[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
BE THE NEW. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. I'M KIND OF A WEAK CROWD THIS MORNING AFTER Y'ALL HAD A DAY OFF. GOOD MORNING. ALRIGHT. GLAD TO KNOW Y'ALL ARE OUT THERE. WELCOME TO OUR TUESDAY, JANUARY THE 20TH, 2026 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION. BEFORE WE START THE MEETING THIS MORNING, WE USUALLY OPEN IN A WORD OF PRAYER. BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, THIS MORNING, WHILE I KIND OF GOT EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION, I THOUGHT IT'D PROBABLY BE A GOOD TIME TO MENTION TO EVERYONE. IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE WEATHER LAST 24 HOURS, YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE FORECASTING THAT WE COULD SEE SOME SOME BAD WEATHER THIS WEEKEND. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO GET EVERYBODY PREPARED. THE COUNTY THIS MORNING SENT OUT A NOTICE ABOUT THE SIGNING UP FOR THE WEATHER ALERTS. AND SO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR CITIZENS TO TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE THOSE WEATHER ALERTS. AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS THIS WEEKEND, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS FROM THE ROAD DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL BE PREPARING FOR THE POTENTIAL OF BAD WEATHER TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS. SO AGAIN, LET ME ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO NUMBER ONE TO TO WATCH THE WEATHER. BE PREPARED, SIGN UP FOR THE ALERTS. AND THEN LET'S ALL BE VERY CAREFUL AS WE MOVE FORWARD THE WEEKEND. SO NOW THAT I'VE MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, LET'S HAVE A WORD OF PRAYER. OUR GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS NEW DAY. WE WE THANK YOU FOR THE SUNSHINE THIS MORNING. AND LORD, WE DO ASK A SPECIAL PRAYER UPON OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WE PREPARE, POTENTIALLY FOR BAD WEATHER. LORD, WE JUST ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON ALL OF PARTICULARLY OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE PREPARING FOR THIS BAD WEATHER, TO WATCH OVER THEM, PROTECT THEM, AND AS THEY MOVE FORWARD TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS. SO JUST A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THEM. AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE ASK THAT YOU CERTAINLY BE WITH US DURING THIS TIME THIS MORNING. GIVE US WISDOM, DISCERNMENT AS WE STUDY THESE MATTERS THAT AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY. BE WITH US NOW THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS DAY. IN THY NAME WE DO PRAY. AMEN. ALRIGHT. SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL
[1. Discuss Request to Approve GCIP Grant Award (Dan Wooten) ]
TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNTY MANAGER. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONERS. FIRST ITEM ON THE DAY'S AGENDA IS A REQUEST FROM. I GUESS. ACTUALLY, IT'S FROM THE SENIOR CENTER. BUT OUR ACTIVE LIFE. BUT LANCE IS GOING TO PRODUCE IT. I DON'T KNOW. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF DAN WOOTTON. HE APOLOGIZE NOT BEING ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY. HE'S ONE STAFF MEMBER SHORT AND HE'S SIGNING UP FOR A TRIP THAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO GO ON. SO HE HAS THEM LINED UP AT THE DOOR GETTING READY GETTING EVERYBODY PROCESSED. BUT I'M GOING TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AND THIS EVENING TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO ACCEPT THE 2026 GCP GRANT. IT'S KIND OF A COVETED INTERNSHIP GRANT THAT WAS RECEIVED. AND WE'RE THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTY THAT DID RECEIVE THIS GRANT. IT IS FULLY FUNDED FOR AN INTERN TO WORK DURING THE SUMMER. THE GRAND TOTAL WOULD BE $3,259.50, WHICH WILL BE PAID BY HCG. WE WILL PAY THE FUNDS OUT AND IT WILL BE MATCHED. AND THEY WILL. I MEAN, NOT A MATCH. THEY WILL PAY IT BACK IN FULL TO US AND REIMBURSE US. THE PURPOSE OF THIS INTERNSHIP, THAT THE WAY DAN HAS APPLIED FOR IT IS HE'S GOING TO USE IT AS A RESEARCHER THAT IS GOING TO DO RESEARCH AND DATA ON GENERATION X AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT NEW STRATEGIES TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF ACTIVE LIFE SENIORS. FOR THE GENERATION X THAT IS ABOUT TO START POPULATING OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, SENIOR CENTERS, AND ACTIVE LIFE CENTERS. EACH AGE GROUP IS GENERATION X. HOW TO LOOK THAT UP? I ACTUALLY FALL INTO THAT. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT I WAS A BABY BOOMER, BUT I'M NOT. IT'S IT'S IF YOU WERE BORN IN 65 TO 80, YOU'RE CONSIDERED GENERATION X, YOU KNOW? AND SO OKAY, I GUESS I'M GEN X TOO. SO YEAH. SO IT'S FOR PEOPLE LIKE SOME OF US UP HERE THAT ARE GETTING READY TO DOWN THE ROAD THAT DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT WE'RE ACTIVE SENIORS, BUT WE'RE ABOUT TO FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY BEFORE TOO MUCH LONGER.
