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AMERICUS – The Sumter County Board of Commissioners (BOC) unanimously approved the appointment of Rayetta Volley as the Interim County Administrator at its monthly work session on Tuesday, October 12 at the Sumter County Courthouse.

Since former County Administrator William Twomey resigned his position a few years ago, the county has been run by two administrators: Volley and former County Financial Director Janice Jarvis. However, in the wake of Jarvis’s departure, the BOC is looking to have one County Administrator and a motion to approve Volley as the current interim county administrator was unanimously approved by the BOC.

Commissioner Jesse Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Clay Jones seconded the motion.

Board Chairman Mark Waddell stated that Volley’s approval had already been done via email and that the interim position is currently based on the job description that is already in place.

With the exception of Commissioner Roberson, who participated in the meeting via Zoom, the rest of the commissioners met in their normal meeting chamber in the Sumter County Courthouse.

The BOC also voted unanimously to approve the changing of signature cards on all county accounts at Synovus Bank and Citizens Bank to remove former County Finance Director Janice Jarvis from all accounts and to have the following names on the accounts: Mark Waddell, Scott Roberson, Rayetta Volley and Della Griffin, the county’s Assistant Finance Director. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion. The BOC voted and the approval passed unanimously.

The BOC also approved a motion for the county to apply for grant funding through the State of Georgia. Waddell stated that he had contacted State Senator Freddie Sims and was told by Sims that there is a portion of money that is available for the county to apply for and that this money is not related to Broadband Internet. Instead, Waddell stated that Senator Sims told him that the grant money is designated for other projects. Department of Public Works Director Jim Littlefield later told the Americus Times-Recorder that he, along with Waddell, is trying to find out how much grant funding is available and for what projects, such as the county’s land fill, which has been closed since 1996. Waddell stated that in his conversation with Senator Sims, it was said that there are so many local governments throughout the State of Georgia that are applying for grant money, but that there is only so much grant money to go around. Waddell went on to explain to the BOC that the deadline to apply for grant money for various projects, including Broadband Internet, is at the end of October and that the application needs to be submitted by then.

Waddell decided to entertain a motion for the county to apply for grant funding through the State of Georgia, recognizing that the state is dispersing that money out to local governments who request it. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion. The BOC voted and the approval passed unanimously.

In other news from the BOC Work Session, there was a discussion between the BOC and Sumter County Fire and Rescue Chief Jerry Harmon regarding the possibility of moving Fire Station 6, which is currently located at 110 Kent Hill Rd. in Americus. Chief Harmon told the BOC that he had a meeting with Jim Littlefield the day before and they are trying to locate a suitable place to move the fire station. Harmon went on to say that he had met with a few contractors concerning the matter and that the process is still on-going.

There was also a discussion about the 2014 Bond Fund’s current balance of $6, 605.74. During that discussion, a proposal was made to move the current balance into the 2020 Bond Fund. Waddell asked for a motion for approval to move the 2014 Bond Fund Balance of $6,605.74 and add it to the 2020 Bond Balance. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously.

The BOC also had a discussion about adding a new position to the county’s Magistrate Court. Rayetta Volley stated to the BOC that when she talked with Magistrate Court Judge Crystal Cleveland earlier that morning, Judge Cleveland told her that the position would be that of an on-call clerk and that the person would come in to work in case one of her clerks was not able to show up and that the salary would be that of the Minimum Magistrate Clerk starting pay ($14.54 an hour).

County HR Director Susan Merritt stated that Judge Cleveland did not have this new position in her budget, but that she had an on-call constable position in her budget that she has not used this year and, therefore, funds should be available.

Judge Cleveland, who was participating by way of Zoom, stated that the on-call person would fill in when one of the clerks has to go to training, or when one of the clerks would be out so that the staff won’t be short-handed and that through the interview process, the person who is chosen for the On-Call Clerk position will know what the position entails. Cleveland also stated that the Magistrate Court did not need the On-Call Constable position. Cleveland added that she would need additional funds, but that they would be less than the funds set aside for the On-Call Constable position. Merritt told Cleveland that some changes needed to be made to the job description of the position and get it approved. Judge Cleveland responded that she was fine with those changes because she combined the job descriptions of the regular clerk’s position with some of the duties of the deputy clerk.

Waddell entertained a motion to approve the position of On-Call Clerk of Magistrate Court that replaces the inactive job description for Clerk of Magistrate Court. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion to approve passed unanimously.

Other approvals that were voted on and unanimously passed by the BOC are as follows:

 

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Americus-Sumter County Airport

Authority and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the amount of

$35,716.00. Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion: Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Middle Flint Community Service

Board and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the amount of

$2,000.00.   Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded motion: Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Lake Blackshear Regional Library System and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the amount of

$125,000.00. Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion: Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Middle Flint Area Council on

Aging, Inc. and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the amount of

$2,500.00. Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion: Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Sumter Humane Society, Inc. and

The Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the amount of $50,000.00.

Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion” Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Sumter County Department of

Family & Children Services, and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in

the amount of $16,500.00. Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion” Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Sumter County Health

Department and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the amount of

$240,387.00.   Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion: Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Americus-Sumter County Payroll

Development Authority and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the

amount of $20,000.00. Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion: Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the Americus-Sumter County

Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the

amount of $18,000.00. Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion: Commissioner Jones

• Approval of the agreement for the performance of services for the benefit of the

Citizens of Sumter County, Georgia between the One Sumter Economic

Development Foundation, Inc. and the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County in the amount of $10,000.00. Motion to Approve: Commissioner Smith   Seconded Motion: Commissioner Jones