LUDOWICI — At the August Long County Commission meeting, commissioners disagreed over a power pole installed by Canoochee Electrical Cooperative on Macedonia Church Road.
Commissioner David Richardson said the pole was installed in a ditch on a county road and that he’s heard complaints about its location. He wants it to be moved.
However, according to Commissioner Wallace Shaw, the pole is 30 feet from the center of the road and it is there to improve services for residents both in his district and Richardson’s district.
“Due to the fire break, it appears to be sitting out in the right of way, but it’s not,” Shaw said.
Commissioners voted 3-1 to leave the pole in its location. Richardson was the lone vote of opposition. Commissioners Andy Fuller and Cliff DeLoach joined Shaw in voting to keep the pole in place. Chairman Bobby Walker did not vote.
Shaw said he talked to officials at Canoochee and asked them to contact the commissioners about the installation of new power lines in the future.
Walker reported on a county inmate work detail, which he said is working well.
According to Walker, the program is in its third week and the inmates have been cleaning as much as 10 miles of paved road a day.
Shaw said, “They are picking up a lot of trash. They also are doing some trim work and cleaning out some ditches. By them doing this, it is saving the county a tremendous amount of money from what it would cost to contract the work out.”
According to Shaw, the only costs for the 10-man detail are wages for the guard and the cost of the van to transport them.
“It’s working great and it’s a big asset to this county,” he said.
Commissioners also heard a presentation by Price Chapman on the possibility of displaying the Ten Commandments in the courthouse.
According to Chapman, with the passing of House Bill 941, historical displays like the Ten Commandments can now be placed in courthouses in Georgia. He also said that if the commissioners decide to allow the display, it will not cost the county anything. A church in the area is willing to pay for it.
In other business the commission:
• voted to say the Pledge of Allegiance before meetings.
• voted to replace the broken AC unit on the second floor of the courthouse because the code enforcement office and the planning and zoning office are there.
• appointed Kathy Jackson to the Long County Library Board.
• decided to review and create a new ordinance regarding culverts being installed in the county.
• stated that all residents of the county must have their E-911 address markers in place by November. If a resident has a mailbox across the road from his or her house, a marker needs to be at the end of the driveway.
• heard from people about the possibility of allowing liquor sales in the county.
Commissioner David Richardson said the pole was installed in a ditch on a county road and that he’s heard complaints about its location. He wants it to be moved.
However, according to Commissioner Wallace Shaw, the pole is 30 feet from the center of the road and it is there to improve services for residents both in his district and Richardson’s district.
“Due to the fire break, it appears to be sitting out in the right of way, but it’s not,” Shaw said.
Commissioners voted 3-1 to leave the pole in its location. Richardson was the lone vote of opposition. Commissioners Andy Fuller and Cliff DeLoach joined Shaw in voting to keep the pole in place. Chairman Bobby Walker did not vote.
Shaw said he talked to officials at Canoochee and asked them to contact the commissioners about the installation of new power lines in the future.
Walker reported on a county inmate work detail, which he said is working well.
According to Walker, the program is in its third week and the inmates have been cleaning as much as 10 miles of paved road a day.
Shaw said, “They are picking up a lot of trash. They also are doing some trim work and cleaning out some ditches. By them doing this, it is saving the county a tremendous amount of money from what it would cost to contract the work out.”
According to Shaw, the only costs for the 10-man detail are wages for the guard and the cost of the van to transport them.
“It’s working great and it’s a big asset to this county,” he said.
Commissioners also heard a presentation by Price Chapman on the possibility of displaying the Ten Commandments in the courthouse.
According to Chapman, with the passing of House Bill 941, historical displays like the Ten Commandments can now be placed in courthouses in Georgia. He also said that if the commissioners decide to allow the display, it will not cost the county anything. A church in the area is willing to pay for it.
In other business the commission:
• voted to say the Pledge of Allegiance before meetings.
• voted to replace the broken AC unit on the second floor of the courthouse because the code enforcement office and the planning and zoning office are there.
• appointed Kathy Jackson to the Long County Library Board.
• decided to review and create a new ordinance regarding culverts being installed in the county.
• stated that all residents of the county must have their E-911 address markers in place by November. If a resident has a mailbox across the road from his or her house, a marker needs to be at the end of the driveway.
• heard from people about the possibility of allowing liquor sales in the county.