AND IT'S MY MEAL. AND I THINK OUR THE THINGS THAT WE ENJOY AND OUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON IT HAS CHANGED A LOT FROM WHAT IT WAS 15, 20, 30 YEARS AGO. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO GOING TO USE THIS AS A RESEARCH AND DATA PERSON TO COME UP WITH NEW PLANS, NEW STRATEGIES, EXPLORE OTHER AREAS AND SEE THINGS THEY CAN DO TO MAKE IT MORE ENTICING AND ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATION FOR PEOPLE IN THAT GENERATION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE THIS UP TONIGHT THEN. THANK YOU LANCE, WON'T YOU I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MY FREE MEAL AT AT THE SENIOR CENTER. HOW ABOUT YOU? YES I AM. TWO $2.
[2. Discuss FY26 CACJ Emergency Grant (Hilliard Daniel and Jasmine Johnson)]
YES. SORRY. ALRIGHT, NEXT UP, WE'LL INVITE HILL DANIEL TO DISCUSS THE CA CJ EMERGENCY[00:05:07]
GRANT. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. I AM COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR PERMISSION TO APPLY FOR THE 20 FY 26 CA CJ EMERGENCY GRANT. THIS IS A GRANT THAT CJ HAS BEEN RELEASING ANNUALLY WHICH WOULD COVER SERVICES FOR QUARTER FOUR OF FISCAL YEAR 26.SO THAT WOULD BE APRIL TO THE END OF JUNE. SO THE FELONY ADULT DRUG COURT IS ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO APPLY FOR $30,464 WORTH OF FUNDS TO BE USED FOR TREATMENT COSTS. THE FAMILY TREATMENT COURT WILL BE ASKING FOR $42,814 FOR TREATMENT COSTS. THE DUI DRUG COURT WILL BE REQUESTING $25,000, WHICH WILL BE USED FOR BOTH DRUG TESTING AND TREATMENT COSTS, AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT WILL BE REQUESTING $25,225 TO COVER TREATMENT COSTS. SO THIS IS A GRANT THAT, IF APPROVED, WOULD CARRY NO COUNTY CASH MATCH REQUIREMENT. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? JUST A QUICK QUESTION. MAYBE, JUST MAYBE FOR DENISE OR OR LINDSAY OR HILL. ARE THESE ARE THESE FOUR SEPARATE GRANTS OR ARE THEY SO THEY ARE SO SO THE QUESTION WOULD MAYBE BE TO MARK, DO THEY NEED TO BE VOTED ON. AND SEPARATELY WE CAN APPLY UNDER ONE GRANT. BUT I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR TWO SEPARATE. SO I CAN'T SPEAK FOR JASMINE. UNFORTUNATELY. SHE'S HOME WITH A SICK CHILD TODAY. BUT DENISE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME UP. I KNOW YOU KIND OF MANAGE THE GRANTS PORTAL FOR US, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS TO THE STANDARDS OF THE STATE, FUNDS THAT ARE SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE INDIVIDUAL FELONY, ADULT DRUG COURT, DUI, DRUG COURT, MENTAL HEALTH COURT, AND FAMILY TREATMENT COURT GRANTS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE AWARDED SEPARATELY. SO THEIR INDIVIDUAL. SO WE MAY NEED TO AMEND THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING TO HAVE TO HAVE FOUR SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL VOTES. RIGHT. IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE CHAIRMAN. THEY CAN BE DONE TOGETHER. BUT THE MOTION WILL BE KIND OF LONG AND CONVOLUTED. IT MIGHT BE EASIER JUST TO DO IT AS FOUR SEPARATE ITEMS. I MEAN, THESE ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE TO REPEAT BACK. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT PART RIGHT THERE IS HOW DOES IT ASSOCIATE WITH THE I GUESS, THE MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATOR THAT'S BEEN PUT IN PLACE AT THE JAIL, DOES THAT SOMEHOW WORK TOGETHER? IS THAT OR IS THAT A LITTLE HAS THAT BEEN TALKED ABOUT YET? I GUESS IT'S SEPARATE AND APART.
