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Ben Hill County commissioners reject motion to pursue consolidation study; workshop set to discuss manager position
Summary
A motion to ask the City of Fitzgerald to join a Carl Vinson Institute consolidation study and split costs failed 2–3; the board later scheduled a May 21 workshop to discuss the county manager role and unfinished projects.
Chairman Steve Taylor proposed asking the City of Fitzgerald to engage the Carl Vinson Institute to study government consolidation between the county and city and to split the cost, and he asked the board to authorize him to draft a letter to the mayor. After discussion, Commissioner Daniel Cowan moved to authorize the chairman to draft the letter; Commissioner John Mooney seconded the motion. The motion did not pass: Chairman Taylor and Commissioner Cowan voted for it, while Commissioner Bennie Calloway, Vice-Chair Hope Harmon and Commissioner John Mooney voted against it.
The vote was recorded in open session and the motion failed 2–3. The meeting minutes record the second by Commissioner John Mooney and also record him voting against the motion.
Following that item, the board scheduled a workshop meeting for May 21 at 12:00 noon to discuss the County Manager position and unfinished projects; the session was recorded under New Business. The minutes do not record a formal motion with mover/second to set the workshop date but list the date and time as the board's decision.
Routine procedural business at the same meeting included approval of the agenda with the Workshop Meeting added (motion by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon, second by Commissioner John Mooney; unanimous vote); approval of the April 2, 2024 meeting minutes (motion by Commissioner John Mooney, second by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon; unanimous vote); and approval of a National Donate Life Month proclamation (motion by Commissioner John Mooney, second by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon; unanimous vote).
The board also recessed into an executive session to discuss pending litigation (motion by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon; motion passed); Commissioner John Mooney left the meeting before the executive session and the board returned after about ten minutes. The minutes show the board closed the executive session and resumed open session on a motion by Commissioner Bennie Calloway that passed.
The meeting concluded with brief commissioner remarks and thanks to staff and outside donors; no final action was recorded on the consolidation item or on any changes to the county manager's employment during this meeting.
