Pickens County work-session scheduling change proposed to combine work, executive and business meetings on one day

At the Pickens County work session, a commissioner proposed consolidating the county’s monthly work session and regular business meeting by moving the work session from the first Monday to the third Monday of each month and holding a work session followed by an executive session and then the regular 5:30 p.m. voting session on the same day.

The presenter said the change would give staff more time to prepare agendas and reduce the number of nights staff must stay for meetings. The speaker cited 2024 amendments to the local act and asked county legal staff to confirm that the schedule change would comply with state/local timing requirements for meetings.

Commissioner Mary Christie and others discussed logistical concerns, including press coverage conflicts with neighboring municipalities that hold meetings on first Mondays. The presenter said the county has historically tried to provide agendas to the public and the newspaper in a timely way and that the proposed change is intended to improve the public’s clarity about what the county is considering.

The board directed staff to include the proposal as a consideration item on an upcoming regular meeting agenda if commissioners did not provide additional guidance within the week, and to have Mr. Weaver (staff) verify legal constraints related to the local act.

The move would change only the work-session schedule and would require a future vote to adopt if the board proceeds; no vote was taken at the work session.