David Baldwin, Chair of the Sumter County Board of Commissioners, gave a county update during the November 22 meeting of Kiwanis. His father, Ted Baldwin, was president of the Kiwanis Club in 1995. Baldwin told how he agreed to do a Kiwanis program after the prompting of Judge Rucker Smith.

Baldwin started by recounting challenges that had beset the County. “Of course, everybody knows that COVID was a challenge for everybody, but for counties and cities, it posed some real challenges, and we’re not done with those yet.”

Baldwin addressed the recent one mill tax increase. “No one likes a tax increase. We didn’t like it either.”

He gave the history behind the decision. “When Sumter County received millions of dollars from the federal government, through the American Rescue Plan, the County Commissioners at that time decided to share that with the tax payers, and they rolled the millage back one mill, which was a great thing, until you move forward about three years, and the ARPA money is gone, and we had to ask for the one mill back.”

Baldwin listed other challenges for the Board. “This is my second year on the Board of Commissioners. Last year was my first year, and in August of that year, our finance director resigned, so we went without one for a while.”

Baldwin stated the applicants were either over or underqualified. “It is easier to find Elves on Christmas than it is to find a new finance director.”

After losing the finance director, the County Administrator, Rayetta Volley, announced plans to leave. In response, then-chairman Mark Waddell contacted Bill Toomey, the former County Administrator, who gave a recommendation. “He gave him one name, and that’s Mr. Doug Eaves.”

Baldwin commented on the interim County Administrator Douglas Eaves’ experience with around 25 years of experience in county government. “He had to be, not only the County Administrator, he had to be the finance director as well.”

After Eaves came to the County, they received an application for finance director from Lomenzo Reddick, who had ten years of experience working in City government.

Baldwin praised his willingness to tackle the job. “He hit the ground running.” Baldwin stated that Reddick worked with Eaves through the past year, putting together audits and budgets. Baldwin stated they were also delighted to learn he was born and raised in the area.

Baldwin told how they had a number of candidates for County Administrator. “We had some very good candidates that put in. We had one from Alabama that was an outstanding candidate, and he and his family came down to visit Americas. And turns out, we’re not as big as Birmingham.”

He told how they found an applicant, Walter Scott Carver, who was a suitable match. “We’ve just here recently settled upon one gentleman from Irwin County, and we have offered him, and he has accepted, and we have moved to hire him.”

In Irwin County, the chairman of the Board is elected County wide. Baldwin told how Carver had come to the end of his term in Irwin County. He stated he also had a house on Lake Blackshear.

Baldwin gave his impression of him. “He’s a man of great character. We’ve had numerous very high recommendations for him, and he will be starting with us in January.”

Baldwin also gave an update on the weather sirens. “Number one, those were bought with a federal grant quite a few years ago. The technology is very outdated to the point that we couldn’t even find anybody that would repair them.”

He told how a company was eventually found who would work on them before he came on the Board. Baldwin stated that of the 18 sirens, 16 are operational. “It’s been a long, drawn-out process, and mostly because the technology is just outdated.”

Baldwin also gave an update on the condition of the dirt roads. “The County Commissioners took on project a year ago and hired an outside contractor to take over our dirt roads.”

He explained why. “We have, and we own, three motor graders, and those are a great piece of equipment. They’re quite expensive. Trying to find someone who actually knows how to operate one of them, you’d think it’s rocket science, and if you do have one, you’re going to be competing with construction companies that are paying upwards of $35 an hour for a motor grader operator.”

Baldwin told how they went with a firm used by Macon County after going up and checking out the condition of their dirt roads. He stated they have done a good job. “Are they perfect? No, but they’re a lot better than what we had before.”

He stated that the change has freed up public works. “Since we have removed the dirt road responsibilities from our public works, we asked our public works to start working on right aways.” He stated how trees growing on the roads made it difficult to spot deer, but recent efforts should give drivers a chance to see them before they get on the road.