[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6123320,"mediaKeyId","2690107-538dad89c303d2f628e24ce9b5cd5060","parentId",2690107,"title","Bulloch County commissioners approve consent agenda, equipment contracts and fire pay amendments","audioSeconds",239,"startMs",885000,"endMs",1124000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2690107-538dad89c303d2f628e24ce9b5cd5060&start=885&end=1124","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2690107-538dad89c303d2f628e24ce9b5cd5060/thumbnail_885000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6123320/Bulloch-County/Georgia/Bulloch-County-commissioners-approve-consent-agenda-equipment-contracts-and-fire-pay-amendments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123320-ced26a2524f4a3379577cb9a5f535b30/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656959&Signature=ahwbu33j4yuSpJp66fgu00XU8ELsdthnONqm8uaDmIeNbTY4s0j9~B9WHN9VjGiKEw9QBd2IgOXHD3W1Y-YPtgPkcbgQmG~-c0D-84n3DHQWOafQzDJsBr~9ScFRsGiwd-R6mge71dzV-XvjZf6evENBhlnhC3fD~9vG6NJqFSDjbIp6pXKsRPwTpWFDgzrbB22ojJ55jMtIkVYqCw8k4BTP0~YCdfxc8IAzKRUi08Cq6ilnDImmhD~ToKH4xrW7S6Q2NO6pD-NmMZTJ1fWnxBQyOQlp0LObAVqkegS7DtB22DJqbTCdR26yI-KZUXg7iQ0ItsIJ-NhyZwEYh~feIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-19T01:42:17Z","article","The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a slate of consent and new‑business items including payments for debris and hauling services, several equipment and repair contracts, a retrofit of lighting at a radio tower, recruitment services for the county manager search, and a pay‑plan amendment for the fire department.

Votes at a glance (all items recorded as approved unanimously unless noted):

- Approve minutes (town hall 02/25/2025; meeting 03/04/2025) and executive‑session minutes (03/04/2025).
- Approve payments to Jenkins County Landfill for mulch debris clearing services: $91,009 and $50,715.75 (weeks of 02/17–02/21 and 02/24–02/26, respectively).
- Approve and ratify payments to MW Collins for mulch debris clearing services: $25,320; $33,486; $37,338 (various weeks noted).
- Approve and ratify payments to J L D'Arso for hauling services: $15,390 and $15,408.25 (specified weeks).
- Grant an alcoholic beverage license for package retail beer and wine sales to Noria Energy Retail Incorporated at two listed addresses (market numbers referenced on agenda).
- Authorize entering negotiations with most qualified firm for county road right‑of‑way acquisition services (to support planned road projects).
- Approve bid/contract with Thunder Road LLC for roadway crack sealing on various county roads in the amount of $180,905 (to be funded by T‑SPLOST funds).
- Approve purchase of a beacon retrofit lighting system for Ballpark Road radio tower (E‑911) in the amount of $30,600; Motorola dealer recommended the retrofit option with a five‑year warranty.
- Approve and ratify use of Sand Creek Land Construction for hauling services (02/24–02/28/2025) in the amount of $16,542.75, and for week of 03/03–03/07/2025 in the amount of $21,123.
- Accept Central Fence bid in the amount of $42,249 to repair storm‑damaged fencing at 14 solid‑waste collection centers (project to be submitted to insurance and FEMA for reimbursement where applicable).
- Approve contract with Pracademic Partners for executive recruitment services to fill the county manager position in the amount of $26,500. The firm’s package includes background checks, candidate screening and, if the placed manager leaves within 12 months, a free replacement search.
- Approve amendment to the pay plan to update fire department pay rates based on a recent targeted pay review. County CFO provided a budget estimate: roughly $2,100,000 annually for the new pay structure and an estimated under $600,000 for the remainder of the current fiscal year if hires began about April 1; commissioners unanimously approved the amendment and asked staff to identify funding sources, including potential reallocation of existing funds for turnout gear and use of interest/excess referendum funds.

