(The Pierce County Board of Commissioners discussed and/or voted on the following during their regular meeting Tuesday, March 4. ) Rezoning requests: Commissioners voted to approve three rezoning requests. They include rezoning 1.18 acres at 3435 Moore Street, Blackshear, from single-family to multi-family to build apartments. The commission also approved rezoning 39 acres on Ware Street, Blackshear, from agriculture/forestry to single- family for a singlefamily development. The board also approved rezoning 26.26 acres on Riggins Road. Three acres would be rezoned from multi-family to neighborhood commercial for an electrical company shop. The additional 23.26 acres would be changed to agriculture/ forestry for construction of a home at a later time. Public hearings were held prior to the commission meeting. Fourth District Commissioner David Lowman asked that erosion control be put in place on the Moore Street project.
Public participation: Austin Moore came before the commissioners to discuss the development of subdivisions and mobile home parks in Pierce County. Moore’s comments focused on properly managing Pierce County’s growth to balance preserving farm land with the growth from new houses and subdivisions. Moore said as a volunteer fireman, he sees first hand the growth rate of Pierce County just based on the number of calls firefighters receive. County Manager Raphel Maddox and Chairman Neal Bennett pointed out the county may soon need to add a third shift to EMS to handle call volume. Moore asked commissioners to plan ahead and be proactive in managing the county’s growth.
County Manager update: County Manager Raphel Maddox pointed out the commission acted on three planning and zoning items at the meeting without any issues. “When the process is followed, there are no problems,” said Maddox, referencing recent controversy over a proposed bitcoin mining operation. Maddox addressed a story in The Times in which attorneys for the bitcoin operation alleged wrong doing by Pierce County. Maddox congratulated the recreation department for hosting the 8u and 14u boys basketball tournaments last weekend. He also announced the county’s fire chief Christopher Todd and assistant chief Wesley Howard are now certified and can conduct firefighter training. The manager also announced the county has hired two new dispatchers. Maddox said plans for the proposed recreation department expansion have been received and will be shared soon. He informed those present disaster relief requests for Hurricane Debby last summer have been submitted. He also reminded voters of the upcoming special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) referendum scheduled for Tuesday, March 18.
Pledge leader: U.S. Army Veteran Guylee Washington led the pledge of allegiance.
Invocation leader: The Rev. Jerad Johnson, associate pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, led the meeting’s opening prayer.
Next meeting: The next regular commission meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at the Southeast Georgia Regional Agriculture Center in Blackshear.
