Commissioners debate requiring two BOC public hearings for ordinance changes

County Manager Mike Benton opened a policy discussion about whether Jasper County should require a minimum of two Board of Commissioners (BOC) public hearings for ordinance amendments, using an Animal Control ordinance change as an example. Benton asked whether Planning & Zoning public hearings should count toward the BOC's required hearings or whether the BOC must hold two separate hearings.

Chairman Bruce Henry said he favors two hearings to promote transparency and noted that an ordinance that seems "simple" to officials may have major effects for affected residents. Vice Chair Steven Ledford agreed that citizens sometimes tell the county they did not know about an ordinance change even after it was advertised. Commissioner Asher Gray expressed concern that requiring two hearings could lengthen routine edits and, if changes are made at a meeting, create a need for additional hearings.

The commissioners discussed whether textual or verbiage-only edits should be treated differently and whether a called meeting could be used to expedite urgent items, with a follow-up hearing on a different day. Staff were asked to return language options and recommended procedures for the board to consider at a future meeting.