IT'S SEPARATE. YEAH. THE MENTAL HEALTH JAIL, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY EVALUATING THEM TO SEE IF THEY NEED TO COME INTO OUR COURTS. WE HOPE THAT WE CAN PUT THEM IN OUR COURT IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE. BUT IT'S A SEPARATE EVALUATION PROCESS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT WE'LL DISCUSS THESE FOR TONIGHT THEN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP WE'LL
[3. Discuss Set Qualifying Fees (Andrew Harper) ]
INVITE ANDY HARPER TO DISCUSS SETTING THE QUALIFYING FEES FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS YOUR YEARLY THING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO SET THE QUALIFYING FEES TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE OPEN POSITIONS FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL BE THE. AND MR. MCCAMY AND THEN THE SCHOOL BOARD SEATS AND VICKI SUE SEAT AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE THE ONES UP FOR REELECTION THIS YEAR THAT WOULD SET TWO QUALIFYING FEES, AND THAT HAS TO BE PUBLISHED THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE BEFORE FEBRUARY THE 1ST. NO. ANDY, I HAD 1 OR 2 QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS ASKING, WELL, WHERE DO THESE FEES COME FROM? HOW ARE THEY DETERMINED BASED OFF THE 3% OF YOUR SALARY SET BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT, BASED ON POPULATION ON YOURS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BASED OFF OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY EARN PER YEAR, BECAUSE THAT FLUCTUATES ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. HOW MUCH THEY BECAUSE THEY GET PAID DIFFERENT AMOUNTS FOR IF THEY EVENTS THEY ATTEND. SO THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AND SO I GOT THOSE FIGURES FROM THEN AND THE 3% OF THEIR SALARY. BECAUSE Y'ALL BUT Y'ALL'S Y'ALL'S IS HERE ON THE COMMISSION. AND THE ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE BASED OFF POPULATION WISE THROUGH THE STATE CODES. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE THIS MATTER UP TONIGHT ALSO. THANK YOU. WHILE YOU'RE UP, I'M AGAIN I KNOW YOU'VE HAD[00:10:01]
YOU TALKED TO ME A LITTLE BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT HAVING SOME GENERAL DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD. I MEAN, I THINK IN THE WORK SESSION CERTAINLY WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE. NOT INAPPROPRIATE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION JUST FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, IF ANYTHING. YES. SO NO DISCUSSION IS HELD ABOUT MOVING TO THE TO THE OUR OFFICE OUT OF THE BUILDING HERE DOWN TO THE WATTSVILLE. WE WERE I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT. I WOULD LOVE TO, YOU KNOW SEE IT ALL PUT TOGETHER WHERE EVERYTHING IS IN LOCAL, RIGHT THERE TOGETHER INSTEAD OF MULTIPLE PLACES. SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, ASK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE SECURITY OR ANYTHING. NO. WE THE WHEN YOU WHEN WE GO IN WE'LL HAVE THE OPEN AREA AND THEN THEY'LL BE A SECURITY WALL WITH SECURITY GOING IN BADGING IN LIKE WE DO HERE. WHAT IS THE TIMELINE IS NECESSITATED FOR THIS MOVE. WHERE THE FOURTH WAS THE DECISION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MOVED, BUT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO VOTE ON IT EARLIER, THAT'S FINE. BUT WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND STUFF AND GET