Pike County commissioners approve minutes, payments, personnel hires and several service agreements

Pike County commissioners on March 5 approved routine minutes and a series of financial and personnel actions, authorized several contracts and opened bids for farm leasing ahead of the 2025 growing season.

The board approved minutes from multiple February meetings and authorized payment from the general fund totaling $801,444.59 and a debt service payment of $3,600. Commissioners also approved human-services payment vouchers, including $17,167.05 for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program 2, $2,500.33 for homeless assistance, $1,958.22 for a fair fund, and $2,849.53 for the state food purchase program.

In personnel actions, the board acknowledged a letter from Warden Lowe reporting hires at the correctional facility and approved the employment of Dallas Zuski, Matthew Calverio, Daniel Davidson, Travis Hay, Michael Knight, Michael McNichol and Jonathan Ozuna as full-time correctional officers effective March 10, 2025, with benefits after 90 days. The board set the new hires’ hourly rate at $26.23. The board also approved a promotion for Karen Gouger to agent care manager 2 in the area agency on aging retroactive to Feb. 19, 2025, and a 75-cent hourly increase tied to that promotion. Separately, the board approved an hourly rate increase to $28.31 effective March 18, 2025, for employees completing one year of service under the agreement between Pike County and AFSCME District Council 87 (as recorded) for Matthew Machado and Andrew Wes (name as recorded).

The board authorized the chairman to execute multiple agreements on behalf of county departments, including: the 2024 equitable sharing agreement and certification annual report for the district attorney’s office; a Corpro annual service agreement for the correctional facility (as recommended by the prison board); a Pearson VUE GED testing site agreement for the correctional facility (as recommended by the prison board); and an amendment to an agreement between Pike County and Palmetto Posting (name as recorded) on behalf of the tax claim bureau. The commissioners also approved purchase-of-service agreements between Pure Luxe Homes and Pike County, and between Tyler Convergent Program Incorporated and Pike County, both on behalf of Children & Youth Services (names recorded as presented to the board).

The board approved an Affordable Housing Fund voucher payable to Hailstone Economic in the amount of $250 and a 2022 Community Development Block Grant payment voucher payable to Halestone Economic in the amount of $2,100 (names recorded in meeting materials). The Pike County HOME Program payment voucher was approved payable to Hapack Village LLC in the amount of $300, and a Pike County HOME GRAMA payment voucher payable to Travis Valley in the amount of $3,000, all on behalf of the Office of Human Services.

The board opened bids for leasing approximately 80 acres of tillable fields for planting during the 2025 growing season and approved a $3,483 payment for a February 2025 fairground charge on behalf of the area agency on aging.

During public comment, a resident who did not give a full name spoke about local history and the day’s concealed-carry presentation, saying, “This day has always somehow intertwined honor, education, as well as special meeting our meetings, especially with somebody like myself in attendance.” The commenter suggested reviewers consult applicable law and local law-enforcement clarification about concealed-carry activities; the comment was recorded during the meeting’s public-comment period and did not result in board action.

All motions recorded in the meeting transcript were made, seconded and approved by voice vote; votes were recorded in the transcript as "Aye" with no roll-call tallies provided in the minutes.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes from Feb. 5, Feb. 19 and Feb. 26, 2025 — approved (voice vote). - Approve general fund payments — $801,444.59 — approved (voice vote). - Approve debt service payment — $3,600 — approved (voice vote). - Acknowledge hires at correctional facility (Dallas Zuski; Matthew Calverio; Daniel Davidson; Travis Hay; Michael Knight; Michael McNichol; Jonathan Ozuna) effective 03/10/2025 — approved (voice vote). - Set hourly rate for new correctional officers — $26.23/hr — approved (voice vote). - Promote Karen Gouger to agent care manager 2 (retroactive 02/19/2025) and 75¢/hr increase — approved (voice vote). - Increase hourly rate to $28.31 effective 03/18/2025 for employees completing one year under county-AFSCME agreement (Matthew Machado; Andrew Wes as recorded) — approved (voice vote). - Authorize chairman to execute: 2024 equitable sharing agreement and certification annual report; Corpro annual service agreement; Pearson VUE GED testing-site agreement; amendment with Palmetto Posting (as recorded); purchase-of-service agreements with Pure Luxe Homes and Tyler Convergent Program Inc. — all approved (voice votes). - Approve human-services vouchers: Emergency Rental Assistance Program 2 $17,167.05; Homeless Assistance $2,500.33; Fair $1,958.22; State Food Purchase $2,849.53 — approved (voice votes). - Approve Affordable Housing Fund voucher to Hailstone Economic $250; CDBG payment to Halestone Economic $2,100; Pike County HOME Program payment to Hapack Village LLC $300; HOME GRAMA payment to Travis Valley $3,000 — approved (voice votes). - Open bids for leasing ~80 acres for 2025 planting season — bids opened (no contract award recorded at this meeting).

Ending

The board completed routine administrative and fiscal business and opened the bidding process for prairie/tillable land intended for the 2025 planting season. No contested legislation or contested votes were recorded. Several agreements were authorized for execution by the chairman; the meeting record shows voice approvals but does not include roll-call vote tallies or the names of makers and seconders for every motion.