[CALL TO ORDER ]
          [00:00:11]
          ME WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR. TUESDAY, AUGUST THE 18TH, 2026 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION. WE'RE HAPPY THAT YOU ARE HERE WITH US THIS MORNING. AND AS USUAL, WE OPEN WITH A WORD OF PRAYER. SO IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND, IF Y'ALL WOULD BOW WITH ME, OUR GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, THIS IS A NEW DAY AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO COME HERE AND GATHER AT OUR GOVERNMENT CENTER TO LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE CITIZENS. AND LORD, WE JUST ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AS WE DISCERN AND MAKE DECISIONS FOR FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. LORD, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR THE ABUNDANT SUNSHINE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US. LORD, IT'S IT'S BEEN SOME BEAUTIFUL, VERY HOT DAYS. AND SO WE WANT TO REMEMBER THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AND PRAY FOR THEM THAT COMFORT, PROTECTION DURING THIS TIME. LORD, WE ALWAYS WANT TO LIFT UP OUR OUR SERVICE WOMEN AND MEN AS THEY FIGHT AND OVERSEAS. AND WE KNOW THERE ARE CONFLICTS RAGING AT THIS MOMENT THAT YOU GIVE EXTRA PROTECTION TO THEM AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. NOW BE WITH US DURING THIS TIME AND GO WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS DAY. IN THY NAME WE DO PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. 
          [1. Discuss Approval to Sell Surplus Vehicles on GovDeals(Glenn Downs) ]
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY MANAGER. THANK YOU CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONERS. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A DISCUSSION FOR APPROVAL OF SURPLUS VEHICLES. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO GLENN DOWNS. COME UP AND DISCUSS IT. HEY. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HEY. 
          I'VE COME TODAY TO ASK FOR APPROVAL TO SELL. I'VE GOT 11 VEHICLES TOTAL TO SELL ON GOV DEALS, SURPLUS VEHICLES TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AND NO LONGER HAVE A VALUE OR NEED BY THE COUNTY. QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE VEHICLES? GLENN YOU GOT THE EVERYTHING ON HERE. WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE MODEL OF THESE VEHICLES. IS IT ON THE 2002 11 I GOT YOU I SEE IT NOW. OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF NONE, THEN WE WILL TAKE THIS MATTER UP THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT 
          [2. Discuss Request for Approval to Move Forward with the Demolition & Re-Building of a  Pedestrian Bridge(Jay Anderson & Lance Dennis) ]
UP, I'LL INVITE JAY ANDERSON TO DISCUSS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, I GUESS. AND LANCE. 
          GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. LANCE. AND I WANTED TO ADD THIS. 
          IT WAS KIND OF YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THAT WE SAID, LET'S ADD THIS TO THE AGENDA TO BRING THE COMMISSIONERS UP TO SPEED ON A ON A ISSUE WE HAVE OR A PROJECT HERE IS THAT AT THE CHRIS JOSEPH SOCCER COMPLEX, JAMES HAS IT UP HERE ON THE THE AERIAL THAT IF YOU GO FROM THE CHRIS JOSEPH SOCCER COMPLEX OVER TO WHERE THE TRACK IS, WE'RE BACK AND FORTH. THERE IS A VERY DEEP DRAINAGE DITCH IN A CREEK THERE. AND RIGHT NOW THERE IS AND HAS BEEN, I GUESS FOR 20, 25 YEARS. THERE'S A BRIDGE THAT CROSSES THAT. THAT IS A WOOD BRIDGE. IT'S EIGHT FOOT WIDE, 36FT LONG. AND THAT BRIDGE WHICH JAMES HAS PUT SOME PICTURES UP HAS, IS UNSAFE RIGHT NOW. SO WE HAVE IT CLOSED OFF. AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A SIGN UP CONES RIBBON. IT HAS TERMITE DAMAGE. IT HAS WATER DAMAGE ROT. AND SO AND THE HANDRAILS ARE FALLING OFF. THE MAIN STRUCTURAL SUPPORT BEAMS HAVE THE TERMITES AND ROT IN IT. YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT'S GOT FULL CONCRETE BULKHEADS ON EACH SIDE WHICH ARE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. THEY'RE THEY'RE PERFECTLY FINE. 