MOVED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO PUBLIC HEARING TO MOVE OUR OFFICE AND LOCATIONS AND GET EVERYTHING LINED UP THAT WE HAVE TO DO BY LAW. WELL, HOW MUCH RENOVATION IN THE IN, IN THAT BUILDING HAS GOT TO TAKE PLACE FOR YOU TO MOVE INTO IT? VERY, VERY MINIMAL. I THINK WE'RE THE FOURTH. WE'RE NOT TALKING BUT JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS APPROVAL OF IT. BUT THEN THE, THE AS LONG AS WE'RE IN BY THE END OF FEBRUARY. OKAY. BY THE END OF MID TO LATE FEBRUARY AS LONG AS WE'RE IN THE BUILDING. BUT THE RENOVATIONS ITSELF ARE MINIMAL. THE LIGHTING CAN BE DONE AT A LATER DATE, BASICALLY BECAUSE THERE'S LIGHTING IN THERE. NO, BUT YOU WANTED TO CHANGE IT OVER TO LED. AND THEN THE MAIN THING IS PUTTING UP THE SECURITY WALL IN THE FRONT AND PUTTING IN THE PUTTING CAMERAS BACK UP AND GET THE IT RAN. SO WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME? SO I KNOW DURING THE WORK AND THINGS LIKE BUT TO FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS I NEED A DECISION THAT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE BEFORE FEBRUARY THE 4TH, YOU KNOW, OR AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE TO GO AHEAD AND SAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE WHERE I CAN GET ALL MY PUBLIC ADVERTISEMENTS DONE. AND THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR PRIMARY IN MAY, IN MAY. SO BASICALLY, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT IF AS LONG AS LONG AS THE BOARD MAKES A DECISION BY THE FEBRUARY 4TH BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING, YOU WOULD BE IN LINE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER ADVERTISEMENT LOCALLY, AS WELL AS GET APPROVAL BY THE BY THE STATE.YES. OUR MEETINGS ON FEBRUARY THE 3RD. SO WE WOULD EVEN BETTER. I THOUGHT I HAD, BUT IF YOU WANT TO ADD IT TO TONIGHT THAT'S FINE. I THINK WE'LL DO FEBRUARY 3RD. BE ON SAFE SIDE THAT WAY. IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANY QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW WE GOT TIME TO KIND OF FLUSH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU IF YOU KNOW BY THE FOURTH. BUT EITHER WAY. SO OKAY.
AS LONG AS WE CAN CERTAINLY SET UP IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THE FACILITY, WE CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT. AND ANDY HAS KEYS TO THE BUILDING AND WE CAN CERTAINLY SHOW YOU WHAT'S THERE. IT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT FACILITY. IT'S THE OLD BAND BUILDING AT FOR THE OLD TROUP HIGH, WHICH FOR FOR THE LEAST OF THE PAST, WHILE EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION HAS BEEN THERE, PART OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WAS THERE, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES. AND SO IT'S IN FAIRLY GOOD SHAPE. NEW ROOF, NEW FLOORING, NEW HVAC, AND SO CERTAINLY A GOOD OPPORTUNITY. AND ANDY AND THE BOARD CERTAINLY APPEARS TO SUPPORT THE IDEA. EVERYTHING OVER IS HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
YES, SIR. AND ADEQUATE PARKING. YES. OKAY. AND THIS IS WHAT YOU THINK BEST FOR THE. YES, SIR.
YOU GOING TO TAKE ALL THE EQUIPMENT? WE. YES, SIR. I THINK THE GOAL WOULD BE TO UTILIZE THE LARGEST CLASSROOM IN THE WING THAT WAS KEPT AT THE SCHOOL FOR EARLY VOTING.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT ACUTE QUEUING AREAS, AS WELL AS BOTH THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT DOOR AND HANDICAPPED RESTROOMS. AND SO IT CERTAINLY WOULD SERVE THE COMMUNITY VERY WELL. ALL RIGHT.
