By Michelle Key
Publisher
Auburn resident Terry Buford brought concerns regarding the Sandhill Recycling Center, which is located on South Hwy. 29 and owned by D & J Enterprises. Lee County residents John Andrew Harris and Arthur Dowdell also spoke regarding some environmental issues allegedly caused by the facility to the surrounding properties, including Buford’s. Buford has been holding protests recently trying to bring awareness to the conditions. Buford has hired an attorney to assist him in putting a stop to what he says is an illegal trash dump instead of a recycling center for yard debris such as tree stumps, limbs, leaves and roots.
Commission Chairman and Probate Judge Bill English swore in new Lee County Emergency Management Agency employees at the beginning of Monday night’s county commission meeting. EMA Director Rita Smith requested that she also be sworn in as she had not officially been sworn in since she was hired in February.
In other business, the commission:
• approved the minutes of the commission meeting held on June 8, 2020
• voted to ratify and approve claims and procurement card transactions
• held the 2nd reading of two vacancies on Lee County Communications District (E911) Board and voted to approve
• announced the appointment of James Majors as the new Absentee Election Manager by the Lee County Absentee Election Manager committee as well as voted to appoint County Attorney Stan Martin to represent Majors should he be named in the ongoing litigation involving Circuit Clerk and former Absentee Election Manager Mary Robertson. It is anticipated that Robertson will be dismissed as a defendant since she has resigned as the Absentee Election Manager
• voted to set the date of Aug. 31 as the date of a public hearing pertaining to the right-of-way vacation of Lee Road 179
• voted to approve a request from the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center for assistance in grading their parking area
• voted to approve the installation of a 30-foot flag pole with flag at the Command Sergeant Major Bennie Adkins Meeting Center in honor of the Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Owner and Founder of Flags 4 Vets Jamie Popwell will install the flag and plans to have the installation completed prior to the memorial service for Adkins that has been scheduled for July 25. The commission also approved the use of the center for a private reception to be held for the family and special guests following the memorial service
• voted to request the Attorney General’s opinion on how cost of living pay raises for the elected coroner’s position should be managed
• voted to approve a reduction in the speed limit on Lee Road 424 from 45 mph to 35 mph
• voted to approve a contract with Dean’s Commercial Two-way, Inc. out of Cataula, Georgia, for the replacement of the Salem Hill Tower. The commissioners voted to approve entering an agreement with the company in an amount not to exceed $314,100
• heard, from County Administrator Roger Rendleman, some proposed personnel policy revisions for the commissioners to review and place on a future agenda for a vote
• and voted to approve the low bid from ABS Business Systems in Auburn for a copier and printer services agreement in the amount of $9,318.
Two separate executive sessions were held, and the following actions were taken after each of those sessions:
• authorized Revenue Commissioner Oline Price to sign a legal agreement with an attorney for representation in litigation
• and voted to approve Rendleman to reject a real estate offer and to list certain county owned former recreational park properties on the govdeals.com website.
The Lee County Commissioners hold a public meeting on the second and last Monday nights of every month. Meetings are held at 5 p.m. in the commission chambers, located on the second floor of the Lee County Courthouse Annex. Meetings can be viewed online at the county website www.leeco.us. The next meeting is schedule to be held on July 13.