MoCo Commission Handles Regular Business at September Meeting
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During the September 8 meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, the commissioners handled several regular business items, such as purchases and authorizations, while also hearing reports from the county’s development authority and EMS service.
Purchasing equipment was a popular topic for the Montgomery County Commissioners during the meeting, as the Board discussed the purchase of a skidsteer and utility tractor purchase.
During the discussion, Commissioner Leland Adams motioned that the commissioners purchase a Kubota Skidsteer SVL97 from Shea Tractor for $102,238. Commission Vice Chairman Clarence Thomas seconded the motion, which failed, as Chairwoman Ginger Morris and Commissioners Jimmy “Pedro” Sharpe and Amie Vassey opposed the purchase. Vassey suggested that the commissioners table the purchase until the next meeting, but Thomas replied that the purchase needed to be made soon because of the impending hurricane season, while Adams stated that he feared the bids would be outdated if they prolonged the decision. Vassey asked the men if the county had sufficient equipment to get through hurricane season, and the commissioners stated that they did not have the necessary equipment for hurricane season, as they had to rent equipment during the Hurricane Helene clean-up last year.
Sharpe motioned that the commissioners purchase a CAT skidsteer from Yancey Brothers Inc.; the motion passed on a 3-2 vote, with Adams and Vassey opposing the purchase. The skidsteer was expected to be delivered within the month.
The commissioners also discussed the purchase of a utility tractor, which is used to mow grass on county right of ways, but ultimately decided to table the matter, as suggested by Thomas who stated that the County would not be able to receive or utilize the tractor before the mowing season was over. Vassey agreed with this sentiment and suggested that the County look into hiring contractors to complete the work.
Commissioners authorized a 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for county employee’s pay, after the motion passed on a 4-1 vote, with Vassey opposing.
The County will now receive a payout through an opiod settlement after commissioners authorized the County’s participation in the agreement. Several years ago, the County joined with several other counties to become a part of several lawsuits against opiod providers. One of these lawsuits has reached a settlement and claims will now be dispersed. The exact dispersion date for that funding has not been disclosed.
Commissioners authorized the County to participate in the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) program for all first responders, firemen, and 911 dispatchers. This PTSD program is required by law and only ACCG is authorized to provide the program in the region. The program will serve 65 public servants within the county.
The old County fire truck, which was once used by the Montgomery State Prison inmate fire and rescue team, was authorized to be sold to the Higgston Fire Department for $500 with the understanding that the Department would be responsible for moving the truck and handling all of its future expenses. “The strength in this is that the truck is staying in the County and will still be used here,” Sharpe emphasized.
Reports
Montgomery County Development Authority Director Michael Stanley addressed the commissioners at the meeting, as he shared that he has been settling into the new position and has even been in talks with private companies in attempt to improve economic development in the county.
When asked his vision for the development authority and the county, Stanley explained, “To be completely blunt, the way that I see it is Montgomery County has missed some opportunities where we could have done some different things and been in a different space than we are, but really and truly, I don’t think that really matters because there’s nothing we can do to change that. I think what we need to focus on at this moment is doing what we can with what we already have because realistically, I don’t believe we are going to be able to walk into some meetings and offer some of the things that surrounding areas can offer yet. We have some ways to build to get to that point. But I think there is definitely opportunity that we can try to entice some of those smaller things that we have missed in the past.”
He continued, “I think that the people of Montgomery County – especially those that have businesses – historically have always had the impression that they had to go somewhere else; and I think that it is our responsibility – meaning, us as the Development Authority, you all as commissioners, and all of the cities – it’s our responsibility to try to do what we can to make that worthwhile to them and try to provide that environment of profitability that they might not realize that’s here. I think that we have to get past the comparison mindset of everywhere else that we’re not at yet, and have to [utilize what resources we do have] and build on that. I think that we will be surprised at in 10-15 years how much we can accomplish.”
Vassey agreed with Stanley, and thanked him for attending the meeting. She told him that she had noticed empty buildings and storefronts within the county and encouraged him to focus on small business development.
Stanley shared that he feels that small businesses and industry go hand-inhand, as no industry will enter an area where its workers do not want to live. He stated that he is working to find industry for the county but also to build small businesses in the meantime, and is trying to find balance between the two.
Morris agreed with both individuals, as she explained that small businesses and cities should have long range and short range goals, as she encouraged him to meet with the cities within the county to begin planning how to increase business in the county.
In addition to Stanley, Toombs-Montgomery EMS Director Drew James also addressed commissioners at the meeting, as he informed the Board that falls, heat-related emergencies, and respiratory issues were the ambulance service’s top complaints for the month.
James told the commissioners that the Brewton Parker Christian University nursing program had teamed up with the local EMS group, as Toombs- Montgomery EMS would be providing the nursing students with a first responder mental health program and CPR certification. He stated that in the future, the partnership hoped to include a ride-along program, where nursing students were able to join paramedics and EMTs for some shifts.
Public Comments
During the public comments segment of the meeting, citizen Linda Page thanked County Attorney Ron Daniels for utilizing his microphone during the meeting, as she said, “Thank you for using your microphone. We have a few who have a complete disdain to the point of great disrespect for the voters and the citizens of this county by refusing to use a microphone.”
She referred to a previous meeting, during which she said that Commissioner Thomas had prevented Commissioner Vassey from discussing a matter. “In the last meeting, there was something voted upon, and Clarence Thomas thwarted Commissioner Vassey by not letting her continue the discussion because he said in all his Godly wisdom that you did not discuss before you voted. I have talked to at least 25 people in different counties that meet in these same kinds of meetings and he is wrong. Why would you vote and then discuss? Why would you discuss and then you vote? Well, it’s called discussion for a dang reason. Everyone up here has a right – every commissioner up here that was voted on by the voters, the citizens of this county. Someone who refuses to even turn his microphone on thwarted Commissioner Vassey from getting her thoughts across, not that it would have been listened to, especially on one side of this seating arrangement. That is not okay,” she said.
Page continued, “This is my county. This is your county – everybody here. This is our county. It is not okay for you to thwart a vote – a discussion about something that should be allowed – a thorough discussion that affects all of us in this county. It has happened for too long, too often, and too few of people have run this county. And it is not okay.”
Thomas responded to the claims, as he remarked, “I try to get along with everybody. I talked to Amie afterwards. And for you to lie and say that I broke the law – that was wrong. You slandered somebody for that. All I said was that there was a motion and a second and you have to act upon it. That’s all I said.”
Adjournment
The commissioners entered an executive session to discuss personnel but soon returned to the meeting and stated no action was taken during the session. The meeting was promptly adjourned.