UNLESS YOU HEAR OTHERWISE, WE'LL PROBABLY PUT IT ON FEBRUARY 3RD AGENDA. THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. THAT'S FINE. I'M GOOD WITH EITHER WAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SIR. ALL
[4. Discuss Sale of Surplus Property (Ramona Gillham) ]
RIGHT. NEXT UP WE'LL INVITE RAMONA GILLIAM TO DISCUSS THE SALE OF SURPLUS PROPERTY. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. WE CAME BEFORE YOU SEVERAL MONTHS BACK AND GOT SOME PROPERTY DECLARED AS SURPLUS. IT WAS 100 EICHELBERGER STREET IN LAGRANGE AND 170 AND 172 REED ROAD IN WEST POINT. WE DID ADVERTISE THESE IN THE PAPER AND ON OUR WEBSITE, AND HAD A BID OPENING ON TUESDAY, JANUARY THE 6TH. WE HAD TWO BIDS FOR THE[00:15:05]
EICHELBERGER PROPERTY, WITH THE HIGHEST BID BEING $126,300.03, AND THE EICHELBERGER PROPERTY, I'M SORRY, THE RAILROAD PROPERTY. WE HAD ONE BID OF $226,000. SO WE'D LIKE TO ASK IS TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND PROCESS THESE SALES, THESE TWO PROPERTIES AT THE HIGHEST BID THAT WERE PAVED. ONE THING, RAMONA, I THINK THAT THE CURRENTLY THE ACTION BEFORE THE BOARD WOULD BE TO PROCEED BASED UPON THE BIDS. THE BID NOTICE PROVIDED FOR CLOSING TO OCCUR WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE BID OPENING, WHICH IS A VERY SHORT TIME FRAME, SO THE STAFF MAY CONSIDER REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD EXTEND THAT THAT DEADLINE FOR THE CLOSING TO BE SCHEDULED.THAT IS A RATHER QUICK TIME FRAME TO GET IT ALL DONE. AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT A TIME NUMBER OF DAYS OR WHATEVER. WE'RE JUST GOING TO SAY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I THINK IT'LL BE A TIME FRAME ON IT. YOU CAN ADD AND YOU CAN ADD AN EXTENSION OF A TIME FRAME TO YOU COULD DO IT. YOU KNOW, AS SCHEDULED. BUT NOT TO EXCEED 60 DAYS, WHATEVER NUMBER OF DAYS YOU WANT TO PUT ON IT. AND THE SIMILAR TO THE OTHER ONE, THIS MIGHT BE EASIER TO ADDRESS SINCE THERE'S TWO SEPARATE PROPERTY WITH TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS. WHEN WE GET TO THE BUSINESS MEETING. EVERYONE COMFORTABLE, MAYBE USING 60 DAYS, THAT'D BE 60 DAYS FROM THE DATE THE BIDS WERE OPENED. OR DO WE NEED YOU COULD DO IT FROM THE DATE OF THE AWARD, WHICH WOULD BE TONIGHT. OKAY. RAMONA AND I WILL NEED TO GET WITH THE PURCHASERS AND THEIR ATTORNEYS AND SCHEDULED RELATIVELY QUICK. BUT I THINK THE DEADLINE TECHNICALLY WOULD BE FEBRUARY THE 6TH. YEAH. WHICH IS COMING UP PRETTY QUICK FOR A CLOSING. OKAY. RIGHT. ANY ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE'LL DISCUSS THIS TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT
[5. Discuss Fire Marshal Vehicle Purchase (Zac Steele) ]
UP WE'LL INVITE ZACH STEEL TO DISCUSS VEHICLE FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. AS WE KIND OF DISCUSSED AT THE RETREAT, WE'RE EXPANDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATION. AND ONE OF THE POSITIONS WE'VE ADDED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IS THE DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL. THAT POSITION IS ACTUALLY STARTING TOMORROW. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WEEKS IS THE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL VEHICLE. WE'VE BEEN LOOKING WE LOOKED AT ENTERPRISE ROUTE. WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A FOUR DOOR RACE. RED, I BELIEVE, IS WHAT THEY REFER TO. THE ACTUAL COLOR THAT MATCHES SOME OF THE RED PICKUP TRUCKS WE'VE GOT. THERE WAS NOTHING AVAILABLE. WE LOOKED LOCALLY. WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A USED 2022 F-150 WITH 62,000 MILES AT KIA LAGRANGE FOR 35,000. WADE FORD HAD A BRAND NEW FOUR DOOR STATE ON STATE CONTRACT AT 55,410, BUT IT WAS MORE THE MAROON COLOR. WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO FIND AT GM AUTO GALLERY