Columbia County accepts $9,500 opioid-abatement grant; resident urges performance bond for data centers and criticizes library staffing

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners on June 16 accepted a $9,500 grant from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust for the Columbia Judicial Circuit and heard a public commenter urge stronger protections for future data centers and raise concerns about the county’s library operations.

Vice Chairman Couch moved to accept “the 2025 Georgia opioid crisis abatement trust grant for the Columbia Judicial Circuit in the amount of $9,500,” a motion that was seconded and approved by the board. The acceptance was recorded during the consent portion of the agenda.

During public comment, resident Susan Warren asked whether the board had considered her May 5 request to amend the data center ordinance to require a “surety or performance bond” to protect Columbia County for future data centers. Warren said she had received no response since her May request and pressed the board for an answer. She also criticized the county’s departure from a regional library system and the loss of long-time staff, asserting political pressure had affected hiring and materials decisions: “You also came to the political pressure from our legislative contingent, Lee Anderson, Rick Allen, etcetera, to silence those complaints,” she said. Warren urged that qualified librarians serve on the library board and recommended bylaw changes be enforced.

Following public comment the board voted to move into an executive session. A commissioner later reported the session covered two litigation matters — one existing and one potential — and that no decisions were made during the closed session. The meeting then adjourned.

The meeting covered routine consent business and preparatory steps for a fee-schedule amendment (Resolution 26-14), which will return for a second reading; the public comment highlighted ongoing community concerns about data-center regulation and recent library staffing and policy changes.