Commissioners grant easement after contractor bored under county right-of-way without prior authorization

The Meriwether County Board of Commissioners voted July 22 to grant an easement to Mount Sinai Baptist Church to permit a septic-related installation crossing county right-of-way, after staff confirmed a private contractor had already bored under the road without prior board authorization. Public works director Bridal Griffin told commissioners staff inspected the site and confirmed the boring reached a depth that would not interfere with planned road work; staff recommended granting the easement and documenting the work. Commissioners raised concern that the contractor completed the boring without explicit county permission and emphasized the need to set a precedent that private parties must secure board authorization before working in county right-of-way. Staff explained the church’s septic design is an above-ground spray/absorption mound for property that did not perk for an in-place system; the contractor obtained health-department permitting for the septic system design, but staff said county permission is required for work under county roads/right-of-way. Commissioners asked staff to investigate whether the contractor misrepresented the scope of work to the health department and whether legal remedies apply; counsel noted the county’s recourse is primarily against the property owner or, in limited circumstances, the contractor depending on the facts. A motion to grant the requested easement, with staff to prepare the recorded document and permit county review prior to recording, was made and approved. Commissioners said the county will accept an easement document prepared by the church’s representatives subject to county review so long as the county is not billed for excessive staff legal time to draft the easement.