Gordon County commissioners approve county attorney contract, administrator employment agreement, refund and fleet purchases
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Summary
At its March meeting, the Gordon County Board of Commissioners approved a contract with an outside law firm, renewed the county administrator’s employment agreement, authorized a refund to Mohawk/Aladdin Manufacturing and approved several vehicle and service purchases.
The Gordon County Board of Commissioners voted to approve several contracts and purchases at its regular March meeting, including appointing an outside law firm as county attorney, renewing the county administrator’s employment agreement, authorizing a $141,372.37 refund to Mohawk Industries doing business as Aladdin Manufacturing and awarding multiple vehicle and IT contracts.
The board adopted a resolution appointing McRae Smith, Park, Harmon & Monroe as outside counsel and approved an accompanying retainer/fee agreement. Chris Jackson, a partner who practices in Northwest Georgia, addressed the commission before the vote, saying he and his partners represent a number of local governments in the region and offering the firm’s resources. “I’m Chris Jackson, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my partners and my law firm to come and talk to this great commission, board and folks from Gordon County,” Jackson said.
The board also approved an amended employment agreement for County Administrator Jim Ledbetter that would run through Dec. 31, 2028, convert his vehicle allowance and annuity into base salary for transparency, continue his current budgeted salary level and retain a six‑month severance provision for convenience termination. Ledbetter outlined savings the county has realized under his dual-role tenure and said outside counsel will add legal capacity while preserving his institutional knowledge.
Separately, the commissioners authorized a refund to Mohawk Industries d/b/a Aladdin Manufacturing for $141,372.37 after the company supplied documents showing an error in property valuation. The board approved the refund after the chief appraiser and tax commissioner’s office recommended removing the submitted bills from the tax roll.
On procurement, the board approved the annual renewal of an IT service agreement with Risk Response Team Inc. for $6,922.20 (GL account 411531604). It also awarded vehicle purchases from Prairie Ford: a 2025 F-150 4x4 crew cab (to be assigned to animal control) for $45,587 (GL account 329542200), a Ford Escape all‑wheel drive for enhanced 911 for $29,828 (GL account 329542200), and a 2025 Ford Maverick XLT for the tax assessor’s office for $32,089.70 (GL account 329542200).
All motions on the listed items were made, seconded and carried during the meeting. Where the transcript records only “motion carries” or “all in favor,” no vote tally or individual roll-call was provided; the employee agreement vote was recorded as unanimous by the chair during the meeting.
The votes finalize contract and budget actions that county staff said will add outside legal capacity, preserve continuity in county administration and complete routine equipment and IT renewals.
Notes: the board reviewed and approved minutes from multiple February 2025 sessions earlier in the meeting and conducted ceremonial recognitions; those items were not substantive policy actions.
