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Sheriff seeks 911 backing from county commission
Gottee to resubmit request to purchase new equipment.
By MICHAEL MITSEFF
mmitseff@lakecityreporter.com
Sheriff Bill Gootee will resubmit his request for the purchase of new replacement equipment for the 911 Communications Center and approval of a maintenance agreement at tonight’s meeting of the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners.
Gootee previously was informed that unless he showed the board a detailed plan of execution and a detailed cost analysis the board approval of the purchase would be withheld.
Also, the first draft of an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Lake City, the Columbia County Sheriff and Columbia County for a combined 911 communications center will be discussed by commissioners.
In addition, an agreement with DMJM Harris Engineering in the amount of $20,000 will be discussed for its review of engineering plans drawn up by county engineers of a bridge to traverse the railroad tracks on Bascom Norris Drive.
CSX railroad requires that any county-designed bridge must be reviewed by its own engineering consultants at county cost.
“The way the railroad works is that they pay for nothing,” County Manager Dale Williams said.
n In other business, three years ago, state statutes required that all counties and municipalities add a school facilities element to its Comprehensive Plan, which establishes a level of service for schools and a stronger interlocal agreement between the Columbia County School Board and Columbia County, according to County Planner Brian Kepner.
“If it’s approved by the board, it will be transmitted to the Department of Community Affairs for their review,” Williams said.
The proposed language of the text amendment to be added to the Comprehensive Plan states in part that the school board and county shall coordinate its school site planning as stated in the Interlocal Agreement for Public School Facility Planning.
On the discussion items, there is a request from Eutaw Utilities Inc. to replace the gravity water storage tank that was to be constructed at Ellisville, with an inground storage tank.
“The inground storage tank is cheaper to construct and it is cheaper to operate,” Williams said.
The projected cost for the concrete tank is $225,000 according to estimates.
Also, Brittany Lara, Muscular Dystrophy Association program coordinator will thank the board for proclaiming August 2008 MDA Firefighter Appreciation Month in Columbia County, and to thank the men and women of the department for the hours given and the money raised during the Labor Day “Fill the Boot” campaign.
Also, on the Consent Agenda is a Memorandum of Understanding among the board of trustees, Columbia County Law Library/Third Judicial Circuit Court and the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners pertaining to the planned county law library to be located within the county’s libraries.
“This will provide computer terminals at all three branches of the library, the court system will furnish the software, which is LoisLaw so that anyone who has the need to do legal research, any member of the community, will now have a place to go and do that,” Williams said.
Several meetings ago the board approved a water shuttle program for the county fire department that may help the county to further reduce its ISO rating from a 5 to a 4 and deliver water efficiently to outlying areas.
“National Fire Services is assisting us with that and they are the original consultants who helped us with our initial ISO reduction,” Williams said.
The NFS fees for helping the county with the water shuttle are $31,000 and its contract is on the agenda.
Also for discussion and action by the board is a request by WasteProUSA for permission to dispose of refuse from the City of Jasper and Hamilton County effective Oct. 1, 2008.
The twice-monthly regular meeting of the board of commissioners is scheduled for the first and third Thursday of every month and takes place at 7 p.m. at the Columbia County School Board District Administrative Complex Auditorium, 372 W. Duval St.
Gootee previously was informed that unless he showed the board a detailed plan of execution and a detailed cost analysis the board approval of the purchase would be withheld.
Also, the first draft of an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Lake City, the Columbia County Sheriff and Columbia County for a combined 911 communications center will be discussed by commissioners.
In addition, an agreement with DMJM Harris Engineering in the amount of $20,000 will be discussed for its review of engineering plans drawn up by county engineers of a bridge to traverse the railroad tracks on Bascom Norris Drive.
CSX railroad requires that any county-designed bridge must be reviewed by its own engineering consultants at county cost.
“The way the railroad works is that they pay for nothing,” County Manager Dale Williams said.
n In other business, three years ago, state statutes required that all counties and municipalities add a school facilities element to its Comprehensive Plan, which establishes a level of service for schools and a stronger interlocal agreement between the Columbia County School Board and Columbia County, according to County Planner Brian Kepner.
“If it’s approved by the board, it will be transmitted to the Department of Community Affairs for their review,” Williams said.
The proposed language of the text amendment to be added to the Comprehensive Plan states in part that the school board and county shall coordinate its school site planning as stated in the Interlocal Agreement for Public School Facility Planning.
On the discussion items, there is a request from Eutaw Utilities Inc. to replace the gravity water storage tank that was to be constructed at Ellisville, with an inground storage tank.
“The inground storage tank is cheaper to construct and it is cheaper to operate,” Williams said.
The projected cost for the concrete tank is $225,000 according to estimates.
Also, Brittany Lara, Muscular Dystrophy Association program coordinator will thank the board for proclaiming August 2008 MDA Firefighter Appreciation Month in Columbia County, and to thank the men and women of the department for the hours given and the money raised during the Labor Day “Fill the Boot” campaign.
Also, on the Consent Agenda is a Memorandum of Understanding among the board of trustees, Columbia County Law Library/Third Judicial Circuit Court and the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners pertaining to the planned county law library to be located within the county’s libraries.
“This will provide computer terminals at all three branches of the library, the court system will furnish the software, which is LoisLaw so that anyone who has the need to do legal research, any member of the community, will now have a place to go and do that,” Williams said.
Several meetings ago the board approved a water shuttle program for the county fire department that may help the county to further reduce its ISO rating from a 5 to a 4 and deliver water efficiently to outlying areas.
“National Fire Services is assisting us with that and they are the original consultants who helped us with our initial ISO reduction,” Williams said.
The NFS fees for helping the county with the water shuttle are $31,000 and its contract is on the agenda.
Also for discussion and action by the board is a request by WasteProUSA for permission to dispose of refuse from the City of Jasper and Hamilton County effective Oct. 1, 2008.
The twice-monthly regular meeting of the board of commissioners is scheduled for the first and third Thursday of every month and takes place at 7 p.m. at the Columbia County School Board District Administrative Complex Auditorium, 372 W. Duval St.
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Ahem Sheriff wrote on Sep 18, 2008 3:56 PM: