Bulloch County commissioners approve consent agenda, equipment contracts and fire pay amendments

The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a slate of consent and new‑business items including payments for debris and hauling services, several equipment and repair contracts, a retrofit of lighting at a radio tower, recruitment services for the county manager search, and a pay‑plan amendment for the fire department.

Votes at a glance (all items recorded as approved unanimously unless noted):

- Approve minutes (town hall 02/25/2025; meeting 03/04/2025) and executive‑session minutes (03/04/2025). - Approve payments to Jenkins County Landfill for mulch debris clearing services: $91,009 and $50,715.75 (weeks of 02/17–02/21 and 02/24–02/26, respectively). - Approve and ratify payments to MW Collins for mulch debris clearing services: $25,320; $33,486; $37,338 (various weeks noted). - Approve and ratify payments to J L D'Arso for hauling services: $15,390 and $15,408.25 (specified weeks). - Grant an alcoholic beverage license for package retail beer and wine sales to Noria Energy Retail Incorporated at two listed addresses (market numbers referenced on agenda). - Authorize entering negotiations with most qualified firm for county road right‑of‑way acquisition services (to support planned road projects). - Approve bid/contract with Thunder Road LLC for roadway crack sealing on various county roads in the amount of $180,905 (to be funded by T‑SPLOST funds). - Approve purchase of a beacon retrofit lighting system for Ballpark Road radio tower (E‑911) in the amount of $30,600; Motorola dealer recommended the retrofit option with a five‑year warranty. - Approve and ratify use of Sand Creek Land Construction for hauling services (02/24–02/28/2025) in the amount of $16,542.75, and for week of 03/03–03/07/2025 in the amount of $21,123. - Accept Central Fence bid in the amount of $42,249 to repair storm‑damaged fencing at 14 solid‑waste collection centers (project to be submitted to insurance and FEMA for reimbursement where applicable). - Approve contract with Pracademic Partners for executive recruitment services to fill the county manager position in the amount of $26,500. The firm’s package includes background checks, candidate screening and, if the placed manager leaves within 12 months, a free replacement search. - Approve amendment to the pay plan to update fire department pay rates based on a recent targeted pay review. County CFO provided a budget estimate: roughly $2,100,000 annually for the new pay structure and an estimated under $600,000 for the remainder of the current fiscal year if hires began about April 1; commissioners unanimously approved the amendment and asked staff to identify funding sources, including potential reallocation of existing funds for turnout gear and use of interest/excess referendum funds.

Several consent items were voted on collectively and passed without separate roll‑call detail. Where exact movers or seconds were not recorded in the transcript, the minutes show a verbal motion and a unanimous voice vote.

Ending: The board concluded the public portion of the meeting and entered executive session under OCGA 50‑14‑3(b)(2) for personnel matters; no action was taken publicly after the executive session.