Lee County commission mulls new Highway 19 boat ramp

LEESBURG — As canoeing, kayaking and boating along Lee County’s waterways continues to become more popular, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has approached county officials about building a new boat ramp where U.S. Highway 19 crosses the Kinchafoonee Creek.

At Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Lee County Board of Commissioners, interim county co-manager Mike Sistrunk informed commissioners that DNR officials were working on a proposal in which the DNR would build a new boat ramp, a dock and, potentially, a fishing pier on the site, provided the county would agree to maintain the area.

“I just wanted to give you a heads up on this,” Sistrunk told the commissioners. “They’re going to come back with a preliminary design and a lease agreement offer. If we will maintain it for them, they will actually build the boat ramp, a dock and maybe even little pier there. They’re trying to get everything worked up, but they want to be sure that y’all are on-board for us to go ahead with this and give them the authority to do that.”

Sistrunk said the DNR’s plan came about following the county’s recent move, at the behest of Jim Wright, the head of county code enforcement, to fix up the area that was already being used to kayakers and canoers, along with another landing where Highway 32 crosses the creek.

“Jim Wright actually came to me a couple of months ago and just wanted to clean the area there because there were some folks down there kayaking and canoeing and he asked could we go down there and mow and clean it up a little bit,” Sistrunk explained. “I sent Public Works crews down there and DNR actually passed by and saw the work that was being done out there and was impressed with it.”

Sistrunk said the board will be getting the DNR proposal for review within the next few weeks.

In other matters, the commission unanimously approved the hires of Sistrunk and Christi Dockery as county co-managers, officially removing the “interim” tag the two had worn since April.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to approve as surplus two county-owned sheriff’s vehicles no longer in use and to donate the vehicles to the city of Smithville.

The commission unanimously approved the purchase of two brush trucks from the city of Albany for a total of $15,000. Sistrunk said the trucks are in good working order and can be used almost as soon as the county takes possession of them.

“They’re in real good shape,” Sistrunk said. “All we’ll have to do it put decals on them and turn them on.”

Additionally, commissioners voted unanimously to accept a donation of an old fire truck from the city of Tifton to be put on display in front of the Century Road Fire Station.

Following up action the commission took at its last meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a new contract between the Board of Commissioners and attorney Patrick Eidson regarding the provision of indigent defense legal counsel in the county’s probate and magistrate courts.

The Board of Commissioners hosted a public forum allowing the public to weigh in on a request to rezone a parcel of land southeast of U.S. Highway 82 and east of Story Lane from C-1, neighborhood business, to R-1, single family residential. Commissioners also were made aware of a potential resolution they will have to review that would allow for the exchange of two drainage easements in the 2nd Land District.

Commissioners also welcomed interim Lee County Public Safety Department Director Wesley Wells who presented recognition to public safety personnel. Pete Radano was named the county’s Paramedic of the Year and Billy Davis was named Firefighter of the Year. Kyle Lentz was also recognized for his work in public safety training.

The members of the commission also discussed a proposed resolution to require county employees to take job safety-related classes each year, one of which will be harassment awareness, through the Local Government Risk Management Services.

County Commission Chairman Rick Muggridge was absent from Tuesday’s meeting. The County Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 25.