the road closed, reiterated that he wanted the road to close permanently.  County Attorney Toni Sawyer stated that if commissioners voted to close the road it would no longer be serviced or maintained by the county in any way.  There being no others with comment the Public Hearing was adjourned.

At 6:45p.m., the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Commissioners was called to order with Chairman Mel Powell, Commissioners Jamie Handley, Clay Reid, Alfonso Hall and Jowan Johnson present.  Also in attendance was County Manager Michael Pomirko and County Attorney Toni Sawyer.  Minutes from the previous month’s meeting were properly moved and approved.

There was no new business on the agenda.  The first item under Old Business was a Resolution for the county to abandon and close Pintail Lane and cease to maintain it with the road reverting to the property owners Mr. Jason Conner and Mr. Ralph McKinney.  Commissioner Johnson made a motion to approve Resolution 2023-03 to close and abandon Pintail Lane, it was second by Commissioner Hall the motion carried unanimously.  Commissioners then approved the 2023-2024 Holiday Calendar unanimously with no changes from last year’s calendar.  Commissioners then approved after proper motion and second an Amendment to the ACCG Deferred Compensation Plan 401(a) for county employees.  The change approved is that county matching funds will be calculated based on base salary and/or regular time hours.  Overtime hours will no longer be used in calculating contributions. Mr. Pomirko advised commissioners that 2022 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant(LMIG) projects are almost completed, and they will soon begin 2023 LMIG projects.  He advised that the new EMS station is proceeding along and hopes to announce grand opening soon. He stated he has contacted the Georgia Department of Corrections concerning some upcoming maintenance projects in FY 2024 and that the county would like to use inmate labor to help with the projects.  Mr. Pomirko stated that the elevator installation and South Porch repair demolition is almost complete and will then move into the rebuilding and completion of the installation of the courthouse elevator.  He provided the FY 2023-2024 Budget for review by commissioners.  The commissioners then voted to enter into Executive Session after being properly moved and seconded to discuss or deliberate upon the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action, or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee or interviewing applicants for the position of executive head of the agency [O.C.G.A.50-14-3(b)2].  The commissioners exited the Executive Session and continued with the regular meeting.   After being properly moved and seconded commissioners approved a Resolution to Call for a Special Election to be held on November 7, 2023, to fill the unexpired term of the late Sheriff Robert Rodgers whose current term will end on December 31.2024.  Commissioners will contact the Board of Elections to set qualifying dates and commissioners will also set  qualifying fees.