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Dodge County approves public defender contract, design-build courthouse deal and routine fiscal items
Summary
At its Nov. 4 meeting, the Dodge County Board of Commissioners approved a new public defender contract for the Oconee Judicial Circuit, a design-build agreement with Parrish Construction for a judicial center, cleared accounts payable, forgave a tax penalty and tabled a downtown funding request pending liability clarification.
At a Nov. 4 meeting in Eastman, the Dodge County Board of Commissioners voted to approve several contracts and routine fiscal items, including a public defender contract that assigns indigent-defense responsibilities to the circuit public defender office and a design-build agreement for a new county judicial center.
County Manager Conner Bearden told the board that the outstanding issue on the public defender contract had been resolved: the public defender’s office will provide guardian ad litem services for juveniles under the Oconee Judicial Circuit agreement, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Commissioner Brian Watkins moved to approve the contract; Commissioner Karen Cheek seconded. All present commissioners voted in favor.
The board also approved a design-build agreement with Parrish Construction Group for the Dodge County Judicial Center. The contract form referenced AIA Document A141 (2014); the agreement record shows it was completed Oct. 17, 2024. Commissioner Watkins moved to approve the contract and Commissioner Sharon Cobb Flanagan seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
On routine fiscal business the board approved an accounts payable report totaling $212,766.37. Commissioners also voted to forgive interest and penalties on a 2023 tax notice for Jodi Fountain. Each of these motions passed on unanimous votes.
A request from the Eastman Downtown Development Authority to fund an ice-skating rink was tabled pending clarification of liability and the city charter; County Attorney John Harrington asked Paula McCain to provide a copy of the city’s charter. Manager Bearden also presented the county’s proposed FY2025 budgets and projections for SPLOST/TSPLOST revenues and allocations, with a 2019 SPLOST receipt projection of $2.4 million and a TSPLOST projection of $720,000 for road improvements.
With no further business, the board adjourned at 7:53 p.m.
