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Commission receives GDOT roundabout notice, hospital authority resignation and legislative update; approves municipal election services agreement
Summary
The commission noted a GDOT roundabout outreach letter, accepted a Hospital Authority resignation creating a vacancy, heard that HB 571 moved judges’ races to nonpartisan status pending the governor's signature, and approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Fitzgerald for the June 18 municipal special election.
Chairman Steve Taylor told the Ben Hill County Commission that the Georgia Department of Transportation had sent a letter describing plans for a roundabout at the intersection of SR 90 and Lower Rebecca Road and that the county posted the letter and public comment forms online and invited the Herald Leader to share the information.
Taylor also said he received a resignation letter from the Hospital Authority for Edgar Medellin and told commissioners the vacancy would need to be filled.
Vice-Chair Hope Harmon reported that HB 571 had passed both the Georgia House and Senate; the bill would change Probate Judge and Magistrate Judge offices to nonpartisan status and was awaiting the governor's signature at the time of the meeting.
On a separate agenda item, the commission approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Ben Hill County Board of Elections and Registration and the City of Fitzgerald to provide election services for a June 18, 2019 municipal special election. Commissioner John Mooney moved to approve the agreement; Vice-Chair Hope Harmon seconded. The motion passed with Mooney, Harmon, Cowan, and Calloway recorded as voting for the motion in the minutes.
In commissioners' remarks, Bennie Calloway and Daniel Cowan expressed concern over Pastor Terry Cole's statement that County Manager Michael Dinnerman had called and suggested changes to the invocation; Dinnerman said the commission should be mindful about how scripture and prayer are used in meetings. Pastor Cole told the commission he would not return to give the invocation following the phone call.
The minutes do not record any public comments, a formal vote on filling the hospital vacancy, or any deadlines for public comment on the GDOT project beyond posting the materials to the county website.
