[I. OPENING]
[00:00:09]
LET ME WELCOME. WELCOME YOU TO OUR TUESDAY, MARCH THE 3RD, 2026 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING. WE'RE VERY HONORED TODAY TO HAVE PASTOR JEFF MCCARTNEY, WHO DIDN'T HAVE TO WALK VERY FAR. HE DIDN'T WALK FROM MOUNTVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH. BUT WE APPRECIATE HIM BEING HERE AND BEING ON OUR STAFF TO GIVE OUR INVOCATION. SO I'M GOING TO ASK HIM TO COME UP IN JUST A MINUTE. AND AFTER THAT, WE'LL HAVE THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG. AND I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER JONES TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG. SO, JEFF, IF YOU DON'T MIND. DEAR LORD, FATHER, WE COME TO YOU NOW. FATHER, WE WE KNOW THIS WORLD IS A LOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, LORD, BUT I, I JUST THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE IN TROUP COUNTY. FATHER, I LIFT UP THE THE PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS TONIGHT, LORD, AND PEOPLE PRESENTING. FATHER, I JUST ASK YOU TO GIVE US ALL WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT, LORD, TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THIS COUNTY. LORD, THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS COUNTY AND LET IT BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS AROUND US, FATHER, THAT WE CAN STAND ABOVE EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE, FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. AND FATHER, WE JUST WE COME TOGETHER AS A AS A FAMILY. LORD, I ASK YOU TO BE WITH EACH DECISION MAKER TONIGHT. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. AMEN. MISTER FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR US EVERY DAY.
[III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA/MINUTES]
ALRIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA IN THE AND THE MINUTES.SO FIRST I WOULD SEEK APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA. SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE TROUP COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION, WHICH WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY THE 17TH, 2026. DO I HAVE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVED A MOTION? DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. FINALLY, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM TROUP COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY THE 17TH, 2026. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED.
[IV. Special Business]
NEXT, WE GO INTO SPECIAL BUSINESS. AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNTY MANAGER. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONERS. FIRST ITEM ON THE DAY'S AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION OF BOARD APPOINTMENTS. AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY CLERK VALERIE WEST. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE SLATE OF APPOINTMENTS IS VERY SHORT TODAY, AND WE JUST HAVE ONE PERSON TO APPOINT. AND THAT WILL BE DOCTOR APRIL. ARMSTEAD TO THE COMMUNITY ACTION FOR IMPROVEMENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. AND THAT'S THE SLATE FOR TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'VE HEARD THAT THAT APPOINTMENT. DO I HAVE A MOTION? WE APPROVE, MISS ARMSTEAD, TO SERVE ON THE COMMUNITY ACTION FOR IMPROVEMENT BOARD. SO MOVE. MISTER CHAIR, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF THE RENOVATIONS TO THE TROUP COUNTY FIRE STATION NUMBER NINE AND MOUNTVILLE. WE HAVE REPRESENTATION HERE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY ZACH STEELE. AND I BELIEVE HE HAS HIS THREE DIVISION CHIEFS HERE REPRESENTING FIRE DEPARTMENT.GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD EVENING. AS WE DISCUSSED THIS MORNING DURING THE WORK SESSION, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALLOCATING SOME OF THE FUNDING BACK FROM THE REED ROAD AND EICHELBERGER. VALERIE. BLOOM IS IN ORDER TO TO ME, WHAT IS IT? POWER FIVE. YES, MA'AM. OH, YEAH. START TALKING AND START GOING OFF. STOP! YEAH. KEEP MOVING. OKAY, BUT JUST LOOKING AT USING SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT FROM THE PROPERTY SALES OF THE REED AND EICHELBERGER OLD FIRE STATIONS BACK INTO REPLENISHING AND REMODEL AND SOME OF THE FIRE STATIONS, THE ONE THAT WE HAD FOR CONSIDERATION WILL BE THE FIRE STATION AND MOUNTVILLE STATION NUMBER NINE, TO BE ABLE TO RESKIN THAT AND REMODEL THE INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING AS WELL.
