The Baldwin County government is “having a difficult financial year,” according to a recent memo sent by County Manager Carlos Tobar to department heads.
The memo, obtained by The Baldwin Bulletin, calls for “suspending all take home vehicle privileges effective this coming Monday, March 16, 2026.” However, the vehicle policy does not apply to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Public Works Department or “on-call personnel for water and sewer” employees.
The Baldwin Bulletin reached out to Tobar for comment earlier this week. Essentially, what is causing the county government to have “a bad financial year?” Tobar did not wish to comment in depth, however, and instead pointed out that the county government currently is undergoing a forensic audit.
“The county, either through me or the (county commission) chair, will address our finances when the forensic audit is done,” he wrote.
Last fall, it came to light that the county government had fallen way behind on its SPLOST payments to the Milledgeville city government. County governments, by state law, are required to oversee the collection of sales tax revenue before distributing the predetermined share to municipalities. Last October, the county commission voted to issue a $4.8 million check to the Milledgeville city government in back SPLOST collections.
To what extent that $4.8 million payment has contributed to the county’s “tough financial year” remains uncertain.