Commissioners approve grants, personnel renewals, easements and development waivers at Dec. 16 meeting

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of routine actions at its Dec. 16 meeting, including grants, personnel renewals, easement acceptances and development waivers.

Among the votes, commissioners approved acceptance of a BJA Adult Drug Court discretionary grant for the superior court totaling $29,833 and a CY2026 ARPA grant for the judicial circuit of $52,177 intended to help clear case backlogs. Both motions were made and carried without recorded opposition.

The board approved a restructuring of fire services dispatch to address sharply increasing call volume. Staff said total calls rose from about 9,300 in 2023 to more than 20,000 in 2024 and that the 2025 year had already surpassed 15,400 calls; the restructure would promote four communications officers, hire three additional communications officers, establish a dispatch manager and carry a half‑year estimated budget impact of $195,689 to be covered by the Fire Services fund and salary savings.

Land‑use and licensing actions included approval of a major PUD revision to reduce setbacks to 80 feet for a proposed Chick‑fil‑A drive‑thru canopy at Tax Map 65 (portion of Parcel 674) and a waiver of distance requirements for alcohol sales on Parcel 05002E to allow beer and wine in a grocery store of 25,000 sq ft or larger at the William Few Parkway and Columbia Road corner. Staff emphasized the waiver is not the same as an alcohol license: applicants must still apply and comply with state law, which restricts grocery liquor sales.

Commissioners also adopted Resolution 25‑46 requesting the Columbia County legislative delegation and the Georgia General Assembly consider legislation to allow local governments to provide targeted homestead tax relief grants when fiscal circumstances allow.

Personnel and property actions approved included annual renewals of executive leadership contracts (no salary increases), a temporary promotion and retroactive salary for Deputy Marshal Richard Bridal to serve as temporary chief marshal at an annual salary level of $63,648 retroactive to Nov. 1, 2025, acceptance of temporary and permanent easements needed for road and sewer projects, a $72,532 payment to Village HOA for a fence removal related to Fierce Ferry Road, and $30,000 to Donald Wenzel for right‑of‑way on the Hereford Farm Road widening project. The board concluded by recognizing youth leadership participants and adjourning.

All motions noted in the meeting were moved, seconded and recorded as carried; the transcript records roll calls by members raising hands rather than detailed roll‑call tallies for each named commissioner.