BUTTS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
124th Session Covering Calendar Year 2022
2021-2022 Biennium
Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for April 11, 2022

Commissioners:
☐ Ken Rivers, District 1 (Phone)
☐ Robert Henderson, District 2
☐ Joe Brown, District 3
☐ Keith Douglas, District 4
☐ Russ Crumbley, District 5

Staff:
☐ Brad Johnson, County Manager
☐ Michael Brewer, Deputy County Manager
☐ Rhonda Blissit, Chief Financial Officer
☐ Andrew J. Welch, III, County Attorney

Section 1: Opening of Workshop

The workshop opened at 5:35 PM, with Chairman Joe Brown presiding. Commissioner Ken Rivers was present by phone with the rest of the board in attendance. Seven items were discussed, which included: 1). An amendment to the original River Park Development Agreement, 2). Updates on the Capital Improvement Element and Short Term Work Program of the Comprehensive plan, both scheduled for adoption at this meeting, 3). Board Appointments, 4). Amending the County Nepotism Policy, 5). Appointment of County Auditors, 6). Procurement of SCBA equipment for the Fire Department, and 7). Need for additional election workers.

The Board adjourned the workshop at 5:51 PM.

Section 2: Session Preliminaries
Commissioner Crumbley called the session to order at 6:00 PM and introduced Pastor Benny Tate as the Pastor of the Month to give the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.

Item 2022-04-061 Adoption of the Docket
Mr. Douglas moved to approve the docket, seconded by Mr. Henderson with unanimous consent, 5-0.

Item 2022-04-062 Approval of March Minutes
Mr. Douglas moved to approve the minutes, seconded by Mr. Henderson with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-04-063 Special Recognitions
Mr. Johnson recognized the E-911 Center with a Proclamation for Telecommunicator Week.

Section 3: Old Business

Item 2022-02-046 Approval of the Capital Improvement Element for 2022
Mr. Douglas moved to approve, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-02-047 Approval of the Short Term Work Program for 2022
Mr. Henderson moved to approve, seconded by Mr. Douglas with unanimous consent.

Section 4: New Business

Planning and Development
Item 2022-04-064 Public Hearing to Amend Development Agreement for LGS Industrial
A public hearing was held to amend the development agreement between LGS Industrial and Butts County on the River Park development project. No one spoke in favor of or against and the hearing was closed. Mr. Douglas motion to approve, seconded by Mr. Henderson and the motion was passed 4-1, with Mr. Brown and Mr. Crumbley voting in concurrence and Mr. Rivers voting in dissent.

Governmental Affairs
Item 2022-04-065 County Resolution CR202217 Authorizing Appointments to a Board
Resolution 17 was presented appointing Steven Dudley to the DFACS Board of Directors. Mr. Crumbley moved to approve, seconded by Mr. Henderson with unanimous consent. The Resolution shall be recorded in the Book of Resolutions, Volume 1.

Item 2022-04-066 County Resolution CR202218 Approving an IGA with Spalding County
Resolution 18 was presented authorizing the signing of an Intergovernmental Agreement between Butts County and Spalding County. Mr. Douglas moved to approve, seconded by Mr. Henderson with unanimous consent. The Resolution shall be recorded in the Book of Resolutions, Volume 1.

Item 2022-04-067 County Resolution CR202219 Appointing County Auditing Firm
Resolution 19 was presented appointing Mauldin and Jenkins as the County’s Auditing Firm. Mr. Douglas moved to approve, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent. The Resolution shall be recorded in the Book of Resolutions, Volume 1.

Item 2022-04-068 County Resolution CR202220 Authorizing Purchase of SCBA Equipment
Resolution 20 was presented authorizing the purchase of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus equipment for the Fire Department. Mr. Douglas moved to approve, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent. The Resolution shall be recorded in the Book of Resolutions, Volume 1. It was noted that Commissioner Rivers was excused from the meeting at this point.

Item 2022-04-069 Authorizing a Letter of Support of New Hospital
Chairman Brown informed the board that he had sent a letter of support to the Georgia General Assembly on behalf of the board that would support changing legislation that could potentially allow a new hospital to be constructed in the county. Because of the timing, it was not possible to get this approved by the board and he requested that the board retroactively approve the sending of the letter. Mr. Crumbley moved to approve, seconded by Mr. Douglas with unanimous consent, 4-0.

Human Resources
Item 2022-04-070 Amendment to Title V, Article 5.06 of the Personnel Ordinance
Mr. Johnson requested that the board approve an amendment to the county personnel ordinance, specifically the section governing nepotism, to allow for part time workers in offices such as the elections office, library, recreational and other areas to be allowed to work even if related to another employee, so long as neither employees supervised the other. Mr. Douglas moved to approve the modification, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent.

Budget and Finance
Item 2022-04-071 Adjustment to Elections Budget for Part Time Personnel
Elections Director Brook Schreiner appeared before the board and informed them that because of the changes that have been made by the Georgia General Assembly pertaining to elections and the conduction of elections, that more workers would be needed to work the polls for election related activities. This would of course necessitate a change to the budget. Following discussion, Mr. Douglas motioned to approve, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent, 4–0.

Reports
Item 2022-04-072/73/74 Monthly Reports
Ms. Blissit gave the Financial Report. Mr. Brewer presented the monthly operations report. Mr. Johnson presented the County Manager’s report.

Concluding Business
Item 2022-04-075 Executive Session
Mr. Douglas made a motion to enter into an executive session for the purpose of discussing litigation, seconded by Mr. Crumbley and approved with unanimous consent.

Following executive session, Mr. Douglas made a motion to reconvene the regular session, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent. The regular meeting was reconvened.

Item 2022-04-076 Attorney Report and Adjournment
Mr. Welch notified the public in attendance that the board had entered into an executive session and had discussed various legal matters currently being litigated on behalf of the county.

Mr. Douglas moved to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent.

Ratified this 9th Day of May, 2022

___________________________________________
On behalf of the Board of Commissioners
Joe Brown, Chairman, Presiding

CERTIFICATION & ATTESTATION

I do hereby attest by my signature and seal below that the aforementioned minutes of the Butts County Board of Commissioners are an accurate representation of the official actions undertaken by the Board during the open meeting designated for the date and times stated herein. I further swear and affirm that the Board did enter upon an Executive Session and that legal matters were discussed that qualify for the exception to the Open Meetings law.

J. Michael Brewer, Deputy County Manager
Clerk of the 124th Session, Attesting