The Board of Commissioners met Tuesday for three recognitions and to approve a long list of items on the agenda before the start of the new year.
The meeting began with Chairman Johnny Westmoreland awarding Emergency Management Director Wayne Johnson with a certificate of recognition for his efforts in Baldwin and surrounding counties during Hurricane Helene relief.
The board also recognized Westmoreland and Commissioner Henry Craig for their years of service to the Board of Commissioners. As of January, both members will be retired from the board.
Then, Baldwin County Regional Airport Manager Bruce Hood gave a short update on the airport. According to Hood, the airport has held steady traffic with 5,984 flights recorded up to November. Each year the number of flights slightly increases. The airport also increased its record of flights in a day from 37 to 38. Hood bragged on the airport’s work with youth through offering two Young Eagle Flights and working with 100 students in either aviation orientation or drone classes at Baldwin High School.
Moving into action items, the board authorized an agreement with Qualite Sports Lighting for the ballfield lights discussed at last month’s meeting. This is funded through a state grant. They also authorized tabling the agreement with Nicolasa’s Catering and Concessions, LLC for the concession stands due to the company not yet meeting qualifications with a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Kendrick Butts and Emily Davis voted against tabling the decision so as to not further postpone the concession stands.
The county received a Victims of Crime Acts Assistance grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for the Georgia PORCH (Professional Outreach and Resource Center for Healing) program that has been operating in the county for 20 years. The grant is $84,011 and requires no matching funds for the grant period of Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025. The board unanimously approved the grant.
The Environmental Protection Division requires an evaluation of lead lines in the water and sewer area. The county received an award from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority for a $700,000 loan, which was approved for 100% principal forgiveness. The board unanimously approved this loan.
“To clarify, we do not think we have lead-based lines. We have galvanized lines, and this program was for that. And there is a chance that the joints have lead, but I do not want the public to be alarmed to think we have lead pipes,” said County Manager Carlos Tobar.
A public hearing was held last week regarding the Georgia Department of Transportation airport drainage study. The county match for the study is $21,264.33 and $235,019,43 will come from the state. The county unanimously approved the study.
The county received two grants from the Georgia Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The first grant is for the Adult Workforce Program for the period of Oct. 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026 for the amount of $591,875. The second grant is for the Dislocated Workers Program for the same grant period in the amount of $557,634. Both grants were unanimously approved.
“For those of you who are not familiar with WIOA, it uses federal money that uses what these documents (in the agenda) say. We have Baldwin County citizens and the counties around us have citizens who have work issues and training issues that the federal government helps,” said Craig. “Baldwin County is the fiscal agent, which is why the grants come through here.”
The board unanimously approved the property purchase and sale agreement for property at 136 Felton Drive that was put out for bid at a previous meeting. The transaction will be closed by the end of January and the purchaser will be paying closed costs.
Closing the meeting, the board unanimously approved several items amended to the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. These approvals included:
• A small extension on the resolution on the moratorium on subdivision and commercial development to accommodate a meeting in January with the newly elected board members.
• The RAISE grant for the amount of $4,973,368 with no local match, which will replace three new bridges, create shared paths, and more in the Oconee Heights area.
• FEMA public assistance grants, which Johnson stated is asking the county to pursue reimbursement on money that was spent during the hurricane.
• The Assistance for Firefighters Grant program for the purchase of breathing apparatus for the fire department. The project cost $546,895.54 and 10% is the county’s local match.
• An amendment to increase the county fee schedule for short-term vacation rentals certificates associated with the ordinance recently created to $500.