Wayne County commissioners approve licenses, equipment purchases, budget changes and board appointments — votes at a glance

Wayne County commissioners approved a series of routine licenses, procurement contracts and administrative resolutions during the meeting.

Key approvals included a beer-and-wine license for Sonny's Corner (formerly Gardai Tire and Grocery), revisions to the county permit-fee schedule, write-offs of ad valorem tax bills of $5 or less, authority for the tax commissioner to correct clerical errors, two municipal tax-collection service agreements, multiple equipment purchases for county departments, award of a contract to erect a transit metal building under a GDOT grant, funding for an audit of the district attorney's office, an ARP budget amendment and the naming of a local bridge after Judge Ray Gordon. The commission also appointed three members to the county preservation board and tabled a vacancy for the Board of Health that requires a physician or physician assistant.

Below are the actions taken, the outcomes and the pertinent details documented during the meeting:

- Sonny's Corner beer-and-wine license approved. County staff confirmed background checks and fingerprinting were complete. (Motion passed; roll call recorded all commissioners present voting yes.)

- Building-permit fee schedule revision approved. The county moved to a simplified, tiered flat-fee schedule for building permits and mobile homes to make fee calculations easier for staff and applicants. (Approved on roll call.)

- Resolution approved to write off ad valorem tax bills of $5 or less. Tax commissioner Ally Harnage explained many such small balances arise from declining property assessments for dilapidated mobile homes and carrying them is not cost-effective. (Approved.)

- Resolution approved authorizing the tax commissioner to correct clerical errors. The authority covers address or spelling corrections and similar administrative fixes. (Approved.)

- Contract service agreements approved for the cities of Odom and Scriven so the county tax commissioner can collect those municipalities' real and personal property taxes; county retains 3 points and the tax commissioner receives 3 points as fee split. (Approved.)

- Road department equipment bids approved: a zero-turn lawn mower (low bid from Tate's Lawn Products), a 6-inch diesel water pump (Godwin Pump, $57,063.20) and football field lighting (C & K Electric, $26,700). Commissioners said the purchases will support roadside and recreation maintenance and are paid from budgeted funds and ARP where noted. (All approved.)

- Sheriff's Office pickup trucks: three 2025 F-150 vehicles awarded to the low bidder (Brannon/Brandon under state contract) for $202,000 total; sheriff's office will outfit the vehicles with equipment. (Approved.)

- Transit metal building: a 24-by-60 metal building for Wayne Transit was awarded to the low bidder, Boss Buildings ($19,606.73). The project is funded by a GDOT grant with no local match; county staff said the grant funds are on hand. (Approved.)

- Audit for the district attorney: commissioners approved contributing toward a required audit, with Wayne County's share estimated in a range between $6,379 and $11,568 depending on final allocations from partner counties; cost split is based on population. (Approved.)

- Resolution amending the 2024 ARP budget approved to reconcile actual expenditures with amounts previously budgeted; the amendment adjusts the ARP fund by $430,753. (Approved.)

- Bridge naming: commissioners voted to name a local bridge after the late Judge Ray Gordon; the road department will prepare signage and county staff will coordinate a dedication with the family. (Approved.)

- Preservation board appointments: Bill Cooksey, Pam Hughes and John Benner were appointed to the Wayne County Preservation Board. (Approved.)

- Board of Health vacancy: commissioners tabled appointment to the position requiring a physician or physician assistant until the May meeting while staff follows up with candidates. (Tabled.)

All votes were recorded in the meeting transcript; commissioners generally approved the items by unanimous roll call or consensus. Several items were tied to grant funding or ARP funds and county staff noted the source of funds when presenting bids.

What to watch: implementation timelines for the transit building and equipment purchases, the timeline for the DA audit, and any follow-up ordinances or fee-schedule communications for building permits.