Cusseta‑Chattahoochee commissioners appoint leadership, approve library and zoning contracts and select CDBG engineer

The Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County voted on Jan. 7, 2025, in Cusseta to appoint Charles Coffey as chairman, approve several routine contracts and appointments, and select an engineering firm to support a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application.

The votes and motions took place after Chairman Coffey called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Commissioner Gerald Douglas moved, and Commissioner Jason Frost seconded, to appoint Charles Coffey as chairman; the motion passed with Commissioner Damon Hoyte recorded as voting against. Commissioner Jason Frost moved to appoint Commissioner Timothy Biddle as vice chairman, seconded by Commissioner Douglas; that motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: the actions approve personnel leadership and vendor selections that affect county operations and the county’s competitive standing for federal CDBG funding.

Commissioners unanimously approved several procedural items and appointments, including minutes from the Dec. 3, 2024 regular meeting and related executive‑session and work‑session minutes. The commission unanimously adopted a proclamation honoring the late James Edward "Jimmy" Lawrence for his service as an assessor and multiple terms as county commissioner; the proclamation notes his birth date (Dec. 28, 1944) and his death on Dec. 5, 2024.

The board approved the appointment of Linda Engelbert to the Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County Library Board for a term through Dec. 31, 2027 (motion by Commissioner Damon Hoyte; seconded by Commissioner Frost; vote unanimous).

On contracts and county services, the commission unanimously renewed the county’s zoning contract (motion by Commissioner Douglas, seconded by Commissioner Frost) and approved an increase in the county attorney rate (motion by Commissioner Frost, seconded by Commissioner Hoyte). The county attorney in the record is A. Binford Minter of Clark Hill, PLC; the commission also has a separate engagement letter and standard terms for that representation in the meeting packet.

Facilities work: the commission authorized replacement of two air‑conditioning units on the McNaughton Street building and accepted the lower quote from Archie's. The minutes list Archie's at $26,670.00 (the unit quoted is described as a 15‑ton unit) and Fire & Ice at $27,500.00; another line in the minutes refers to an estimated replacement cost of $27,000 each. Funding for the purchase was identified as coming from SPLOST.

CDBG application and engineering choice: the commission approved engaging Ingram Engineering as the CDBG engineering firm. The minutes state Ingram was the highest‑scoring firm in the RFQ (score 67) with the next firm scoring 62. The record notes a rewrite fee of $500 for this year’s application (compared with $750 for a wholly new application) and that the county’s previous application did not qualify last year because of audit issues.

The commission also approved a letter of agreement with the River Valley Regional Commission related to the CDBG process.

The board recessed into executive session at 9:37 a.m. to discuss legal matters; the session was convened by a unanimous motion from Commissioner Jason Frost, seconded by Commissioner Gerald Douglas. The meeting reconvened at 10:23 a.m.; Chairman Coffey said the closed session was limited to topics allowed under the Georgia Open Meetings Act and that no votes were taken during the closed session. The meeting adjourned at 10:24 a.m.

What comes next: the meeting minutes were approved by majority vote at the commission’s Feb. 4, 2025 meeting, and follow‑up items (including detailed contract documents and the CDBG application) will be handled by staff and the River Valley Regional Commission.