Dougherty Commissioner Harry James continues to question Sabal Trail pipeline progress

ALBANY — District 5 Dougherty County Commissioner Harry James continued to question the ongoing processes of the company building the Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline even as construction of the $3.5 billion project has begun in the county.

At the commission’s joint business/work meeting Monday morning, County Engineering Project Manager Jeremy Brown addressed concerns James had about possible road improvements on county roads — Flowing Well and Eight Mile — primarily used by Sabal.

“I’ve had that conversation (with Sabal Trail representatives), and they understand that they have no right to make any improvements on county-owned property without the permission of the county,” Brown said.

County Public Works Director Larry Cook told the board during its road discussion that Sabal Trail had sought and received permission to cross 16 roads in the county. Cook said pipeline construction personnel would bore under 10 roads (Wadsworth Avenue, Old Dawson Road, Eight Mile, Old Pretoria Road, Lily Pond Road, Victory Avenue, Radium Springs Road, Palm Avenue, Dorough Avenue and Nelms Road) and would open-cut six others (Blue Springs Road, Kreg Avenue, Namdi Street, and Williamsburg, Antioch and Hancock roads).

“They have said they’ll give us three days notice before work starts so that we can let drivers on impacted roads know if there will be any detours or delays,” Brown added.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the board voted 4-3 to table a vote on proposed new policy for the county’s Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students. District 3 Commissioner Clinton Johnson asked to table the vote and to “move it to the Public Affairs Committee” for review.

County Attorney Spencer Lee pointed out that the board could only vote to table the issue and that the chairman decides what committee, if any, reviews the matter.

James questioned the proposed policy changes to the GCAPS program that gives the Dougherty County School System more say in oversight of GCAPS activities. The policy change was proposed after District 2 Commissioner John Hayes and Assistant County Administrator Mike McCoy were involved in an incident during a GCAPS field trip to Savannah earlier this year.

McCoy said Hayes “physically and verbally abused” him, and he filed a police report at the site of the altercation. McCoy later filed paperwork indicating he plans to bring a lawsuit against the county.

Both Hayes and James were involved in other GCAPS-related activities in Washington during which students in the local school system reported concerns over “adult issues” that arose involving the commissioners and school system officials.

Also at Monday’s meeting, Darrell Sabbs, Lori Jenkins and Mark Miller with Phoebe Putney Health System gave a brief overview of a community health needs assessment conducted by the hospital system.

Miller said that $99 million of the $104 million generated by the not-for-profit hospital went for indigent care or unpaid Medicaid charges. The strategy data analyst also said that issues such as high health care costs, the socio-economic climate of the region that discouraged qualified health care providers, generally unhealthy lifestyles and transportation issues were among the obstacles to health care in the region.

Miller noted that the 17 percent low birthweight rate and the diabetes death rate were staggering in the community.

“If you look at the diabetes prevalence rate, it’s at about the state average,” he said. “But the death rate is at twice the rate of the state.”

Also at the meeting, the board:

— OK’d the purchase of a crack sealer machine from the Warren Reynolds Co. of Lake City, Ga., for $62,390;

— Approved the purchase of a Caterpillar bulldozer for $449,732 from Yancey Brothers of Albany; and

— Signed off on an alcohol license for K&H at 3333 Sylvester Road.

Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas presented a proclamation recognizing Surgical Technologists Week in the county to Certified Surgical Technologist Nicol Bates, and District 6 Commissioner Anthony Jones asked his colleagues to support his proposal to plant crepe myrtle trees in the median of the Sylvester Highway to beautify the gateway coming into the county.