>> BALDWIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
The Board of Commissioners approved two agreements, and a grant, and heard multiple public comments in opposition to the multipurpose track around the airport at the Tuesday meeting.
Beginning the meeting, Vice-President of State Government Affairs in Georgia Deana Perry gave a kinetic update for Baldwin County regarding the State Physical Recovery Fund Broadband Grant (awarded in 2022) project.
Through this collaboration with Windstream, fiber internet gig service will be provided to more than 700 businesses, according to Perry. The total investment for the project was over $1.7 million with the state investing $842,000, Windstream investing $790,000, and the county matching $151,000.
The project is ongoing around Lake Sinclair and the Highway 22 area based on state broadband maps. Perry estimated completion by the end of March or April.
“Currently we have about 50% of the fiber placed, primarily around the Lake Sinclair area and Highway 22. As we place the fiber, we are simultaneously placing other things as well,” said Perry, when asked by a commissioner how they can be sure of the estimated completion.
Following her update, the commissioners unanimously approved the agreement for the SNAP-Ed Memorandum. According to County Manager Carlos Tobar, the agreement asks for permission to use the Thomas PD Center for the Department of Public Health to run educational programs.
The board of commissioners also unanimously approved the Community-Based Victim Grant for Georgia Porch for the amount of $81,000 from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. There is no county match for the grant and according to Assistant County Manager Dawn Hudson, this grant has been approved and has been in place for 20 years in Baldwin County.
Moving on, Hudson then explained the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan agreement to the board and asked for approval of the loan.
According to Hudson, there is a ruling from the state’s Environmental Protection Division that requires the county to do an initial service line inventory of all county water service lines by Oct. 16, 2024.
“The county has applied for and received a GEFA (Georgia Environmental Finance Authority) loan for assistance in this project of $150,000,” said Hudson. “The resolution before you (the board) approves the loan for this project. Along with this project, there is a $150,000 loan forgiveness, so the loan documents are a part of what we have to go through to get the loan forgiveness.”
The board unanimously approved the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan agreement.
The Board of Elections item on the agenda was tabled with a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Kendrick Butts opposing, and Davis stated that it may be voted on at the next public meeting. Two citizens spoke to the board regarding elections asking for a transparent process and one proposed that the board have two people on the board and three experienced members, if they do vote for the staggering elections to “begin the process of changing it over.”
Moving into the county manager’s report, Tobar stated that the county submitted three environmental documents to the Department of Natural Resources for the Land Water Conservation Fund Aquatic Center Grant and that work for the CHIP grant is ongoing. The second home was estimated to be complete by Friday and the third house by New Year’s. Bids are also going out for three new houses by the new year and applications are being prepared.
Tobar also reported that the Department of Agriculture (DOA) training was held in the government building on Oct. 10 with a focus on regulations. According to Tobar, this training had to do with animal shelters and according to DOA staff, the reporting has improved at the shelter.
“The Department of Agriculture oversees our shelter. We have to apply for a license for the number of animals that are under our control, not only the ones in the shelters but that are in foster homes as well,” said Tobar. “So, the DOA and the Board of Commissioners both oversee the animal control operations.”
Concluding the meeting, five residents living in the area of the Baldwin County Regional Airport spoke in opposition to the multipurpose track that is planned to be built. While each resident had different points of opposition, the commonalities were concerns about home values, the trail being too close to homes and going in front of homes, and invasions of privacy. Multiple speakers also noted that the community has grown significantly and changed since the initial agreement of the grant.
In a previous interview with The Baldwin Bulletin, Tobar confirmed that the path has gone through many iterations through the years and that the majority of the path is on airport property alongside the fence line. During the meeting, he emphasized that the purpose of the path is safety due to vehicle accidents and speeding issues in the area.
Tobar said that he has asked the county engineer to develop a third alteration for the path in front of the homes. He also stated that he was waiting to hold any public meetings or notify anyone until he had this alteration to show the public.
In addition, he stated that next week he is meeting with the Georgia Department of Transportation to discuss how to move forward with public meetings and the changing information.
The next Board of Commissioners meeting will be held on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.