Public opposition to the proposed rock quarry again dominated public comments that opened the Putnam County Board of Commissioners meeting July 21.
Still, commissioners spent most of the evening addressing changes to SPLOST funding agreements, adopting updated fire protection standards, authorizing a new county equipment purchase, and filling vacancies on several local boards.
Four residents – Ellen Littleton, Sue Malone, Judy Veal, and Pamela Smith – urged commissioners to reject the proposed quarry on Dennis Station Road, citing concerns about public safety, aging infrastructure, traffic, air quality, and its potential impact on Lake Sinclair.
Littleton questioned whether the bridges in District 4’s Twin Bridges Road could safely handle the heavy truck traffic that a quarry likely would impose upon the aging infrastructure.
“These bridges are 44 years old. The typical lifespan of a bridge in the United States is 47 to 51 years with proper maintenance,” Littleton said. “The last full evaluation of these two bridges was done in November of 2022, and one of them was found to be in poor condition. The structural evaluation was assessed as meeting minimum tolerable limits to remain in place safely. Shouldn’t these bridges be inspected every 24 months?
“If one of those bridges needed to be closed for repair or became a safety issue or even collapsed, it would cut thousands of homes and people from being able to receive timely medical and fire rescue services,” she added. “I would hope some thought has been given to the safety of the lives of the citizens in this area who would be affected … my life is worth a whole lot more than what a quarry will bring into this county.”
Following public comments, commissioners unanimously approved a revised intergovernmental agreement (IGA) governing distribution of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 10 proceeds.
Interim County Manager Byron Lombard said the original agreement required the first $9.1 million collected to be reserved for construction of a new county jail. However, since that project has been delayed, he explained the revised agreement allows other voter-approved projects to move forward while continuing to accumulate funds for the jail over the six-year life of the tax.
District 3 Commissioner Steve Hersey questioned whether changing the agreement after voter approval was legally permissible.
“As long as these projects are still funded ... you’re within the bounds of what the law requires,” County Attorney Adam Nelson answered.
Commissioners also considered an IGA with the city of Eatonton that’s required to continue the process for placing a third Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum before voters. Lombard explained every T-SPLOST project would still require Board approval and said a planned countywide road assessment would provide an objective basis for prioritizing road repairs and improvements (see related story, pg. A1).
“There shouldn’t be a single project approved by the county manager or even by the chairman,” Lombard stated. “It should come before the full board.”
Upon hearing from Putnam County Fire Chief Thomas McClain after what he called “months of review,” the commission also adopted revisions to the county’s fire protection ordinances. Among the changes were revised water main requirements for new developments and removal of a proposed requirement for certain existing buildings to install sprinkler systems solely because of a change in occupancy.
Lombard acknowledged the revised standards could increase construction costs but said they would help improve the county’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating, potentially lowering insurance premiums while improving safety for residents, businesses, and firefighters.
At Hersey’s request, commissioners amended the ordinance before final approval to require sprinkler systems in all newly constructed short-term rental (STR) properties designed to accommodate 10 or more occupants. The board unanimously agreed after Byron confirmed this requirement would apply only to STR properties, not single-family homes.
The board then voted 3-1 to approve a $319,324 budget amendment to purchase a grapple truck with dumping capability for the county’s Public Works Department. Lombard said the truck would significantly improve the county’s ability to remove storm debris and illegally dumped materials from roadsides.
Hersey cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he was concerned about spending additional money before the county’s fiscal year-end financial picture is complete.
Commissioners also unanimously adopted a resolution updating county policy to reflect Georgia’s constitutional carry law, clarifying firearm policies at county facilities.
The meeting concluded with appointments to several county boards.
Virginia Daly was reappointed to the Board of Assessors. Gail Farmer and Charles Hodges were appointed to the Eatonton-Putnam Library Board. At the same time, Denise Merritt joined the Putnam County Department of Family and Children Services Board, and Valerie Hurt was appointed to the Region II Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Planning Board.
Appointments to the Lake Oconee Area Development Authority (LOADA) generated the evening’s closest votes. William Vargo and incumbent Scott Jarvis each secured appointments after County Chairman Bill Sharp broke separate 2-2 deadlocks. Tracy Hall, a LOADA candidate who addressed commissioners before the vote, was unsuccessful despite support from Commissioners Richard Garrett and Hersey.
Incumbent John Wojtas was reappointed to the Putnam Development Authority after commissioners briefly debated the PDA’s recent direction and economic development decisions.
The next public meeting of the Putnam County Board of Commissioners will be 10 a.m., Aug. 7, in Room 203 at the county administration building at 117 Putnam Dr., Eatonton. The next Putnam County Planning & Zoning Board meeting, during which the quarry issue is likely to be addressed again, will be at 6:30 p.m. that same day at the same location.