[CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:09] ME WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR. TUESDAY, JANUARY 6TH, 2025 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION. THAT WAS A LITTLE TRICKY, Y'ALL. IT'S 2026, Y'ALL. Y'ALL LIKE ME, THOUGH. IT'S KIND OF HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE ROLLED UP ANOTHER YEAR. SO. SO IT IS. TUESDAY, JANUARY 6TH, 2026. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS MORNING. BEFORE WE START OUR MEETING, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL OPEN IN A WORD OF PRAYER. OUR GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS NEW DAY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US. AND LORD, WE DO. THANK YOU FOR THE NEW YEAR. WE'RE ALWAYS THANKFUL, THANKFUL, AND MINDFUL OF THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU BESTOW UPON US. AND LORD, WE ASK YOU TO BE WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR. LORD, WE LIFT UP OUR EMPLOYEES, ALL THOSE THAT WORK HARD IN OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE JUST ASK SPECIAL PROTECTION AND BLESSING OVER THEM AT ALL TIMES. AND WE ASK YOU TO BE WITH US NOW DURING THIS MEETING. GIVE US WISDOM AND GUIDANCE. BE WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS DAY IN THE NAME. IN THY NAME WE DO PRAY. AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. ALRIGHT, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY [1. The Richard English, Jr. Strongest Link Award of Excellence for December 2025 (Chardonnay Scott) ] MANAGER JERRY. COMMISSIONERS, FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE JUNIOR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR DECEMBER 2025. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. AND CITIZENS OF TROUP COUNTY. OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAM, KNOWN AS THE RICHARD ENGLISH JUNIOR STRONGEST LINK AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, IS GIVEN MONTHLY TO A DESERVING EMPLOYEE WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE, PRODUCTIVITY, LOYALTY, PROFESSIONAL PRIDE, AND OTHER NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HOWEVER, TODAY, IN ADDITION TO RECOGNIZING AN EMPLOYEE FOR THE MONTHLY AWARD, WE WILL ALSO BE RECOGNIZING AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED EXCELLENCE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE ANNUAL PLATINUM RICHARD ENGLISH JUNIOR STRONGEST AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR 2025. THESE AWARDS RECOGNIZE THAT ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES LINKED TOGETHER TO FORM A CHAIN THAT PROVIDES THE CITIZENS OF TROUP COUNTY WITH EXCELLENT SERVICE. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT NO ONE BETTER EXEMPLIFIES THAT SPIRIT OF DEDICATION THAN THE LATE MR. ENGLISH, WHO WAS A TRUE LEADER AND DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. I WILL BEGIN WITH THE PRESENTING THE MONTHLY AWARD OF DECEMBER 2025 BY READING A PORTION OF THE NOMINATION FORM SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF THE RECIPIENT. HE APPROACHES HIS JOB WITH A LEVEL OF DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONALISM THAT IS TRULY A MODEL FOR ANYONE WHO WORKS AROUND HIM. HE NOT ONLY COMPLETES HIS REGULARLY ASSIGNED DUTIES IN AN ATTENTIVE AND TIMELY MANNER, BUT HE IS ALSO ALWAYS WILLING TO TAKE ON ANY EXTRA ASSIGNMENTS TO ASSIST WITH THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT. AS HIS DIRECT SUPERVISOR, HE MEETS ALL OF THE OUTLINED REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STRONGEST LINK AWARD AND IS WITHOUT A DOUBT DESERVING OF THE AWARD. IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE RICHARD ENGLISH JUNIOR STRONGEST LINK AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR DECEMBER 2025. FIREFIGHTER SLASH EMT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BRANDON ELLER. BETTER BE CAREFUL. BRANDON, DO YOU HAVE ANY FRIENDS OR FAMILY HERE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH? YEAH, I'M ALSO HERE. OKAY. HEY, MOM. CAN YOU. NOT LIKE HIM? ALL RIGHT. ONE. TWO. THREE. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. I [2. The Annual Platinum Richard English, Jr. Strongest Link Award of Excellence for 2025 (Chardonnay Scott)] WILL NOW CONCLUDE WITH THE PRESENTATION OF THE ANNUAL PLATINUM AWARD. RICHARD ENGLISH, JUNIOR STRONGEST LINK AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR 2025. BY READING A PORTION OF THE NOMINATION FORM THAT WAS SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF THE RECIPIENT. SHE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATES HARD WORK, TEAM BUILDING AND MAKING VALUABLE IMPACTS ON EVERYONE. SHE IS VERY DEPENDABLE AND RESOURCEFUL. SHE ALWAYS HAS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE WITH ASSISTING COWORKERS OR THE [00:05:02] PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. SHE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CIRCUIT WIDE MEDIATION PROGRAMS AND HANDLES HUNDREDS OF CASES ON HER OWN EACH YEAR. SHE PUTS HER BEST FOOT FORWARD IN EVERY AREA AND ALWAYS HAS A SMILE ON HER FACE. IT IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT TO YOU THE ANNUAL PLATINUM RICHARD ENGLISH JUNIOR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR 2025, PROGRAM COORDINATOR REBECCA LINDSAY. ONE, TWO, THREE. REBECCA, DO YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR COLLEAGUES? 