(The Pierce County Board of Commissioners discussed and/or voted on the following during their regular meeting Tuesday, July 8. The meeting was delayed a week due to the Independence Day holiday.)
Rezoning appeal denied: Commissioners denied an appeal on the conditional use permit on Cason Road. (See related story.)
Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST) election: The board voted to proceed with the process of adding the FLOST to the Nov. 4 election ballot. (See related story.)
Gilman Road project: The commission approved adding $14,500 for professional engineering services for the ongoing rehabilitation of Gilman Road at the CSX railroad tracks.
Property tax relief for timber: Commissioners approved temporary property tax relief for eligible standing timber located on a disaster area in Pierce County. The relief is offered for growers who suffered damage in Hurricane Helene last September. The county will receive a grant from the state reimbursing the amount lost in timber tax collections.
Board appointments: Commissioners appointed James Weathersby to the Development Authority. Weathersby will take the place of Dale Neely who resigned. Neely got a job promotion and moved to Tallahassee, FL. Commissioners also voted to reappoint Tyrone Harris to a five year term on the development authority. Commissioners also appointed Austin Burgess to the Pierce County Library Board. Two other vacancies remain on the library board, but commissioners did not have any candidates to recommend for the two vacancies. Stephanie Bell was re-appointed to a three year term on the Aging Advisory Council for the Southern Georgia Area Agency of Aging.
Unison expenses: Commissioners approved $7,500 for this year for personnel, travel and expenses for Unison Behavioral Health and Disabilities.
Surplus vehicles: Commissioners voted to declare a 2022 Chevrolet 1500 and a 2008 Ford F-150 as surplus. Chairman Neal Bennett said both vehicles have developed issues and are expensive to maintain. Both vehicles had been used in the road department.
Public comments: Bell gave her annual State of the Pierce County Family Address. Bell is the coordinator for the Pierce County Family Connection. She noted Pierce County’s education system is considered one of the best in the state. She pointed out Pierce County’s rates of child abuse, alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted diseases are areas of concern, but not the worst in the state. Ala Mae Myles again appeared before commissioners to ask them to maintain and make repairs to her road near Patterson. Myles is the only resident on the road and the road is not county maintained, a fact pointed out by Chairman Bennett.
County manager report: County Manager Raphel Maddox gave an update on various county departments and announced a delay in CSX plans for railroad crossing improvements at Midway Church Road and Oak Ridge. He also announced the launch of the recreation department’s new Rec Desk app.
Pledge leader: County Manager Raphel Maddox was the pledge leader. Maddox served for 20 years in the U.S. Army and retired as first sergeant. (See related photo).
Invocation leader: Fourth district Commissioner David Lowman led the invocation. (See related photo).
Intern introduced: Jesica Nolasco was introduced as the county’s new media intern. (See related photo).
Next meeting: The next regular commission meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 5, at the Southeast Georgia Regional Agriculture Center in Blackshear.
