Lincoln County elects new county attorney, approves tower lease and grant applications; zoning amendment recorded with conflicting vote call

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners met May 26 and took a series of personnel, grant and land-use steps while asking staff to return with refined materials on several longer-term items.

The commission elected Garrett Hony as county attorney for a term expiring in May 2026. Commissioner Douglas moved the nomination, Commissioner Young seconded, and the body approved the appointment by voice vote. "I certainly appreciate it," Garrett said after the vote, telling the commission he has practiced law in Lincoln County for roughly 10 years and looks forward to serving the county.

Commissioners also unanimously approved several funding and infrastructure measures. EMA Director Doug Campbell briefed the commission on a proposed 40‑year lease with the state for a 100-by-100-foot site and a 180‑foot communications tower at Boone Hill (80 Red Oak Road in Petersburg). Campbell said the installation uses standard radio communications and was chosen to improve interoperability for emergency responders. "It's just regular radio communication waves," a county official explained during the discussion. The commission voted to authorize entering the lease.

The board authorized staff to apply for a $750,000 THDA home grant to fund repairs for qualifying low‑income senior homeowners, and approved several budget amendment and cleanup items presented by Finance Director Nicks, including election postage and archives equipment. Nicks told commissioners that one election-related expenditure would be reimbursed after the county advances funds.

A request to allow home occupations to operate in accessory structures under proposed zoning amendment ZR2026‑3 drew extended debate. Planner Tracy Perkins outlined the draft: a five-acre minimum lot size, a cap on employees, a maximum accessory‑structure size of 5,000 square feet, setbacks and limits on outdoor storage and signage, and restricted hours (proposed 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday). Commissioners questioned whether existing businesses would be grandfathered and called for clearer mapping and definitions. The clerk read a roll-call tally as "12 in favor, 11 no," but the clerk then announced, "it fails." The meeting record contains both statements and commissioners did not resolve that inconsistency on the floor before moving on.

On planning and land-use policy, Commissioner Fras moved—and the commission amended and approved—a directive that planning and zoning prepare regulatory language reflecting the commission's preference not to allow data centers in the county and return that language for formal consideration. Commissioners cited concerns about electricity, water use and local impacts in justifying the action.

The commission also approved a routine slate of appointments and contracts: reappointing Mark Balden to the Board of Public Utilities, approving school technology contracts, and accepting grant applications for litter-removal programs. Highway Superintendent Tim Gil reported that the Kid Lane Bridge project is ahead of schedule; the commission suspended a procedural rule and approved naming the new road segment "Peggy Beles Drive" in recognition of long-standing work by Peggy Beles.

The growth-plan amendment and the longer comprehensive-plan effort were discussed at length but not acted on; staff asked commissioners to provide feedback over the next month as they refine map resolution and other details for a future vote.

The meeting concluded after additional committee and finance reports and a unanimous voice vote to adjourn.

The county clerk's minutes record vote tallies and motions; where the transcript shows inconsistent statements about the outcome of the zoning amendment, those contradictory lines are reflected here exactly as read into the meeting record.