123. CONGRATULATIONS, REBECCA. BRANDON. REBECCA, WE TRULY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND LOYALTY THAT YOU HAVE PUT INTO TROUP COUNTY. YOU BOTH HAVE PROVEN TO BE THE STRONGEST LEEKS AT THIS TIME. I WILL ALSO LIKE TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO CRAVE COLLINS AND LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE, AS THEY GRACIOUSLY DONATED ITEMS FOR THE RECIPIENTS GIFT BAG. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT LAGRANGE [3. Discuss LaGrange Memorial Library Funding Request (Kelly Ansley)] MEMORIAL LIBRARY. JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, MISS KELLY. KELLY ANSLEY IS IS OUR NEW REGIONAL LIBRARIAN. AND SO THE REASON WHY SHE DECIDED TO DO A MID-YEAR REQUEST IS THAT SHE WAS SO NEW IN THE JOB AS WE BEGAN THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AND SHE WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LIBRARY WAS DOING AND WHAT LIBRARY'S NEEDS WERE BEFORE SHE CAME BEFORE YOU AND MADE A REQUEST. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS KELLY. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BOTH LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY HERE AND ALSO THE HOGANSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY. AND I'M PREPARED FOR YOU. A NUMBER OF HANDOUTS. I LOVE STATISTICS AND DATA AS A LIBRARIAN, AND I THINK IT REALLY SHOWS OUR PICTURE AND WHAT WE REALLY DO FOR THE CITIZENS OF TROUP COUNTY. THIS THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. SO IT SHOWS YOU HOW MANY ITEMS WE CIRCULATED IN FY 25, HOW MANY PRINT ITEMS AND THEN HOW MANY NON-PRINT ITEMS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HIT OVER 240,000 ITEMS THAT WE CIRCULATED ACROSS THE SYSTEM, JUST THINGS THAT ARE IN PRINT. SO BOOKS AND AUDIO BOOKS AND LAUNCH PADS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE HAVE EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP US OUT. SO WE HAD 332 ADULTS VOLUNTEER IN THE LIBRARY IN FY 25 AND 965 YOUTH AND TEENS. WE PROVIDED OVER 37,000 COMPUTER SESSIONS TO TROUP COUNTY CITIZENS, OVER 21,000 WI-FI SESSIONS, AND WE ANSWERED 55,000 QUESTIONS. SUMMER READING IS A BIG THING THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR. IT'S A GREAT INVOLVEMENT FOR THE CHILDREN AND ALSO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PAST SUMMER, WE HAD OVER 1035 JUVENILE AND TEENS REGISTERED FOR OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM AND LOGGED THEIR MINUTES WITH A TOTAL OF 234,538 TOTAL MINUTES READ. WE HAD OVER 6765 PATRONS ATTEND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD, AND SO IN TOTAL, WE HAD 203 PROGRAMS. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A LIST OF ALL OF THE REGIONAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS, THE HARRIS COUNTY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND THE TROUP COUNTY LIBRARY'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS. I ALSO PUT TOGETHER A COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT. WE'LL DO THIS NEXT. THAT'S FINE. SORRY. SO THIS IS MY MID-YEAR BUDGET REQUEST. SO MY BUDGET OBJECTIVES TO FOR THIS FUNDING INCLUDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, PERSONNEL GROWTH AND PUBLIC HOURS INCREASE. SO WE DO A [00:10:06] REALLY GREAT JOB OF BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE LIBRARY. WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN PEOPLE ATTENDING LIBRARY PROGRAMS, CHECKING OUT MATERIALS, JUST UTILIZING OUR SERVICES IN GENERAL, BUT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, WE COULD REALLY GET MORE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND HELP THEM. SO I'M TALKING ABOUT GOING AND VISITING DAYCARES AND DOING STORYTIMES, REALLY TRYING TO GET PARENTS INVOLVED WITH THE 1000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM. EARLY LITERACY IS SO IMPORTANT TO OVERALL LITERACY THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE. THE STATE OF GEORGIA HAS REALLY STARTED PUSHING LITERACY. THE GOVERNOR HAS A LITERACY INITIATIVE. THE MAYOR HERE IN TOWN HAS A LITERACY INITIATIVE, AND SO DOES THE TROUP COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE LIBRARY CAN BE SO SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IS BY GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, GOING TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP FOR THE TEACHERS, GOING TO NURSING HOMES AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR SENIOR ADULTS AND ASSISTED LIVINGS ARE GETTING ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY AS WELL. THEY ARE A POPULATION THAT HAS KIND OF DROPPED OFF VISITING THE LIBRARY IN RECENT YEARS. WE KNOW A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A