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

Commissioners:
☐ Ken Rivers, District 1
☐ 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

Section 1: Opening of Workshop

The workshop opened at 5:30 PM, with Chairman Joe Brown presiding and all Members in attendance. Six items were discussed, which included 1). Approval to purchase 2 Dodge Chargers for the Sheriff’s Office, 2). Approval to transfer $136,134.10 of Hotel-Motel Funds to the Chamber of Commerce, 3). Approval of a quitclaim deed from the County to Leon Poole due to an administrative error, 4). Establishing an Employee Health Benefits Trust and naming two Trustees, 5). Discussion on abandonment of what might have been part of a County road and 6). The addition of an item for the workshop docket, being the purchase of 3 Ford Explorers for various departments from the Capital Fund. Mr. Rivers voted to add item 6 above to the workshop docket, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent. All of these items were scheduled for a vote on the Consent Agenda going forward.

Section 2: Session Preliminaries
Chairman Brown called the session to order at 6:00 PM

Item 2022-07-125 Adoption of the Docket
Mr. Rivers moved to approve the docket with one item removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda, that being the establishing of the health trust. One additional item from the workshop was added to the consent agenda, that being the purchase of three Ford Explorers. Mr. Henderson seconded with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-07-126 Approval of June Minutes
Mr. Rivers moved to approve the minutes, seconded by Mr. Henderson with unanimous consent.

Section 3: Old Business
Item 2022-05-095 Rezoning of 98+ Acres at Bucksnort Road and Highway 36
This item, previously postponed, was postponed again until the August 8th regular meeting upon a motion by Mr. Rivers, seconded by Mr. Crumbley and approved with unanimous consent. The postponement is to allow the developer to contact County staff, who in turn can engage the Georgia Department of Transportation to discuss improvements that can be made at the intersection in question. The feeling of the commission is that there should be a left turn only lane, a left and straight lane combo, and a right turn only lane put into place, with appropriate signalization in place.

Section 4: New Business
Consent Agenda
Item 2022-07-127 Approval of Consent Agenda
Mr. Rivers motioned to approve the Consent Agenda, seconded by Mr. Henderson with unanimous consent. All approved Resolutions (CR202234, CR202235 and CR202237 shall be made a part of the Book of Resolutions, Volume 1, as reflected in the minutes. Additionally, item 127-B was approved, transferring $135,134.10 in Hotel/Motel Tax dollars to the Butts County Chamber of Commerce under the same terms as approved in Resolution 22, previously passed.

Item 2022-07-128 County Resolution CR202236 Establishing Employee Health Trust
Mr. Rivers suggested that Mr. Douglas be replaced as a Trustee by Rhonda Blissit. Mr. Johnson was concerned with checks and balances that suggested that the Trustees should be one staff member and one commission member. Following discussion, Mr. Crumbley moved to approve the resolution, naming Mr. Douglas and Mr. Johnson and Trustees, seconded by Mr. Henderson and approved 4-1, with Mr. Rivers in dissent.

Reports
Item 2022-07-129 Monthly Reports
Ms. Blissit gave the Financial Report. Mr. Brewer presented the monthly operations report. Mr. Johnson gave an update on the state of LOST negotiations with the Cities, particularly the City of Jackson. He reported that meetings to date had not been productive and that some requests of the City of Jackson for records had gone unanswered. Additionally, our proposals have been rejected without any counteroffers to date and it appeared that the next step would be arbitration. The County plans to offer a vigorous defense of our position. The current intractable position of Jackson leaves the County with little choice to do otherwise. Mr. Welch added that despite our best efforts to communicate directly, to negotiate openly and fairly, and to propose solutions, that the only concessions gained was Jackson’s willingness to provide a portion of its percentage to Jenkinsburg.

Concluding Business
Item 2022-07-130 Executive Session
Mr. Rivers moved to enter, seconded by Mr. Henderson, for personnel and litigation, approved with unanimous consent. Later Mr. Crumbley moved to reconvene regular session, seconded by Mr. Rivers and approved with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-07-131 Attorney Report and Adjournment
Mr. Welch reported that a litigation matter concerning Elections had been discussed and the County Manager’s contract needed to be re-approved due to midyear wage adjustments across the board. Mr. Henderson moved to approve the contract, seconded by Mr. Douglas with unanimous consent.

Without further business, Mr. Henderson moved to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Douglas with unanimous consent. The meeting adjourned at 7:12 PM.

Ratified this 11th Day of July, 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 affirm that the Board did enter upon an Executive Session for the purposes covered under Georgia Law and stated herein above.

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