Commissioners Approve $10,000 for Attorney

The Jasper County Commissioners unanimously approved a $10,000 expenditure Monday for the Bear Creek Reservoir Committee.

The committee is comprised of a cross section of interested persons who are looking at the proposal between Jasper County and Newton County to provide water for Jasper County, and at alternatives.

The committee met last week and agreed the first step would be to have an independent lawyer review the contract.

Fred Meyer, who was elected chairman of the committee, spoke to commissioners at their regular meeting Tuesday (postponed because of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday Monday) about the fee.

The attorney, Kirby Atkinson with Ekonomou, Atkinson, and Lambros, LLC, of Atlanta, said he would require a $7,500 retainer. In addition, he said, he would have to hire an engineer to look at that part of the contract, which would cost an additional $2,500. Mr. Atkinson’s hourly fee is $295, and Mr. Meyer said that if the full retainer is not used, it would be refunded.

The action came fully 45 minutes into the meeting, although it was the first thing on the agenda. Comments from citizens about items on the agenda took up much of the first hour. Most of the comments concerned the Bear Creek project.
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Jack Bernard of Turtle Cove told commissioners some of what he had learned in talking with engineers on the Bear Creek project.

Several people asked the commissioners to allow the committee time to work, to consider the environmental impact and the costs involved.

Ken McMichael said he had done a lot of research and tried to approach it with an open mind. He said in talking with David Bennett of the Soil Conservation Service, he said Murder Creek is Jasper’s best source of water—it has the flow needed and it is clean water.

However, he said, Jasper County could never get it permitted. In today’s political climate, Mr. McMichael explained, only regional projects are being looked at and approved.

Mr. McMichael also pointed out, that is why Newton County wants Jasper County to be a partner. Newton is not likely to get the permits for the reservoir unless another entity is with them.

He suggested that Bear Creek may well be the best option, but, he said, the county can likely negotiate a contract that “will be fair to both sides.”

At the conclusion of the agenda comments, Mr. Meyer gave the official committee report. He said the committee had met and agreed on the following priorities:

To Review—
•And report on the agreement between Jasper and Newton County.
•Funding.
•Water needs.
•Supporting documents.

Initially Mr. Meyer did not know the cost of the retainer for Mr. Atkinson, but determined that during the meeting.

Although many of the agenda comments centered around the Bear Creek project, there were others.

Jim Brown, chairman of the Alcovy Shores Water Authority said that the authority was a political subdivision of the state of Georgia. He told commissioners the only place Jasper County was mentioned in the legislation that passed in 1980 creating the authority was that the governing authority of the county would name three members to the authority.

Mary Patrick also spoke on the changes to the proposed charter. She said that the last sentence in the bidding procedures negated the need to get bids.

She suggested the commissioners look at the charter more closely before moving forward with it. She urged the commission to wait until next year to get the legislation passed for the new charter.

Mrs. Patrick also reiterated her perception that the minutes of the commission meetings should be more in depth.

Mrs. Mary Ann Hyde told the commissioners there is a lot of animosity in the county. She suggested they need to be sure nothing is hidden. She indicated the commissioners had a need to communicate better with the electorate.

Commissioners spent considerable time debating whether employees should get cost of living raises, and if so, how much. The county budgeted $85,000 for raises, putting the money in the contingency fund.

At the time, said Commissioner Carl Pennamon, it was budgeted to be an across the board $1,000 raise per employee. Now, however the county has more than 85 employees. He favors the flat dollar figure per employee, because, he says, a loaf of bread is a loaf of bread. It costs the same for everybody.

Commissioner Greg Wyatt said that he was looking at between one and two percent for employee raises. He said the state is giving no raises, and many counties are giving no raises. “If we could do that range, I’d agree.”

Commissioner Jerry Crow said that the cost of living was figured at 2.1 percent, and he thought that is what the county should do.

Several people in the audience spoke out, voicing their opinions on employee raises. One opinion was, the taxpayers were taxed for raises, the employees should get the raises. Several people favored the percentage cost of living raise.

After much discussion, the commissioners voted 3-2 to table the matter until the next meeting when they could have more information, expressing particular concern about part-time employees.

Commissioners agreed to advertise for persons interested in serving on the Comprehensive Plan for the county which includes the future land use map. The plan has to be done every few years, so thatthe county can determine where it is going and the best way to get there.

The Regional Development Center in Athens will facilitate the meetings and help Jasper develop its plan. The cost will be more than $30,000, and much public input is sought. A cross-section of the population is to be represented.

Commissioner Greg Wyatt, administrator Phil Peevy, Zoning Administrator Peggy Billerman, and the mayors or another representative from Monticello and Shady Dale are to meet with the RDC to receive guidelines.

Commissioners discussed bidding for a cleaning service. That also garnered much discussion. Commissioner Charles Hill said he had heard some disgruntlement when the county sought bids last year then rejected them all because there was not enough money in the budget to pay the services.

He suggested that those people who bid last year be sent a letter telling them that the service is again being put out to bid.

Commissioners discussed upgrading the General Ledger software in the commission office to a Windows based program rather than a DOS program. Administrator Phil Peevy and financial officer Sharon Robinson outlined some of the problems with the current procedures, and how the upgrade will help.

Commissioners approved that along with allocating funds for administration to implement the Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s (GASB) new financial reporting model.

In other action, commissioners:
•Re-arranged where some county vehicles are assigned. The animal control truck is going to Planning and Zoning. Several commissioners stressed that they are not abandoning animal control.

When an animal control facility is built, an appropriate truck will be purchased, they indicated. The planning and zoning truck that is being replaced will go to the Public Works Department (PWD). In addition, there are two vehicles at the landfill, and one of them is being re-assigned to PWD.

•Approved hiring a new full-time employee for the recreation department.

•Opened bids on Emergency Medical Service billing, and agreed to have Administrator Phil Peevy, Attorney W. Dan Roberts, and Emergency Services Director Ed Westbrook review the documents and bring a recommendation to the next meeting.

•Were reminded that Howard Smith will be honored this Sunday at St. James A.M.E. Church.

•Went into closed session to discuss personnel.