BOOKMOBILE. BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN PROVIDE MORE OUTREACH TO THOSE ASSISTED LIVINGS AND NURSING HOMES. WE CAN BRING THE BOOKS TO THEM. PERSONNEL GROWTH. SO AS I WANT TO PUSH OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSONNEL. WITH THE LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND THE HOGANSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO. Y'ALL ARE PROBABLY ALL AWARE THE COST OF THE EMPLOYER'S HEALTH BENEFITS KIND OF SKYROCKETED. IT WENT FROM AROUND $13,000 PER PERSON, UP TO 22,620 AT THAT TIME. THE FORMER DIRECTOR HAD TO MAKE SOME PERSONNEL CUTS. SO WE WERE RUNNING ON A VERY THIN STAFF. MOST OF THE STAFF AT BOTH LOCATIONS ARE PART TIME, SO WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF OUR EMPLOYEES FULL TIME AND HAVE THEM DEAL SPECIFICALLY WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH SO THAT WE CAN REALLY GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND REACH THE PEOPLE THAT EITHER CANNOT COME TO US OR DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE EXIST. I'D ALSO LIKE TO INCREASE OUR HOURS. SO PRIOR TO COVID, THE LIBRARIES WERE OPEN A LOT MORE. AND THEN ONCE EVERYONE STARTED OPENING BACK UP THE LIBRARY BECAUSE OF FUNDING AND ALSO THAT INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND THE PERSONNEL, WE HAD TO START LIMITING THE HOURS THAT WE WERE OPEN. SO CURRENTLY, THE LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY IS ONLY OPEN UNTIL 8 P.M. ONE NIGHT A WEEK. THIS IS A DISSERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT COME INTO THE LIBRARY AFTER SCHOOL GETS OUT, OUR PARKING LOT IS TYPICALLY PACKED. WE HAVE TUTORING THAT HAPPENS IN THE LIBRARY. WE HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE JUST COMING TO BRING THEIR KIDS TO THE PROGRAMS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ADULTS WHO ARE COMING TO UTILIZE OUR SERVICES. EVERY OTHER DAY. WE CLOSE AT 6 P.M. I WOULD LIKE TO START CLOSING AT 8 P.M. ON TUESDAYS, BUT AGAIN, THAT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO STAFF. THAT, AND OUR SATURDAY HOURS ARE ALSO KIND OF LIMITED. WE'RE ONLY OPEN FROM 10 TO 4, SO IF WE CAN EXTEND THOSE HOURS, WE'LL HAVE A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES THAT WE DO. SO THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE REQUESTS AND THE ALLOCATION. SO FOR PERSONNEL FOR THE LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY, INCLUDING THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE, TO MAKE SOMEBODY FULL TIME WOULD BE AROUND $48,000 A YEAR FOR HOGANSVILLE, IT'S AROUND $12,000. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET FOR PROGRAMING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS SO THAT WE CAN OFFER MORE SERVICES TO THE COUNTY. AND SO THAT WOULD BE AROUND 5000. AND THEN SUMMER READING OUR NUMBERS WERE OFF THE CHARTS LAST SUMMER AND IT WAS WONDERFUL. WE HAD OVER 29,000 PEOPLE COME IN BETWEEN MAY AND JULY. WHEN YOU CALCULATE THE NUMBER OF STAFF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE PER DAY. SO ON AVERAGE, WE HAD FOUR PART TIME PEOPLE WORKING ONE FULL TIME PERSON. SO THAT RATIO IS 1 TO 4000. AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE DAYS THAT WE HAD OUR SUMMER READING PERFORMANCES, WHERE WE SAW 4 OR 500 KIDS IN THE LIBRARY JUST FOR THAT PERFORMANCE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ADD MORE PERFORMERS AND ALSO OFFER ADDITIONAL PRIZES FOR SUMMER READING TO INCREASE LITERACY. AND SO THAT ALLOCATION WOULD BE 5000. SO [00:15:10] WE'VE GOT AROUND 70,000 RESIDENTS. OUR POVERTY RATE IS BETWEEN 18 AND 19%. I LOOKED AT THE MAP SO THAT I COULD SEE WHERE ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE, AND IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO ME TO SEE THAT THE TWO BIGGEST AREAS OF OUR COUNTY FOR THE COMMISSIONERS ARE, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY THE MORE RURAL OR THE MORE INDUSTRIAL, THOSE AREAS TEND TO STILL NOT HAVE A LOT OF ACCESS TO INTERNET OR, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT, IT'S THAT THEY JUST DON'T GET RELIABLE SERVICE. SO THE LIBRARY PROVIDES A VERY REAL NICHE AREA FOR THOSE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY CAN COME TO THE LIBRARY AND USE OUR WI-FI FOR FREE. THEY CAN USE OUR COMPUTERS FOR FREE. THEY CAN ASK US ANY QUESTION THAT THEY NEED HELP WITH, AND WE WILL SIT THERE AND HELP THEM AS LONG AS THEY NEED HELP. