Oconee County board approves several consent items including $15,000 Animal Services fencing grant and $1.44M LAS decommissioning task order

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners moved several consent items and approvals at its May 19 meeting after staff presentations.

Animal Services manager Crystal Barriscoe described a grant-funded fencing project for the animal shelter, funded at $15,000. The work includes two 20-by-40 turnout kennels (6 feet tall, chain link) and approximately 210 feet of farm-style fencing to create additional exercise and enrichment space; the grant funds will be paid directly to contractors. Barriscoe said the contractor listed by the grant recipient is Albion and that the county will participate in contractor selection to ensure qualifications and insurance requirements. The board approved the grant acceptance by motion, second and voice vote.

Staff presented task order 2026-09 (Rocky Branch Land Application System decommissioning) from PoBoys/Pobo East Plumbing under the county’s on-call contract. The scope covers demolition of headworks, ponds and on-site piping, dewatering, testing and disposal of sludge and wastewater solids, abandonment of monitoring wells and erosion-control work as needed for the planned Dawson Park project. Staff recommended approval of a task order not to exceed $1,436,800 and requested budget amendments for the life of the project; the item was placed on the consent agenda.

Other items placed on consent included authorization to donate a surplus 1993 International fire engine to Tombs County (administrative transfer documents to be signed by the chairman), and a requested agreement with Georgia Transmission Corporation for a pole replacement estimated at $60,000 to enable a 12-inch sewer line installation near US‑441. Staff said the pole replacement avoids a more complex redesign and additional easement negotiations, with a target completion by Oct. 1.

Staff also reported that the county’s ACCG IRMA property and liability insurance renewal for FY27 carries the same coverage and a $10,000 deductible; the premium is $442,606 after a $23,295 safety credit and staff recommended approval with funds included in the proposed FY27 budget.

The board announced a brief update on Station 8 fire engine specifications and authorized the purchase request for a 2,000-gallon tanker truck (estimated not to exceed $240,000, SPLOST-funded) with requested budget amendments to carry the project into the next fiscal year while the vehicle is built. The meeting moved into executive session to discuss land acquisition, personnel and litigation and subsequently returned to open session and adjourned.