The Liberty County Board of Commissioners on Thursday passed a resolution to accept the Fleming and Lake George fire stations for county management.
Director of Liberty County’s Emergency Management Agency Mike Hodges presented the resolution, which will help in lowering the county’s overall ISO rating.
"The fire plan actually contemplated, somewhere down the road, that those two stations might merge, so this is in keeping with the fire plan and actually, I think, will help overall," County Administrator Joey Brown said.
"This is one step closer toward what we are trying to establish as a countywide fire service," Commissioner Marion Stevens said.
The commission also heard a special recognition presented by state Reps. Al Williams, D-Midway, and Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, who also serves as chair of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
"We wanted to come and do a resolution from the State House commending the life of (former state Rep. Joe E. Brown)," Williams said. "We’ve done a resolution for the highway; this one is commending his life and what he did for Liberty County — and I want you to know, a lot it was."
Williams was referencing last Saturday’s ceremony dedicating a piece of I-95 to Brown’s memory.
"His legacy will live on an awful long time," Williams said.
The commission also heard from Valeria Latson and Carrie Washington of the Telamon Corporation, which works in conjunction with the Youth Workforce Investment Act to provide "education, training, and employment opportunities for low-income youth," according to a handout distributed by Latson and Washington.
They informed the board that the WIA youth program is open to individuals aged 14-21 who meet certain other criteria.
Program services include tutoring, paid and unpaid work experiences, occupational-skills training, supportive services and adult mentoring, according to the handout.
Latson and Washington said that the program is currently recruiting. Interested persons can call 912-877-5500 or visit their offices at 139 M.L. King Jr. Drive in Hinesville for more information.
Other business
In other business, the commission:
• approved a motion to reject a bid regarding exit 76 improvements that was $305,089.76 over the budget estimate of $225,000. The board decided to rebid the project based on a recommendation from P.C. Simonton and Associates project engineer Marcus Sack.
• approved a motion to allow right-of-way easement along Sunbury Road for the installation of a high-pressure gas line to Tradeport East. According to Brad Beckman of Atlanta Gas Light, the project is slated for completion in December.
• heard an update on the county’s rural water system from Matthew Barrow of P.C. Simonton and Associates. Barrow said the first customers could be online as soon as Oct. 1.