Commission approves equipment for Public Works and Fire; Updates dog tethering ordinance

The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners held its regular meeting on Tuesday, August 15, at 8:30am in the Commission Room at the Bulloch County North Main Annex.  

You can view the full agenda packet HERE.

Motion to approve the general agenda. County Attorney Jeff Akins added one real estate sales contract to the agenda under New Business. Motion approved.

Chairman Thompson motioned to move items 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the Consent Agenda to New Business. Motion approved. Items will become numbers 4, 5, 6, and 7 under New Business.   

V. CONSENT AGENDA (ALL APPROVED)

1. Minutes Approval: Tuesday August 1st, 2023 05:30 PM

2. Approve Executive Minutes of August 1, 2023

3. Approve FY24 Ambulance Purchase in the amount of $680,535.00. 

4. Approve FY24 Stryker Purchase in the amount of $113,354.21.

Bulloch County EMS was authorized to purchase three (3) ambulances Q1 FY24.  This is a request for the Board to approve the purchase of three (3) Stryker power load cot retention systems for those ambulances.  This is a sole source request due to exclusive rights and continuation of prior work.  The total price of the project is one hundred thirteen thousand three hundred fifty four dollars and twenty one cents ($113,354.21).  We request Board approval.

5. Motion to grant an alcoholic beverage license for retail beer and wines pouring sales to Maria Elizabeth Gonzalez Torres, La Casita Cafe, LLC, located at 8091 Burkhalter Road Suite B, Statesboro, Georgia 30461.

Ms. Maria Elizabeth Gonzalez Torres has met the County's requirements for the submission of an alcohol application. Please see the attached application for review. Approval is recommended.

6. Approval of Amended Summary Plan Description for Employee Health Care Plan

The intent of this agenda item is to seek approval for changes to the Bulloch County Employee Health Care Plan.

The current version of the Health Plan’s Summary Plan Description (SPD) includes language to comply with previous federal law regarding payment for COVID-related testing. The Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 ended in May 2023. As a result, our SPD has now been revised to delete the formerly mandated COVID language and to change the benefit for COVID testing to align with the normal coverage percentage of the Plan.

There are no other changes to the Plan or the coverage it provides. Approval of the new Summary Plan Description, with an effective date of 7/1/2023, is recommended.

[Consent Agenda Items 7-10 moved to New Business.]

11. Request to approve Freightliner dump truck repair costs in the amount of $17,444.38.

12. Approval of Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of Roads in Windmill Plantation Subdivision

13. Approval of Joint Waiver of Conflict

14. Motion to Approve and Enter into a Contract with Tyler Technologies for Case Management Software for the Adult Misdemeanor Probation Department in the amount of $68,500.00 to be funded with IT SPLOST

15. Authorize a lease renewal with Pineland BHDD.

Motion to approve Consent Agenda. APPROVED.

New Business

1. Public Works Director, Dink Butler, would like to notify Commissioners and Senior Management of alternate MSW disposal in emergent or urgent situations. (Dink Butler) (APPROVED)

At times, alternative MSW disposal practices may be needed due to unforeseen circumstances. Dink would like to discuss these situations and gain approval to implement alternate routing when needed.

Dink Butler noted an issue as of late with disposal of solid waste at the transfer station. There have been delays. He has contacted AllGreen, and they have graciously accepted an offer to dispose of some of our solid waste for an additional $4/ton disposal fee. This will help keep us from being delayed in service to our centers, especially on Mondays when catching up from the weekend's accumulations. “I can’t put a dollar value on it because I don’t know the extent or volume we're talking about until we go across the scales,” he said. But in his opinion, this option would be very beneficial.

Commissioner Stringer had Mr. Butler clarify that this is an alternative or secondary option when solid waste is delayed due to backup at the transfer station. This is to keep the county from being delayed on servicing our centers when there is an equipment breakdown or other issues. Commissioner Mosley noted issues with waste collection where he lives on Cypress Lake and offered support for Butler’s idea.

Manager Couch noted that this plan could have a slight budget impact, depending on volumes, but it would help with pushing waste through the centers. There are no additional air rights fees; it is all covered in tippage. Commissioner Rushing noted that AllGreen has been very gracious to the county in the past.