AT 2026, CHEVY SILVERADO AT 46 903, WHICH BEAT THE STATE CONTRACT PRICE BY ABOUT $9,000. SO WE WERE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GO WITH THE GM AUTO GALLERY 1500 AT 46, $903, AND WE'RE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL $8,000 FOR THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT DECALS, NOT TO EXCEED A TOTAL OF $54,903, ROUGHLY THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT WITH THE SAME PACKAGE THAT WE PUT ON ALL THE FIRE VEHICLES IS ABOUT 63 $6,500. WE'RE JUST WAITING ON CHAD BROOKS TO SEND US BACK AN UPDATED QUOTE THAT MATCHES A SILVERADO ON THIS. THE DECALS WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE TRUCK THAT CHIEF NORTH DRIVES NOW. I MEAN, THAT SET UP. SO WE THINK THAT CAN BE DONE FOR $54,903. AND WE'RE REQUESTING YOUR PERMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. AND THAT'LL BE FUNDED OUT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT. SO THE 8000 IS FOR ALL NEW STUFF ON THIS TRUCK. NOT TRYING TO USE ANYTHING. YES, SIR. IT'LL IT'LL BE NEW EQUIPMENT FROM 144. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, WE'LL TAKE THIS UP. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL[6. Discuss Public Safety Camera Update (Nathan Taylor)]
RIGHT. NEXT, WE'LL INVITE NATHAN TAYLOR TO DISCUSS THE PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERA SYSTEM.[00:20:02]
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS CHAIRMAN. GOOD MORNING. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN. I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THESE LAST SIX COUNTYWIDE CAMERA PROJECT THAT WAS VOTED ON A COUPLE YEARS AGO. THE THE BOARD IN THE SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES VOTED TO ALLOCATE $2 MILLION OF THIS FOR SIX FOR CAMERAS TO BE PLACED THROUGHOUT RURAL TROUP COUNTY, AS WELL AS INSIDE THE MUNICIPAL. WE HAVE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, WE BEGAN A DEMO PROCESS WITH THE ONLY TWO VENDORS THAT REALLY QUALIFIED FOR THAT, AND THAT WAS FLOC AND MOTOROLA SLASH VIGILANT. WE WE COMPLETED THAT THAT DEMO PROCESS. BOTH SYSTEMS WORKED PRETTY GOOD. BUT THE PROBLEM WE RAN INTO WITH FLOC WAS THAT THEY WHICH DOES NOT ABIDE BY THE TERMS OF SPLOST AS BEING A PURCHASE ONLY. SO WE SETTLED ON MOTOROLA AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PURCHASE. MOTOROLA. OUR INITIAL PURCHASE IS $703,000 FOR ABOUT 60 CAMERAS. AND WE'RE WE'RE WORKING WITH LAGRANGE ON THAT AS WELL TO TO PURCHASE SOME COMS, BOXES AND FIREWALLS FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CAMERAS THAT ARE GOING TO RUN ON DIVERSE POWERS, KUDZU INTERNET. SO GRAND TOTAL AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT $775,000. BUT WE WOULD WE WOULD ASK IF WE COULD GO AHEAD AND VOTE FOR PERMISSION TO PURCHASE UP TO AND NOT TO EXCEED $900,000 ON.THIS PASSES THROUGH MOTOROLA AND THE OTHER EQUIPMENT PROVIDERS. NATHAN, CAN YOU COMMENT A MINUTE ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CAMERAS OR HOW IT WORKS INTO Y'ALL'S INVESTIGATIONS? WHAT Y'ALL SEEN IN THIS? I SAY TWO YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. SURE. THESE CAMERAS HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR FOR THE ARREST AND SUCCESSFUL INVESTIGATION OF MANY CRIMES INSIDE TROUP COUNTY. JUST THE TWO YEARS THAT WE'VE WE'VE DONE CAMERAS, INCLUDING, I BELIEVE, THE ONE WHERE WE THE OAK WAS VANDALIZED. WE WERE ABLE TO USE THAT CAMERA TO IDENTIFY THOSE THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE. SO SOME AGENCIES AROUND US TOUT THAT THESE CAMERAS ARE ARE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE SUCCESSFUL CLOSURE OF ABOUT 75% OF THOSE THEFT CASES INSIDE THE COUNTY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THEY'RE VERY EFFICIENT. THEY WORK VERY WELL. THEY'RE RUNNING 24 HOURS A DAY.
