[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6320471,"mediaKeyId","2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa","parentId",2356608,"title","Votes at a glance: Camden County approves alcohol license, legislative priorities and appointments","audioSeconds",691,"startMs",1894000,"endMs",2585000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa&start=1894&end=2585","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa/thumbnail_1894000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6320471/Camden-County/Georgia/Votes-at-a-glance-Camden-County-approves-alcohol-license-legislative-priorities-and-appointments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6320471-f2d8b46903f4db7355f8e519e1b59aaf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775547595&Signature=c~dMv7ocgB8fMSJmbBF0Qgzxr~tDhriz5WjZIjJbb4zpW9Euakc~N0tnSipvi-iAHqYzmYOFOoJet1kcmwD2HALRCSpFF0IP9QkLP30EB~QnkH1dJOMN1ZA-eZ0clyWvdFtqHHlpvWY89JWPQEAlG8Ktyf97ZzBYpKHVIyk9PT-~SSsazr4B8Iu3Miboxs946v9BQeaG9JaH2EF-X71Xx2F2HhG~cD53sG9uhh7rMlwebdymg4ygVOhT1rKwTmX~3bW3Y8-ocfdcA8zTz~y3bJ2RXob1JXfaBnRFn9HwT1w0ETisDGe92En9F2AdmEfnrbTyOyc9KKZStXfL4NQrzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-19T13:34:19Z","article","Camden County commissioners took several routine votes at a regular meeting, approving an alcohol license, adopting 2025 legislative priorities, and making two board appointments.

Alcohol license: The commission approved a retail malt beverage, beer and wine license for Triperia LLC doing business as Waverly Minute Market (24295 U.S. Highway 17, District 1). Staff recommended approval and the commission voted to approve the license after noting the prior license had transferred ownership and had lapsed on Jan. 1.

Legislative priorities: Commissioners adopted the county's 2025 legislative priorities, which staff summarized to include increased Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) funding for road projects, raising the state bidding threshold for public works from $100,000 to $250,000, notice requirements for state agencies removing property from county tax rolls, increased EMS reimbursement rates, continued support for mental health reform, and funding for a brine site/development initiative. Staff said the priorities are nonpartisan and would be taken to the state legislature in Atlanta.

Appointments: Commissioners appointed Ricky Manning to the Planning Commission (District 3) and Cassandra Turpin to the Saint Mary's River Management Committee.

Procedurally, each item had a motion and second and was approved; the meeting transcript records voice approvals without a roll-call tally for these items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissions Regular Meeting and Public Hearing - February 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its regular meeting the Camden County commission approved an alcohol license for Waverly Minute Market, adopted 2025 state legislative priorities, and appointed two members to local boards; the meeting also included ceremonial recognitions and public comments.","taxTitle","Camden County, Georgia","taxId",28223,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6320475,"Commission approves $532,000 contract for EOC/9-1-1 design; construction timeline estimated 18—to—24 months",321,4407000,4728000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa&start=4407&end=4728","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa/thumbnail_4407000.jpg","/articles/6320475/Camden-County/Georgia/Commission-approves-532000-contract-for-EOC9-1-1-design-construction-timeline-estimated-18to24-months","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6320475-f00aa0d8f4e583429aef1b0fc6f8b0d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775547595&Signature=hRpZBngd-Q0Adt0gO--FRDYOw2ePu~Ud3CibvPHWgIbEjPQfFiAMuXjTqWEFLSGgfNq33QdWF05IHExXa4zXEAc1OTdp5dXsKyJnZyw4TGYAEsAsByI5uWV-B~5QSUophUF8d8boyT4Phyr2nUYstBVuOzT707bBfoglwCPvN5ys0Tpip3XILPyiKikDur-8w5uW~IErweFlfpOAn5GTRqJn98L6pHQ8O8~QjYVrzxelndnMNKjtUJoUBFvpAUfpo0PA56Z-mO-9CPsjjH85cBA~5jZZ0X0YlkrsLIVLCgDjUeib2wGQR-uULxj5df4W304ko~phEAGrQcEtXZ8L2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Camden County commissioners approved an award of $532,000 to McCall Architecture for design and engineering services for a new combined Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and 9-1-1 facility.

