Spalding County delays referendum; board agrees to pursue MOU with sheriff for code enforcement support

The Spalding County Board of Commissioners stepped back from advancing a referendum that would place language to create a county police/marshal office before voters, instead asking staff to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the sheriff to provide immediate enforcement support for code officers.

Dr. Ledbetter, who introduced the measure as a way to give county code enforcers additional backing, said the proposal was “intended to support and complement” the sheriff’s office and to protect employees conducting enforcement. Sheriff Dix spoke sharply in opposition, saying the ballot language and the practical effect risked creating “a Spalding County Police Department.” He told the board, “I will not support this,” and warned that forming a separate force would duplicate functions and confuse residents. After extended discussion about certification, liabilities, and staffing, commissioners agreed to pursue a 2-and-2 pilot—two deputies assigned to support code enforcement and two code-enforcement staff retained with community development—and asked legal staff to draft an MOU for review.

The board did not take a vote on a referendum. Instead the chair instructed staff and the county attorney to prepare the MOU and a staffing assessment for a future meeting and requested that deputies assigned under the MOU be cross-trained in code-enforcement procedures. The sheriff said he was willing to cooperate under an MOU; the board signaled it would revisit the issue during budget considerations and evaluate the arrangement before expanding or pursuing any referendum.