County Buys Equipment, Makes Appointments

Stephens County purchases a new piece of equipment to help the county do some preventative maintenance on its roads.

Tuesday, Stephens County Commissioners approved the purchase of a crack sealing machine out of the county’s SPLOST VI funds.

The machine is costing the county $54,531.

Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers says that crack sealing is a way to lengthen the life of roads.

She says by filling in the cracks in roadways, it keeps water from getting into the base of the road and keeps the base of the road stronger faster.

Ayers says Habersham County has had success with a similar crack sealing program.

Also on Tuesday, Stephens County Commissioners voted unanimously to set qualifying fees for the 2016 election.

Ayers says those qualifying fees were set by state law at 3 percent of the elected official’s yearly salary.

In other action from Tuesday’s meeting, the county commission appointed commissioners to various boards on which the county is represented.

As chairman, Dennis Bell will serve on both the Development Authority and the Airport Authority.

Other board appointments went as follows:

Stephens County Board of Health – Stanley London
Chamber of Commerce Board – Commissioners Michelle Ivester and Debbie Whitlock
Litter and Blight Committee – Stanley London
Roads and Bridges Committee – Dennis Bell and Debbie Whitlock
Buildings and Grounds Committee – Dennis Bell and Dean Scarborough
E-911 Advisory Committee – Dennis Bell and Stanley London
Joint Services Committee – Stanley London and Michelle Ivester
Emergency Services Committee – Dennis Bell and Stanley London
Soil and Water Conservation – Michelle Ivester
Georgia Mountains Regional Commission – Dean Scarborough
Humane Shelter – Stanley London and Debbie Whitlock
Chestatee-Chattahoochee RC & D Council – Michelle Ivester

Finally on Tuesday, commissioners unanimously voted to appoint Ayers as budget officer for Fiscal Year 2017 and they set the FY 2017 budget calendar.