Appling County commissioners adopt solar ordinance, formalize meeting rules, award road bid and approve employee bonuses

The Appling County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 4 voted to adopt a solar panel ordinance, formalize meeting procedures and approve several contracts and employee bonuses, while hearing public comments on a blocked county road and emergency vehicle repairs.

County Attorney Tracy Brown told the board the proposed solar panel ordinance complied with state law and placed enforcement responsibility with the county; Commissioner Randy Sellers moved to adopt the ordinance, Commissioner Doug Harris seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Later the board also approved a model meeting ordinance after Brown said the change was required by the Georgia Code (O.C.G.A.) and guidance from the Association County Commissioners of Georgia; that motion passed on a Harris-Wilkerson second and unanimous vote.

The board awarded a road project to GA Asphalt after receiving bid information; Commissioner Doug Harris moved to accept GA Asphalt as the lowest bidder and Vice Chairman Charlie Leggett seconded. Commissioners approved the award unanimously.

On employee pay, Commissioner Leggett moved that full-time county employees receive a $1,000 Christmas bonus and part-time employees receive $500; Commissioners approved the payments unanimously and specified elected officials would not receive the bonus.

During public input, Barbara Courson Reynolds asked the county to provide bleachers for the Veterans Day program and handed invitations to officials. Steve Aycock criticized the board’s prior handling of former county manager Al Meadows, saying, "they let a good man go in forcing Al Meadows to resign; the decision could've been held over to allow the new Commissioners to vote." Residents Henry Goethia and Mr. Wormick said Autumn Grace Road—long maintained by the county—had been blocked by neighbor Sandra Brauda; Wormick said he lost two years of rent because he could not access his fields. Interim County Manager Mike Deal said the county would allow Ms. Brauda a few days to obtain her own survey and asked whether both parties agreed that if the survey found the county owned the road, no further access issues would occur; both parties agreed to that condition.

Sheriff Melton asked the commissioners to amend his departmental budget to fence an impound yard after nearby clearing increased thefts of evidence property. He presented two options: a six-acre fence with razor wire estimated at $90,000, and a reduced plan to fence two acres with an electronic staff gate quoted at $47,846. The record shows the request was made; the transcript does not record board approval of a budget amendment for the fence.

The board approved a trailer purchase to move a lift between sites, accepting the lowest quote from Down-To-Earth on a motion by Commissioner Harris with a second from Vice Chairman Leggett. Road Department Supervisor Carroll Weaver reported ongoing FEMA coordination and post-storm repairs; he said a proposal to remove a damaged Holmesville Road wingwall was priced at $48,600 and a proposal to remove and replace the Azalea Road bridge was $625,000. Commissioner Harris asked that staff seek more than one quote for both projects.

Robin Crosby, speaking for the local hospital, reported two ambulances were in service, one was at Woody's Dealership awaiting approval to repair a blown motor, and another was in Savannah for warranty transmission work; she said new ambulances were about 14 months out. Commissioner Theodore Wilkerson moved to approve the blown-motor repair to be paid from contingency funds; Commissioner Randy Sellers seconded and the board approved the repair unanimously.

The board entered executive session on personnel matters and later approved internal advertising for an expected Personnel Clerk vacancy (anticipated retirement of Yvonne Sellers); the advertisement will be open one week. With no further business, the Nov. 4 meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.

The board’s actions instruct staff to implement the ordinances and to solicit additional bids for large road projects; the requested fence funding and the Autumn Grace Road boundary remain subject to further review and documentation.