Persons Selected To Serve On Boards

The Jasper County Commissioners, at their regular meeting Monday, interviewed candidates for various boards, and selected persons to serve on the boards.

That action came after commissioners turned down a private drive subdivision off Rock Eagle Road. It had come before the commission last month, and there was much discussion about private drive subdivisions. Commissioners scheduled a work session with the Planning & Zoning Board, and they determined they do not want private drive subdivisions in the county as they can lead to problems. So they denied the request.

Then the commission went into the naming of people to boards. Robert Cumbie, Jasper Memorial Hospital director, was named to the Development Authority of Jasper County (DAJC). At the time, the commissioner thought he was the only applicant, but it turns out Chris Blakely had also expressed an interest in serving. However, there was only one opening.

Five people applied for openings on the Planning & Zoning Appeals Board, including the current chairman and a current member. Andrew Boyd was re-named to the board, and may continue to serve as chairman, and Terry Wynn was also re-named after 10 years on the board. Mr. Blakely, Dan Mauldin and Kendra Pieper had all also volunteered to serve.

Only one person applied for the Department of Family & Children Services, and she was chosen after enthralling the commissioners with her history. A former Russian citizen, Natallia Garren expressed her desire to volunteer and help. She told about herself, saying she has taught in the United States and abroad and is currently home-schooling her own children. The commissioners agreed she will serve on the DFCS board and on the Recreation Board.

For the 911 Authority Board, Julie Bennett, who currently serves as secretary, was re-named. Another current member, Jeffrey Lee, also applied but was not at Monday’s meeting. However James A. Banaski, Jr. who has not previously served here, also applied. His extensive resume showed he had much experience, and commissioners named him to the other opening on the board.

Next was the tax assessors board, which had only one opening. That opening had two applicants, the current chair, Londa Champion who would like to continue serving, and Mrs. Garren. Commissioners re-appointed Mrs. Champion.

Three people applied for one opening on the Elections and Registration Board. And, before the appointments began, during citizen comments, Jim Belcher had suggested to the commissioners that they make the board a five member board, as they have seen what happens with a three member board. Two people which is all that have been on the board for almost a month since David McGuire was named Elections Superintendent, don’t offer much transparency, he indicated. He also requested that a Democrat be named to the board, as initially there was one Democrat, one Republican and one Independent.

Mr. McGuire is a democrat, and he no longer is on the board. However, the commissioners did not question the applicants about their political affiliation. Danny Barron, Cathy Benson and Jason Bunn each applied for the opening, the Commissioners named Mrs. Benson to the board. She has previously served as a poll worker and a poll watcher, she said.

Once the appointments were made, commissioners moved on to trying to help the Humane Society get a location to establish themselves. The commission will sign an agreement with the DAJC which will allow them to get the ball rolling. Some four acres adjacent to animal control will be used by the Humane Society. Commissioners want the intergovernmental agreement to read so that if the Humane Society fails to comply with expectations, or basically closes, the land would revert back to the county.

Commissioners also agreed to add law enforcement back into the entities that will benefit from Impact Fees. Ross & Associates is currently working to revamp the county’s Impact Fees, and that was something the commissioners talked about in a recent work session.

Commissioners agreed to sign another year’s contract with Waste Management for curbside pick-up but told staff they want to bid it out next year. The current contract is up in June, so commissioners felt that didn’t leave enough time to seek and receive bids so they agreed to a one year deal then look further.

They talked about roads that need work, as the county learned that again this year it will get additional road funding beyond what they already planned for their Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) funds. Commissioners agreed to apply for the grant money of $813,727, and cite Jackson Lake Road from Hwy. 212 to just pat the entrance to Turtle Cove as the area that would receive full depth reclamation. That means the road will be dug up and resurfaced, and in the process it will be widened two feet. If that doesn’t take all the money, then they will use the remainder to crack-seal the rest of the road.

The commissioners scheduled two work sessions for the month. One on April 21 will be about the landfill, and the other, which was already scheduled, will be to get the first luck at the budget. The audit presentation could be made at either work session depending on the auditors.

Commissioners learned from their county attorney that Jasper’s increase to the hotel/motel passed and is headed to the governor’s desk. They also learned that conservation limits were increased from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres. He also said that now as far as the state is concerned public works departments can spend up to $250,000 without getting bids, whereas previously the cap was $100,000. He mentioned some changes to the fireworks legislation and more obligations for those entities which opted out of house bill 581. But that does not apply to Jasper County.

During citizen comments, Aubrey Bailey thanked the commissioners for what work has been done on Griggs Chapel Road, but asked if it could please be improved further. He said they would like to see it resurfaced, and he said currently two cars can’t pass.

Mary Patrick asked the commissioners to instill tougher fines on violators of county codes saying that most people get a slap on the wrist rather than meaty fines. She said that we need to revise the way we give tickets.

Mark Logan agreed with Ms. Patrick and said he wants to see them keep curbside…not change to convenience centers.