Schley County approves Golden Triangle dirt-road work and votes to join regional program

ELLAVILLE, Ga. — The Schley County Board of Commissioners voted Oct. 14 to proceed with dirt-road work funded through the Golden Triangle program and to join the program as a participating county.

Rhonda Gordon, Executive Assistant for Golden Triangle, told the board that funding for dirt-road repairs has been secured and that Schley County is ranked second on the program’s priority list. Gordon said Schley County will be billed directly for the project and then bill Golden Triangle for reimbursement; she also noted a scope of work exists but did not provide specific dollar amounts.

Commissioner Barineau made the motion to advance the dirt-road project; Commissioner Harrison seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Barineau then moved that Schley County formally join Golden Triangle, a separate motion seconded by Commissioner Jones that also passed unanimously.

County Manager Douglas Jamieson suggested the county pause current Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) projects so the county does not exhaust general-fund resources while awaiting reimbursement from Golden Triangle. Water Superintendent Art Barfield told the board the Golden Triangle project is on a strict schedule and must be completed by September 2026; he said he will provide a written scope of work by the end of the week.

The county did not record a specific cost estimate for Schley County’s portion during the discussion; board members acknowledged an annual membership cost of $250 and that there is a prioritized list of roads but did not identify dollar allocations for individual roads. The board recorded the approval without recorded opposition.

What happens next: staff will await the written scope from Art Barfield, coordinate billing and reimbursement with Golden Triangle, and adjust LMIG scheduling as discussed. No timetable for individual road projects was provided at the meeting.