This is an informal rundown of what happened at the September 15 Bulloch County Commission meeting.
Call to Order
Invocation & Pledge
Roll Call – Commissioner Toby Conner & Commissioner Timmy Rushing not present
Approval of General Agenda
Presentation
- Present Carl Pearsall with a certificate of appreciation for 38 years of dedicated service. Retiring from the Buildings and Facilities department on August 28th, 2026
- Presentation of draft revisions to Administrative Policies for Roads, Highways, and Bridges
- Presented by Crystal Dawson (Assistant County Manager) & Ron Nelson (County Engineer)
- Read the full article
Public Comments
Spencer Johnson – Said he was glad to see the commissioners were looking toward changes for the dirt road paving process. He also asked commissioners to be proactive instead of reactive, which is costing taxpayers considerably. He then brought up during the last meeting, during public comment, a citizen was addressing commissioners and the county manager was scrolling on social media for the duration of her comments. Johnson said it was captured on the livestream camera. He said he appreciated Chairman Bennett asking commissioners to put up their phones during a meeting, but that the county manager and employees should be held to the same standard.
Consent Agenda
Newkirk asked to move #5 to new business. All other items were voted on collectively. Mosley made a motion, Simmons seconded, passed in a vote 4-0.
- Regular Meeting and Executive Session Minutes Approval: September 1st, 2026
- Approve the annual Motorola service and support contract for Bulloch County Public Safety Radio System
- Approve the annual Quality Recording System service and support contract in the amount of $17,285.50
- Approve payment of $29,229.92 to Sand Creek Land Construction, LLC for rock hauling for the new Pine Inn center
- Approve the purchase of a 2027 Chevy Equinox, budgeted for FY27, for $29,582.30 from Alan Jay Fleet Sales, via a state contract quote
- Approve the proposal by Ace Technologies for a new fire system at Bulloch County Correctional for the amount of $120,970.90
- The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) requires any non-criminal justice agency receiving access to criminal justice information/criminal history record information to implement organizational policy and procedures to ensure protection of the criminal justice information, to ensure established guidelines are in place in the event of a man-made and natural disaster, and to ensure established guidelines for disciplinary actions in regards to misuse or violations concerning the GCIC CJIS Network, materials, records, and information. The attached policies include the following: Man-Made or Natural Disaster Policy, Media Protection Policy, Applicants Privacy Rights Notification Policy, and GCIC Disciplinary Policy. As part of the application process for alcohol licenses and special event permits, applicants are required to provide criminal history information; as a non-criminal justice agency we are responsible for the implementation of these policies. The attached policies have been updated and are required to be adopted every two years or otherwise as determined by the agency. Approval is recommended.
New Business
#5 from Consent Agenda moved to New Business at the Request of Commissioner Nick Newkirk: Approve the purchase of a 2027 Chevy Equinox, budgeted for FY27, for $29,582.30 from Alan Jay Fleet Sales, via a state contract quote
Newkirk asked what the purpose of the vehicle was. Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport Manager Kathy Boykin answered that it was a “’courtesy vehicle’ for the airport.”
“I guess I’m reading this wrong or there might have been a typo that we’re paying for this from TSPLOST?” Newkirk asked.
“Yes sir. That’s correct,” Boykin said.
County Finance Kristi King said the funding was coming from the airport line item and TSPLOST “can be used for maintenance and operating for transportation purposes and the airport qualifies as a transportation purpose and we have money set aside for the airport.”
Newkirk said he understood but that he thought it looked bad. “I’m not saying anything against you Kristi, but in the public, I think it looks bad whenever you have Banks Creek Church residents, which we have two of them here, and the one last meeting talking about trying to get this road approved and we kept telling, and they’ve been up here 20 years trying to get this road…but we don’t have the money to fix that, but we got money for $30,000 for a vehicle. I think that just looks bad. Mr. Mosley said just a few minutes ago that TSPLOST is for infrastructure.”
Newkirk made a motion to deny the agenda item because TSPLOST should not be used to buy vehicles.
Commissioner Ray Davis asked if the vehicle was a budgeted item.
Kathy Boykin answered, “Yes. We budgeted $30,000.” She said the vehicle is used to support the community.
“We have a lot of business jets flying in. More and more, we’re seeing management teams flying in, and they use the van. So we have, a lot of the aircraft require two pilots and a flight attendant, so we need three people. We have a truck that we were using to run errands for the airport- that broke down. So, our proposal was to move the courtesy truck to start using it for airport errands and get a courtesy vehicle, a car, so while the management team is out at the business, the pilot crew can go out, buy lunch, or shop or whatever it be,” she said.
Newkirk reiterated that his issue was the funds that were being used to pay for the vehicle when there are road issues.
Kristi King stated that the referendum voters approved included money for ‘roads and for the airport,’ “so legally because the citizens voted on airport funding, we cannot use airport funds for dirt roads.’
Newkirk said he wasn’t saying what was proposed was illegal, he just believed it looks bad to the public.
Assistant County Manager Randy Tillman said the initial request from the airport was for two vehicles.
Newkirk said he believed they were missing his point.
Chairman David Bennett replied, “I think you’ve made your point, Mr. Newkirk. Please let the County Manager speak.”
Newkirk: Assistant County Manager
Bennett: He’s the Acting County Manager today.
Newkirk: Okay.
Bennett: And just to clarify, when we budget funds, it goes into a pot of money and yes TSPLOST is made for transportation but when that money is allocated based on what was voted on by the people, it goes into a separate pot of money. You can’t move that pot of money to fix a road. Your point is valid, I understand it. But again, we must follow the law.
Bennett then asked for a second to Newkirk’s motion. It died for a lack of a second.
Commissioner Ray Davis made a motion to approve, seconded by Mosley. Approved 3-1 with Newkirk opposing.
Consider authorizing a Letter of Support to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in support of Bulloch County’s application to the 2024 Hurricane Helene Resilience Fund.
Bulloch County Emergency Management Agency is requesting the Board’s support for our application to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for up to $15 million in grant funding for the Raptor Wastewater System. The letter of support would demonstrate the County’s commitment to the project and strengthen the grant application. We are asking the Board to authorize the Chairman to sign the letter on behalf of the Board. The proposed project would be included as part of the $20 million in grant funding awarded to Bulloch County through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) program for critical water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The $15 million requested through the 2024 Hurricane Helene Resilience Fund does not require a local match.
Approved 3-1 with Newkirk opposing.
Department Reports
Commission & Staff Comments
Executive Session
Potential Litigation & Personnel
Commissioners moved into executive session at 9:39 a.m.
