BOC sets two budget hearings

The board is expected to adopt the budget and set the millage rate following the second public hearing.

Commissioners also approved new letterhead, business cards, nameplates, mobile phones, e-mail accounts, fax lines and county credit cards for the county’s newly-elected officials.

In a separate matter, at the recommendation of chairman-elect Anthony Dove, the board agreed to allow the Madison County Transfer Station to remain open on two days that other county offices will be closed.

Transfer station director Sandra Webb told commissioners that Dec. 26 and Jan. 2, two days that county offices will be closed in the next few weeks, are traditionally two of the transfer station’s busiest days.

Webb proposed, and the board agreed, to allow her employees to take a Saturday off instead.

Webb plans to come back before the board in January with a plan to completely separate the transfer station’s work calendar from the rest of the government complex’s calendar in order to make the new ten hour four-day work week feasible. The transfer station will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning in January.

In other business, the board agreed to ask the state general assembly to abolish the title of “county treasurer” which has not been used since the late 1990’s, according to county attorney Mike Pruett, when the courts ruled that the chairman could not hold both offices at the same time.

Pruett said abolishing the title would simply reflect what’s already in practice currently with the title of “finance officer.”

In other action, the board approved a $25,000 expenditure allocated in the 2008 budget for mapping services for the assessors’ office and the board heard, but took no action on, setting minimum acreage requirements for conservation use.

Commissioners approved beer and wine license renewals for Diamond Hill Grocery, Food Mart, Golden Pantry #37, Ingles, Jai’s Country Corner, Kwik Chek, Neese Grocery, Paoli Junction, Poci Grocery, Quick Pick, Strickland’s, Tiny Town Minit Mart, Adams’ Clover Farm, Apex Express and CVS.

The board agreed to place 25 mph speed limit signs on Kimberly Circle in Bryce Landing subdivision at the request of District 4 commissioner Mike Youngblood.