At a called meeting held on March 24, and following a closed door meeting for personnel purposes, the Appling County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Lee Lewis as the Appling County Manager.

Lewis has been serving as the interim county manager since the commission released Mike Phillips from the position. Chairman Virgil Carter stated that Lewis would be under the same type contract as the previous county manager. Lewis will receive a salary of $80,000.00 and a two-year contract to begin in April.

Other business

The commissioners approved a low bid for a replacement engine for a truck at the Appling County Landfill. The low bid was submitted from NeSmith, in Jesup, at $2,341. The new motor comes with a three-year/36,000 mile warranty.

Board members appointed Janet Hollingsworth to the position of Interim County Agent. The commission also approved a $2,500.00 payment to be paid to Hollingsworth during her tenure.

The commission approved to begin seeking bids for the shelters at the Appling County Recreation Complex located on County Farm Road.

Board members unanimously approved the purchase of a fire truck for the Altamaha Fire Department at a cost of $25,750.

Manager Lewis informed board members that an Eagle Scout would like to use the landscaping at Earnest J Parker Park as a project to earn a higher ranking. If approved, the scout would work with Lewis and Commissioner Theodore Wilkerson on approval for a proposed layout of the landscaping to be done. The county will purchase the plants and other items for the landscaping project. A motion was made by Commissioner Wilkerson and seconded by Commissioner Charlie Leggett to allow Lewis to follow up with the scout on the landscaping project for Earnest Parker Park. The motion carried unanimously.

Reports

Chairman Carter reported that Appling County is not expected to receive State Aid on the paving of Red Oak Road.

Lewis requested that the Commissioners allow he and Road Superintendent Tommy Davis to proceed with the bidding process on the first four roads on the Road Priority List as they are prepared for paving allowing the commissioners to approve the bid for the paving of each road when it is ready to be paved. Commissioner Ronnie Rentz made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Leggett, to give Notice to Proceed on the paving process of the first four roads on the Road Priority List to Lewis and Davis. The motion carried unanimously.

Davis asked the board members if they would like to accept four roads as county maintained roads that has been brought before the board at a previous meeting. The roads are South Fork Drive (not paved), Dallas Lane (not paved), Remnant Drive (paved), and Gabriel Lane (paved). These roads are up to the Boards required standards to be accepted as county roads. A motion was made by Commissioner Sarah Boatright and seconded by Commissioner Leggett to accept South Fork Drive, Dallas Lane, Remnant Drive, and Gabriel Lane as County Roads. The motion carried with Commissioners Boatright, Rentz, Leggett and Tillman voted for the motion. Commissioner Wilkerson voted against the motion.

Davis informed the board that it is time to bid the construction motor grader. This motor grader has fewer miles that the district graders although it works harder. The District Three motor grader operator has requested the construction motor grader and trade in the district motor grader. A motion was made by Commissioner Boatright and seconded by Commissioner Leggett to bid out the motor grader and make a decision after the bids are received. Motion carried unanimously.

Davis reported that the ditching sloper arm is weak on the ditching grader at the county shop and is need of replacement. Yancey Brothers has a sloper arm from a machine that was sold and the customer did not want the sloping arm. The cost of the sloping arm is $3,500.00. The cost of a new one is approximately $43,000. The money for the purchase is in the budget. A motion was made by Commissioner Leggett and seconded by Commissioner Boatright to allow the purchase of the sloping arm in the amount of $3,500.00 from Yancey Brothers. The motion carried unanimously.

Davis reported that there is money in the FY 2009 Budget for striping work. Davis asked the commissioners to report the roads in their districts that need striping work done.

Lewis informed the Board of a pipe situation that has surfaced. He stated that typically a citizen purchases a pipe and the road department installs it. A citizen has requested a larger pipe that is recommended by the road department and has requested that the county charge them half of what the cost of the pipe is that has been requested by the citizen. A motion was made by Commissioner Boatright and seconded by Commissioner Wilkerson to stay with the board’s usual procedures and pipe policy. The motion carried unanimously.