Couch said that given everything the community is going through, we need to think of longterm solutions to solid waste collection and disposal. We have no landfill in Bulloch County, and there’s no prospect of having one soon. If we’re going to continue to ship it out of the county, we have to figure out how to manage reliable service. We need to revisit the consolidated study we had last year. "We’ve been so busy, and solid waste becomes something that is easy to ignore until you can’t get rid of it,” he said.

APPROVED.

2. Approval of Amendment to Article V of Chapter 8 of the Code of Ordinances of Bulloch County, Georgia (County Attorney Jeff Akins) (APPROVED)

The attached ordinance amendment revises Article V of Chapter 8 of the Code of Ordinances to make some technical corrections, to provide some standards for tethering dogs outdoors, and to include a penalty provision.  There are two versions of the ordinance amendment attached: (1) a "redline version" that shows deleted language in blue strikethrough font and new language in red font; and (2) a "clean version" with all the changes incorporated for approval by the Commissioners. Approval is recommended.

This was requested by the animal shelter committee. It puts in humane standards people have to comply with if they are tethering a dog outdoors. They also added penalty provisions, but the meat is the new section on tethering.

Ted Wynn says this has been a long study by the animal shelter committee because public safety gets regular complaints about dogs being tethered in the heat without water or shelter. We do not have a leash law in the county, so it does not require tethering. But if citizens do tether dogs, they need to do it in a humane and safe method for the animal and the public around it. The officers plan to do a lot of education with dog owners first, rather than writing a lot of tickets initially. 

Dr. Richard Marz is the chair of the animal shelter committee. We are above 90% no kill on dogs, and we are in the high 70s-low 80s on cats. Animal Services is working hard to make sure our county’s animals are taken care of in a humane way.

Chairman Thompson raised an issue he is having with repeated complaints about outdoor-kept pets. Wynn said that as long as owners are providing food, shelter, and water for pets, they are allowed to house them outdoors. Wynn thanked the commission for handling the last several very stressful weeks with grace and dignity. 

APPROVED.

Added: 3. Real Estate Purchase from Kangeter Properties, LLC (APPROVED)

Mr. Edward Kangeter signed the agreement yesterday, and this is a purchase for the second well site we need in Bulloch County. We will be purchasing 3 acres at a cost of $96,000.

Tom Couch, Kelvin Seagraves, and Akins discussed a provision for Mr. Kangeter, as he is concerned about potential effects on the wells he has for his residential properties. A provision was made for owner taps into any future system. This doesn't obligate the County to build a water system in the area and let him tap into it, but if they do, he is allowed up to four free taps into the system.

APPROVED.

Moved to New Business: 4. Motion to Approve Public Works' Purchase of International Roll-Off Truck in the Amount of $229,369.00. (APPROVED)

Quote provided by Rush Truck Centers. State of Georgia Contract # 99999-SPD-SPD0000155-0001.

Chairman Thompson asked if there was any way to put the purchase of the truck off, hoping the price would come down. Dink Butler explained that this particular truck and the purchase agreement has a delivery date of Fall 2024. The truck it is set to replace is a 2014 model, which has presented numerous issues. One recent example is a $17,000 repair on a dump truck of similar age to the roll-off truck. The county is spending a significant amount of money to keep older trucks running. 

The new trucks take awhile to get here. The fleet management department has done an excellent job with repairing old trucks, but it is more cost effective to have the newer trucks. "We’re trying to move to a more serviceable fleet," Butler said.

Chairman Thompson asked Kristie King, CFO, whether the money for this truck has already been allotted. She said it has been allocated in the CIP for 2024 and will come out of SPLOST funds. Thompson said he feels that we need the truck as quickly as possible, and it will already take a year or two to arrive.

APPROVED.

Moved to New Business: 5. Motion to Approve Public Work's Purchase of International Dump Truck in the Amount of $168,716.00. (APPROVED)

Truck to be supplied by Rush Truck Centers. State of Georgia Contract #99999-SPD-SPD0000155-0001.

Chairman Thompson said he had the same questions about the dump truck as the roll-off truck. Mr. Butler said at a certain point, he had personally questioned the need to spend $17,000 on a single repair for an older vehicle. But the new trucks were going to be over a year out in arriving, so he had no choice.

