Carl Pennamon Is Re-Elected Commission Chair

Carl Pennamon was re-elected chairman of the Jasper County Commission and Craig Salmon was elected vice-chair at the commission’s regular meeting Monday evening. The vote was postponed from the January meeting because two commissioners were absent. The full board was present Monday, and both men were elected unanimously.

Shane Short of Walton County addressed the commissioners about the new client at Stanton Springs. A company that currently goes by the name Morning Hornet, LLC, a Fortune 250 company, has committed to move into Stanton Springs. The American owned company plans a five-phase development, with an investment of some $48 billion.

Mr. Short said this is the largest ever investment in the state. The first building will be a $700 million investment, and Mr. Short explained every three years they would replace every server in the building.

The investment means Jasper County will not have to pay any more into the development, and will soon start getting money from it. The first receipts are going to be used to expand the parkway in the development so the remaining acres can be sold.

The new company will employ about 50 people per building, and another 200 contractors will be put to work. The new company is planning an official announcement right after the bond validation which is supposed take place next Wednesday in Morgan Superior Court.

In addition, Mr. Short said that Shire had just received FDA approval, so it would up its 800 employees to 1,500.

The county also received an audit presentation by Mark Hardison, who said the county got a “clean”: opinion, the best it can get, and there were no findings. He showed how fund balance had grown over the years. Mr. Hardison merely hit the highlights, but left copies of the full audit with each commissioner and staff.

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Commissioners heard from 911 Director Betty Jump about how the communication system update was going and she said the company is going to need to be paid. The 911 Authority board voted to pay the company 1/2 of what is owed, as the upgrade has not produced the results that were expected. The bill is some $35,228.99, and the county agreed to go ahead and pay $17,6114.50, and wait until the work is complete for the final payment.

Morris Hutchison with the North Central Health District, and Christa McMillan, nurse manager with the Jasper County Health Department gave a presentation on needs at the local facility. They asked that the county apply for a Community Development Block Grant for 2019 to completely renovate the building. They also asked if the county in the meantime would take care of remediation of mold spores in the environmentalist’s area.

Commissioners agreed to do both…planning to seek a CDBG grant for a new or renovated building, and to immediately seeks bids for the mold remediation. The pair reviewed the services provided by the department and detailed all the problems with the building that was built in 1953, and hasn’t seen many upgrades. Commissioner Don Jernigan said he had visited the building, and as bad as the photos looked, they don’t tell the story he said. It’s worse than that.

County Manager Mike Benton said the county has received its funding for the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant, and said he’d like a decision by March 5 about what road(s) that money will be spent on. He also said he was working on the chip-seal list which are roads that will be improved in-house.

Commissioner Salmon asked if the opinions of school bus drivers and postal workers had been sought, as they would be familiar with the worst roads in the county.

There was some discussion on improving the telephone system in the Courthouse, and commissioners agreed to allow Mr. Benton to contract with an individual who can help determine the best way to go to provide excellent service, and hopefully save the count some money on its phone bill.

The county manger also said that a work session is needed next Monday, Feb. 12, on Service Delivery Strategy, and another is needed Monday, Feb. 26 on capital improvements. In addition, the first meeting for those working on the comprehensive plan is set for Thursday, March 1.

During citizen comments, Rev. Jimmy Horton said he wanted to commend the commission on a job well done. He went on to say he thought Commission Chair Pennamon should be honored for his 34 years of service on the commission. Rev. Horton said he had talked with the commissioner’s wife, and learned his birthday is March 25, and thought that would be a great day and time to recognize Carl.

In other action at Monday’s meeting, commissioners:

•Approved the budget calendar presented by the finance department.

•Approved an amendment to the Senior Center budget to show additional monies that have come in.

•Re-appointed Sharon Robinson county clerk, and David Ozburn as county attorney.

•Approved probation services agreements for Magistrate and Superior Court.

•Awarded the low bid for tub grinding storm materials.

Each commissioner each had some praises or concerns that the county manager will look into.