NOT ONLY DO THEY PICK UP ON TAGS, BUT THEY ALSO PICK. IF A VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE A TAG, IT'S CAPTURING JUST THE IMAGE OF THAT VEHICLE AS IT'S GOING BY. AND WITH MOTOROLA, IT RETAINS THAT DATA TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS THAT WE SELECT WHERE WE CAN GO BACK AND PULL THAT DATA AND FIND OUT WHO IS WHO WAS IN THE AREA AT THE TIME THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I LIKE TO I LIKE TO USE THIS EXAMPLE. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT BEFORE, BUT IF THERE'S IF THERE'S THREE HOUSES THAT ARE BROKE INTO IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTY, WE CAN DRAW FENCES AROUND THESE HOUSES AND THEN RUN A QUERY IN THE IN THE BACK END PIECE OF THE SOFTWARE, AND IT WILL TELL US WHAT THE COMMON TAGS WERE OR WHAT THE COMMON VEHICLES WERE IN THOSE AREAS. SO WE CAN IDENTIFY WHO THAT SUSPECT WAS AS WELL. THE DEPUTIES ARE ABLE TO TURN ON THE THE SOFTWARE INSIDE OF THEIR PATROL CAR AND IT WILL LIVE SEND THEM HITS WHETHER OR NOT A STOLEN VEHICLE OR A WANTED PERSON A FILED, A MISSING MENTAL PATIENT, ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE ENTERED INTO GCIC NCIC HOTLIST. IT WILL SEND THOSE ALERTS TO THE DEPUTIES TO RESPOND TO THE AREA AND GO AHEAD AND PROACTIVELY LOCATE THEM VERSUS, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE, IF WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE RIDING OUR ROADS AND COMING INTO OUR COUNTY, THEN IT'S JUST A REACTIVE PROCESS AT THAT POINT. SO ALL IN ALL, IT'S IT'S GOING TO THERE'S TWO THERE'S TWO SIDES TO IT. PROACTIVE WILL BE ABLE TO TO BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND THEN REACTIVELY AFTER CRIMES HAVE BEEN COMMITTED. IT GIVES US A ANOTHER TOOL TO LOCATE AND PROSECUTE THE CRIMINALS THAT COME INSIDE TROUP COUNTY OR THAT THAT LIVE HERE. SO. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. THE SCHOOL CAMERAS. AND HAVE WE INSTALLED THOSE ANY AROUND THE COUNTY? WE HAVEN'T YET. I HAVEN'T SEEN IT. BUT LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE INSIDE THE CITY ARE THOSE THOSE CAMERAS RUN 24. THE CAMERAS THEMSELVES ACTUALLY DO. THEY DO. THEY'RE ACTUALLY CAMERAS AS WELL. AND THEY'RE THEY'RE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SIDE. BUT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE WE HAVE ACCESS. WELL AND WE WE'VE DISCUSSED PURCHASING ONE CAMERA, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO STAY ON THE FLIGHT NETWORK, WHERE WE CAN RETRIEVE DATA FROM THAT NETWORK TO JUST PURCHASING THAT OUTSIDE OF THIS FLIGHT. SIX, YOU KNOW, ON A BUDGET. SO WE STILL COMPLY WITH THE TERMS AS FAR AS AND YOU SAID THAT 6060 CAMERAS AS OF RIGHT NOW.
NOW, IF WE GO THROUGH THIS, I THINK IT'S $703,000 FOR THE THE MOTOROLA QUOTA I HAVE RIGHT NOW TO DO THESE CAMERAS. AND THEN $73,000 IS WHAT IT CAME UP FOR, THE SUPPORTING HARDWARE THAT WE
[00:25:03]
WOULD NEED. SO THAT'S 775. SO WE'LL INSTALL THESE 60, WE'LL GET THEM RUNNING AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT ELSE WE NEED TO DO TO TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL 125 TO, TO SPEND ALL 900,000 THAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOCATED THROUGH OUR 45% OF THE 2 MILLION. ONE MORE QUESTION. AT THIS POINT, THE BALL GAME, WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'LL BE Y'ALL WILL BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THE CAMERAS AND THE OTHER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, OR WE WILL BE WE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR RECORDS IN, IN SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT THEIR CAMERA SYSTEMS AS WELL TOO. SO CURRENTLY THE FOR EXAMPLE, LAGRANGE PD IS RUNNING LOCK IN VIGILANT SLASH MOTOROLA AND WE ARE TOO. SO WE BOTH HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE NETWORKS AND WE CAN SEE READS. AND WE WE HAVE A BUTTON WE CAN PRESS INSIDE THE SOFTWARE THAT SAYS I WANT TO SHARE READS WITH THIS