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING THE BOOKS, WE EXIST SOLELY TO OFFER FREE SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS IN TROUP COUNTY. THERE ARE VERY FEW PLACES NOW THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, STILL DO THAT WITHOUT REQUIRING ANYTHING FROM YOU EXCEPT FOR YOU TO SHOW UP AND PARTICIPATE. EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PUBLIC HOURS WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS WHO USE THE LIBRARY, AND ALSO BRING IN NEW PATRONS WHO ARE UNAWARE. WHEN I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT I SEE A LOT OF THE SAME PATRONS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. WE LOVE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE COME BACK CONSTANTLY, BUT THE PEOPLE I DON'T SEE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE PRACTICALLY IN OUR BACKYARD. I COULD GO OUT THIS SUMMER AND SEE TONS OF KIDS OUT PLAYING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THE LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY, AND ONE DAY I ACTUALLY STOPPED AND TALKED WITH A GENTLEMAN THAT WAS SITTING OUT FRONT, AND I WAS ASKED HIM, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE LIBRARY? AND HE SAID, NO, IT'S NOT FOR ME. AND I SAID, SIR, THE LIBRARY IS FOR EVERYBODY. WE WANT EVERYONE TO COME IN AND FEEL LIKE THEY ARE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY, A PART OF THE LIBRARY, AND KNOW THAT THESE SERVICES ARE FOR YOU. THEY'RE FOR YOUR SPOUSE. THEY'RE FOR YOUR FAMILY. THEY'RE FOR YOUR CHILDREN. THE LIBRARY IS FOR EVERYONE. AND I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO THIS IS MY FY 26 COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT. IT COVERS JULY TO NOVEMBER 2025. SO THE STATE GEORGIA PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM RECENTLY DID A STUDY. AND WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT FOR EVERY $1 THE LIBRARY RECEIVES IN FUNDING, THE COUNTY OR THE OTHER FUNDERS SEE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF $3.75. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS FROM JULY TO NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, WELL, 2025, YOU SAW AN $867,187.50 RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR SERVICES THE LIBRARY PROVIDES TO THE COUNTY. WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO WITH OUR TOTAL FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, IS $1.63 MILLION. SO THAT IS MASSIVE. THAT IS MONEY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SAVE. THE RESIDENTS OF TROUP COUNTY, WE'VE GOT 20,837 RESIDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SIGNED UP FOR LIBRARY CARDS, WHICH IS A 6.5% INCREASE FROM FY 25 BIRTH TO 18 LITERACY SUPPORT. WE HAD 32,000 ITEMS CHECKED OUT JUST IN OUR SYSTEM BY PATRONS BETWEEN THE AGES OF BIRTH AND 18 YEARS. IT COULD BE BETTER. WE HAD 111 TROUP COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM STUDENT VOLUNTEERS. THAT'S HOW MANY HOURS THEY CAME IN AND THEY HELPED US. WE HAVE OVER 2000 PATRONS THAT USED OUR STUDY SPACES, MEETING ROOMS AND COMMUNITY ROOMS, AND THAT'S UP 27.3% FROM FY 25. AND THEN FOR RESOURCES, THIS IS JUST THE BREAKDOWN FOR HOGANSVILLE AND LAGRANGE MEMORIAL. SO THE ANNUAL REPORT WAS SYSTEM WIDE. SO THIS IS SPECIFIC TO LAGRANGE AND HOGANSVILLE. SO WE HAD 184 OUTREACH EVENTS PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS. AND THAT INCLUDES DAYCARES IN THE AREA. THAT NUMBER IS VERY LOW. IT COULD BE BETTER WITH MORE FUNDING AND MORE PERSONNEL. WE'LL BE ABLE TO, LIKE I SAID, GET OUT AND DO MORE. I SPENT A NUMBER OF MY SATURDAYS THIS FALL GOING TO FESTIVALS AND GOING TO SCHOOLS WHEN THEY WERE DOING THEIR PARENT NIGHTS AND HAVING A TABLE FOR THE LIBRARY, BECAUSE IT IS THAT IMPORTANT. AND IF YOU EVER COME INTO THE LIBRARY, [00:20:05] I HAVE A SHADOW. SHE'S EIGHT YEARS OLD. SHE'S MY DAUGHTER. SHE HAS BECOME LIKE THE OFFICIAL LIBRARY CHILD BECAUSE SHE GOES WITH ME TO ALL OF THESE EVENTS AND SHE LOVES IT. WE ANSWERED 10,000 QUESTIONS. I INCREASED THE HOGANSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY'S HOURS. THEY WERE CLOSED ON MONDAYS. THEY ARE NOW OPEN FROM 12 TO 5 P.M. AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THE LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY TO EVENTUALLY BEGIN OPENING AT 9 A.M. BUT ALSO FOR US TO STAY OPEN UNTIL 8 P.M. ON TUESDAYS, JUST ALLOWING US TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES TO THE COUNTY. AND SO THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN BY BRANCH OF MY REQUEST. SO CURRENTLY WE RECEIVE 444,875 FOR LAGRANGE. HOGANSVILLE IS 148 SEVEN. SO OUR TOTAL IS 593 675. SO I'M REQUESTING $70,000 SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE PERSONNEL, INCREASE OUR SUPPLIES AND PROGRAMING BUDGETS. AND SO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR LAGRANGE WOULD BE GOING UP TO 494, 875 AND HOGANSVILLE UP TO 168 700. SO THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 663,675. BUT YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT ON THAT WOULD BE OVER $2 MILLION. WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY A SENSE OF LITERACY, OF PROMOTING LITERACY, OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTY, NO MATTER WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR POVERTY LEVEL, THEIR INCOME, THEIR IT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY. AND I WILL BE OUT THERE REACHING OUT TO THESE PEOPLE AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THE LIBRARY IS FOR THEM, THAT EVERYBODY IS WELCOME AT THE LIBRARY NO MATTER WHAT. OH, AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. I FOUND I WAS ACTUALLY AT THE LIBRARY