Commission approves consent agenda including hires, tax exonerations and development authority

The Berkeley County Commission approved a consent agenda that included personnel actions, tax corrections and procurement items.

Staff presented hiring recommendations from Tim Zaya (director of community corrections) for Joseph Stahl as a peer recovery coach (annual salary $43,145) and from Chad Weinbrenner (deputy county administrator) for Trevor Van Doorsdale as a custodian (annual salary $32,250). The commission also received letters of resignation for several positions including a telecommunicator and a voter registration supervisor; effective dates were noted in the packet.

Assessor Larry Hess asked the commission to approve a single taxpayer error refund for $36.45 and ten personal-property corrections totaling $2,643.72; the commission approved both motions by voice vote. Hess also requested and received approval to apportion vehicle billing after a divorce: four vehicles with a combined assessed value of $46,803 split with one party receiving $31,683 in assessed value and the other $15,120.

On development finance items, engineering recommended letter-of-credit reductions for Liberty Run Phase 2, and staff presented a collateral assignment of a PILOT agreement for 300 Porter Avenue to permit lenders to step in if the original developer cannot complete renovations; the commission authorized the president to sign related documents where appropriate.

Commissioners also opened and recorded bids for vehicle upfitting and fleet vehicles; staff will review bids and return with recommendations. One upfitting bid for nine cruisers was recorded at $142,191.79; six bids were received for a five-vehicle fleet procurement. No final awards were made at the meeting.

The motions were carried by voice vote as part of the consent agenda action.