The Long County Commission met department heads and constitutional officers on Tuesday. During the work session, Commissioner Willie Thomson asked if the recreation board had policies on who could fish at the recreation complex pond.
Recreation Department Director Henry Strickland said no, but that his board and the commission should establish one. He said several people had wanted to fish, but he told them no because there was no policy.
Commissioner Gerald Blocker said he felt fishing should be allowed only for special events like a children’s rodeo. He said other instances could allow handicap kids or the elderly to fish.
After discussion, commissioners decided they and the recreation board would write a policy. Until one is adopted, no one would be allowed to fish.
Strickland reported the football season went well, and that basketball registration is going on.
Blocker told Strickland he is setting up a county jail detail to help pour a concrete slab for a storage shed.
Commission Chairman Robert Long told Strickland he had heard positive comments on him since he took over the recreation department.
Sheriff Craig Nobles told commissioners it was critical to replace report and booking software. The sheriff said the current program is out of date and has little technical support. He estimated the yearly maintenance on old equipment is $3,000.
He said his staff has been getting by with the old program for three years, but now it has put his office on hold. His staff has to keep handwritten notes because the software is not working.
Nobles said he would like a new system that would cost approximately $6,700, including data transfer and training. He wants to lease so the vendor would keep it up to date.
Long told Nobles that the commission would consider his request.
Commissioner Dwight Gordon asked Nobles about the proposed in-house probation office. The Sheriff said everything was going well, and that the county attorney was reviewing the details.
Superior Court Clerk Sherry Long told commissioners she had received a $10,000 Atlantic Judicial Circuit law library grant.  She plans to use the money to make the courthouse look better, including replacing the damaged ceiling in the judge’s chamber, repainting it and replacing the lighting. The courtroom would get shutters and curtains, and be repainted.
The clerk also said revenue from the court was good, that it should reach her earlier estimate of $750,000.
Probate Judge Marie Middleton told the commission she did not need $3,000 that had been budgeted for computers. She asked to use the money for minor improvements in the office.
Chairman Long said that if it was in her budget, he did not see why this would be a problem.
Blocker reported that the Long County Protective Services Auxiliary donated $1,500 to the Long County High School band to help offset their cost to play during the half time show of the 2014 Sugar Bowl.  
Blocker also said that the cheerleaders who will be attending the trip earned approximately $900 to go toward the trip from parking cars during the recent haunted house and hayride.
Long County Public Transit supervisor Mary Hamilton reported that beginning Jan. 1, riders will have pay before a ride or when they are picked up. In the past, riders could pay later.