AGENCY, THIS AGENCY AND THIS AGENCY AS AN AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR ON THE CAMERAS, I SHARE WITH ALL OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND THEY DO WITH US. AND THAT'S THE CASE WITH THE GRAVES. SO. SO EVEN IF THEY WENT WITH IT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY WENT WITH LOCK, WE'D STILL BE ABLE TO SEE ALL THEIR STUFF. HOW MANY SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE LIKE WEST POINT CITY? I MEAN, THE CITY OF WEST POINT. HOGANSVILLE HARRIS HURT IS EVERYBODY IS IT IS IT PRETTY MUCH SHARED AMONGST EVERYBODY? WE SHARE DATA WITH WEST POINT AND HOGANSVILLE CURRENTLY, RIGHT? I THINK WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE DIVERSE POWER IN THEIR WILLINGNESS TO HELP US AND JUMPING IN, AND THAT HAS HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY COST WISE AND OTHER, THEY WERE VERY EAGER TO PROVIDE US WITH THE FIBER INTERNET WE WOULD NEED TO RUN. THERE'S HALF OF THESE CAMERAS ARE ADVANCED CAMERAS THAT REQUIRE FIBER INTERNET TO RUN THOSE. AND DIVERSE WAS WAS VERY EAGER TO PARTNER WITH US ON THAT. GIVE US A REALLY GOOD DEAL ON THE UTILITY RATES FOR BOTH THE POWER AND THE INTERNET, THE KUDZU INTERNET FOR THAT. AND WILL IS ALSO INSTALLING EVERYTHING AT NO COST. SO THEY'VE BEEN THEY'VE BEEN TREMENDOUS. NOW LET'S JUST COMING OUT OF SPLOST RIGHT.CORRECT. EVERY BIT OF IT. OUT OF OUR 45% OF THE PROJECT. YEAH. SO THIS PROJECT WAS A PRIORITY PROJECT ON THE ON THE FRONT SIDE OF SPLOST. SO THE FIRST MONIES THAT CAME OUT OF SPLOST WENT TO TWO THINGS. ONE WAS A PROJECT, A ROAD PROJECT FOR KIA BOULEVARD PARKWAY AND SORRENTO WAY. AND THE SECONDARY PROJECT WAS THE CAMERA SYSTEM. RIGHT. SO IT WAS SPLIT JUST LIKE OUR LOSS AND LOSS, 45, 45, FIVE AND FIVE. AND SO INITIALLY IN THE PROCESS, LAGRANGE HAD SORT OF TAKEN THE LEAD BACK WHEN CHIEF TECMAR WAS HERE PROJECT. AND IT WAS DECIDED AMONGST THE LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS THAT THE BEST SOLUTION WAS TO JUST SPLIT THE MONEY AND ALLOW EACH DEPARTMENT TO MAKE A DECISION ON THEIR OWN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A AT LEAST A TWO YEAR PROCESS FOR YOU, SO I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH BEING ABLE TO BRING THIS TO A HEAD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, IF I CAN
[7. Consideration of January 20, 2026 Board Meeting Agenda ]
GO OVER THIS AFTERNOON'S AGENDA, FIRST IS THE INVOCATION PROVIDED BY CHRIS TERRY, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. WE HAVE UNDER SPECIAL BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEM B IS THE FY 20 6CA CJ EMERGENCY GRANT. AGAIN I TALKED TO MARK MOORE ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO SEPARATE THOSE OUT INTO FOUR SEPARATE ACTION ITEMS. THE NEXT IS THE. GC GCI GRANT AWARD. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE SETTING THE QUALIFYING FEES FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS.ITEM E IS THE FIRE MARSHAL VEHICLE PURCHASE. ITEM F IS CONSIDERATION OF THE REQUEST OF SURPLUS PROPERTY. AGAIN, I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD SEPARATE THOSE OUT. TWO SEPARATE ACTION ITEMS. AND THE FINAL ITEM UNDER SPECIAL BUSINESS IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERA SYSTEM. UNDER PUBLIC HEARING WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. ONE IS A BEER AND WINE APPLICATION.
AND THE THE SECOND IS A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE. OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE COME OUT OF THE
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
WORK SESSION, GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS TWO MATTERS. FIRST BEING BOARD APPOINTMENTS.AND NUMBER TWO, A PERSONNEL MATTER. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION? DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING. YOU CAN JOIN US LATER IF YOU LIKE. OH. CAN YOU NOT JUST
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.