Fire Chief Ben Tapley told the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners that Station 9 in Cleito has opened with daily staffing and that Station 16 construction is progressing toward a planned July 1 occupancy.

"Last Monday, we opened up a Station 9, which is Clito. We have 3 firefighters there every day, lieutenant, a driver and a, firefighter," Tapley said. He added that Station 16’s bays are being enclosed, roof work is starting and corrections crews have assisted with interior work; the department anticipates moving into the new station around July 1 pending final mapping and 9-1-1 coordination.

Tapley also reported progress on hiring: the department has advanced hiring paperwork for roughly 30 of the 37 positions the commission authorized, and he described a forthcoming graduation for new firefighters.

Separately, county engineer Ron Nelson briefed the board on the Cypress Lake Road bridge closure that has affected the main arterial into the county since March. Nelson said the design firm is on a schedule that anticipates 30% preliminary plans by Aug. 1 and full design completion on or before April 2026, followed by environmental review and procurement steps.

Nelson said he and the chairman raised the project with Georgia Department of Transportation contacts who offered assistance to expedite the work. "We are on schedule and the current schedule shows that we will be completed with design on or before April 2026," Nelson said.

No formal actions were taken on these staff updates; commissioners thanked staff and asked for continued progress reports.