County staff told the commission the project will be funded from SPLOST 8 and is sited on 5.4 acres designated for a resiliency operations center; the design will follow FEMA best-practice standards and is intended to produce a self-contained 24/7 facility capable of withstanding severe weather. \"The project will provide for a robust facility built to FEMA's best practices and standards,\" the presenter said.

Staff described the county's existing EOC/9-1-1 spaces as aged and not purpose-built, creating urgency for a modern facility. Commissioners asked about scheduling and construction timing; staff and the presenter estimated design would take several months and that the full project from notice to proceed through construction completion is \"probably 18 months to 24 months,\" with the design phase taking roughly four to five months.

Bids were evaluated by staff; McCall Architecture was identified as the lowest conforming, best-scoring firm and staff recommended approval. After a motion and a second, the commission approved the contract award. No change orders or construction bid amounts were presented at the meeting; staff said those milestones and any construction-phase contracts will come back to the board for approval as required.

With the award approved, staff said they will begin the design phase and return to the commission with design deliverables and subsequent procurement items for construction.","Camden County awarded McCall Architecture a $532,000 design and engineering contract for a new combined emergency operations center and 9-1-1 facility, funded from SPLOST 8; staff estimated 18 to 24 months from notice to proceed to project completion.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6320479,"District attorney offers VOCA funds to offset county payroll and create intake clerk; commission tables request for work session",1679,2722000,4401000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa&start=2722&end=4401","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa/thumbnail_2722000.jpg","/articles/6320479/Camden-County/Georgia/District-attorney-offers-VOCA-funds-to-offset-county-payroll-and-create-intake-clerk-commission-tables-request-for-work-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6320479-40e039bf54e48957b96d87a393bd4483/orig.mp4?Expires=1775547595&Signature=LLYDn7Ie6NMw2W43nztyUVMhemI1XLEahpePiC4YU0t0Y60AigNg2FtLj0cidTKjVd6Y9rjsPgxBJQSMdidsIgAjnn8a-WnhF2v~SWqgBptU21qaY~po~UH6RbUESYoxBGy0ZJyQOTvrwZCPFIACca0txXCZpYpkD3CEobA9IPczCc3JMCS5BX6ukr9nE08Jk0Xsky3bi3Lk~5hDtvJ~d261WUDmJK2giHDJIrVNT4lRhtI5l4eJsPR3E6~Oifr4P~wu0gKwEod1ZjzmP5seiQy6~Q5bJ06C2dk6BcJKbRJo5nhO65npzyFr~QVj2hesIoMCIhjPI7L2ZGtCA4PvZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Camden County's district attorney told commissioners he can use VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant funds to offset county payroll costs for victim advocates and to fund a county intake clerk, but the commission voted to table the proposal for a later work session to gather more information.

DA Keith Higgins told the commission his office receives a VOCA award totaling $132,493 annually for the judicial circuit and proposed dispersing roughly half of those funds to Camden County to cover part of the salary and benefits for victim advocates and to create an intake clerk position. Higgins described the intake clerk as the position that opens case files, receives warrants from the sheriff\u0000and said opening files promptly helps move cases to prosecutors. He said that without that function, \"the whole process slows down,\" with longer jail stays and higher county costs.

Higgins outlined mechanics for the proposed intergovernmental agreement: quarterly prepayments to Camden County, ledger entries to track funds, and a condition that if grant funding stops, the payroll disbursement would stop and the position could be removed. He stated the DA's office would disperse no less than $65,691.50 annually to the county under the proposal and said some excess funds from other counties could be shared with Camden, depending on final arrangements.

Commissioners pressed for operational detail and budget clarity. Several raised the county's jail population and backlog as central concerns and asked whether the intake clerk would meaningfully reduce jail time or backlog. The DA said the position would speed processing but could not quantify the reduction before further analysis. Commissioners requested a work session to examine intergovernmental-agreement language, funding certainty, and operational impact before committing to accept and disperse the grant funds.

