Houston County Commission sets June agenda including DHR replat, Gordon funding swap and subdivision approvals

The Houston County Commission on Monday placed eight items on its June meeting agenda, including a $7,500 budget amendment to complete a replat of a Department of Human Resources property, a $30,000 budget adjustment tied to Buy America restrictions for the town of Gordon, preliminary plat requests for new subdivisions and several local infrastructure items.

The agenda-setting meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by the commission’s chairman, who said the session was to set the agenda for the June meeting and that “we have 1 item under awards and presentations, 8 items, closed for the agenda.”

The most immediate budget item is a $7,500 amendment to pay for a replat of the DHR property on Prevatte Road. The commission said it had already purchased the site for “200 and something thousand dollars,” and county staff told commissioners the replat cannot be paid from bond proceeds; NorthStar will survey the lot so the county’s public building authority can proceed to the bond market. County staff projected the bond sale in the fall and estimated construction would start after the new year, with construction lasting about a year to 18 months.

The commission also placed on the agenda a $30,000 amendment for municipal and recreation improvement projects in the town of Gordon. Commissioners said the county previously approved $40,000 in LATCF funding for a metal storage building and a golf cart; the town spent about $10,000 on the golf cart, leaving $30,000. Because the LATCF award includes a Buy America provision that would complicate the metal building purchase, the county plans to use $30,000 of general-fund money to replace the LATCF portion so Gordon can proceed without the Buy America restriction; county staff said the swap will leave the county’s net position unchanged.

On land-use matters, the commission agreed to place two subdivision items on the June agenda: a 12-month extension of the preliminary plat approval for Flowers Plantation (the preliminary plat had been approved in July 2023 and the developer is under construction but will not meet the 24-month deadline) and a request to approve the preliminary plat for Martin Farms, a proposed subdivision of about 211 lots in the Rehoboth area. County staff said Martin Farms is expected to be annexed into the town of Rehoboth and will be built in phases; sewer service was confirmed as planned for the development.

The commission also added a resolution for an MPO project to resurface North Broadway Street from Highway 84 to Main Street, a request for the town of Rehoboth to assist with demolition of a restroom/concession building at the recreation park on County Road 203, and a request from the town of Rehoboth and Houston County Schools to assist with a drainage deficiency affecting Rehoboth Elementary School and the adjacent walking trail.

Personnel items were also added: the second-quarter service anniversary presentation by Sherry Garner, the county personnel director, and concurrence with the proposed 2026 county holiday schedule, which will formally list Juneteenth as a county holiday.

Commissioners voiced no objections while placing each item on the June agenda, and staff indicated the DHR replat should be the last county expenditure before the bond financing proceeds. The administrative meeting concluded with the chairman entertaining a motion to adjourn.

The June meeting agenda will include the listed items for formal consideration and any votes or additional discussion will be recorded at that meeting.