Gold Star makes request, Brown fights denial and courthouse sprinkler system mentioned at BOC Work Session – Americus Instances-Recorder

AMERICUS – There was a lot to debate on the Sumter County Board of Commissioners’ January Work Session on Tuesday, January 10 on the Sumter County Courthouse. Three of the assorted points mentioned included a request from Gold Star EMS, LLC, William H. Brown III’s problem of the BOC’s denial of his proposed cellular house park ultimately month’s common assembly and the approval to ratify the choice of Wayne’s Electrical as the corporate to repair the sprinkler system on the Sumter County Courthouse.

All the commissioners have been current and this work session was the primary assembly for newly elected Commissioner David Baldwin, who’s succeeding retiring Commissioner Scott Roberson.

Headquartered in Albany, GA, Gold Star EMS, LLC is the ambulance service that providers Americus and Sumter County, together with Albany, Bainbridge, Thomasville and surrounding areas. In keeping with info on its web site, www.goldstarambulance.com, it’s the largest ambulance service in Southwest Georgia.

At Tuesday’s work session, Gold Star CEO Charles Proctor, together with Director Brad Harnum, made a request to the BOC that it permit the ambulance service to not have to make use of its lights and sirens on each single response name, being that 95 % of the corporate’s responses are non-life-threatening. “It’s a little bit strange when an entity like an ambulance service or a fire department or a police department comes before a board like yours and talks about monkeying with response times,” Proctor instructed the BOC. “I want to make it perfectly clear that the reason I am here immediately tonight is how much it costs to hit a deer.” Proctor went on to say that three of Gold Star’s ambulances have had accidents with deer in Sumter County and that three ambulances are nonetheless being repaired. He added that the insurance coverage firm that Gold Star works with instructed that the EMS service not run lights and sirens on each name. “We wanted before we got really deep into creating policies and coming up with how we are going to do this, we wanted to first get your approval to move forward with looking into the idea of us not responding to every single call in Sumter County with lights and sirens,” Proctor continued.

He went on to say that aside from deer, the individuals which can be harm essentially the most from ambulances driving down the roads with lights and sirens blaring are most of the people as a result of 76 % of individuals concerned in accidents hitting ambulances, police vehicles and fireplace vans contain most of the people. He added that Brad Harnum, who was additionally on the meting, had been doing intensive analysis on this and found that most of the calls concerned carry help, serving to carry individuals off the ground, or sprained ankles and different non-life-threatening conditions. “Historically, across the board, an ambulance, a fire truck and a police car, when a 911 call goes out, we have this sense that we need to respond urgently and make sure that there is not something else to it,” Proctor stated. “We wanted to bring this to your attention the information that has been out about the use of lights and sirens and some insurance studies that have been around since 2005 about this is you can come up with a better plan,” Proctor instructed the BOC.

Proctor added that Gold Star plans to give you the standards to find out how to not reply with lights and sirens and that the ambulances would drift of site visitors to take care of non-life-threatening conditions. He then added that Gold Star intends to trace the best way these calls could be dealt with. “We think that an adequate length of time is about a month or two to track and see how it’s going to go and then get back with a full fledged idea of how we’re going to handle it,” Proctor instructed the BOC. He added that by being allowed to not have to make use of lights and sirens throughout non-life-threatening calls, Gold Star will have the ability to lower the menace to the corporate’s gear and the menace to potential accidents with pedestrians and different autos, in addition to bettering the general effectivity of Gold Star’s service.

Board Chairman Mark Waddell expressed to Proctor that his most important concern was what the legislation requires Gold Star to do. Proctor responded that he doesn’t need to “monkey around” with response occasions as a result of he has an obligation to the county to offer immediate service. He said that he desires Gold Star to reply urgently and in a well timed method to life threatening medical emergencies with lights and sirens, however within the case of conditions that aren’t life threatening, he desires Gold Star to be allowed to not have to make use of these lights and sirens and plans to discover a technique to monitor and hold a file of these conditions. “We want to see if you feel the same way that we feel about it,” Proctor instructed the BOC. “If we got into it and saw that it’s just not working out, we can abolish the whole plan.” Proctor added that his most important concern is that certainly one of Gold Star’s ambulances flies down the street with lights and sirens blaring in response to a non-life-threatening scenario and causes an accident alongside the best way.

Waddell requested Proctor if an ambulance doesn’t drive with its lights and sirens on, will it go as quick. Proctor replied that it could not and that it could go on the regular stream of site visitors. He added that with lights and sirens, the State of Georgia permits an ambulance driver to “break the law” so far as dashing and working via cease indicators or purple lights and he added that lights and sirens come most in helpful when an individual wants therapy in a sure period of time. To sum it up, Proctor and Harnum have been each there to ask the BOC to present Gold Star permission to not use lights and sirens whereas making non-emergency response calls.

Commissioner David Baldwin, a primary responder himself, instructed Proctor that he understood the place he was coming from with regard to ambulances driving with lights and sirens in that folks react to it a sure means. “I think it would be interesting to see what you come up with,” Baldwin instructed Proctor. County Lawyer Hayden Hooks instructed to Proctor that the Affiliation of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) ought to check out his proposal from a viability standpoint. County Administrator Rayetta Volley requested Proctor how his proposal to not use lights and sirens on ambulances when responding to non-emergency conditions would have an effect on the present contract with Sumter County concerning response occasions. Proctor replied that if Gold Star decides it’s a good suggestion, they might simply amend that portion of the contract with the understanding that it may revert again to what it was if the brand new proposal didn’t work. Proctor additionally said that Gold Star ought to have a plan to undergo the BOC inside the subsequent two months.

