Pickens County commissioners approve culvert contract, hazard mitigation plan and several routine items

The Pickens County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 1 approved a package of projects and routine county business, including awarding a $438,962.86 contract to replace the Hobson Drive culvert, adopting the county portion of the hazard mitigation plan, accepting a single-bid award for two generators funded in part by a state grant and approving multiple reappointments and rezones.

The board voted to accept the recommendation from the county’s engineers and award the Hobson Drive culvert contract to Nolan Contracting for $438,962.86. County staff told commissioners the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has committed to fund up to 70% of the project cost or up to $500,000; the low bid fell within that limit. Commissioners said engineers reviewed the three bids and found them “apples to apples” before recommending the low bidder.

The board also approved the county’s portion of the multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan after a presentation in the work session; county staff said the cities’ portions must also be approved before the full plan is finalized. Commissioners authorized the chairman to sign any required documents.

Separately, the county moved forward on two generators under a state Emergency Management Agency grant. Power Solutions (PSU) submitted the only responsive bid; the board approved purchase and installation of a 26 kW generator for a county fire station at $15,130 and a larger unit at the recycling center for $84,420, for a total project cost of $99,550 as presented to the board. County staff said the projects are grant-eligible and the county will execute state reimbursement paperwork.

The board approved a resolution updating its retiring medical insurance policy to reflect a recent change in retirement eligibility (the “rule of 70”) and to extend the hire-date cutoff referenced in the original early-2000s policy from Jan. 1, 2002, to Jan. 1, 2003. Commissioners said the change affects two employees who missed the prior cutoff by one day and that the policy update ties eligibility to the board’s current retirement rules.

On routine business the board: - Approved serving again as fiscal agent for the Family Connections program for the upcoming state fiscal year. - Approved surplus of specified public-works vehicles and directed staff to list them on an online auction site. - Accepted the fourth-quarter finance report and noted the county has begun its annual audit; staff said year-end figures are still subject to audit adjustments. - Reappointed Lisa Thomason as county clerk and Karen Wheeler as deputy clerk. - Reappointed James Green, John Tatum and Greg Long to the county water authority; a commissioner recused from that vote for a cited relationship. - Reappointed members of the recreation board for one-year terms.

On land-use matters the board followed the planning commission’s recommendations on several rezoning requests: RZ190851 (Brady, Waters Edge Circle) was approved; RZ190852 (Sean Elliott, parcel on Highway 136) was approved; RZ190853 (Southern Property Investments) was approved; RZ190854 (Brandon and Brett Rowland, an 8-lot subdivision question) was tabled to the Feb. 12 meeting so staff and commissioners can verify whether the proposal should be handled as a major subdivision; RZ190857 (Thompson Lane Dreams LLC) and RZ190858 (Top of Link Drive Dreams LLC) were approved. Commissioners noted planning commission recommendations and conditions (including road improvements where applicable) before voting.

The board also approved two sets of minutes from December and a work session in January, and chose Commissioner Josh Tillman as vice chair for 2025.

The meeting opened with an invocation and included employee recognitions: Pickens County Animal Control Officer Harley Johnson received a letter of commendation from Deputy Marshal Shayan Evans for assisting an elderly resident on Dec. 23, 2024; the board presented Johnson with a certificate and a small gift. The board also recognized Christopher Scott as fourth-quarter employee for answering 24% of calls on his shift after joining the county in May 2024.

Commissioners said they will meet on Feb. 12 instead of their usual first-Monday schedule because of school break and holidays, and that the February agenda will include items tabled tonight. The chairman said the county received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for 2023 and thanked staff.

Votes at a glance - Agenda approval: approved (unanimous verbal “aye”). - Family Connections fiscal-agent authorization: approved (unanimous verbal “aye”). - Speed-limit regulation update: tabled to Feb. 12 (pending GDOT data). - Retirement medical-insurance resolution (update to hire-date and eligibility): approved (unanimous verbal “aye”). - Generator procurement (Power Solutions / two generators): approved (motion carried). - Hazard mitigation plan (county portion): approved (motion carried). - Surplus public-works vehicles: approved (motion carried). - Hobson Drive culvert replacement (award to Nolan Contracting, $438,962.86): approved (motion carried). - Minutes (two sets): approved. - Vice chair selection (Josh Tillman): approved. - Reappointments (Lisa Thomason, Karen Wheeler, James Green, John Tatum, Greg Long; recreation board members): approved. - Rezones: RZ190851 approved; RZ190852 approved; RZ190853 approved; RZ190854 tabled to Feb. 12; RZ190857 approved; RZ190858 approved.

What the county said next County officials said staff will follow up on the February agenda items, finalize state reimbursement paperwork for grant-funded projects and return a consolidated hazard mitigation plan after the municipalities complete their approvals.