County Commissioners Celebrate Achievements, Address Infrastructure and Fiscal Matters at July Meeting
Meriwether County, GA – July 22, 2025
The Meriwether County Board of Commissioners convened its regular meeting on July 22, 2025, addressing a full agenda that highlighted community recognition, fiscal transparency, infrastructure concerns, and long-term planning initiatives.
Honoring a Local Legacy and Athletic Excellence
The meeting opened with an invocation by Reverend Walker of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the adoption of the evening’s agenda.
One of the most touching moments came early in the meeting as the Board presented a proclamation in memory of Miss Julia Ellison, a beloved community figure who passed away at the remarkable age of 106. Ellison was praised as a matriarch, spiritual guide, and faithful member of Trinity CME Church, where she served actively into her later years. Though family members were unable to attend, the proclamation will be delivered to them in person.
Immediately following, the Commissioners honored the Meriwether County 8U Girls Coach Pitch All-Star Team, who were recently crowned the 2025 GRPA District 4 Class C State Champions. Players and coaches received public recognition, photos were taken, and a championship trophy was accepted with pride—symbolizing the community’s commitment to youth development and sportsmanship.
Audit Report: Clean Opinion with Cautionary Notes
Representatives from Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC delivered the county’s fiscal year 2024 audit. The county earned an unmodified opinion—indicating the financial statements were fairly presented. However, some recurring internal control findings were noted, particularly involving segregation of duties within the Industrial Development Authority and the Water and Sewer Authority, both constrained by limited staffing.
Additional findings included classification issues within the general fund and a material adjustment needed for land development accounting. Recommendations were made regarding untimely cash deposits and the need to adhere to county policies on vacation accrual and fund budgeting.
County officials assured the board that steps have already been taken to improve internal processes and eliminate prior audit deficiencies.
Zoning & Development Updates
The building and zoning department reported robust activity for July, with 29 building permits issued, including seven for new homes. The department also reviewed new business licenses, driveway and demolition permits, soil inspections, and zoning updates. Staff are working with an intern to update the official zoning map to better reflect land use changes.
Infrastructure Decisions and Roadway Controversy
A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to the status of Meadows Boone Road, where a new property owner had installed a gate on a road that was never officially closed but had ceased to be maintained. After a public hearing, the Commissioners voted to keep the road open, allowing the owner to improve it to county standards at their own expense, contingent on legal waivers to protect the county from liability.
Budget and SPLOST Adjustments
The Board approved a correction to the SPLOST referendum resolution to accurately reflect the City of Greenville’s allocation percentage based on 2020 Census data. A budget amendment was also adopted to transfer jail employee benefit costs from the jail department to the sheriff’s department for accounting clarity.
A special budget work session was scheduled for Monday, August 11 at 4:30 PM to review FY2026 departmental budget requests and priorities.
Facilities and Capital Project Planning
Further action was taken to:
- Approve the repair of a broken sewer line under the county jail, pending legal review.
- Accept the donation of a 1985 Ford fire truck from FireFox EV SLC to serve as a backup vehicle.
- Approve an emergency vehicle use agreement with AMR, allowing use of an ambulance while a new one is under construction.
- Reissue an RFP for construction management services related to the historic courthouse renovation project.
Controversial Easement Granted Retroactively
In a case that raised concern about contractor accountability, the board approved an easement for Mount Sinai Baptist Church after learning that a boring had already been performed under a county road for a septic system—without prior board authorization. Commissioners emphasized that this approval should not set a precedent and stressed the importance of proper procedural compliance moving forward.
Commissioners’ Closing Remarks
During final comments, commissioners expressed appreciation for staff efforts during the audit process, noted improvements in road resurfacing projects, and thanked public works and zoning officials for their work. Commissioner Snelson also shared highlights from a recent ACCG legislative forum, which included updates on 911 system changes and school safety initiatives.
The board entered executive session to discuss real estate, litigation, and personnel matters.
Upcoming Meetings:
- Regular Meeting: August 4, 2025 at 6:00 PM
- Special Budget Session: August 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM
- Regular Meeting: August 26, 2025 at 6:00 PM
- Offices Closed: September 1, 2025 (Labor Day)
Summary of the July 22, 2025 (Meriwether) County Commissioners Meeting
The Meriwether County Board of Commissioners held their regular meeting on July 22, 2025, covering a broad agenda focused on community recognition, financial transparency, infrastructure planning, and county operations.
Key Highlights:
- Community Recognitions:
- A proclamation was issued in memory of Miss Julia Ellison, who passed away at age 106, honoring her lifelong service to her family, church, and community.
- The Board recognized the 8U Girls Coach Pitch All-Star softball team for winning the 2025 GRPA District 4 Class C State Championship.
- Audit Presentation:
- Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC presented the FY2024 audit, giving the county a clean (unmodified) opinion.
- Three audit findings were noted, including segregation of duties issues in small departments and some accounting misclassifications.
- Four improvement recommendations were made, including timely deposits, proper budgeting, invoice documentation, and managing employee vacation balances.
- Zoning and Development:
- The county issued 29 building permits in July, including 7 for new homes.
- Updates were shared about business licenses, driveway permits, soil erosion inspections, and zoning map revisions.
- Road and Infrastructure:
- A public hearing was held for Meadows Boone Road. The board voted to keep it open, allowing a private landowner to upgrade it to county standards at their expense, with a legal waiver in place.
- The board approved a sewer repair at the jail pending legal review and discussed several upcoming SPLOST-funded infrastructure projects.
- Policy and Budget Actions:
- Corrections were made to the SPLOST referendum resolution to reflect accurate municipal allocations.
- A budget amendment was approved to reallocate jail employee benefits from the jail department to the sheriff’s office.
- A budget work session was scheduled for August 11, 2025.
- Capital Projects and Agreements:
- The board approved issuing an RFP for construction management services for the courthouse renovation.
- An agreement was accepted with AMR for temporary ambulance use.
- A donated 1985 Ford F-800 fire truck was accepted.
- A retroactive easement was granted to Mount Sinai Baptist Church for a septic line bored under a county road, with clear direction that future incidents must receive prior board approval.
- Commissioners’ Reports:
- Commissioners praised staff for improvements in financial practices and road work, and shared legislative updates and community concerns.
- The meeting ended with a vote to enter executive session to discuss personnel, litigation, and real estate matters.
**** Please note this page was generated by Artifical Intellengence and even though looked over, it could contain errors. The actual meeting is located on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l09NQcEk5u8 on the countys own Youtube channel ****