THIS DAY. THIS LITTLE GIRL CAME IN AND HER MOM POSTED THIS ON FACEBOOK ON THE TALK OF LAGRANGE, GEORGIA FACEBOOK PAGE. AND SHE SAID, NOTHING MAKES MY MAMA HEART HAPPIER THAN TO HEAR THIS GIRL GET SO EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO THE LIBRARY. THIS PLACE HAS BECOME OUR FAVORITE HANGOUT SPOT, AND MY LITTLE GIRL HAS BECOME QUITE THE BOOKWORM, JUST LIKE HER MAMA. EVERYONE WITHIN EARSHOT COULDN'T HELP BUT SMILE AS SHE RAN IN YELLING, MAMA! THE LIBRARY IS OPEN! AND I WAS ACTUALLY OUT IN THE LIBRARY WHEN SHE CAME RUNNING IN AND DID THAT. AND IT JUST IT WAS WONDERFUL. AND SHE SAID, THANK YOU, LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. THESE ARE OUR NUMBERS FROM SUMMER READING 2025. SO AS I STATED, WE HAD OVER 29,000 PATRONS VISIT FROM MAY TO JULY AND 34,973 ITEMS WERE CHECKED OUT IN THAT TIME PERIOD. SO OUR SUMMERS ARE OUR BUSIEST. THEY ARE OUR GREATEST TIMES THAT WE CAN REACH OUR COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE HAD SEVEN SUMMER READING PERFORMERS AND A TOTAL OF 1800 PATRONS THAT ATTENDED JUST AT LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY IN HOGANSVILLE. THEY HAD 7214 PATRONS VISIT OVER THE SUMMER. I CAN ALREADY TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE. THOSE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE WE STARTED OPENING ON MONDAYS, AND THEY HAD 6256 ITEMS CHECK OUT, AND THEY HAD 75 PROGRAMS. SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU CALCULATE THOSE RATIOS TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY STAFF ARE SERVING PEOPLE THAT COME IN, I WAS OFF BY A THOUSAND WITH AN AVERAGE OF FIVE STAFF IN LAGRANGE. THAT'S A 1 TO 5952.6 RATIO. AND BELIEVE YOU ME, AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, I FELT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE AND IT WAS STILL A WONDERFUL IN HOGANSVILLE THEY HAVE ONE FULL TIME PERSON AND TWO PART TIME PEOPLE, SO THAT TRANSLATES TO AN AVERAGE OF TWO PEOPLE WORKING EACH DAY, WHICH IS A 1 TO 3064 RATIO. SO THESE ARE OUR NUMBERS. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND MEET ALL OF YOU, ESPECIALLY AS A MID-YEAR FUNDING REQUEST. AS ERIC SAID, I STARTED ON MAY 5TH AND WE REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING BECAUSE AS SOON AS I STARTED SCHOOL, GOT OUT, WE HAD SUMMER READING AND WE WERE BUSY. I [00:25:05] WOULD LOVE FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU TO COME AND VISIT THE LIBRARY AT SOME POINT. TAKE PART OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE DO. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN OR NIECES OR NEPHEWS OR EVEN AS AN ADULT, WE HAVE PLENTY OF ADULT PROGRAMS AS WELL. WE ARE REALLY OFFERING THE WHOLE FAMILY AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING FOR FREE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I TRULY APPRECIATE IT AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY 2026 TO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHILE SHE'S HERE? 20 TO 20,000 CARD DO YOU HAVE OUT. IS THAT FOR BOTH LOCATIONS THEY USE THAT 20,000. YES. THAT IS FOR BOTH HOGANSVILLE AND LAGRANGE. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S ABOUT 50,000 PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY WHO DO NOT HAVE LIBRARY CARDS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID IMMEDIATELY, SO I TAUGHT FOR TWO YEARS IN THE TROUP COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM AT LONG CANE MIDDLE. PRIOR TO THAT, I HAD OVER 15 YEARS AS A LIBRARIAN, BUT TAKE A BREAK FROM IT AND TAUGHT FOR TWO YEARS. SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I REACHED OUT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY DO FUND US AS WELL, NOT AS MUCH, BUT THEY DO AND MET WITH THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, ANGELA POLITE, AND NAILED DOWN A REALLY NICE MOU WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THAT IS MANDATORY FIELD TRIPS FOR ALL THIRD, SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS, SIXTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS IN THE COUNTY. SO WE'RE CURRENTLY TRYING TO WORK OUT THE BUS SITUATION, BUT THAT WAY WE CAN GET THEM INTO THE SCHOOLS AND THE STATE OF GEORGIA. THE GEORGIA PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE ALSO HAS A PROGRAM CALLED PLAY CARDS, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT IN PLACE, TOO. AND SO THE PLAY CARD IS FOR K THROUGH 12 STUDENTS. AS SOON AS YOU'RE ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL YOU ARE ALSO GIVEN A LIBRARY CARD. IT'S CALLED A PLAY CARD. YOU DON'T GET A PHYSICAL ONE. IT IS ON AN APP. AND BUT YOU GET ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR RESOURCES. SO IF A PARENT IS UNABLE TO BRING THEIR CHILD TO THE LIBRARY TO GET A LIBRARY CARD BECAUSE OF WORK OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WE HAVE NOW REMOVED THAT BARRIER BECAUSE THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN ONE WHEN THEY ENROLL IN THE SCHOOLS. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT IS COMPLETED BY NEXT FALL OR EARLY 27 SPRING. I KNOW I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. I LOVE I JUST LOVE THE LIBRARY AND, YOU KNOW, BRINGING ALL OF THE KIDS IN, YOU KNOW, ON A FIELD TRIP JUST MAKES IT MORE EXCITING. THEY GET TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO THE LIBRARY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE VIDEO GAME ROOM SO THEY CAN PLAY IN THERE A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEN WE CAN ALSO SHOW THEM ALL OF THE FANTASTIC RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, THEN WE'LL TAKE THIS UP TONIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP WE'LL INVITE JAY [4. Discuss Construction of the 3rd Apparatus Bay for Fire Station #14 (Jay Anderson & Zac Steele)] ANDERSON AND ZACK STEEL TO DISCUSS THE TROUP COUNTY FIRE STATION NUMBER 14. MORNING, CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, THIS THIS BOARD BACK IN DECEMBER, SECOND, A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO APPROVED THE CONSTRUCTION FOR A NEW FIRE STATION, 14 TO BE BUILT OUT AT 3157 ROANOKE ROAD. THAT CONTRACT WAS APPROVED WITH PRINCIPAL CONSTRUCTION FOR AT THE TIME WAS A BASE BID AMOUNT THAT WAS BASED ON THE BLUEPRINTS AND THE SPECIFICATIONS THAT WE HAD FOR THE STATION AT THAT TIME. SO THAT APPROVAL WAS THE BASE BID THAT WAS SUBMITTED FOR THAT PROJECT. THAT BASE BID INCLUDED, IF JAMES WILL SWITCH TO THE NEXT PAGES, THE BASE BID THAT WAS APPROVED WAS FOR A TWO APPARATUS BASE STATION. THERE'S AN ELEVATION FRONT ELEVATION OF THE TWO BAYS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE THERE. IT ALSO INCLUDED FOUR DORM ROOMS, TWO FULL BATHROOMS, A SHIFT COMMANDER SUITE, LAUNDRY ROOM, GEAR ROOM, WELLNESS, SEVERAL OTHER SUPPORT AREAS LIKE THE MECHANICAL ROOMS AND SO FORTH. BUT BUT THAT BASE BID THAT WAS APPROVED WITH PRINCIPAL WAS THIS PLAN THAT YOU SEE RIGHT HERE. AND VERY TYPICAL FOR ALL OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. ONCE IT'S APPROVED, WE SIT DOWN WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND HAVE A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING OR A KICKOFF MEETING. AND WE TALK ABOUT SCHEDULES, WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET, WHAT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET, JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE. AND WE ALSO ASK THE CONTRACTOR TO DO SOME VALUE ENGINEERING. HOW COULD WE CUT A LITTLE MONEY OUT? WHERE COULD WE SAVE MONEY BUT REALLY STILL GET THE SAME PRODUCT. AND WE'VE WE'VE HAD [00:30:04] THOSE MEETINGS WITH PRINCIPAL CONSTRUCTION AND AND THROUGH THOSE DISCUSSIONS, THE TROUP COUNTY STAFF NOW RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTING A THIRD APPARATUS BAY FOR THE FIRE STATION. DURING THIS INITIAL CONSTRUCTION, IT'LL BE LESS INTRUSIVE. IT'LL BE EASIER TO PUT IT IN RIGHT NOW WHILE WE'RE BUILDING, WHILE WE'RE DOING FOOTINGS, WHILE WE'RE PUTTING THE ROOF ON. AND DURING THE PROCESS, WE LOOKED AT THE PRICE OF THAT THIRD APPARATUS BAY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO CUT $41,000 OUT OF IT AND GET THE PRICE FOR THAT APPARATUS BAY DOWN TO $329,000. AND HERE'S THE LAYOUT OF WHAT IT IS NOW. SO IN THE THREE BAYS TO THE LEFT, I THINK ALSO SOMEWHERE IT SHOWS THE FRONT ELEVATION. JAMES, THE LIVING CORRIDORS AND THE REST OF THE STATIONS THE SAME. BUT THEN IT HAS THREE. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN. MAYBE. THERE IT IS. SORRY. AND THEN THAT'S THE FRONT ELEVATION OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH THE THREE APPARATUS BAYS. SO STAFF AT THIS TIME WOULD LIKE TO ASK PERMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE THIRD BAY WHILE WE'RE DOING IT, WHILE WE'RE CONSTRUCTING IT, WHILE PRICES ARE CHEAPER NOW, AND WHILE IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GO AHEAD AND PUT IT IN NOW WHILE WE'RE DOING THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION. AND SO THE PRICE THAT WE HAVE GOT DOWN TO WITH PRINCIPAL CONSTRUCTION IS $329,000. TO ADD THAT THIRD BAY, ALL PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, CONTRACT SIGNED, BONDS HAVE BEEN TURNED IN AND WE ARE READY TO GO. I THINK LATER THIS WEEK THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DROP EQUIPMENT AND START PUTTING SILT FENCE UP, MAYBE START CLEARING AND GRADING SO WE ARE READY TO ROLL AND IT'D BE MUCH EASIER TO TO DO IT NOW WHILE WE'RE WHILE WE'RE GETTING STARTED. ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? J ON THE ON THE BASE BID IS THAT INCLUDING THE PARKING LOT IN THE BACK FOR THE SCHOOL BUSSES? YES, SIR. AND IN LANDSCAPING. YES, SIR. SO THAT'S COVERING EVERYTHING? YES. DOESN'T COVER, DOESN'T INCLUDE LIKE FIXTURES AND FURNISHINGS AND LIKE THE EQUIPMENT INSIDE THE STATION ON THE OUTSIDE. LANDSCAPING WILL BE SEPARATE. SORRY. WE ALWAYS DO OUR OWN LANDSCAPING OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR. WE ALWAYS DO THAT. SO MAKE SURE. SO I DID SAY THAT WRONG I APOLOGIZE. YEAH, IT INCLUDES ALL THE CLEARING AND GRADING, THE SITE WORK THE DRIVEWAYS. YES, THE PARKING LOT IN THE BACK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH WAS PART OF THE AGREEMENT TO HOLD 15 BUSSES. WILL THAT BE ASPHALT? ASPHALT? THAT INCLUDES THE WHOLE WHAT YOU SAW AS THE THE TWO BAY SYSTEM, THE TWO BAY STATION THAT JAMES SHOWED A MINUTE AGO. IT INCLUDED ALL OF THAT. SO THE 329,000 IS ADDED TO THE BASE PRICE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. AND THAT WOULD GET THAT THIRD BAY, AS WE TALKED ABOUT. THE REST OF THE STATION WOULD STAY THE SAME. IT'S JUST ADDING THAT THIRD BAY ON. AND DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS HERE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW IT WOULD BE USED OR HOW TO BE MANNED WITH THAT OR WHAT WILL BE IN THAT THIRD BAY. I KNOW ZACH CAME INTO THAT POSITION KIND OF AS THIS WAS COMING TO LIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND EVERYTHING. AND, AND I KNOW RESTAFFING KIND OF CHANGED THINGS. AND THE COMMAND STAFF NOW IS KIND OF LOOKED AT IT AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR THE THIRD BAY. THEY HAD A REASON TO NEED IT. I FEEL LIKE THE THIRD BAY MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE OPERATION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CURRENT PLAN OF STAFFING, IS TO BASICALLY PICK UP ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND STAFFING AT THE AIRTRAN PARKWAY LOCATION, STATION 14 AT THE AIRPORT, AND MOVE THAT ALL TO THE NEW STATION AT ROANOKE AND EVALUATE THE STAFFING FOR MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, AS WE SEE 30, 60, 90 DAY, 180 DAY TRENDS. AND LOOK AT CALL VOLUMES AND WE MAY SHUFFLE SOME OF OUR FULL TIME PERSONNEL AROUND BASED ON THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS ON THE TABLE, BUT THE PRIMARY OPERATION OF THE FIRE STATION WOULD OBVIOUSLY RUN A SHIFT COMMANDER OUT OF THERE, SOME SORT OF FIRE TRUCK, WHETHER IT BE AN ENGINE OR A LADDER TRUCK. THAT'LL BE TO BE DETERMINED. WHEN WE LOOK AT, HOPEFULLY WORKING WITH MEREDITH AT GIS AND LOOKING AT SOME DEPLOYMENT ANALYSIS MAPS AND, AND WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR DEPLOYING THAT AERIAL APPARATUS AS WELL AS THE ISO CREDITS. AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S IT GOING TO BE TYPICALLY SERVICED AND MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT IT IN THE RIGHT SPOT. I DON'T WANT TO MOVE IT ALL THE WAY OUT THERE AND MAKE SURE IT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE USED IN A MORE CENTRAL LOCATION, BUT THE THIRD BAY WOULD BE USED FOR ALL OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS, MARINE OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT, DIVE TRAILERS, BOATS, SIDE BY SIDES, THINGS LIKE THAT. AS YOU ALL WELL SEEN THROUGHOUT THE LAST 8 TO 10 DAYS. YOU KNOW, WE'VE ONCE AGAIN BEEN VERY BUSY IN THAT AVENUE AS WELL. SO THAT WILL THE THIRD BAY WILL PRIMARILY RUN WITH ALL THESE SPECIAL OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY BEING WITH THE LAKE AND ALL, A LOT OF YOUR MORE RURAL AREAS ARE RIGHT THERE FOR DEPLOYMENT. AND I KNOW IN YOUR ROLE, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT YOU'RE ASSOCIATED WITH ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF WE'RE COMING IN THE FUTURE WITH, YOU KNOW, NEEDS. I THINK IN THE FIRST PRESENTATION, LIKE WE [00:35:01] WERE TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S SOME LANDSCAPING AND FURNISHINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT GO IN AFTER IT'S COMPLETE. AND THERE WAS KIND OF A BUDGET NUMBER ON THAT. LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW AND LOOKING, IS THERE ANY SAVINGS TO TRY TO KEEP THAT POTENTIAL NUMBER THE SAME? IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S KIND OF GIVE AND TAKE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON TOP OF JAY FOR SURE AND HIS PROJECTS, BUT LIKE EVEN SOME LIKE THE BAY LOCKERS, SOME OF THE THE, YOU KNOW, FURNITURE INSIDE THE DESK, FURNITURE, YOU KNOW, COMPUTERS, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE TOOK THE STATION BACK OVER FROM THE CITY OF LAGRANGE AND HAD TO, YOU KNOW, FILL THAT FULL OF EQUIPMENT AND LIVE IN FURNISHINGS, A LOT OF THAT STUFF WILL BE USED GOOD IN THERE. AND I THINK, AND I'LL LET HIM SPEAK FOR IT. AS WE SHOT THE NUMBER TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T ANYTHING WE WOULD NOT EXCEED. THROUGHOUT THE TRANSITION FROM THE THE ROANOKE ROAD LOCATION. SO YES, AND WE HAD AA5 PERCENT CONTINGENCY IN THAT OVERALL PROJECT COST THAT YOU SAW AT THE TIME THAT INCLUDED FIXTURES, FURNISHINGS, LANDSCAPING. AND THERE WAS A LINE ITEM THAT WAS 5%, WHICH IS ABOUT $150,000 CONTINGENCY JUST FOR UNFORESEEN. AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ANY OF THAT YET. AND ONE THING I DIDN'T TOUCH ON, I TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE GOT THE PRICE DOWN FOR THE THIRD BAY TO 329, 329,000 BY CUTTING OUT DOING SOME VALUE ENGINEERING. WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED SOME OTHER VALUE ENGINEERING'S ON JUST THE REGULAR BASE BID THAT WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED. I THINK UP TO $45,000 WORTH OF SAVINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING BY JUST SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION CHANGES, MATERIAL CHANGES AND SO FORTH. SO IF ANYTHING, AT THIS POINT, WE'RE WE'VE GOT THE PRICE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT AND WE STILL HAVEN'T EVEN TOUCHED ANY CONTINGENCY MONEY. SO FROM THAT FINAL BID, WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT EVEN DOING THE THIRD BAY. WE'RE GOING TO STAY IN BUDGET. YES. POTENTIAL BUDGET. YES. I THINK BUILD A THREE BAY FIRE STATION IS BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE. WITH THAT, IT ALLOWS YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY. EVEN IF WE IF YOU MOVED YOUR MARINE OPERATIONS SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU MOVE YOUR SHIP COMMAND AND YOU HAD A BAY WITH THE AMOUNT OF APPARATUS AND, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS OF ADDING TANKER PUMPERS AND SUPPRESSION EQUIPMENT, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GO BACK AND ADD A BAY WHEN IT COMES LIKE THAT TO WHERE YOU HAVE THAT WHEN YOU NEED IT. SO I THINK IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE LONG TERM PLAN INSTEAD OF A WARRANT. IF WE WERE, YOU KNOW, BUILDING A SMALL ONE ENGINE FIRE STATION AND LOOKING FOR A TWO BAY, I THINK IT'S A FIT. BUT FOR ALL THE THE MOVING PARTS OF THE SHIP COMMANDER DOWN TO THE STAFF AND INTO THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS, IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE FIRE FOR THE COUNTY. I MEAN, JAMES, YOU'RE YOU'RE SHARING YESTERDAY IN STAFF 65 LOT SUBDIVISION THAT'S GOING IN OFF VERNON FERRY. SO AGAIN THIS WILL BE THE STATION THAT WOULD RESPOND TO IT. AND SO THAT THAT'S A THAT'S A FAIRLY LARGE SUBDIVISION FOR TROUP COUNTY. AND SO JUST ADD THAT GROWTH. AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS STATION NEARBY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO IT CERTAINLY IS VERY GREAT. AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE WRONG THING WITH, WITH ZACH, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS HAS NO THIS IS DOESN'T AFFECT ANYTHING AT THE ABBOTSFORD STATION. IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY WE'LL LEAVE THE ABBOTSFORD STATION STAFF AND PEOPLE AT IT MOVE THIS ONE OVER AS SOON AS WE GET IT BUILT, AND THEN WE'LL EVALUATE THINGS FROM THERE. I THINK WE GOTTA LOOK AT ALL THE DATA AND ANALYTICS OF, YOU KNOW, IS IT DOES CROSS INTO THE FIVE MILE THRESHOLD BY JUST A TAD. I THINK IT'S ABOUT A HALF A MILE, ACTUALLY. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE LONG TERM RETURN ON INVESTMENT PERSONNEL. DO YOU DO YOU LEAVE THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE AT THE FIRE STATION, SIX GUYS, AND ANSWER 20 TO 30 CALLS A YEAR? OR DO YOU MOVE THEM TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION TO GET A BETTER RETURN ON INVESTMENT? AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'LL WORK ON AS A STAFF. BUT AS SOON AS WE IMPLEMENT THIS IN THERE, WE CHANGE OUR DISPATCH DISTRICTS AND ALL THAT. THEN WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON IT AND WATCH THAT AND SEE WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE. AND AT THE AT THE DECEMBER MEETING, WHEN THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT OR THE BASE BID WAS APPROVED, THE BOARD HAD APPROVED, I BELIEVE IT WAS A 50% OUT OF SPLOST AND 50% FROM CAPITAL. AND SO THEN WHAT THE APPROVAL FOR THIS IS, IS UP TO YOU ALL. IS IT THE SAME 5050 OR WHERE IT COMES FROM? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO IT'LL BE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. JUST TO [5. Consideration of January 6, 2026 5:00 p.m. Board Meeting (Eric Mosley)] QUICKLY GO OVER THIS AFTERNOON'S AGENDA. A LITTLE BIGGER. WE'VE GOT PASTOR TOM FAR FROM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, MONTCLAIR, THAT WILL BE PROVIDING THE INVOCATION UNDER SPECIAL BUSINESS. WE HAVE THE ELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR, CONSIDERATION OF LAGRANGE MEMORIAL LIBRARY FUNDING REQUEST AND CONSIDERATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE THIRD [00:40:01] APPARATUS. BAY FOR STATION FIRE. FIRE STATION NUMBER 14, UNDER PUBLIC HEARING. WE HAVE THREE ITEMS. ONE IS A REZONING FOR CARL NEELY AT 2734 ROANOKE ROAD. ITEM B IS CONSIDERATION OF THE FINAL PLAT FOR TATE ESTATES, WHICH IS OFF OF DRUMMOND ROAD, I BELIEVE, AND THEN UNDER ITEM C WE'VE GOT CONSIDERATION OF BEER AND WINE APPLICATION AT 18 NEW AIRPORT ROAD AND A SPECIAL USE APPLICATION FOR MISTER RALPH HOWARD AT 3570 MOODY BRIDGE ROAD. AND THAT IS ALL THAT'S ON THIS AFTERNOON'S AGENDA. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS EXECUTIVE [EXECUTIVE SESSION] SESSION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL LITIGATION IN A PERSONNEL MATTER. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE COME OUT OF THE WORK SESSION AND GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THOSE TWO MATTERS. SO MOVED. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US LATER. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.