MoCo Commission Gives Update on County Manager & Other Projects
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During the regular monthly work session of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners on Thursday, June 6, the commissioners provided an update on the search for a new county manager and other projects.
Since May 20, the commissioners have been on the hunt for a new county manager after longtime County Manager Brandon Braddy announced his resignation from the position. Braddy officially ended his employment tenure with the County on June 1. During the work session, Commission Chairman Leland Adams told the public and his fellow commissioners that five individuals have applied for the position, and that applications will begin to be formally reviewed after Friday, June 14. In addition to this update, the commissioners shared that the revitalization of J.M. Fountain Park, which is funded through a $3 million grant, will move forward with selecting an overarching engineering firm, as the Request for Qualifications period will close on Friday, June 21. After this date, the commissioners will review the submissions and select a company to complete the engineering work of the project.
Commissioners also announced that the County has received a $150,000 grant to improve the energy savings at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Currently, the County has contracted ABM to complete a detailed review of the structure to learn where energy savings may be implemented. Once this review is complete, the County will move forward to decide how to best use the grant for this purpose.
Commission Chairman Adams and Commissioner Chad Kenney informed their fellow commissioners that they had recently attended a meeting focused on animal control law and issues with several animal protection activists and law enforcement officers. “We had a very good meeting, and it was very productive,” Kenney commented. “Now, it is a matter of looking into things and seeing what we are able to do and what our next steps are.”
During the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Commissioners on Monday, June 10, commissioners approved several contracts and agreements, including a consulting agreement with former County Manager Braddy, renewal of a contract with the Georgia Department of Corrections for inmate detail, and agreements with the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission (HOGARC) Area Agency on Aging and Middle Flint Council for meals to be supplied to the Senior Center. These meals come at no cost to the County, as both the HOGARC agency and United Way of Toombs, Montgomery, and Wheeler Counties fund the provision.
The County renewed the intergovernmental agreement with the City of Douglas to provide emergency response services to situations regarding hazardous materials, as the municipality is the only agency within the region to provide these services.
Commissioners agreed to reenter the County’s property and liability insurance through the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Interlocal Risk Management Agency (IRMA). The cost of this insurance has been raised by over $20,000, but is necessary to protect the county, according to the leaders.
The County’s Opioid Settlement Funds will be used to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for all county buildings and the recreation department, as authorized by the commissioners, who informed the public that 97% of the county’s employees have completed CPR certification.
Lastly, the commissioners reviewed quotes to fix the Health Department building roof, which was damaged during the tornadic weather last month, and in order to be able to keep record of the projects, approved resolutions regarding the placement of flock cameras near the Montgomery State Prison and borings under Sawmill Road by LPL Solar.
