The Sumter County Board of Commissioners met on Sept 17. Interim County Administrator Douglas Eaves read the consent agenda, which included the new yard sale ordinance. “It limits the number of yard sales to six per year, per address. It limits the duration to one day. It establishes estate sales over a three-day period of time, it limits how many of those could be within a period, within a year, and it requires a company that’s conducting yard or estate sales that are not associated with family, to have a license.” It was ratified with the consent agenda.

Finance director Lomenzo Reddick addressed the board, giving information about a travel request by Judge Crystal Cleveland. He noted that the previous and current financial policy required travel requests to be approved 60 days in advance. “The first check request was for to attend the training, that would pay for the training. Today we have received a request to pay for the hotel, the travel, and to reimburse judge Cleveland for milage.” Airfare was also included.

Reddick gave the total. “With the airfare, the hotel. . . and the reimbursement, that total comes out to $1,293.08.”

Eaves noted several issues including the request not meeting the requirement for sixty days’ notice. “The second is that the training request does not comply with the training program as adopted because it’s not mandatory training for the magistrates’ court’s position as required by the code, official code of Georgia.” He also noted it would be a significant amount of the magistrate’s travel budget, which still requires mandatory trainings.

Eaves later noted that the amount for travel is $4,500 and the amount for training is $4,500, including staff.

Commissioner Jessie Smith commented. “It’s her budget.” Smith made a motion to approve her request which failed for a lack of a second.

Commissioner Clay Jones commented on the position of County Marshal. “We put a Marshal in place. He’s supposed to report to the County’s chief executive officer, that would be Mr. Eaves.”

Jones examined the provision that was passed creating the role of County Marshal, which was based on another County’s provision. “The County Marshal shall be deemed a department head.”

Jones brought questions about a proposal to hire someone that would be over the County Marshal. “We’ve got a marshal who is deemed a head of that department, how can we hire another head over him?”

County attorney Hayden Hooks responded. “As this reads he is deemed a department head.”

Jones asked how they could create a position to hire another department head over him. Hooks responded. “This ordinance doesn’t contemplate this.” She did mention a remedy. “Just as easily as we’ve created this, we can change it.”

Eaves noted the purpose of the ordinance creating the position of county marshal. “We wanted to give him the expandable duties of being able to tie his law enforcement capabilities as well into the code enforcement area.” He noted that they had focused on the issue of what responsibilities belonged to the Sheriff and which ones belonged to code enforcement. “That was the intent of the legislation. It was never intended to promote him to a department manager.” He explained how the County Marshal, Javaris Terry, had become a department head. “Inadvertent language was left in from a, when the ordinance was brought from another County to this County.”

Chair David Baldwin commented. “At one point, we actually did have two code enforcement people working in Sumter County, and I hopefully can see one day with some growth and what not that we will need another one.” He stated he could see that second person being hired as the County Marshal’s deputy.

Eaves talked about the creation of a new department head, a zoning administrator, which had been discussed by the Commissioners. He stated that the ordinance creating the position of County Marshal could be changed to prevent a conflict.

Commissioner Mark Waddell made a motion to alter the ordinance for County Marshal, which was seconded by Commissioner Jim Reid. Smith was the only Commissioner in opposition.

The Board then voted on the ratification of the email vote approving the zoning administrator department manager position for planning and zoning and code enforcement and permitting. Waddell made a motion, Reid seconded it, with Smith and Jones against. Baldwin broke the tie in favor of the motion, causing it to pass. When asked afterward why he was against the measure, Smith replied that he didn’t think there was enough work to justify the creation and expense of a new position.