Despite the continued protest from Commissioner Nancy Schulz, District 3, the Board of Commissioners approved the September check register, 3-1. Commissioner John Douglas, District 1, who was not present due to illness, told Commissioner Levie Maddox, District 5, that he would join Schulz in voting against approval.
Schulz has not approved the check register in recent months in protest against not having a scope of work with the county attorney, W. T. “Tommy” Craig. The scope would specify the requirements, milestones, deliverables, end products, documents and reports the attorney would be expected to provide the county.
“I know this has been a matter for some time,” said Maddox, adding they needed to ask for a scope of work and have it brought back to the BOC in a month. “My point is this is a topic the commissioners and board need resolution on.”
“Until we do have that scope of work, I will continue to vote ‘no’ on approving the check register,” Schulz said, reminding the board she still had concerns about the lack of detailed invoices for September and the amount — $92,140 — billed that month. The bill included $17,698 for the Bear Creek Reservoir project and $18,000 for 81.8 hours spent on communication and conferences.
“I think there are areas where we should not be asking the legal department for help or information,” said Commissioner Lanier Sims, District 2, “and there are areas we should ask. I think [legal] does do a great job when we ask them to do something.”
Though the checks are dispersed when payment is due, legally the BOC needs to approve the register.
District Attorney Layla Zon appeared before the BOC to request permission to adjust her office’s budget to expand the Victim Services Assistance program. The amount, $9,187, is the 20 percent match for a Victims of Crime Act Grant to pay for salary and benefits for a Victim Services Assistant position.
The program is mandated by the state’s Crime Victim’s Bill of Rights law, and expansion of the program would allow the DA’s Office to provide more immediate contact with victims in cases of pre-trial release, conditions of bonds, local services and their rights as a victim of crime.
Currently, Zon said there was a gap between the victim is seen by the sheriff’s office or police departments and when the case arrives at the DA’s office. “Victims and witnesses may be severely traumatized,” she said. “When we get these cases through law enforcement, we’re already trying to catch up.
“We’re at a critical need, not just because of the state laws about victim rights, but since 2003, we took over assisting victims and witnesses filing temporary protective orders,” she said.
Zon said that the number of people assisted by Victim Services Assistants rose from 413 in 2012 to 485 so far in 2015.
She told the board the grant moved through quickly and she needed to amend the DA’s budget. An assistant district attorney is now working in Walton County, and his salary is no longer being supplemented by Newton County, leaving money for employees’ salaries and benefits in the budget.
She also anticipates the state will renew the grant for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.
The BOC approved the request, 4-0.
It also approved the acquisition of five pieces of property for $162,999, paid for out of the 2011 SPLOST funds, to create parks in District 4. The properties are:
• .20 acres located on W. Usher Street, $5,000;
• .28 acres, also on W. Usher Street, for $23,999;
• 11.03 acres on Brown Bridge Road, $113,000;
• .047 acres on Dinah Circle, $21,000; and
• 23.15 in the Victoria Station subdivision, leased to the county for 25-years, $0
The BOC also approved, 4-0, a $100,000 allocation to the city of Oxford to build a park, which Chair Keith Ellis said would be a beautiful park located off Highway 81 adjacent to a historic cemetery.
In other business, the BOC:
• Heard a report from Aaron Wadley, Director of Transportation, recommending the county invest $400,000 of its SPLOST funds in repairing bridges and culverts in the county, and $800,000 in repaving roads. Wadley said many of the bridges are failing, which could make it difficult for school buses and fire trucks to use safely.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU), pending the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) approval, to enter into an agreement with the National Ocean Service (NOS), Office for Coastal Management, NOAA and Newton County for Geographic Information System (GIS) aerial photography and geospatial services and data of the county. The $30,690 cost will be divided between the county, (40 percent), the city of Covington (30 percent) and the Newton County Water and Authority Board (30 percent).
• Heard a report from Ellis on the impact of the county’s hiring freeze on Public Works Department. Ellis said they will be reorganizing the department to see how many employees are needed to adequately serve the county.
• Approved the installation of an information kiosk adjacent to Chimney Park’s Eastside Trail.
• Approved the SPOLST appropriation to pay of existing lease debt for the landfill.
• Approved the purchase of an 18 to 20 passenger bus for transporting senior citizens.
