Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Administration Meetings topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newton County commissioners approve budget transfer, infrastructure contracts, opioid fund distributions and several zoning requests
Summary
At its Oct. 7 meeting the Board approved routine consent items, a budget transfer, Fire Services software consolidation, park sponsorship, a bridge change order to remove asbestos, a right‑of‑way acquisition contract, opioid settlement distributions, appointments and multiple zoning actions.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners met Oct. 7, 2025, and approved a series of budget, infrastructure and land‑use measures along with appointments and opioid settlement distributions. Most motions passed unanimously.
Votes at a glance
- Agenda amendment and adoption — Motion to amend the agenda to add appointment of Susan Nolley as county clerk and revise the consent agenda was approved unanimously.
- Consent agenda — Standard consent items were approved unanimously.
- Budget transfer — A transfer to fund new positions (finance materials provided by Finance Director Brittany White) was approved by the board.
- Fire services reporting software consolidation — The board approved a transition to a single reporting platform to replace three existing platforms to improve data retrieval and state reporting.
- Parks sponsorship — The Board accepted a sponsorship offer from Amazon for two end‑of‑year Parks & Recreation events (fall festival and holiday event) and approved acceptance of the sponsorship.
- Bridge replacement change order (Yellow River at Brown Bridge Road) — Transportation staff presented a change order to add $79,157.50 to the Wright Brothers Construction contract after on‑site crews discovered asbestos pipe requiring hazardous‑materials removal. The board approved the change order; Transportation Director Chester Clegg noted the additional cost is less than 1% of the approximately $10 million project.
- Right‑of‑way acquisition consulting contract (Brown Bridge Road at Coral Road intersection improvements) — The board authorized contracting with JMT to assist with acquisition of roughly 32 parcels related to intersection improvements; the lowest proposal presented was about $206,000.
- Opioid settlement fund distributions — The opioid committee recommended allocations that the board approved: Piedmont Hospital $50,000 (one‑time) for emergency department doors for behavioral‑health safety; Newton County Emergency Management Agency $25,000 for Narcan kits and cabinets across county facilities; and Viewpoint Health $50,000 (annual allocation) for access to opioid antagonists and counseling. The board approved the committee’s recommended distributions; the sheriff’s request will be presented at a future meeting.
- Zoning and land‑use decisions — The board heard and decided multiple public‑hearing items (summary below). Planning staff recommended approval in each case and the board voted as indicated. - REZ25-00008 (6610 Highway 20) — Rezoning from Neighborhood Commercial to Agricultural Residential for family conveyance and subdividing into four lots: approved (unanimous). Planning Commission had recommended approval 4–0. - CUP25-000011 (12955 Brown Bridge Road) — Conditional use permit for a multi‑tenant retail center with a drive‑through restaurant (applicant withdrew a proposed convenience store/gas pumps): approved with staff conditions (unanimous). The planning commission had recommended denial 4–0; applicant amended the request and removed the gas pumps prior to the Board hearing. - CUP25-000012 (4248 Highway 212) — Conditional use permit to continue an existing tree‑service business; a previous CUP had a two‑year sunset that had expired. The Board approved continuation with conditions that included maintaining an active business license and compliance with permit requirements (unanimous). - REZ25-00009 (825 Davis Ford Road) — Rezoning from Agricultural to Rural Estate to reconfigure two parcels for family conveyance: approved (unanimous).
- Appointment — The board appointed Susan Nolley as county clerk; the motion passed.
- Fairview Park resolution — The board adopted a resolution acknowledging Newton County’s fee‑simple ownership of approximately 12.1 acres commonly referred to as Fairview Community Park.
Other business and procedural items
- Alcohol license first reading — Brownbridge Quick Stop LLC (Esmina Gowana) — first reading presented; action on a final license is a subsequent procedural step.
- Adjournment — The board adjourned following routine closing items.
What this means
Most votes were routine approvals or project‑specific authorizations to move projects forward. The change order for the Yellow River bridge addressed an unforeseen hazardous‑materials removal, and the opioid settlement allocations fund local health, emergency management and treatment partners. The CUP approval for 12955 Brown Bridge Road followed an applicant amendment withdrawing the proposed gasoline pumps, which addressed the primary community opposition at the Planning Commission stage.