          IT'S THE BRIDGE ITSELF THAT HAS SEEN ITS BETTER DAY AND IS CURRENTLY UNSAFE, AND WE HAVE IT BLOCKED OFF. SO WE'VE BEEN REAL QUICK TRYING TO GET QUOTES AND ESTIMATES AND I GUESS OPTIONS ON HOW TO REPLACE THIS. WE GOT TWO QUOTES THAT WERE TO REPLACE IT AS BUILT, WHICH IS ALL WOOD. THERE'S THREE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT BEAMS THAT CROSS THE WHOLE THING, 36 FOOT LONG, THAT THE WAY IT'S BUILT NOW, THOSE ARE WOOD GLULAM BEAMS THAT SUPPORT THE STRUCTURE. AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S ALL WOOD DECKING, WOOD, HANDRAILS, WOOD, EVERYTHING ELSE. SO TO REPLACE THE QUOTES THAT WE GOT TO REPLACE IT WITH ALL WOOD AGAIN, AS IS WAS $47,000, RIGHT AROUND THE $47,000 MARK, OF WHICH, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE QUOTE WITH THE CONTRACTOR, THOSE GLULAM BEAMS, THOSE WOOD BEAMS ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO GET THOSE IN THAT SIZE AND HAVE THEM 36 FOOT LONG. AND SO ONE THING WE LOOKED AT WAS, WHAT IF WE GO WITH STEEL I-BEAMS? AND THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE ROTTING ISSUE EITHER IN THE 
          [00:05:05]
TERMITES AND SO FORTH. SO WE GOT QUOTE, ON THREE STEEL I-BEAMS TO REPLACE THE WOOD I-BEAMS, AND IT WAS ABOUT $10,000 CHEAPER, I BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TO GO WITH THE STEEL. 
          AND SO THE PRICE I HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, WHICH IS A NOT TO EXCEED NUMBER, AND I EVEN IN THE LAST LINE ITEM AT THE BOTTOM, PUT 45 $4,500 IN FOR UNFORESEEN OR CONTINGENCY, BUT WE END UP ABOUT THE SAME PRICE OR IT'S, IT'S A NOT TO EXCEED PRICE AND HAVE STEEL I-BEAMS INSTEAD OF WOOD. AND SO WE THINK THAT'S A BETTER OPTION TO GO TO THE STEEL. I KNOW TALKING TO SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS EARLIER, THERE WAS ALSO THE IDEA OF WHAT WOULD THE PRICE BE IF WE ELIMINATED ALL THE WOOD. AND THEN ON TOP OF THE STEEL I-BEAMS DID LIKE A CONCRETE SLAB AND METAL HANDRAILS, MAYBE BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD BE ALL CONCRETE, STEEL, METAL, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT ROTTING OR TERMITE ISSUE AT ALL AGAIN. PLUS THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS, OR SEVERAL OF THEM BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THIS AREA, AS WE KNOW, FLOODS ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. AND SO THEN THAT BRIDGE IS BASICALLY UNDERWATER AND EXPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S UNDERWATER, IT'S IN THE WATER. AND IF WE WENT WITH STEEL AND CONCRETE, THEN THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE, A LITTLE BETTER MAINTENANCE OVERALL FOR, FOR YEARS TO COME. SO I DO NOT HAVE A PRICE ON THAT. GOING WITH ALL OF THE CONCRETE AND STEEL, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AND GET THOSE PRICES IF WE NEED TO. BUT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE SITUATION WE HAVE WHERE THIS BRIDGE IS DOWN FOR NOW, IT'S IT'S OUT OF ORDER AND WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO REPLACE IT AND DO SOMETHING AT THAT SPOT. ANY QUESTIONS? I MISS ANYTHING, LANCE KNOW THE BRIDGE. THE MAIN FUNCTION IS FUNCTIONS AS THE CORRIDOR FOR OUR PARENTS. ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE GRASS FIELDS. YOU SEE, THAT'S MAINLY WHERE ALL THE OLDER CHILDREN PLAY. ALL THE YOUNGER ONES PLAY RIGHT BEHIND THE SCHOOL ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THERE. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PARENTS THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN BOTH LEAGUES AT THE SAME TIME, AND THEY'RE RUNNING BACK AND FORTH, AND WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A SUITABLE WAY FOR THEM TO GET BACK AND FORTH OTHER THAN THE BRIDGE, BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO UP ON FORT DRIVE WHERE THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS. CARS ARE PARKED ON THE SIDE. AND IT'S, IT'S NOT PART OF THE WALK ON GAME DAYS. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS USED. THAT BRIDGE IS JUST A PASS THROUGH BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO TWO SIDES OF THE. J. SINCE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A AND LOOKED AT THE CONCRETE SIDE OF IT, WHAT IS THE TIME SCHEDULE YOU. IF YOU. ON EITHER ONE. IF YOU WENT WITH BACK WITH THE PRESENTATION YOU HAVE TODAY VERSUS THE CONCRETE, THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE TODAY, WE'RE READY TO MOVE WITH. WE JUST HAVE TO ORDER THE STEEL I-BEAMS. THE CONTRACTOR IS READY. HE HAS A WINDOW FOR US, THE CONTRACTOR THAT I HAS THE LOWEST PRICE AND THE ONE THAT I MET WITH YESTERDAY ON SITE. HE ACTUALLY CAN DO THIS NEXT WEEK. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE HIM TO DO IT? I MEAN, IF HE IF HE GOT HE SAID ONE WEEK, ONE WEEK PROJECT AND THEN THE DEMOLITION LET ME AND I MIGHT HAVE SKIPPED A STEP. SORRY. THE DEMOLITION PART, OUR OWN ROADS AND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT WAS GOING TO DO THE DEMOLITION OF TAKING OUT THE CURRENT BRIDGE AND THAT THEY COULD EVEN JAMES SAID, GET THAT THIS WEEK WHERE WE COULD GET THE DEMO DONE THIS WEEK ALL PREPPED AND READY, ORDER THE STEEL I-BEAMS AND THEN THE CONTRACTOR IS READY TO ROLL. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IF WE WENT WITH THE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF YOU, WE COULD MOVE VERY, VERY, VERY QUICKLY. WELL, RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE THE BRIDGE CLOSED. IS THAT RIGHT, LANCE? YES, SIR. 
          WHY CAN'T YOU GO AHEAD AND DO THE DEMO ON IT NOW, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, AND BE AHEAD OF THE GAME ON THAT AND THEN GET AND THEN GET A PRICE ON THE CONCRETE TO SEE SEE WHAT IT WOULD BE. DO IT IN THAT DIRECTION TOO. YES, SIR. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT. YOU KNOW, WHEN SOCCER SEASON NEXT SPRING OR WHAT? NO, NO. SEPTEMBER 12TH WILL BE THE FIRST OPENING DAY. THAT'LL BE THE BIG WHEN THEY'RE REALLY GOING BACK AND FORTH IN GAMES. THEY START PRACTICES THIS WEEK. BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, LESS OF A THEY'RE NOT AS BIG A HURRY TO TRY TO GO BACK AND FORTH. AND ALL THE TIME THEY'RE. SEPTEMBER 12TH IS OPENING DAY. 
          HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO GET YOU TO THE PRICE? I YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WE, I THINK LIKE JOHN, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE OTHER PRICE BECAUSE BEING THIS IS UNDERWATER AT CERTAIN TIMES. SURE. YOU KNOW, ELIMINATE ELIMINATING ALL THE WOOD, I THINK WOULD BE A PLUS. 
          THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHEN WE SAW HOW EXPENSIVE THOSE WOOD EYE BEAMS WERE, THAT WE WERE LIKE, OH, THERE'S GOT TO BE A CHEAPER OPTION. PLUS, OH WOW, METAL WOULD BE BETTER ANYWAYS, NO TERMITES AND SO FORTH. SO ANYWAY, I KNOW THAT BOTTOM DOES FLOOD. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW FAR UP THE THAT THAT WAS ONE REASON WHY WE ADDED THIS SO QUICKLY YESTERDAY 
          [00:10:05]
TO GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW AND FOR THE INFORMATION OR WHATEVER WAS THAT, THAT IF IT WAS APPROVED WITH, SAY, A GUARANTEED NOT TO EXCEED OF 49,500, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO POTENTIALLY WAIT TO THE SEPTEMBER MEETING AND THEN WE'D BE ABLE TO POTENTIALLY HIT THE OPENING DAY BETTER. BUT I MEAN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPTION TO LOOK AT THE CONCRETE AND METAL AND JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS WASN'T A RUSH THING. 
          IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO GET THESE QUOTES THAT WE DID GET. WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR MONTHS TRYING TO GET ALL THE QUOTES BACK THAT WE COULD GET. NOW IT'S BEEN PULLING TEETH, TRYING TO GET QUOTES LATELY. AND THIS IS EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT, THIS IS A SMALL PROJECT FOR GENERAL CONTRACTORS. AND A LOT OF THEM ARE LIKE, WHAT IS IT? JUST A LITTLE BRIDGE. I, I'M TOO BUSY. I DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING FULL PROJECTS AND TO JUST DO A BRIDGE IS IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A HASSLE AND STRUGGLE JUST TO GET PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THIS. BUT, BUT WE HAVE. AND WE'VE GOT PRICING AND AT THIS PRICE. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SPENDING RIGHT HERE, I JUST THINK IT'S WORTH THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE OTHER OPTION THOUGH. YES SIR. TO DO AWAY WITH THE WOOD. YES SIR. AND IT MIGHT BE TOO HIGH. 
          I MEAN IT MAY BE OUT OF SIGHT, YOU KNOW, BUT I NEED TO LOOK AT IT. WELL, THE CONTRACTOR, THE ONE CONTRACTOR WHO BROUGHT THAT UP AS AN OPTION FELT LIKE IT'D BE PRETTY SIMILAR. I MEAN, THEY FELT LIKE IT WOULD. AND ONCE THEY RUN THE NUMBERS, IT COULD BE DIFFERENT, BUT THEY FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE PRETTY SIMILAR. BUT SINCE I WAS GETTING QUOTES, I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE QUOTES I HAD WERE APPLES TO APPLES THAT EVERYONE WAS QUOTING THE SAME THING. AND SO THAT'S WHY I KIND OF STEPPED STUCK TO MY GUNS OF STEEL I-BEAMS. BUT WOULD THE REST SO THAT IT WAS ALL APPLES TO APPLES. BUT I CAN CERTAINLY ASK THEM TO QUOTE THE THE OTHER OPTION. I JUST THINK GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION WITH ALL STEEL IN CONCRETE, NOBODY IN THIS ROOM HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AGAIN. YOU KNOW. THAT'S CORRECT. BUT WE AGAIN, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF OUR SITUATION. THE LAST FOUR MONTHS. HE WON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. WELL THEN ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO LOOK AT PUTTING SOME OF THE COMPOSITE BOARD FOR THE DECKING ON THE BRIDGE. RIGHT. ALSO, YOU COULD GO WITH A TREX PRODUCT OR SOMETHING SOME DEGREE RATHER THAN REPLACING IT WITH WOOD. IF YOU HAD TO, WOULDN'T THAT BE A MAYBE A BETTER OPTION? WELL, IT WOULD BE, BUT IT DRIVE THIS PRICE UP. OH I KNOW, YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE MORE. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IF THE CONCRETE AND STEEL, IF THEY COME CLOSE TO THIS I MEAN IT'D BE WORTH. 
          CORRECT. GOOD OPTIONS. YES. BUT WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. 