At its December Common Assembly on Tuesday, December 20 at a public listening to, the BOC voted unanimously to disclaim the request of William H. Brown III to put a leisure car park on his property, which is situated at 220 U.S. Freeway 280 West in Americus. On the work session this previous Tuesday, Brown confirmed as much as dispute the board’s ruling and had with him drawings of what he had deliberate to do together with his property had his request been granted. “I just want to know if that’s why you turned me down for my RV park,” Brown instructed the BOC. He went on to indicate the board his drawings and plans of what he was going to do with the property. “What I want to know from y’all is if I have a drawing done, will I be allowed to do an RV park,” Brown requested the BOC. Waddell instructed Brown that for the reason that BOC has already denied his request, he must return via the method once more so far as getting approval from the Sumter County Planning and Zoning Board (SCPZB) after which getting permission from the BOC.

Brown replied by asking that if he complies with the entire necessities, due to his zoning, which is C-2 (industrial property), would he then be granted permission to construct an RV park on his property, significantly if it meets the entire necessities of the SCPZB. “I will definitely meet the state requirements,” Brown instructed the BOC. “My zoning out there has been questioned on several occasions. If you look up on your map, it doesn’t have C-2 on there.”

Brown went on to say that zoning has been the issue together with his property the entire time and that no person wished to acknowledge it. “All I want is the proper zoning for it,” Brown stated. Waddell replied that if Brown goes via the method once more and if all the things meets the necessities, then the BOC would rethink his request.

Brown requested Waddell what sort of zoning his property falls beneath, to which Waddell replied that he must examine and see. Brown then replied that when he exhibits up on the BOC’s subsequent assembly, maybe Waddell may inform him what zoning his property presently falls beneath. Brown went on to say that he acquired a letter from Heather Tyler of the SCPZB, who was in attendance on the work session. He stated that Tyler’s letter said that the zoning of his property is C-2, however added that every one he desires to know is what the BOC says his property is zoned as. Waddell replied that if Tyler says that it’s zoned C-2, then it’s C-2. Commissioner Clay Jones requested Brown what he thought his property was zoned. Brown replied that it was initially zoned as R-2 (residential property), however stated he was instructed that the sheriff had modified his zoning. “I know that I was zoned because I had an alcohol license in 2005. Nobody has changed my zoning,” Brown stated. He went on to say that on the maps of his property that the BOC presently has, the property isn’t zoned industrial, which is making it tough for him to promote the property, which he has been attempting to promote for the final 20 years. He added that he acquired into an argument with a land surveyor over what zoning the property fell beneath and he said that when he introduced the property, it was a industrial piece of property and he had it zoned industrial. “This is the first lady (referring to Heather Tyler) that has ever given me anything with proof on it,” Brown stated. He added that if he complies with the entire guidelines and rules which can be required for his property to be zoned as C-2, then he ought to have the ability to construct an condominium advanced or a retail institution or something listed beneath C-2 zoning.

Waddell instructed Brown that he would discover out for him what sort of zoning his property falls beneath, however it’s potential that the BOC must rethink Brown’s request at both its common assembly subsequent Tuesday or at a future date.

After a prolonged dialogue, the BOC voted unanimously to approve the ratification of the choice of Wayne’s Electrical to repair the hearth management panel of the sprinkler system of the Sumter County Courthouse within the quantity of $34,000.00. Nevertheless, earlier than the BOC voted its approval, Commissioner Jim Reid said that the opposite firm that put in a bid to do the job gave the BOC extra specifics about how the job could be completed and the estimated price. Reid additionally added that with the bid from Wayne’s Electrical, the BOC won’t know what all is concerned and that the bid from the opposite firm was $2,000.00 much less. Reid went on to say that he requested that the bid separate elements and materials from labor. “You do not know if the panel is comparable or compatible to the other,” Reid stated. “The other guy was very specific in what he was quoting. Are we comparing an apple to an apple?”

Dowdell replied to the BOC that Reid’s assertion that there’s a $2,000.00 distinction between Wayne’s Electrical and the opposite firm was incorrect. “If you read on that same bid package, you’ll see no electrical is going to be done, so we’re going to have to hire an electrician to come in, so it’s going to be more than $2,000.00 cheaper,” Dowdell instructed the BOC. Reid said that in his expertise, when bids are introduced with obscure info, the client doesn’t know what he’s getting. He added that he’s involved about what isn’t being included within the bid. “What are they not telling me that I need to know,” Reid stated. He went on to say that as a consultant of the taxpayers, he desires to know precisely what he’s voting on and he desires to know precisely what all is concerned with the corporate that’s performing the undertaking.

After additional dialogue, the BOC determined to go forward and approve the bid from Wayne’s Electrical to do the sprinkler system undertaking on the courthouse. Commissioner Jesse Smith made a movement for approval and Commissioner Clay Jones seconded the movement. The BOC voted and the movement of approval handed unanimously.

The BOC additionally voted unanimously to approve the contract between the Sumter County BOC and the Georgia Board of Regents of the College of Georgia on behalf of the College of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service for Chelsea Lopez. Commissioner Reid made a movement for approval and Commissioner Smith seconded the movement. A vote was taken and the movement to approve handed unanimously.

The BOC voted unanimously to approve the applying for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Fairness (RAISE) Grant Program. This grant program is beneath the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act. Rayetta Volley instructed the BOC that the county wish to get permission to use for this grant. Waddell said that the grant offers out a complete of $12.1 billion that will probably be given out to every state and County Division of Public Works Director Jim Littlefield expressed his want that the county get permission to use for the grant so it may be used to enhance Sumter County’s roads and infrastructure. Commissioner Baldwin made a movement to approve the grant and Commissioner Jones seconded the movement. The BOC voted and the movement to approve the RAISE Grant handed unanimously.