Several consent items were voted on collectively and passed without separate roll‑call detail. Where exact movers or seconds were not recorded in the transcript, the minutes show a verbal motion and a unanimous voice vote.

Ending: The board concluded the public portion of the meeting and entered executive session under OCGA 50‑14‑3(b)(2) for personnel matters; no action was taken publicly after the executive session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bulloch County Board of Commissioners Meeting - March 18, 2025 8:30AM","oneSentenceSummary","The board unanimously approved consent items including multiple payments for debris clearing, hauling and fence repair, authorized a beacon retrofit purchase for a county radio tower, contracted roadway crack sealing, approved an executive recruitment contract and amended the fire department pay plan.","taxTitle","Bulloch County, Georgia","taxId",28221,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6123325,"Bulloch County engineer recommends full replacement of Cypress Lake Road bridge after inspection finds rot and damage",212,1978000,2190000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2690107-538dad89c303d2f628e24ce9b5cd5060&start=1978&end=2190","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2690107-538dad89c303d2f628e24ce9b5cd5060/thumbnail_1978000.jpg","/articles/6123325/Bulloch-County/Georgia/Bulloch-County-engineer-recommends-full-replacement-of-Cypress-Lake-Road-bridge-after-inspection-finds-rot-and-damage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123325-bea78510e41c29b6b62a6cdb133bd190/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656959&Signature=oShJ8NXzLT2e1Mxmd637u4NoohA8S6pKxIczFtZ5F52u0TvMWNefZpEwKIyfTL8Abl33HqEynLhmWx1N8jLxp2iuPe~hwxmwtVkfv-mRtk2TyOJOdroGMBgQAat50o4dDtgIOPx3wGW3RGEaawi4nHtjtlaT2PdaEJEYhG5uf~lFPjOduBoqJXkvhXjhbRxxd0PvBGuyotaP49aiBMyktO8hBv2e-EGMlSPQbRffYTJ~svU3vBvU1CKdvto1R~jWCkJVPW4KjuNqi1sURu2MFP2UK00y4AoNpGjvMfZq-73CL1GLA3cJEHdXHcfxqtPClywCWjCTk0QrSurgpZIj3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bulloch County Engineer Brad Deal told the Board of Commissioners that the Cypress Lake Road bridge at Dry Branch—closed after an accident—has extensive preexisting decay in timber piles and that Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) inspection recommended engineering evaluation.

Deal said GDOT’s bridge office found extensive decay in the bridge’s timber piles and concluded a structural engineer should evaluate the structure. He estimated a rehabilitation to restore the bridge would cost about $500,000 and would likely leave the bridge with a posted weight limit (roughly 10–15 tons). A full replacement, Deal said, is estimated at about $1.5 million and would remove the weight restriction and bring the crossing to current safety standards, but would take longer to design and build.

“Based on the age and condition of this bridge, I don’t think my recommendation is that it’s worthwhile to try to rehabilitate it,” Deal told commissioners, recommending negotiation with a bridge engineer to begin design work for replacement and to pursue possible supplemental funding from GDOT and FEMA where eligible.

Commissioners discussed the bridge’s local importance—school buses and heavy equipment use the route—and agreed to move forward with negotiations for engineering design and to identify funding sources, including available bridge maintenance funds and reallocating T‑SPLOST funds if necessary. The board instructed staff to negotiate a design contract and return with a proposal and funding plan.

Why it matters: The bridge, built in 1970 and supported on timber piles, is at the end of its useful life according to county staff. The closure affects adjacent neighborhoods and detour routes; a full replacement would remove weight restrictions but carries a significant price tag and a multi‑year construction window.

Ending: Staff will begin negotiations with a bridge engineer to develop design documents and a project cost estimate for board consideration. Commissioners expressed urgency to move quickly because GDOT replacement programs may take years.

