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Ben Hill County commissioners approve tower, rezoning, licenses, budget amendment and board appointments
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Summary
At their Feb. 4 regular meeting, Ben Hill County commissioners unanimously approved a special exception for a 370-foot communications tower, rezoned 1.05 acres for Young Tractor Co., authorized bids for a $1,000,000 tax anticipation note, adopted a budget amendment, amended a USDA grant and confirmed several board appointments.
Ben Hill County commissioners on Feb. 4 approved a slate of routine and regulatory actions, including a special exception to allow a 370-foot communications tower, a rezoning for a local business, new alcohol licenses, a budget cleanup resolution and multiple board appointments.
The commission voted to grant a special exception allowing Cable Link to erect a 370-foot tower on property owned by Garrett Tree Farms, LLC at 1550 River Road. County Manager Michael Dinnerman told the commission the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Planning Commission had recommended approval; Jay Sanders, a Cable Link representative, said the installation would host multiple carriers and improve 911 coverage and county radio reception in an area that currently has dead spots.
The commission also rezoned 1.05 acres at 758 Ocilla Highway from G-F County to C-C County for Young Tractor Co.; the county planning commission had recommended that rezoning. Both the special exception and rezoning were moved by Commissioner John Mooney, seconded by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon, and each motion passed with Commissioners Bennie Calloway, Daniel Cowan, John Mooney and Vice-Chair Hope Harmon recorded as voting in favor.
Other formal actions the board took included:
• Alcohol license: Commissioners approved alcohol licenses for Rockin Wolf Saloon (motion by Commissioner John Mooney, seconded by Commissioner Daniel Cowan).
• Tax Anticipation Note: The board authorized County Manager Michael Dinnerman and Chairman Steve Taylor to solicit bids and negotiate interest for a $1,000,000 Tax Anticipation Note (moved by Commissioner Daniel Cowan, seconded by Commissioner John Mooney).
• Budget amendment: CFO Darlow Maxwell described the resolution as a cleanup measure to balance the county—s 2019 accounts after expenditures reached about 95%; the commission adopted the Budget Amendment Resolution (motion by Commissioner John Mooney, seconded by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon).
• USDA grant: County Manager Michael Dinnerman said the county—s USDA building grant rules had changed and now require state involvement; he said the county could receive up to 35% or $50,000 and recommended amending the original application to split it into smaller grants. The board voted to amend and separate the grant (motion by Commissioner John Mooney, seconded by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon).
• Appointments: The board submitted the names Richard Baxter Jr., Eric Stone and Brian Braddy to the Hospital Authority Board (motion by Commissioner Daniel Cowan) and appointed Becky Gay and Nickie Smith to the Fitzgerald Ben Hill County Library Board (motion by Vice-Chair Hope Harmon); both motions passed.
Most motions were recorded in the minutes as passing with Commissioners John Mooney, Hope Harmon, Daniel Cowan and Bennie Calloway voting in favor. The minutes record no recorded opposing votes for the listed actions.
The commission also approved prior meeting minutes and amended the agenda at the start of the meeting to add the USDA grant item.
What—s next: The approved rezoning and special exception reflect local land-use actions that take effect according to county procedures; any implementation steps (permits, building or site work) will proceed through county permitting processes and any required state coordination for the USDA grant.