Billy Jones

The Board of Commissioners conducted a public hearing and regular meeting. Key actions included approving a rezone request for Eagle Granite Company and denying a rezone request for a property on Middleton Shores Dr. The Board approved a lease agreement with the Humane Society for the old train depot building, authorized a judicial foreclosure on the Martin Fireproofing property, and approved a sponsorship for the Friends of Advantage Health 5K event. Additionally, the Board authorized seeking sealed bids for a new dump truck for the Road Department, approved private drive names for a subdivision, and reviewed a finance report regarding the General Fund, SPLOST, and TSPLOST balances.

The board conducted a public hearing and meeting involving several administrative and legislative actions. Key approvals included two rezoning requests, the reappointment of a member to the Development Authority Board, the selection of Pinnacle Bank for the 2026 Tax Anticipation Note, and the relocation of the airport checking account. The board also approved a rental agreement for tournaments at McWilliams Park and set qualifying fees for the 2026 election. Furthermore, the board discussed road maintenance issues on North Rainbow Drive and voted to rescind a previous motion regarding a hospital referendum proposal. A finance report was also presented covering the current budget status.

The work session agenda included several zoning considerations, specifically requests to rezone parcels from RR to R1 for potential property splits and new home construction, with Planning and Zoning recommending approval for both cases. Other topics included the reappointment of a member to the Development Authority Board, discussion of a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) for 2026, and consideration of moving an airport checking account between banks. The board was also scheduled to discuss a rental agreement for tournaments at McWilliams Park, a resolution setting qualifying fees for the 2026 Election, and comments from a resident regarding North Rainbow Drive. Separately, NextEra Energy Resources was scheduled to discuss Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) benefits, and there were scheduled reviews of the hospital's Year-to-Date financials, along with discussions regarding the hospital tax issue and performance.

The meeting included a public hearing section addressing several rezoning requests, all of which Planning and Zoning recommended for approval. Topics included rezoning from RR to R1 for residential development, from A to R1 for residential development, from RR to A for a family cemetery plot, from A to RR for a partial sale, and from A to I for an existing quarry expansion. During the main meeting, the agenda was amended to move a property tax allocation for the hospital to a May referendum discussion. Discussions covered the financial status of the hospital related to uncompensated care costs. The Board approved multiple rezoning requests that were discussed during the public hearing portion. The Board also approved retaining the Dyal Jenkins Firm for Juvenile Court prosecutions effective January 1, 2026. Support was granted for $1,000 in DATE funds to Elbert Partners for Health for mental health service booklets. All Beer and Wine renewal applications were approved. The reappointment of Mr. Ed Shive to the Tax Assessors board was approved. The finance report indicated General Fund expenditures were under budget but revenues were significantly lower than the previous year. The Board entered and exited executive session for litigation, taking no action afterward.

The proceedings included a Public Hearing section addressing two rezoning requests: one from RR to A for joining adjoining parcels, and another from RR to R1 to allow for a parcel split. Both rezoning requests received a recommended approval from Planning and Zoning. The subsequent Board of Commissioners meeting covered the adoption of the agenda and covered discussions on community concerns, including loud noise and the regulation of firearms, referencing HB614. Key actions included the approval of both rezoning requests, the annual Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, seeking sealed bids for the TSPLOST Roads List project, deferring a decision on a motor grader lease until spring, approving retention bonuses for full and part-time employees ($500 and $250, respectively), and approving a Mutual Aid Agreement MOU with Anderson County, South Carolina. Additionally, a supplement of $300 per month was approved for Court Reporters. The Finance Report indicated that the General fund was under budget through October, though specific departments showed overages, and provided fund balances for SPLOST, TSPLOST, and the Hotel/Motel tax fund.