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Jasper County commissioners approve two ordinance amendments, adopt school millage rollback and sign off on multiple county contracts
Summary
At its Sept. 8 meeting the Jasper County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved ordinance changes on building permits and telecommunications, adopted a Board of Education millage rollback to 12.883 for 2025, authorized Sandoz opioid-settlement paperwork, and approved a $72,500 FY2025 audit engagement; the board also set a one-ton commercial minimum at the landfill.
The Jasper County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a series of measures at its Sept. 8 regular meeting, including two ordinance changes, the Board of Education millage rollback for 2025 and several county contracts.
Planning and Zoning Director Doug Attaway told commissioners the P&Z board recommended amending Part II, Chapter 119, Section 119-468 to add a minimum size threshold for building permits, require permits for portable buildings and add a penalty for building without a permit. Commissioner Steven Ledford moved to adopt the ordinance change; Commissioner Sheila Pounds seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Attaway also presented a P&Z recommendation to remove Section 115-81 from Chapter 115 (Telecommunications). He said the section required an escrow and a third-party review for tall cell structures; P&Z staff now handle reviews in-house and pass any third-party review costs through to the applicant. Commissioner Asher Gray moved to remove the section; Commissioner Pounds seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
On taxation, the board adopted a millage rate of 12.883 for the Jasper County Board of Education’s 2025 tax billing after the school board recommended taking the full rollback from the current 13.250 rate. County Manager Mike Benton noted the board of education may recommend but the BOC must formally adopt the rate; Commissioner Ledford’s motion to authorize the tax commissioner to levy 12.883 was approved unanimously.
The board also authorized Chairman Bruce Henry to sign a resolution related to the Sandoz portion of the county’s participation in national opioid litigation settlements. Benton said Jasper County has received roughly $100,000 so far from opioid settlements and that the funds must be spent on opioid prevention programs; the motion to authorize the signature passed unanimously.
Larissa Ruark, chief accounting officer, presented engagement letters for the FY2025 audits: Jasper County audit $47,500; 911 Authority $9,500; Public Facilities Authority $9,500; required Annual DCA report $2,500; and the Landfill Financial Assurance audit $3,500, for a total estimated engagement cost of $72,500. Commissioner Ledford moved to authorize the county manager to execute the engagement; Commissioner Gray seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Other formal actions included reappointing Patti Hobby to the Department of Family and Children Services board (motion by Ledford, second by Pounds) and adopting a one-ton minimum for commercial tipping at the county landfill (motion by Ledford, second by Gray). The motion text adopting the commercial one-ton minimum did not specify a fee amount; commissioners agreed to delay any change to residential minimums while staff gather average-weights and comparative pricing for return discussion.
The board scheduled a Sept. 19 call meeting on capital expenditures, discussed bid timetables for road and infrastructure projects, entered an executive session on litigation at 7:07 p.m., and adjourned at 7:28 p.m.
Votes recorded during the meeting were taken by voice and approved unanimously by the four commissioners present (Chairman Bruce Henry, Vice Chair Steven Ledford, Commissioner Sheila Pounds and Commissioner Asher Gray); Commissioner Alexander was absent.