AND THROUGH THIS, THE MULTIPLE PHASES AND BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT OTHER FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AS WELL. J CAN SPEAK MORE ON EXACTLY WHAT ALL THAT WOULD BE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO DO THIS WOULD BE TO GO OUT AND SEEK PERMISSION TO GO OUT AND GET BIDS FOR THE REMODEL OF THIS FIRE STATION, MOUNTVILLE AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, JUST GETTING PRICES ON. YES, SIR. JUST GOING OUT TO BID FOR THE THE PHASES OF THAT
[00:05:04]
PROJECT, WHICH WOULD BE, I KNOW THE OUTSIDE SKIN OF IT AS WELL AS REMODEL ON THE INSIDE OF IT.THE LIVING QUARTERS THERE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FIRE STATION. BUT WE WE EVENTUALLY WE'RE LOOKING LONG TERM PLAN IS TO POSSIBLY TURN IT INTO A FULL TIME. YES, SIR. BECAUSE OF THE HOUSES OUT THERE? YES, SIR. YEAH. THE GROWTH AND THE CALL VOLUME IN THAT AREA, 83%, ROUGHLY AS MEDICAL RESCUE IN NATURE. AND THAT AREA SPECIFICALLY, WHICH IS KIND OF CAUGHT BETWEEN STATION ONE ON HAMILTON ROAD AND STATION SIX ON WHITFIELD ROAD, THAT THAT'S A LOT OF OUR CALL VOLUME IN THAT AREA AS WELL. AND WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THAT AS WELL AS THE FIRES. J THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU. WHAT WHAT IS THE COST OF DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW? I KNOW WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT FOR THE BID, BUT IS THERE ANY COST PRIOR TO PUTTING IT OUT TO THE BID? LIKE IS THERE GOING TO BE AN ARCHITECT? NO, SIR. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION NOW. THERE'S NO I'M PUTTING TOGETHER THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE SPECS AND AND POSTING IT OURSELVES. SO I'LL BE DOING THAT. WE WILL NOT BE HIRING. SO THAT TO YOUR POINT. THAT'S RIGHT. NO COST TO THE COUNTY TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO YOU'LL GET IT A TOTAL BID FROM LIKE A CONTRACTOR. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TRY TO SUB EACH THING IT'S GOING TO BE. I THINK THAT'S STILL TO BE DETERMINED OF HOW WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY TO BEST VALUE OF THE CITIZENS AND TO THE COUNTY. I COULD I SEE IT AS BEING TWO DIFFERENT BIDS, AT LEAST ONE FOR THE SKINNING OF THE TEARING OF ALL THE METAL AND THEN THE OTHER FOR THE BUILD OUT INSIDE. SO I SEE AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT BID PACKAGES, BUT IT COULD BE MORE.
IT COULD BE THAT MAYBE WE DO SUB IT OUT. OKAY, IT'S NOT THAT LARGE OF A PROJECT. SO YOU'RE REFERENCING LIKE WE'RE DOING ELECTIONS RIGHT NOW. OKAY. SORRY. SO YOU REFERENCE A PRICE UP TO 150,000. WOULD THAT INCLUDE. THAT WAS THE THAT WAS FOR TO REDO THE EXTERIOR. THE EXTERIOR THE NEW METAL, THE NEW DOORS, NEW GARAGE DOORS, NEW WINDOWS. THAT WAS THE SKIN. AND THEN I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RENOVATE THE LIVING AREA NICELY FOR THE REMAINDER OF OF THAT MONEY. I THINK FOR THE MONEY WE GOT FROM THE SALE OF THOSE TWO PROPERTIES, I THINK WE CAN DO EVERYTHING WELL. WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING. THE MONEYS THAT WE HAVE ON HAND, LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE FIXING TO DO, SAY WHEN YOU GET YOUR BIDS IN AT MOUNTVILLE, IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN LOOK AT OTHER STATIONS THAT MAY NEED SOME WORK DONE ON IT? SAY, JUST FOUND OUT TODAY THAT FIRE STATION THREE HAD COMPLETED GETTING THEIR WATER WITH THE WATER PUMP. I HADN'T HEARD THAT UNTIL TODAY, AND STATION NUMBER FIVE, I UNDERSTAND, NEEDS A LITTLE WORK. SO WHILE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF SENDING THIS THAT COULD YOU GET YOUR TEAM TO GO AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE COST COULD BE AT DOING SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS TO MAYBE SOME OF THESE OTHER STATIONS? YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN LOOK AT BOTH OF THOSE FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S NOT LIKE JAY SAID, IT'S NOT COSTING US TO GET EXTRA, YOU KNOW, LET'S FIND OUT WHAT IT CAN COST AND HOW MUCH WE HAVE LEFT OVER ONCE. BUT I UNDERSTAND WHY MOUNTVILLE WAS LOOKED AT BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN AND THE GROWTH OUT THERE, YOU KNOW. YEAH. AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE COVERAGE MAP, JAMES, YOU GOT THAT MAP I DO. THIS THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIVE MILE MAPS WE GOT FROM MEREDITH AT GIS A WHILE BACK. SO YOU CAN SEE. RIGHT THERE WE'RE STATION NINE. IT'S ACTUALLY PLANTED IN. WHAT'S THE RESPONSE TERRITORY FOR STATION SIX OFF WHITEFIELD ROAD NOW. SO AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE. YOU CAN SEE SIX THERE OUTPUT FOR THE ROAD. BUT WHEN YOU ZOOM OUT ON THE MAP AND I'LL SHARE THIS WITH YOU ALL, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S KIND OF CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THERE AND WITH NO COVERAGE IN THERE. THIS COULD REALLY IMPROVE THE SERVICE DELIVERY TO THAT AREA. WELL, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STATION NUMBER ONE IS POSSIBILITY THAT'S IN THE PROCESS OF MAYBE BEING MOVED. WHAT'S THAT GOING TO DO TO THAT AREA WITH THAT STATION IN MOUNTVILLE SITTING THERE? IS IT GOING TO BE SOME OF THAT AREA GOING TO BE LEFT IN LA LA LAND, AS YOU MIGHT SAY, WITH NO COVERAGE? NO. NO, SIR. WITH NINE BEING IN THAT AREA, YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO ENHANCE SOME OF THAT COVERAGE THROUGH THAT WHEN YOU'RE MOVING THE STATION ONE OUT. AND WE'RE I DON'T WANT TO PINPOINT ON EXACT LOCATION, BECAUSE TRYING TO FIND PROPERTY AND TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE BEST, YOU KNOW, DEPLOYMENT ANALYSIS IS FOR THE FIVE MILE COVERAGE IS THE BEST YOU CAN WHEN YOU'RE PLACING THAT NEW STATION THERE. BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT US WITH THE MOUNT VERNON STATION NINE PROJECT, BUT MOVING STATION ONE, OBVIOUSLY, THE GOAL IS GOING TO BE TO GET THAT IN THE UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE COUNTY WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY IN THE ANNEX PORTION OF THE CITY. SO AND THE OTHER PART WITH THIS IS YOU HAVE THE AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENTS, EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE STATION NINE IN MOUNTVILLE, LET'S JUST SAY DOWN THE ROAD, YOU ADD STAFFING TO THAT, YOU GO BACK AND YOU EDIT THE AUTOMATIC AGREEMENTS FROM MERIWETHER COUNTY. SO MERIWETHER ALSO BENEFITS FROM THAT COVERAGE AS WELL AS WE BENEFIT FROM THE FIRE STATIONS IN MERIWETHER. ANYTIME YOU HAVE THOSE OVERLAPPING AUTOMATIC AGREEMENTS, IT'S MORE TRUCKS RESPONDING TO FIRES, CALLS AND EMERGENCIES, WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE INSURANCE. THAT'S THE REASON WHY Y'ALL IN THE PROCESS. AND IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET YOUR BIDS BACK IN. ZACH, I WISH YOU
[00:10:01]
WOULD LOOK AND SEE A POSSIBILITY OF MAYBE IF IT HAPPENS OR IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ABOUT MOVING MOUNTVILLE TO ANOTHER LOCATION BECAUSE YOU GOT STOVALL'S DOWN SOMEWHERE DOWN IN THAT AREA THAT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH COVERAGE. AND SO TO SEE IF IT CAN POSSIBILITY WITH YOUR FIVE MILE RADIUS, YOU KNOW, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS TO BE LOOKING BECAUSE IT MAY COME UP. YES, SIR. AND WE'RE CERTAINLY. AND MEREDITH'S SENDING ME OVER SOME MORE MAPS AS WELL TO SHOW ALL OF THEM AND TRY TO ZERO IN EXACTLY WHAT, THE FIVE MILES SO WE CAN TRY TO SEE WHAT'S WHERE, WHAT OVERLAP. BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME WHERE THERE'S SOME OVERLAP IN COVERAGE, BUT THERE'S SOME WHERE THERE'S SOME GAPS BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM AS WELL. RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. I THINK IT'S A GOOD EXERCISE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF IT AND TO TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, THOSE EDUCATED DECISIONS AND REALLY LOOK AT EACH ONE. AND WHAT'S THE BUDGETS AND HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE. RIGHT, RIGHT. SO IT'S A GOOD EXERCISE TO GO THROUGH. HOW LONG IS THAT FIRE STATION BEEN SITTING VACANT? I'M GONNA ASK ONE OF THE THREE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM. THAT'S WHY WE INVITED THEM. SO WE'RE GOING TO USE THEM 2000, 15, 11 YEARS. I WAS JUST 11 YEARS. THANK YOU. SO AGAIN, THAT WAS THAT'S THAT WAS THE REQUEST FOR TONIGHT, JUST TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT ANALYSIS AND THE BIDDING AND GETTING BUDGETS, AND THEN TO COME BACK TO YOU AT A LATER DATE. I'LL PUT THE OTHER IN THE MINUTES, TOO. YES, SIR. OKAY. PUT THE OTHER ONES IN THERE LIKE MAURICE WAS TALKING ABOUT.YEAH, YEAH. THAT'S IT. YEAH. WE'LL LOOK AT I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN BE ALL