Commission considers court technology fees and a local ordinance mirroring state law on animal sales
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Summary
The board reviewed resolutions asking the county delegation to pursue a magistrate and state court technology fee and discussed a county ordinance mirroring Georgia House Bill 331 to prohibit certain public sales of domestic animals; the meeting recessed into executive session for real estate, personnel and litigation.
County staff presented two resolutions asking the board to seek authorization from the state delegation to allow a technology fee for magistrate and state courts (Resolutions 2025‑44 and 2025‑46). Court staff told commissioners the fee — proposed up to $10 — would help replace and maintain courtroom AV and related technology installed since COVID. If the board forwards the resolutions to the state delegation, the legislature would need to approve the fee in the 2026 session.
Mister Phillips introduced Ordinance 2025‑08 to align county code with Georgia House Bill 331 (effective July 1, 2025) by prohibiting the transfer or sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in specified public places and allowing county animal control to issue citations instead of pursuing arrests. "It is simply a mirror image of what's in state law," Phillips said, explaining the ordinance gives animal control local citation authority to enforce the state prohibition.
Near the end of the public session, a commissioner moved and a second was received to convene an executive session for real estate, personnel and litigation. The motion passed by voice vote and the board recessed to executive session; the public portion of the meeting concluded there.
The transcript records the presentations and the motion to go into executive session; recorded on-the-record votes on the resolutions and ordinance were not included in the public transcript portion available here.