Long County commissioners approve industrial rezoning and subdivision plat, decline inmate contract and accept Fort Stewart shelter deal; county administrator (

Chairman Robert Parker presided over Long County meetings in early June 2020 in which the board took several personnel, land‑use and contract actions.

The most consequential votes came June 16 in a work session: the board unanimously approved rezoning 53.41 acres at the Long County Industrial Park to General Industrial, and approved acceptance of an Animal Shelter contract from Fort Stewart and authorized the chairman to borrow funds to support the shelter. The board also approved a final plat for Huntington Subdivision Phase IV (21 lots); that motion passed 3–1 with Commissioner Michael Riddle recorded as the sole dissent on the plat.

Why it matters: the industrial rezoning clears the way for industrial use at a county park site, and the animal shelter contract plus authorization to borrow funds are immediate financial commitments the county will have to manage. The subdivision approval (21 new lots) affects county planning, roads and drainage responsibilities.

Key votes and motions - The final plat for Huntington Subdivision Phase IV (21 lots) was approved on a 3–1 vote; Commissioner Michael Riddle opposed. (Motion by Commissioner Michael Phillips; second by Commissioner Clifton Deloach.) - Rezoning of 53.41 acres at the Long County Industrial Park to General Industrial passed unanimously. (Motion by Commissioner Michael Phillips; second by Commissioner Clifton Deloach.) - The board voted 3–1 not to renew the county's inmate contract. Commissioner Michael Riddle moved not to renew and said the board should "go with a private contractor"; Commissioner Clifton Deloach opposed the motion. (Motion by Commissioner Michael Riddle; second by Commissioner Michael Phillips.) - The board accepted an Animal Shelter contract from Fort Stewart and authorized Chairman Robert Parker to borrow funds for the shelter; both motions passed unanimously. (Motion to accept contract by Commissioner Michael Phillips; motion to authorize borrowing by Commissioner Michael Phillips; both seconded by Commissioner Michael Riddle.) - Commissioner Michael Phillips moved to accept County Administrator Chuck Scragg's resignation effective June 30, 2020; Commissioner Clifton Deloach seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Chairman Robert Parker moved to name Russell Simmons interim County Administrator; Commissioner Michael Riddle seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The minutes note that Scragg served one year and "helped the Community through some difficult times."

Other procedural items At the June 2 regular meeting the board approved the agenda, reappointed James Howard to the Tax Assessors Board, authorized payment of bills and entered an executive session for personnel matters; those motions are recorded as passing unanimously in the minutes. The June 16 public hearing on the 2021 proposed budget drew no public comment.

What was not specified in the minutes - The minutes do not list dollar amounts for the approved budget amendment labeled "Buildings" or for the borrowing authorization tied to the animal shelter. - Details of the inmate contract (counterparty, term, and financials) and the precise borrowing amount for the shelter are not specified in the minutes.

What happens next The minutes record the administrative steps the board authorized (rezoning, plat approval, contract acceptance, appointment of an interim administrator). The county will need to document the borrowing terms, finalize the Fort Stewart shelter contract paperwork and process transition steps for the county administrator position; the minutes set a resignation effective date of June 30, 2020 for Chuck Scragg.

Attribution: votes and motions are recorded in the Long County Board of Commissioners minutes for June 2 and June 16, 2020. Direct quotations and attributions in this report are drawn from those minutes.