","County engineers told commissioners the timber‑pile bridge at Cypress Lake Road will likely need full replacement; estimates range from $500,000 to rehabilitate to ~$1.5 million for a full replacement, and the board authorized staff to negotiate design services.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6123330,"Resident warns Bulloch County commissioners septic system demand outpacing local disposal",2922,536000,3458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2690107-538dad89c303d2f628e24ce9b5cd5060&start=536&end=3458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2690107-538dad89c303d2f628e24ce9b5cd5060/thumbnail_536000.jpg","/articles/6123330/Bulloch-County/Georgia/Resident-warns-Bulloch-County-commissioners-septic-system-demand-outpacing-local-disposal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123330-edfd7aa324fe78c1a5480a19166628bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770656959&Signature=gysbPbl6lpJ9GSnyb3~RZipaHE1ksC8Bzm~GnCTZsSz-S6ACQ5KRu3x2XFMo~44lLfY45muEF3TAcW8upGlq6VhQcVgkWs5N-bduWZJx2bUCr231KqO1bsvXnYyVvWzCyazkxsjEzFcKkwV57EBmuej8uYvWGTj~V1fVzspDWcvfimwxj1BhQs3b86ok-3vaxuy0pzTNGDTyUuTE8ufTQFQ9LOiFUIX1h0CRtkYmF0N64cItL8iLogybDV998soANrHkSz0rkEG84EhIQr9np-kgFz6FXjFcV6JL6Iw~uudHDDwsJ1yyglnmsF3AkVHYtezCaxgGD6r0PTBw72Z~IQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Keith Hamilton, a local septic-services contractor and resident of 11111 Arcova Road, addressed the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners during public comment to warn that septic-system demand and off‑site disposal are straining local capacity.

Hamilton said the county has seen rapid growth and that “in 40 years, our population has tripled,” and he reported his estimate that Bulloch County has about 55,000 residential septic tanks and has averaged roughly 500 new septic permits per year in recent years. He said county pumpers remove an estimated 1,600 tanks per year and out‑of‑county haulers take about 800 more, meaning roughly 2,400–2,500 tanks are pumped annually—an average of once every 20 years per tank by his calculation.

The comments drew attention from commissioners and staff, who acknowledged disposal constraints raised by Hamilton. One commissioner asked him to return with a fuller presentation; Hamilton agreed and the board scheduled him for a follow‑up presentation at a morning meeting so members could review his research in greater detail.

Why it matters: Hamilton told the commission that most septage is transported out of Bulloch County for treatment—he identified Savannah and Effingham County as disposal destinations—and warned this reliance creates long‑term cost and capacity risks as the county grows. Commissioners noted the issue affects health, environmental compliance and future infrastructure planning.

Hamilton described the local industry: he and his son operate a septic contracting business in the county and said there are seven in‑county haulers plus at least nine from outside the county that service Bulloch County. He said most in‑county haulers work six days a week and that disposal limits at local facilities constrain operations. Hamilton also said some local disposal sites (he named regional systems) accept limited volumes and that bulk septage leaves the county for treatment elsewhere.

The board did not take formal action during the public‑comment period. Commissioners asked staff and Mr. Hamilton to provide more detailed data at a scheduled follow‑up so the board can assess needed options, including whether to pursue local treatment capacity, intergovernmental agreements, or other disposal strategies.

Ending: The commission invited members of the public to attend the follow‑up morning meeting where Hamilton will present his full numbers and sources. No formal policy or funding decision was made at the public meeting; the item was listed for further study and presentation.","A local septic-services contractor told the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners the county faces rapidly rising demand for septic permits and limited local disposal capacity, and commissioners asked him to present fuller data at a follow-up meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bulloch County commissioners approve consent agenda, equipment contracts and fire pay amendments

Bulloch County engineer recommends full replacement of Cypress Lake Road bridge after inspection finds rot and damage

Resident warns Bulloch County commissioners septic system demand outpacing local disposal