>> COMMISSIONERS
The Board of Commissioners held a regular board meeting, following a public hearing, on Sept. 15.
Beginning the meeting, commissioners unanimously approved Commissioner Henry Craig’s resolution for the improvement of mental health.
In May, Craig was sworn in as president of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and, as part of his position, created a Mental Health Task Force within the ACCG. In a previous interview with The Baldwin Bulletin, Craig stated mental health care has been a financial crisis for many counties and a safety risk throughout the state, which is why advocacy is so important.
According to Craig, he expects all 159 counties to agree with the resolution.
“The Association of County Commissioners of Georgia has urged all counties to approve this resolution. When we (Baldwin County) approve this resolution, we will be the first in the state to approve it,” said Craig. “The resolution urges the governor and the general assembly of Georgia to continue efforts to reform and improve mental health services for the citizens of Georgia.”
An agenda item regarding appointing William H. Smith as the alternative hearing officer for conflicting matters with the primary hearing officer was passed by a 3-2 vote. The appointment was denied being tabled in a prior motion despite commissioners Kendrick Butts and Emily Davis offering concerns. Both were concerned about a local attorney conducting the hearings due to biases and potential conflicts of interest viewed on his resume.
Moving into fiscal matters, the FY 2025 Transit Application was passed by a 4 to 1 vote. Commissioner Sammy Hall stated that the transit system was a “waste of taxpayer dollars” and he found it to be “terribly inefficient.”
He suggested the system needs more vehicles or to review the cost to make it more effective. County Manager Carlos Tobar stated that more riders equals a low operating cost and stated that Baldwin County is “as efficient as we (Baldwin County) can make it.” According to Tobar, based on previous reviews, the lowest transit system was at $10 and Baldwin County is currently at $11.
“The way I see it, it’s a bad solution but the only solution,” said Craig, explaining why he was voting for the application to pass. “We have no alternative.”
The commissioners unanimously approved an alcohol license for Family Dollar, at 355 Allen Memorial Dr., to retail package beer and/or wine.
Concluding agenda items, the board accepted Tobar’s recommendations for Tina Behne (two-year term), Cynthia Edwards (four-year term), and Amy Raburn (four-year term) to be on the Land Bank Authority Board.
The commissioners also unanimously agreed for commissioner Kendrick Butts to represent them on the board for a two-year term.
Concluding the meeting, Tobar gave updates on county projects. Storm drainpipes were replaced in the Allenwood Subdivision and the Coopers water line replacement project was completed. The Flock safety camera budget was approved last Friday, and the county is proceeding with procurement for 20 additional cameras.
Work started on Sept. 11 for the rehabilitation of three homes through the Community Home Investment Program and inspections for the next three houses have been completed. A community partner awarded the inspected homes with weatherization grants to install HVAC systems into the homes so the county can stay under budget.
The next board meeting will be Oct. 3 at 6 p.m., following a public hearing at 5 p.m.