Lincoln County commission approves jail security upgrade, new ambulance, water rate increase and multiple contracts

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 11 approved a series of public-safety, infrastructure and administrative actions, including a contract to replace the jail's security camera and door modules, purchase of a new ambulance, and a one-time 3% increase to the county's water rates.

The commission voted to accept a quote from Montgomery Technology Systems LLC (MTS) to update the jail's security camera system and door modules at a cost not to exceed $70,000, funded from the SPLOST 7 (special purpose local option sales tax) Tier 1 project. County staff described the existing system as unreliable: “when you look at the screen, you don't know what doors are locked and what aren't,” Sheriff Smith said during the meeting, warning that some doors could not be locked from the control system and staff sometimes had to leave posts to operate doors manually.

The commission also approved purchase of a 2026 AEV Type 1 ambulance from Emergency Vehicle Sales for an amount not to exceed $191,263, with delivery expected in January 2026 and funds drawn from SPLOST 7 Tier 2. County staff said the new vehicle will replace a 2014 Chevrolet ambulance with nearly 300,000 miles.

In other public-safety and operations actions, commissioners approved a 3% one-time increase to water and sewer rates effective Oct. 1 to address rising costs; Finance Director Dawson noted the county had not raised rates since 2019. The commission additionally approved a transfer of $140,000 from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) fund to the Water Fund to reimburse the water fund for legal fees.

The board approved several transportation and senior-services items that had been discussed at length in a prior work session: a retroactive 90-day subcontract with Verada Inc. (contingent on acceptable contract verbiage to the county attorney) to provide coordinated transportation for seniors reimbursed by the Department of Health and Human Services; a FY26 contract with GA Foods (GA Food Services of Pinellas County LLC) to provide congregate and home-delivered meals for the county's senior program (contingent on acceptable contract revisions); submission of the FY27 FTA 5311 rural transit formula grant application to the Georgia Department of Transportation; and proposed updates to transit fares effective Oct. 1 to better align with neighboring providers and help offset operating costs.

The commission approved several maintenance, code and policy items: a text change to Lincoln County Code of Ordinances Chapter 64, section 64-6, to allow approved polypropylene (HP) pipe in driveway installations in addition to corrugated metal; adoption of revisions to Chapter 10 (alcoholic beverages) after a second reading; adoption of a resolution and two purchasing-card policies to join the State of Georgia purchasing card program (including policies for non-elected employees and elected officials), and the temporary waiver and related grant application process under the state’s timber-relief program created after recent storm damage (motions adopted to grant temporary relief and to apply for the offsetting state grant).

Smaller capital and maintenance items approved included seal-coating and patching both courthouse parking lots (Southern Asphalt, not to exceed $25,000 from SPLOST 7), replacement of deteriorating wooden columns at the library with fiberglass columns (not to exceed $15,000 from SPLOST 7 Tier 2), and adoption of a resolution to surplus two county vehicles (a Caterpillar D7 bulldozer and a 2010 Ford F-350).

Sheriff Smith described two community-oriented initiatives discussed at the meeting: a “Shop with the Sheriff” holiday program aimed at 12 children, for which he said the office had raised roughly $1,400 toward a $3,000 goal; and a proposed marked-vehicle auxiliary unit of volunteers to check on seniors. Commissioners asked county Attorney Grayson to prepare release/waiver forms and to ensure background and driving-history checks are performed before volunteers operate county vehicles.

The chairman also announced that the county’s consolidated 9-1-1 dispatch center had moved to its new Global Drive location and said officials plan an open house for the public in the coming weeks.

Votes at a glance (motions approved) - Accept quote from Montgomery Technology Systems LLC to replace jail security cameras and door modules, cost not to exceed $70,000 (mover: Commissioner Tankersley; second: Commissioner Antonaka). Outcome: approved. - Approve purchase of 2026 AEV Type 1 ambulance from Emergency Vehicle Sales, cost not to exceed $191,263, delivery expected January 2026 (mover: Commissioner Antonaka; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Adopt one-time 3% water and sewer rate increase effective Oct. 1, 2025 (mover: Commissioner Antonaka; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Authorize transfer of $140,000 from ARP fund to Water Fund to reimburse legal fees (mover: Commissioner Henderson; second: Commissioner Antonaka). Outcome: approved. - Approve 90-day Department of Human Services subcontracted coordinated transportation agreement with Verada Inc., contingent on acceptable contract verbiage to county attorney (mover: Commissioner Henderson; second: Commissioner Antonaka). Outcome: approved (contingent). - Approve 12-month FY26 meal contract with GA Food Services of Pinellas County LLC, effective Oct. 1, 2025, contingent on acceptable contract verbiage to county attorney (mover: Commissioner Antonaka; second: Commissioner Tankersley). Outcome: approved (contingent). - Authorize submission of FY27 FTA 5311 rural transit grant application and authorize chairman/county clerk to execute documents (mover: Commissioner Henderson; second: Commissioner Antonaka). Outcome: approved. - Adopt FY26 transit fare schedule as presented, effective Oct. 1 (mover: Commissioner Antonaka; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Amend Lincoln County Code of Ordinances Chapter 64, section 64-6 (driveway construction) to allow HP/polypropylene pipe in addition to corrugated metal (mover: Commissioner Tankersley; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Adopt revisions to Lincoln County Code Chapter 10 (alcoholic beverages) after second reading (mover: Commissioner Antonaka; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Adopt resolution to join State of Georgia purchasing card program and adopt two purchasing card policies (motions approved; movers and seconds recorded in minutes). Outcome: approved. - Adopt resolution granting temporary timber tax relief for eligible storm-damaged standing timber and authorize grant application to Georgia Department of Revenue (mover: Commissioner Antonaka; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Approve sealcoat/patch/stripe of courthouse parking lots (Southern Asphalt), cost not to exceed $25,000 from SPLOST 7 (mover: Commissioner Tankersley; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Approve replacement of library front columns with fiberglass columns, cost not to exceed $15,000 from SPLOST 7 Tier 2 (mover: Commissioner Antonaka; second: Commissioner Henderson). Outcome: approved. - Approve surplus of county equipment per resolution (mover: Commissioner Henderson; second: Commissioner Tankersley). Outcome: approved. - Approve payment of CSRA Regional Commission dues, $7,231.20 (mover and second recorded in minutes). Outcome: approved.

Why this matters The items approved on Sept. 11 affect core county services: the jail security upgrade addresses operational safety and liability concerns raised by the sheriff; the ambulance purchase replaces an aging vehicle and preserves emergency medical coverage; the water-rate change and ARP transfer affect utility revenues and budgets; and the transit and senior-services contracts maintain county transportation and meal programs for older residents. Several measures draw from SPLOST funds, underscoring the role of voter-approved capital funding in county facility and equipment maintenance.

What to watch next - Implementation: procurement and delivery schedules for the ambulance and the security system (jail upgrades will proceed under a not-to-exceed authorization). County staff indicated the jail upgrade vendor quoted $68,300 but asked for authority up to $70,000 to avoid returning to the commission for small variances. - Contingent contracts: the coordinated transportation and GA Foods contracts were approved contingent on contract language acceptable to the county attorney; final execution depends on that review. - Volunteer auxiliary unit: the county attorney will draft release forms and staff will establish background and driving-history checks before volunteers use county vehicles.

Ending note The board conducted routine departmental reports and administrative business before adjourning. The chairman announced a forthcoming public open house for the county’s new 9-1-1 dispatch center on Global Drive.