(The Pierce County Board of Commissioners discussed and/or voted on the following during their regular meeting Tuesday, September 3. ) Purchase of a road grader: Commissioners approved the lease/purchase of a road grader for the road department. The road grader will be purchased from Caterpillar in the amount of $132,510. Commissioners also agreed to purchase extended powertrain and hydraulics coverage for the machine for 24 months or 2,500 hours in the amount of $13,730. The road grader and the coverage will be purchased using American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds (COVID relief).
Public Comment: Randy Tyre returned to the commission to complain about maintenance of the county’s dirt roads in the northern area of the county around Shellie Trail, New Home Church and Chancey Road. Tyre first came to the commission at the July meeting with the same issue. He said County Manager Raphel Maddox, Road Superintendent Bruce Carter and fourth district commissioner David Lowman had all been out to check on the situation and that repair work had been done before Hurricane “Debby” came through last month. He said the roads have washed out again and are “in a mess”. Maddox, Lowman and third district commissioner Randy Dixon all assured Tyre the county is working on repairing the roads.
Industrial Development Authority app ointment: Commissioners appointed Dale Neely to the Pierce County Industrial Development Authority. Neely will fill the unexpired term of Bobby Tippins, who resigned. Neely will serve through Dec. 31, 2027.
County Employee of the Month: Paramedic Gunner Hale was recognized as the employee of the month. (See related photo).
Pledge leader: Retired U.S. Army veteran and retired New Jersey Police Officer Gerrard Freeman led the pledge of allegiance. (See related photo).
Invocation leader: Pastor Rodney Thrift of the Destination Church in Blackshear led the meeting’s opening prayer. (See related photo).
Banking resolution: The board approved adding Commissioner Randy Dixon as a signatory on the county’s accounts.
Pierce Transit: The board approved the resolution for Transit Grant 5311. The grant provides funding for the Pierce Transit program.
County Manager Report: County Manager Raphel Maddox thanked the pledge and invocation leaders and recognized the employee of the month again during his remarks. Maddox gave activity reports for EMS, planning and codes, the road department and special projects.
Next meeting: The next regular commission meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 2 at the Southeast Georgia Regional Agriculture Center in Blackshear.
