[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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],{"_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",6094721,"mediaKeyId","2842014-28d6d2cb80743e24f5ad6e4abf9252f2","parentId",2842014,"title","Madison County meeting: minutes approved, telecom conditional use postponed, contracts and appointments passed (votes at a glance)","audioSeconds",4292,"startMs",843000,"endMs",5135000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2842014-28d6d2cb80743e24f5ad6e4abf9252f2&start=843&end=5135","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2842014-28d6d2cb80743e24f5ad6e4abf9252f2/thumbnail_843000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6094721/Madison-County/Georgia/Madison-County-meeting-minutes-approved-telecom-conditional-use-postponed-contracts-and-appointments-passed-votes-at-a-glance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6094721-33ea9be23a03a6469912e54c24197dbe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771021382&Signature=mDfSpxHy39ZGBy3weTZrXy9rW~1f-KZgukD6vykF4zW~9EjM03sKxd8DI~ICWxcQT6Pfj1vczEKw~d1id4d0nhJI2P1fE7E9ib39ewybyDQXkMZ~vgE4cK0JbXaJDWIkKKtPqcyn82aNZb9YQsbudxt5UydqQqVEGNFeGllU2Yv2HHsCvS~zy8lfWvGmPfhSNSXe783RrwVE1dBLd5X1toRj83TLwCBgYhUFcxtQhqkR2gyA15svAnhchDQqpRKS3Ndt5UP9L2cE5LxObYfoIreREfVN1ds4KhjiwgPD4MALvSeKf3z1UaHQek1EKAqkOZZ9T4uHrNUhRLGNBe5P1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-01T12:29:57Z","article","The Madison County Board of Commissioners handled multiple routine agenda items March 31, approving previous minutes, postponing a conditional-use request, adopting several contract awards and making at least one board appointment.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes: The board approved the minutes of the Feb. 24, 2025 public hearing, the Feb. 24, 2025 regular meeting and the March 3, 2025 agenda-setting work session after a motion and second were recorded. (Motion by Commissioner Channels; second by Commissioner Adams.)

- Conditional-use application, 286-foot telecom tower: The board voted to postpone the application to April 28 to allow additional engineering and to avoid re-advertising. (Motion by Commissioner Dahlstrom; second by Commissioner Chandler.)

- Appointment to Industrial Development Authority/Board: The board approved an appointment (motion by Commissioner Chandler; second by Commissioner Adams); the appointee was congratulated on the record.

- Multiple contract and seal-bid awards: The board approved several routine procurement motions and awarded seal-bid contracts and a groundwater-supply contract as presented. Staff and commissioners said those procurements followed review and were consistent with adopted procurement rules; motions, seconds and approvals are recorded in the meeting transcript.

- Other actions: The board noted road‑project grant awards and local road-assistance funding winners; staff outlined projected road resurfacing and bridge projects that will proceed under state matching grants.