          RIGHT. BELIEVE ME, JAMES HAS LOOKED AT IT. WE'VE LOOKED AT IT, WE'VE ALL BEEN OUT THERE AND LOOKED AT IT. IT'S, IT'S UNSAFE THE WAY IT IS NOW. JAMES. IS IT, IS IT TOO TOO MUCH WATER FOR US PIPING YOU KNOW, TO CULVERT THAT I THINK YOU'D SPEND A WHOLE LOT MORE TO CONVERT FROM A BRIDGE TO SOME KIND OF A CULVERT. YES. I THINK IT'S IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO DO MORE LIKE OF A CULVERT TYPE SITUATION WITH A DRAINAGE THIS SIZE. I THINK YOU WOULD SPEND MUCH MORE MONEY ON A, ON A CULVERT, YOU WOULD ON A, ON A SMALL BRIDGE. RIGHT. SO WHAT I THINK I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND GET SOME OTHER PRICING ON THE OTHER OPTION AND THEN REPORT BACK TO US. YES, SIR. NEXT MEETING? YES. FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER. 
          OKAY. AND THAT'LL THAT'S FINE WITH YOU. GOOD. LANCE. WILL THAT WORK, YOU THINK? YEAH. 
          WE'LL JUST HAVE TO, OF COURSE, GET AROUND IT EITHER WAY, WE JUST HAVE TO. IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO GO AHEAD AND DEMO THE BRIDGE SO THAT WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE CLIMBING OVER THOSE THINGS AND GOING ACROSS IT ANYWAY. SO GO AHEAD AND DEMO. THE FOOTING PART IS FAIRLY SAFE. 
          IT'S JUST THE RAIL PART, ALL THAT, AND IT'S JUST STARTING TO LEAN ON THE RAIL AND. ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEMO JAMES YOU THINK? ALRIGHT, OKAY, WELL WE'LL HOPEFULLY SEE Y'ALL AT THE NEXT MEETING THEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU FOR THE 
          [3. Consideration of Appointment of County Attorney(Patrick Crews) ]
FINAL ITEM. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CHAIRMAN. I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT WELL SCRIPTED Y'ALL. AFTER A LONG, LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR PRESENT ATTORNEYS THAT WE HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF TRYING TO SELECT A NEW FIRM TO REPRESENT THE THE COUNTY, AND SO WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH A PROCESS. WE REACHED OUT, YOU KNOW, GREAT MIND WORKS REALLY GOOD. SO MOST EVERYBODY IN TOWN KNEW THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO 
          [00:15:05]
INTERVIEW OR DISCUSS, HAVE PRESENTATIONS FROM ATTORNEY GROUPS. AND SO WE CONDUCTED, I THINK IT WAS FIVE INTERVIEWS. AND SO WE HAVE COME TO A DECISION. WE WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY FIRM THAT WE HAVE SELECTED. AND IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, WE WE'RE GOING TO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION ON THAT MATTER. BUT I THINK FIRST, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM IN A FEW MOMENTS, BUT I THINK FOR ME, IT'S MOST APPROPRIATE RIGHT NOW THAT I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT'S IN THE ROOM, THEIR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE COUNTY TO PROTECT US. I DON'T THINK FOLKS REALIZE OR MAYBE CAN APPRECIATE HAVING GOOD LEGAL ADVICE, WHAT THAT CAN MEAN FOR YOU, I WAS WATCHING ON THE NEWS YESTERDAY AND A COMMUNITY WAS BEING SUED FOR SEVERAL, SEVERAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR A DECISION THEY HAD MADE. AND THAT'S A PART OF OUR LIFE. IT'S A IT'S YOU COULD ALWAYS HAVE THAT SITUATION HAPPEN. BUT CERTAINLY WHEN YOU ONCE YOU GO INTO LITIGATION, IT CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE CITIZENS. IT CAN BE LONG AND DRAWN OUT, AND IT ALSO CAN SUCK UP A LOT OF ENERGY THROUGH THOSE YEARS OF LITIGATION. BUT THIS MORNING WE HAD THE TWO GENTLEMEN, MARC DE JANEIRO. MARC, PLEASE STAND FOR A MOMENT. I'LL. MATT OFFERED. THESE TWO GENTLEMEN REPRESENT A LAW FIRM THAT HAVE GIVEN OVER 54 YEARS OF ADVICE AND SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE KNOW THAT MR. WILLIS, THAT WAS THE LONG TIME COUNTY ATTORNEY, SERVED FOR 53 YEARS IN THAT POSITION. THAT IS BASICALLY UNHEARD OF IN TODAY'S WORLD. AND SO IT IS WITH A LOT OF GRATITUDE THAT WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND WHAT Y'ALL HAVE MEANT TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND AND WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. I'M GOING TO A STANDING OVATION. 
          AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW HOW LAWYERS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A WORD, I'LL GIVE YOU THE MICROPHONE. IF YOU DON'T, I WILL SAY A VERY BRIEF FEW WORDS. 
          AND AND I DOUBT THAT MR. ALFORD CAN RESIST SAYING A FEW WORDS. I'M SURE YOU WOULD WANT TO. 
          I'LL BE REAL SHORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE KIND WORDS. IT HAS BEEN OUR ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH FOR JERRY. OVER 50 YEARS I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY FOR 35 YEARS, AND OVER THAT TIME I. EVERY MEMBER OF OUR FIRM HAVE DEVELOPED FRIENDSHIPS, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH MANY, MANY PEOPLE, EMPLOYEES, OFFICIALS, PAST AND CURRENT. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ON A PERSONAL LEVEL HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE OUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION MAY BE AND TRANSITIONING AS PART OF A VERY, VERY COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT DECISION THAT THOSE FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS DO NOT END, WE ARE HERE IN. I'VE TOLD MYSELF I WOULDN'T GET EMOTIONAL, SO I'M GOING TO STOP NOW. TURN IT OVER TO THE. MR. RALPH. THIS MIGHT BE A RECORD. I MIGHT BE QUICKER THAN MARK. MR. COMMISSIONER, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THOSE KIND WORDS. AS WE'VE EXPRESSED TO EACH OF Y'ALL, OUR FIRM'S DECISION TO END OUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE COUNTY AFTER 54 YEARS OF SERVICE WAS NOT MADE LIGHTLY. 
          IT WAS MADE AFTER CAREFUL CONSULTATION AMONG THE PARTNERS AND WITH A LOT OF PRAYER. AND I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ACTING VERY SWIFTLY TO SECURE A SUCCESSOR COUNSEL AND FOR YOUR COURTESY AND PROFESSIONALISM THAT YOU'VE SHOWN US SINCE WE INFORMED YOU OF THIS DECISION BACK IN JUNE. WE WE ARE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR OUR LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH TROUP COUNTY, FOR THE CONFIDENCE PLACED IN US BY SUCCESSIVE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY LEADERSHIP, AND FOR THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WE'VE BUILT OVER THE YEARS WITH INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, CHAIRMAN AND JUST GENERATIONS OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WE'VE ALWAYS REGARDED OUR ROLE AS ONE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AS MUCH AS LEGAL REPRESENTATION, AND WE'RE JUST SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SERVED THE INSTITUTION OF TROUP COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY. WE THANK YOU AND WE 
          [00:20:04]
WISH YOU WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK PERSONALLY. THANK YOU ALL TO MARK AND MATT. IF JERRY WAS HERE, I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING TO JERRY. KNOWING THESE TWO YOUNG MEN RIGHT HERE, I CALL YOUNG MEN FROM WHERE I SIT IN MY SEAT AND KNOWING MR. JERRY WILLIS SINCE 1967, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR FOR ME AS A COMMISSIONER TO SIT HERE WITH Y'ALL'S REPRESENTATION. WELL, THANK THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. I THOUGHT MAYBE I'D GET SOMEBODY BACK FROM 54 YEARS TO SPEAK, BUT I'M NOT SURE THERE'S ANYBODY LIVING FROM 54 YEARS AGO WHEN Y'ALL WERE HIRED TO SPEAK. YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE DOWN. THAT WAS NOT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT DECISION. YEAH, YEAH. LET ME CLARIFY. I WOULD BE IN THAT ROUTE TO THAT WAS IN THAT DECISION. YEAH. I'M SORRY, MATT, I CUT YOU OFF. YOU SAY SOMETHING, WE WILL TALK. WE TALKED TO JERRY YESTERDAY. HE WAS DOING FOUR YEARS AGO. YEAH. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. WELL, WE THANK Y'ALL AGAIN VERY MUCH. AND I THINK AS AS Y'ALL SAID, Y'ALL ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE LONG STANDING FRIENDSHIPS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING Y'ALL AROUND THE COMMUNITY AS WE GO. SO THANK Y'ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. NOW. SO WE TURN THE PAGE A LITTLE BIT. AND THIS MORNING I HAVE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AFTER A SEARCH AND DISCUSSION DISCUSSIONS WITH WITH LOCAL ATTORNEY, THOSE FROM OUT OF TOWN, WE WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT TIE SINGER VANCE, P.C. AS A AS THE NOMINEE FOR OUR NEXT LEGAL FIRM. I WILL SAY TO YOU THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 100 YEARS. OKAY. THEY'RE LOCATED OUT OF CARROLLTON, GEORGIA. THEY HAVE A VAST EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. BUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS IS VERY IMPORTANT. 