Following discussion, a commissioner moved and the commission voted to table the DA's proposal pending a work session. The DA said he will continue talks with neighboring counties and would appear at a work session to answer additional questions.

No formal intergovernmental agreement was executed at the meeting; commissioners directed staff to schedule a work session.","Camden County District Attorney proposed using Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant funds to offset county payroll costs for two victim advocates and to fund an intake clerk; commissioners raised staffing, jail backlog, and budget-control concerns and voted to table the proposal pending a work session.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6320484,"Camden County moves to opt out of state—floating homestead exemption (HB 581)",1198,1545000,2743000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa&start=1545&end=2743","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2356608-7bd5d016624b6a1a52b0afb1e19eb6fa/thumbnail_1545000.jpg","/articles/6320484/Camden-County/Georgia/Camden-County-moves-to-opt-out-of-statefloating-homestead-exemption-HB-581","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6320484-c3703542eeac501749d12f87cf491de2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775547595&Signature=EfODdIKpu5uLAYrKtbKaN2gVup8I8SF5kB0~t5CgYKkSm8yXKZfRZefjxPOPNOAqUCmbkF4n2jcBBGM5cs88uP1koLpBuydMBYpbF2HbxQmrQ0pbCCaGaF8MWN5IlNCmORcvONvbT7XmKHNsFywHgB0FOwMqT1e7dkSDq38hCoekdhuVLnAm5UidjAxWIE0lH870IMXfKtCVrLjnADK8omJ99iQldpY3F94rWxUmrdvgIYeS4cTdcFYq2U-ZkQmQp~aQHN9SN6F31VugnTBfwbS59K20IFSSoe2PjXOey1FQaFaojzYaZIPb6ZXDS1ZTR7NIg5NJspG2K~Fgv59CyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Camden County commissioners voted at a regular meeting to opt out of the statewide floating base-year homestead exemption enacted by House Bill 581.

County staff presented the policy change and said the county currently operates a base-year value freeze that, they said, provides greater taxpayer benefit than the HB 581 approach, which would instead allow annual increases capped at the consumer price index. \"This is just a presentation of what the HB 581 is about,\" the presenter said during the public hearing on the measure.

The presentation traced the freeze back to 2006 and explained how a homeowner\u0000must have applied for a homestead exemption with the tax assessor to receive the base-year protection. Staff said Camden County\u0000because it freezes base-year values\u0000had provided approximately $32,000,000 in cumulative taxpayer savings since the freeze began and about $13,000,000 in savings over the last three years alone. Under HB 581 the exemption would instead increase annually up to the CPI; staff said the county\u0000\u0000freeze is more favorable to taxpayers than the floating approach.

Commission discussion focused on implementation and on some side effects discussed at the public hearing stage, including whether city actions or opt-ins/out in other jurisdictions could affect local exemptions. Staff noted the county is required to file a resolution by March 1 if it chooses to opt out of HB 581, and that the county had advertised the public hearings required by the statute.

During the hearing a commissioner asked whether the school board exemption follows the county\u0000staff said they were not certain and that the effect on city and school exemptions had been a point of discussion. No members of the public spoke for or against the measure during the hearing.

After the public hearing the commission made a motion to opt out and, following a second, the motion carried. The county will file the formal resolution required to opt out of the state floating base-year homestead exemption by the March 1 deadline.

The county did not record a roll-call vote in the meeting transcript; commissioners indicated the motion passed by voice vote.","After a staff presentation and public hearing, the Camden County commission voted to opt out of House Bill 581\u0000the state\u0000floating base-year homestead exemption, preserving the county\u0000\u0000existing homestead freeze; staff noted the county must file a resolution by March 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Camden County approves alcohol license, legislative priorities and appointments

Commission approves $532,000 contract for EOC/9-1-1 design; construction timeline estimated 18—to—24 months

District attorney offers VOCA funds to offset county payroll and create intake clerk; commission tables request for work session

Camden County moves to opt out of state—floating homestead exemption (HB 581)