Lincoln County commissioners approve Verizon lease, repeal water-availability fee and authorize disaster-grant application

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a series of administrative and fiscal measures at its August meeting, including a memorandum of lease with Verizon for antenna and ground space on Grays Mountain; repeal of the county's water-availability fee by resolution; joining a national opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma; authorization to apply for a 1 Georgia hurricane disaster-relief grant (up to $2 million) and hire a consultant for the required preliminary engineering report; adoption of the annual solid-waste fee for unincorporated residential units; purchase of two used Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks; and two library-board appointments.

The measures were taken as a package of routine and time-sensitive items during a meeting led by the chairman. Several motions were moved and seconded from the commission floor, and all items listed below were carried by voice vote unless otherwise noted.

Verizon memorandum of lease Commissioners authorized the chairman and county clerk to execute a memorandum of lease with Verizon covering antenna and ground space at "Tahoe 2" on Grays Mountain with an initial five-year lease and renewal options. County Attorney Gracie reviewed the memorandum and said it references the underlying lease agreement. Attorney Gracie told the board the underlying agreement sets the annual rent at $30,000 per year; when asked about the annual escalation rate he said, "I believe it's 3 percent," while another speaker in the discussion said "It's 2%." The memorandum itself does not list the dollar amounts, the attorney said, because it references the full agreement previously approved. Motion by Commissioner Antonaka; second by Commissioner Clyde. Motion carried.

Resolution to repeal water-availability fee The board adopted a resolution repealing the county's water-availability fee. The clerk and attorney discussed resolution numbering during the meeting; the record reflects some disagreement about the internal number cited during the reading. Commissioners moved and seconded the resolution and adopted it on the second required reading. Motion by Commissioner Antonaka; second by Commissioner Tanksley. Motion carried. (Resolution citation: not specified in transcript.)

Opioid settlements (Purdue Pharma and future national settlements) The commission voted to join the national Purdue Pharma settlement and authorized the chairman and county attorney to accept future national opioid settlement documents vetted by the county attorney. Director Doss reported that recent national settlement payments ranged from about $1,300 to $6,900 and that the county previously used about $40,000 of such dollars to buy automated external defibrillators. Motion by Commissioner Clyde; second by Commissioner Henderson. Motion carried.

1 Georgia disaster-relief grant application and consultant contract The board authorized application to the 1 Georgia Authority hurricane disaster-relief grant program for up to $2,000,000 to repair storm-damaged roadway box culverts (sites identified on Ivytown Road and Meadersville Road). Commissioners authorized the chairman and clerk to execute necessary grant documents. The commission separately approved retention of Cranston Engineering to prepare the required preliminary engineering report for a fee of $9,900, with funds to be paid from the county's designated fund. Motion to apply: moved by Commissioner Tankersley; seconded (motion carried). Motion to hire Cranston Engineering, fee $9,900: moved by Commissioner Clyde; seconded by Commissioner Antonaka. Motion carried.

Solid-waste fee The board set the 2025 residential solid-waste fee for unincorporated Lincoln County at $299.40 per residential unit, to be included on the tax bill. The item was discussed at length at the prior work session and the commission noted the fee helps subsidize transfer-station and landfill costs; exemptions based on income remain available. Motion by Commissioner Antonaka; second by Commissioner Clyde. Motion carried.

Purchase of two pickup trucks (public works / utilities / code enforcement assignments) Commissioners authorized purchase of two used Chevrolet Colorados from Cars to Us of Augusta, using American Rescue Plan funds. Each vehicle purchase was presented at $14,568 (total $29,136). One vehicle will be assigned to code enforcement and the other to utilities (with an older, larger truck transferring to roads and bridges). Motions: first truck purchase moved and seconded; second truck purchase moved and seconded. Both motions carried.

Library board appointments The commission appointed Sharice Hilton to fill an at-large seat through Dec. 31, 2026, and reappointed Beth Beggs to an unexpired District 2 term to Dec. 31, 2027. Motion by Commissioner Clyde (Hilton); motion by Commissioner Antonaka (Beggs). Both motions carried.

Procedure and votes Most motions were approved by voice vote; recorded yea/nay tallies were not provided in the meeting transcript. Where a mover and seconder were recorded, this article lists them as recorded in the minutes. The board did not report any defeated motions on the items described above.