NAHUNTA — Many residents were not happy when Brantley County Manager Joey Cason explained the procedures and decorum for governing Wednesday’s Public Hearing for a rezoning request by the Brantley County Development Authority The meeting was delayed 20 minutes while Cason had a sign-in sheet passed around to the attendees with 27 of the 28 signing and acknowledging whether they were for or against the rezoning request.
The Development Authority requested the zoning change of a 102.98-acre parcel on Pembers Road in the Industrial Park to be able to apply for grants in an attempt to attract businesses to the county.
Development Authority Executive Director Mel Baxter was joined by board member Gary Johns and Blake Bishop.
Cason gave attendees the procedures of how the meeting would be conducted covered in the Book of Ordinances for the public hearing for the Land Use Ordinance.
“It very clearly states how this will be ran and what my responsibilities and the chairman’s (Skipper Harris) responsibilities are as far as the meeting is concerned,” stated Cason. “This is land purchased approximately four years ago, I believe in 2022, by the Development Authority. The purpose of that land was for it to become Heavy Industrial. It was for them to be able to market the land on behalf of the county for possibly bringing in industry.
“I want to be very clear as we start this process. This has nothing to do with a data center. A data center cannot go on this land. We are not going to listen to any discussion in this meeting concerning data centers. If you start discussing data centers, you will be asked to be quiet.”
Cason added if or when the Board of Commissioners decides to move forward with anything on the other property (Atkinson area) concerning data centers, they will need to have a meeting, perhaps at the courthouse.
“This meeting does not have anything to do with data centers,” the county manager said as groans and rumblings began. “It has to do with this particular land at this particular time and what they can use it for. We have two law enforcement officers here and we will maintain order during this meeting.
“If you get out of order, you will be asked to be quiet. If you don’t be quiet, you will be asked to leave. If you don’t leave, they (officers) will escort you out.”
The final procedure was allowing 10 total minutes to speak for the rezoning and 10 total minutes to speak in opposition drawing moans. “At the end of 10 minutes for each side, the board will be given a few options,” continued Cason. “It (governing ordinance) clearly states what their options are. They can choose at that point in time to go ahead and approve it.
“They can choose to table it with no more comments made. Or, they can choose to defer it if they choose. If they take the third option they have to tell us a date they’re deferring it to.”
Comments