          YOU KNOW, I TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO KIND OF EDUCATE EVERYONE THAT THE COUNTY IS AN EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT. AND SO WHEN YOU GO, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU LEGAL REPRESENTATION, YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH SOMEONE THAT HAS EXPERIENCE IN THAT PARTICULAR PRACTICE OF LAW, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT WE DEAL WITH, AND KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING STATE LAW IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. SO THEY HAVE THEY HAVE VAST EXPERIENCE IN THAT. AND SO WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE AFTER TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE WAY WE DO OUR PROCESSES HERE IN TROUP COUNTY, THAT WE FEEL LIKE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE AND AND GIVE GREAT LEGAL ADVICE TO THE TO THE CURRENT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND THOSE THAT COME AFTER US. SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE THEM TO MAKE THAT SELECTION. 
          WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE AVERY JACKSON, NICOLE SMITH WITH US THIS MORNING TO THE ATTORNEYS THAT WILL BE WORKING WITH US. AND AS THEY SAID, WE HAVE TWO HERE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE TIMES THAT ONE CAN'T BE HERE. AND. BUT THE OTHER ONE WILL. AND AS MUCH AS MARC AND JERRY. 
          TAG TEAM FOR SO LONG, MATT PITCHED. HE HAD A COUPLE OF TIMES FOR US THERE. WE HAVE. WE HAVE A TAG TEAM HERE THAT WILL WORK ON US AND THEY HAVE, I MEAN, WORK FOR US. AND THEY ALSO HAVE A VERY STRONG FIRM THAT I THINK DID WE SAY ABOUT 16 ATTORNEYS THAT WORK IN YOUR FIRM? SO A LOT OF THE SOME OF THE AREAS OF LAW THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO GO OUTSIDE FOR NOW, THEY MIGHT THEY WILL HAVE SOMEONE INTERNALLY THAT CAN HELP US. SO, SO THIS MORNING, THAT IS A CONSIDERATION. AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO THE APPROVAL OF THE FIRM OF THAI SINGER AND VANCE PC AS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. SO MOVE A MOTION. SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. SO NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY WITH AVERY. WOULD YOU OR NICOLE LIKE TO SAY A WORD? SURE. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY MOVING FORWARD. AND YOU KNOW, WE GOT BIG SHOES TO FILL, AND WE HOPE WE CAN DO AS MAYBE AS GOOD A JOB AS THE TWO PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE US. AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'VE REALLY SERVED THE CITIZENS AND THE COUNTY WELL, AND WE JUST HOPE TO FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND TRY TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NICOLE. I ALWAYS TELL EVERYONE THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLIENTS ARE MY FAVORITE CLIENTS. SO I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOU ALL AND WITH YOUR STAFF. THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE BEST PEOPLE TO WORK WITH. SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I WILL SAY TO YOU THAT MOST EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM THIS MORNING IS A 
          [00:25:01]
DEPARTMENT HEAD IN THE COUNTY, SO THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY. SOME OF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THEM ON YOUR WAY OUT. THAT'LL BE FINE. BUT IT'S HOME FOLKS WITH US HERE THIS MORNING WE HAD A MOTION AND THE VOTE WAS APPROVED. AND SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR WORK SESSION FOR THIS MORNING. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US AT FIVE. THANK YOU. 
          MEETING
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.