The dump truck is also expected in Fall of 2024, but that is only a projection and those dates often get pushed off. Chairman Thompson asked if the prices were locked in, and Mr. Butler said yes, as long as the county issues a PO within 30 days. 

APPROVED.

Moved to New Business: 6. Motion to Approve Purchase of Two CAT Motor Graders in the Amount of $524,774. (APPROVED)

Purchase of motor graders was included in Public Works’ equipment replacement plan for FY2024. Soucewell quotes were provided by Yancey CAT and Dobbs Equipment with Yancey CAT coming in as the low bid.

Mr. Butler said when he first started at Public Works, they were rolling graders every 5 years and then migrated to a 7-year plan. Over the years, they were questioned about how to get more life out of the equipment. The two current graders that need to be replaced are 10 years old and right at 10,000 hours of service. One recent repair cost $38,000. It could have been $80,000 because it was just outside of the 7-year warranty, but Public Works partnered with Yancey locally to share the repair cost. The second grader is “twin” to the one that just required this repair.

"We are trying to stay ahead of major repairs," Butler said. Chairman Thompson said he understands Public Works is doing everything it can to keep the old motor graders running.

Butler said delivery dates are projected to be December of 2023 and January of 2024, and prices are locked in. Commissioner Rushing said he understands that 10,000 hours is the “getting off point” for motor graders, and if you haven’t had any trouble yet, you can expect some soon.

APPROVED. 

Moved to New Business: 7. Motion to approve the purchase of a Breathing Air Compressor from B & T Enterprises LLC in the amount of $56,274.00 for the Bulloch County Fire Department. (APPROVED)

Currently, there are only four compressors around the county to fill SCBA bottles after fires and training. Two of these are 30 plus years old and this is one step in getting newer, more reliable equipment out in the county for our firefighters.

Chairman Thompson asked County Fire Chief Ben Tapley to speak on why we need this equipment. Tapley said this will be mounted at the station, and firefighters require refills of compressed air at the station after training missions and calls. These will be spread around the county, because in the past, firefighters had to travel to just one spot in the county to refill. Now firefighters won’t have to travel to fill their bottles.

This will allow firefighters to quickly refill their breathing apparatus and get back to work. Tapley said firefighters need to top off their bottles as soon as they return to the station after a call. Commissioner Stringer added that you never know when the next fire will be, and you don’t want to be caught without air in your bottle.

Chairman Thompson said he wants the public to understand that we need these things but they do cost money.

APPROVED.

Chairman Thompson said he and the commission understand that these are items the county truly needs. "We have to have them," he said.

VII. Public Comments

Marcus Toole addressed the commission. 

Toole said he attended the tax hearing last night and had a different perspective than most. He owns 300 acres in the county as well as a home, so he is getting tax increases from both sides. He said he understands why people are upset. At the same time, he understands that part of the problem is that the County Commission has previously "kicked the can down the road" and now has a lot on its plate to deal with.

He said if they delay an increase again, it will be even worse next year, as prices will continue to go up. He also pointed out that we have 15-20,000 new people expected to move into the County over the next few years.

"I'm not crazy about paying more taxes," he said. "But I don't see how you can avoid it with what we're looking at." Toole said the County seems to have as much industrial growth as it can handle right now and recommended that the Commission, if it is within their authority, put a 5-year moratorium on tax abatements.

VIII. Commission and Staff Comments

No staff comments.

Chairman Thompson remarked on the previous evening's tax hearing. He said, “I’ve tried some different things and tried to get the message out there. Last night was a shocker, and there are a lot of issues. But we’re going to try to handle them as they come to us and do the very best job we can. I don’t think we’ll ever make people truly understand when it comes to spending money.”

He reminded the public there is one more tax hearing and the absolute decision has not been made.

Commissioner Simmons asked that if citizens are going to come to the final hearing that they please be civil. He felt some at Monday night's hearing seemed to almost threaten the commission. "I would ask the citizens to come up here and be as civil to us as we are to them," he said.

IX. Executive Session (Personnel)

X. Adjourn

View the live stream of the meeting below.