Where the transcript did not record a roll-call tally, the board recorded motions, seconds and a voice approval for the items above. Staff will follow up with contract documents, revised agendas and implementation steps as appropriate.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/31/2025 Madison County BOC RBM","oneSentenceSummary","The board took several routine actions: it approved previous meeting minutes, postponed a conditional-use request for a telecom tower, approved contract awards and appointments and recorded several other motions noted on the agenda.","taxTitle","Madison County, Georgia","taxId",28540,"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},6094726,"Madison County approves water rate increases, adopts policy for purchased finished water",1028,5075000,6103000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2842014-28d6d2cb80743e24f5ad6e4abf9252f2&start=5075&end=6103","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2842014-28d6d2cb80743e24f5ad6e4abf9252f2/thumbnail_5075000.jpg","/articles/6094726/Madison-County/Georgia/Madison-County-approves-water-rate-increases-adopts-policy-for-purchased-finished-water","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6094726-7c46c7da65aa5f920fcbcbfa4f2c5b32/orig.mp4?Expires=1771021382&Signature=IWt1FyqpKj1yt46wvUUkjLS6F5QxOyAVfukB9Gu2w~qMNVFvKtNvCerEepMbE4-0K9OTx1Xmy~FG1GcjInyqJoOX7DSNhsrfxhWrUmCeuzbKjFdfztbrNREPrlQ3lwDvH90Lo0AGeO9QZhu4IXr1Nh1eAt5BVMkQl9jjZSMt5Z69NqjGx0pZ53S5McWIZyb7tz3rVAIkNkKnknHipXa0lrZLg-Q4MDt1gOkuxypdoLxsvmtDe3I0hF26p8ySebrk3p2Hc43AVi3IX0RwmZD6E1u6mcFndG7WxWL6KFw6Q~UJZZ~PqgVwPfGswe3ogGp7Gqj1Ldp5UVuzLlg-l20xYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Madison County Board of Commissioners voted March 31 to raise water rates, increase certain tap/start-up fees and adopt a county policy that outlines steps for purchasing or accepting finished drinking water from outside sources.

County staff presented two rate options; the board selected a tiered option intended to encourage conservation. Under the plan described at the meeting, the per‑1,000‑gallons charge would rise for higher tiers (staff noted the unit charge would move from $6.50 to $7.50 per 1,000 gallons for a specified tier), the residential base rate would increase from $25 to $28, and the start-up account fee would rise from $50 to $75. Staff also described a conservation tier that would charge higher volume rates (staff cited an example of $13.50 per 1,000 gallons after 6,000 gallons) to discourage nonessential consumption during shortages.

Officials said the changes will be effective July 1 to allow billing notices and customer outreach. County staff also recommended rolling the electronic payment processing fee into the charge to encourage autopay and reduce in-office processing. The board recorded a motion to adopt staff’s recommendation for the tiered structure and an effective date; the transcript records the motion, a second and the board’s approval.

Separately, the board adopted a new Madison County Water Department policy that defines procedures for testing, certifying and, when necessary, purchasing water (finished or raw) from private or municipal sources. The policy clarifies sampling responsibilities, reporting requirements to EPD and the well or water-source owner, and steps the county will take when negotiating purchase agreements. Commissioners discussed liability protections and the role of licensed water operators; the policy was amended in the meeting to clarify EPD reporting and owner notification steps and to prohibit owners from self-certifying testing in some circumstances unless a licensed operator is used.

The board and staff also noted that the county is pursuing grants and technical assistance for asset management and water planning; commissioners said any future bulk-water purchase or reservoir project would require additional contracts and budget approvals.

Ending: The rate changes were set to take effect July 1; staff will mail notices to customers and continue work on related contracts for bulk or finished‑water procurement and infrastructure planning.","The board approved a staff-recommended tiered water-rate structure, raised certain tap and startup fees and adopted a new policy governing purchase or acceptance of finished water from external sources.",{"_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},6094730,"Madison County commissioners pass resolution urging EPD review after flood of public comments on Broad River",2235,2326000,4561000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2842014-28d6d2cb80743e24f5ad6e4abf9252f2&start=2326&end=4561","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2842014-28d6d2cb80743e24f5ad6e4abf9252f2/thumbnail_2326000.jpg","/articles/6094730/Madison-County/Georgia/Madison-County-commissioners-pass-resolution-urging-EPD-review-after-flood-of-public-comments-on-Broad-River","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6094730-c31db50f1f7509f9290e1805dd46c8ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771021382&Signature=jCmfe7AXwCr-EtAgqOeolM30vwdHSv6BMde7WWugIGMnHVAVWiqS4qxALlgQNBOxSm2g6kOguk28evEKmOfKrhqmwbuEv939zXWcLUbm2EYOQ7zQXrxFoqHYxdNKOtc2XgLFDVKzLQIRJVaHzG5WLxEjb4v1uE6bqYFISgZNXmGws~7QhfTQ8G13o7rjviJ0UimmlPJpnCuEudvV9coFG6V72j7z1YEcx5i4dfz~OJUVd7TonIbmVeu60MBV0vHh2m6IhqTTwrrhx5YlNQlLIOiqzZRH86us3YtekKA3A2t8hgJgm3RkR~kmB6mnOCgZWRyzZZILKqCJ2vCJSdBKDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Madison County commissioners on March 31 approved a resolution asking the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to review and take “all necessary action” to prevent environmental degradation of the Middle Fork of the Broad River, after dozens of residents and stakeholders urged the board to block nearby industrial wastewater and rendering facilities.