PART OF ONE BID PACKAGE OR IF IT'S SEPARATE PROJECT SEPARATE. BUT, YOU KNOW, LET THE LET THE VOTE CARRY TO GET PRICES ON THAT OTHER TWO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET TO WORK ON THAT. SO IT'S KIND OF A TWO FOLD PROJECT BECAUSE YOU HAVE JAY AND HIS TEAM WORKING ON THE REMODEL CONSTRUCTION PART, AS WELL AS US TRYING TO EVALUATE STATION LOCATIONS AND WHAT THE OPTIMUM COVERAGE IS FOR THE CITIZENS. BUT WE CAN ASSESS THE NEEDS AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR. ZACH TO AND JAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SECURING A COST TO RENOVATE THE FIRE STATION AT MOUNTVILLE. AND I ALSO PART OF THIS WILL BE TO GET US SOME NUMBERS ON WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO THE REPAIRS. WHAT Y'ALL SEE AS IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED AT THE OTHER VOLUNTEER FIRE STATIONS. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? MAKE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK Y'ALL. ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM IS THEY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. SO I'LL
[V. Public Hearings]
ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE GO OUT OF REGULAR MEETING AND GO INTO PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED.DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. AUSTIN, THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST FOR 7130 HAMILTON ROAD. APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED REZONE A 1.52 ACRE PARCEL FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO AGRICULTURAL. THE BOARD OF ZONING DID REVIEW THIS APPLICATION AND WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE. THIS IS THE FIRST READING AND IT IS VOTE ELIGIBLE TODAY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ZONING MAP, THIS SMALL ACRE PARCEL, IT IS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY AG. THERE IS SOME LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DOWN THE STREET WHICH I BELIEVE IS CONSISTENT. MILLIKEN PLANT. I KNOW IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S ZONED INDUSTRIAL, BUT I PROMISE IT'S A DIFFERENT SHADE OF PURPLE. IF YOU LOOK UP FROM THAT HAMILTON ROAD, EBENEZER CHURCH ROAD, THERE IS SOME HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL LOCATED RIGHT THERE, BUT ALL THE PARCELS AROUND THIS ARE ZONED AG. HE WANTS TO REZONE THIS TO TWO AG AND THEN COMBINE IT WITH PARCEL BEHIND IT. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS BEFORE IT WAS CHANGED YEARS AGO. GOING BACK TO WHAT IT WAS, IS THIS TRACK JAMIE CLOSE TO THE CHURCH? RM IS THIS IS THIS TRACK CLOSE TO THE CHURCH DOWN THERE? NO, IT'S NOT JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM THAT CHURCH. UP AT THE CORNER UP THERE. OKAY. YOU REMEMBER YEARS AGO. DEERE PROCESSING PLANT RIGHT THERE. GOTCHA, GOTCHA. YEAH. HE HAD IT ZONED FOR THAT DEER PROCESSING PLANT. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE NOW. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. SO WE JUST WANT TO SAY THIS BACK TO THE TRACK, THE BIG TRACK. HIS PLANS ARE TO REZONE THIS BACK TO AG AND THEN ADD IT TO HIS LARGER TRACK. YEAH. AND MISSION. I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE NOW. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER
[00:15:04]
QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE'LL GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OR IN OPPOSITION TO THIS REZONING. YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORTH AND SPEAK. SO I'LL OPEN IT UP. IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORTH. ALRIGHT. HEARING NONE. IF THERE'S ANY, THEY'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION. YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORTH. OKAY. HEARING NONE. THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION REGARDING THIS REZONING OF THE PROPERTY AT 7130 HAMILTON ROAD. DO I HAVE A MOTION? WE APPROVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT APPEARS. THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE COME A PUBLIC HEARING PORTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE COME OUT OF PUBLIC HEARING, GO BACK INTO REGULAR MEETING AND ADJOURN. OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I GUESS SOMEBODY WILL BE A SECOND OUT OF THAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT.THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.