Repairs and Project Updates Topped Treutlen County Board of Commissioners Meeting

Two young members of the community took part in the regular scheduled monthly meeting of the Treutlen County Board of Commissioners on April 6, 2026. Caleb Ring, 8th Grader and 4-H member, delivered the meeting’s invocation, and Oliver Daughtry, 7th grader and member of Scout Troup 65, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Board Chairman Phillip Jennings thanked both students and their parents for attending as well as encouraged the two students to stay involved in civic and community activities.

For the first order of business, County Manager Joseph Glenn gave project updates and stated, “It hasbeen a busy month, but a lot has been done.”

Projects that have been fully completed include the installation of new toilets and baby changing station in the annex bathroom, panic buttons have been installed in several annex offices as well as security alarms. The chain link fence at the animal shelter has been repaired, a leaking air conditioning unit in the library has been repaired, and a new vehicle for the Fire Chief has been ordered.

Projects nearing completion include the upgrading of annex signage, acquisition of tracker quotes, and completing the installation of panic buttons and cameras in the courthouse and annex. Rick's Glass gave an estimate of $14,300 to repair three doors, two front and one side door at the 4-H office and annex building.

The County Manager attended a Community Block Development Grant Recovery Workshop in Douglas, and from that meeting developed a grant funding policy that will be needed when applying for future grant funding and submitted the policy for Board review.

Treutlen County was awarded a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council grant that would provide tools for deputies, lights for the Emergency Management Agency, and stationary lights for the Dive Team. The Dive Team will also be receiving a new boat paid for from a previously approved grant. The boat will arrive before summer.

The fire alarms at the annex are outdated and need to be replaced. Two quotes for a complete redo of the system that would include fire protection services have been received by the Commissioners with costs estimates ranging from $19,000.00 to $24,000.00. Chairman Jennings asked for one more quote and suggested, “Go through Southeast, [Southeast Fire and Alarm Co.] like we have at the jail. This may save us some money.”

The Treutlen Health Department’s air conditioning unit needs is in need of replacement and the board immediately approved an expenditure of $8900 to replace the three-and-a-half-ton unit. The money to cover the cost would come from the 2019 SPLOST fund. The County is under a service contract with Rivers Heating and Air of Vidalia and they were approved to do the replacement.

According to County Manager Glenn, Engine Four fire truck has been repaired. The initial quote was $4,500.00 but the invoice came in at $5,489.00. This amount according to Glenn was “in budget and accounted for on the maintenance side.”

Manager Glenn presented the board with a quote for proposed tracking devices to be placed on county vehicles and equipment.

FirstNet, who also provides the county’s government phone services, quoted $719.00 a month for 40 tracking devices with no extra fees, which Glenn considered “very reasonable.' Chairman Jennings suggested the county phase the trackers in by testing them on administrative vehicles first. “We could phase it in through a couple of departments, make sure we understand how it works, or even just put it on the administrative vehicles,” said Jennings. “Just our vehicles to start out with, and then we can kind of understand the program, see how it works, and then if we want to expand, we can do that too.” continued from page

A motion to approve the purchase of up to 40 trackers to be implemented as Chairman Jennings suggested was made by Commissioner Rodney Meeks and passed unanimously.

The County Manager concluded his report by stating future project updates would be summarized in an email to the board.

Chairman Jennings spoke about an opening with the Region 5 Emergency Medical Services Council but determined since more information was needed, the matter should be put on the agenda for the next month’s meeting. Region Five Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council advises the Georgia Department of Public Health in regards to Emergency Medical Services system operations and regulation, including licensing for Emergency Medical Technicians. This agency oversees EMS services for the county.

The Commissioners opened two bids for curbside trash pick-up services, one from Ryland Environmental, which currently serves Treutlen County, and another from Amwaste. Ryland's bid is based on a 95-gallon cart at a charge of $27 per can per month with an extra $13 for additional cans if Ryland billed the customers directly. If customer billing is handled by the county, the charge would be $24 per can and $13 per additional can. For roll off prices per haul and per ton, Ryland proposed a charge of $175 per haul and $35 per ton. The company would also charge $5 per cubic yard for commercial dumpsters. Amwaste’s proposal showed the company would charge $16.25 per can per month and $8 per additional can and a rate for roll off service of $375 per haul and $35 per ton. These prices were based on billing done by the county They would not impose an extra fuel surcharge.

The board felt they needed more time to review both bids further and, in more detail, therefore they chose not to make a decision during the night’s regular meeting instead deciding to meet again on Wednesday April 8 at 4 p.m. to discuss and consider the proposals. “I think [it] would be wise to our constituents to do that,” said Jennings. Representatives from both Ryland Environmental and Amwaste were invited to attend the April 8 meeting.

The Financial Report showed the following balances as of April 2026: General Fund $911,000.00, Certificate of Deposit $426,000.00, Local Maintenance Grant $794,000.00, 2019 SPLOST $280,000.00, 2025 SPLOST $536,000.00, Crime Victims Assistance Fund $252,000.00, Drug Abuse Treatment Education $27,487.00, Federal Drug Seizure Fund $40,000.00 State Drug Seizure $10,000 00, E-911 $461,000.00, Jail Reserve $56,000.00, Treutlen/Wheeler Landfill, $9,700.00, T-SPLOST $415,000.00 The next meeting of the Treutlen County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 6 p.m.