The resolution directs the county to request that EPD thoroughly review proposals for facilities near the Middle Fork of the Broad River, establish stringent pollution-control measures, provide public hearings for affected counties and communities, and implement a long-term monitoring program to protect water and air quality.

The votes followed more than an hour of public comment in which students, residents and business owners described longstanding recreational and family use of the river and warned that industrial wastewater or rendering operations would harm water quality, wildlife and local economies. “The Broad’s water is so fresh that when it’s cool, I never hesitate to cut my hand and drink directly from it,” said Caraway Best, a senior at Madison County High School, who urged commissioners to reject any plan that would allow industrial discharge into the river. Residents repeatedly cited health, tourism and fishing impacts and asked the board to coordinate with neighboring counties.

Board members read the resolution aloud before a motion to adopt. The chair said Franklin Springs currently operates a roughly 0.03 million gallons per day (MGD) wastewater plant and that proposals and permit documents the county had received described requests for much larger capacity, including a 2.5 MGD plant. Commissioners said that information and residents’ concerns motivated the county’s request that EPD prioritize and carefully review any proposals affecting the Middle Fork of the Broad River.

Speakers included local students and long-time residents who recounted childhood memories on the river; business owners who said the river supports tourism and local spending; and environmental professionals who urged coordinated, multi-county protections. Hugo Krispyn, introduced himself as executive director of Friends of the Edisto and noted regional riverkeeper organizations were monitoring the issue. Chris Erwin, describing decades in natural-resource management, urged a coordinated, informed approach to protect the river for downstream communities.

Chairman Higdon moved the resolution up on the agenda so the large group of visitors could speak early and return home. After discussion the board entertained a motion to adopt; the motion was seconded and commissioners approved the resolution. The transcript does not list a roll-call tally in the record of the meeting minutes excerpt but records the motion, the second and the board’s approval.

The resolution asks EPD to review proposed and future facilities near the Middle Fork of the Broad River, require stringent pollution controls and monitoring, provide public hearing opportunities for Madison County and neighboring counties, and consider long-term mitigation for recreational, public-health and economic impacts.

County officials and residents said the matter is not limited to Madison County: commissioners and attendees reported contacts with officials in Franklin, Elbert, Wilkes and Lincoln counties and said some neighboring county boards were preparing related actions or agenda items. A petition posted online during the week of the hearing gathered signatures rapidly, speakers said, and several citizen groups asked officials to pursue multi-county protections and to coordinate with EPD on permit reviews.

The board did not adopt a regulatory ban; the resolution is a formal request that the state agency prioritize review and monitoring. Commissioners said the county would remain engaged with state regulators and neighboring counties as permit processes continue.

Ending: County officials said they will forward the signed resolution to EPD and continue to coordinate with neighboring counties and citizens’ groups. The board encouraged residents to follow public notices from Franklin Springs and EPD for opportunities to comment when permit applications are filed.","After more than two hours of public comment, the Madison County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution asking the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to review proposed industrial activity near the Middle Fork of the Broad River and to strengthen monitoring and pollution controls.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Madison County meeting: minutes approved, telecom conditional use postponed, contracts and appointments passed (votes at a glance)

Madison County approves water rate increases, adopts policy for purchased finished water

Madison County commissioners pass resolution urging EPD review after flood of public comments on Broad River