At the July Long County Commission meeting, members from the Liberty County Tax Assessor’s Office met with the commissioners to discuss concerns about some of the lines drawn between the two counties. 

According to the Liberty County representatives, some of the population numbers from the census could be inaccurate due to this possible error.

When the 2010 Census numbers were released in March, Long County’s population was shown to have risen from 10,304 in 2000 to 14,464 in 2010, an increase of 40.3 percent. Liberty County’s population went from 61,610 to 63,453 for a 2.9 percent increase. 

Georgia’s total population rose from 8,186,453 to 9,687,653 for an increase of 18.3 percent.

The commission decided it would meet with Long County Tax Assessor Beverly Johnson to clear up the issue.   

In other business, commissioners:

• Agreed to set up a meeting with Long County Sheriff Cecil Nobles to finalize the county’s wrecker ordinance.

• Noted that the final deadline for county residents to have their homes properly addressed is Aug. 1.

• Agreed that fines regarding animal control and littering now will be collected at the commissioner’s office instead of the magistrate court office.

• Reappointed Art Carter to the library board.

• Agreed to begin budget work sessions/public hearings.

• Agreed to review the manner in which the county’s appointments to the board of elections are made.

• Heard a presentation by Long County resident Tommy Houston, who said he opposes the expansion of the Townsend Bombing Range in the county. He said that if it occurs, larger landowners then would be forced to bear a larger proportion of the county’s tax burden.

• Heard a complaint from Road Department Superintendent Wilfred Morris regarding his pay. Morris said he did not immediately receive a raise he was promised in 2009. Although he since has been given the raise, he said he should be entitled to back pay. Commissioners agreed to meet with Morris to resolve the issue.