County commissioners approve alcohol beverage licenses for 2019

County commissioners this week approved the 2019 alcoholic beverage licenses for vendors within the county.

According to Grady County Administrator J.C. (Buddy) Johnson III, all of the licenses had been obtained and paid for timely, but the licenses had not been presented to the county commission for its approval until now.

Licenses were approved for Quick Buys #2, One Convenient Stop #2, One Convenient Stop #3, One Convenient Stop #5, Steve’s Country Store, Dollar General, Thomas Mercantile, Country Meat Market, and Fast Fuel 18.

In other business Tuesday, the board:

• Reappointed the following department heads for fiscal year 2020: road/solid waste superintendent, Stanley Elkins; shop superintendent, Chris Dix; EMS director, Rodney Gordon; building & grounds/code enforcement officer, Brian Harrison; Recreation Department director, Becky Bracewell; animal control officer, Shawn Mobley; Volunteer Fire Department/EMA director, Richard Phillips; finance director, Holly Murkerson; and human resource director/county clerk, John White. The Grady County Lake Authority will make a recommendation on the reappointment of lake director, Mike Binion and the board is expected to vote on the authority’s recommendation at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday, June 18. According to county policy, department heads are to be reappointed each June for the following fiscal year.

• Unanimously approved a contract between the Circuit Public Defender Office of the South Georgia Judicial Circuit, Grady County and the Georgia Public Defender Council for services from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. According to the county administrator, the cost to Grady County, which is $190,976.17, is unchanged from the current contract that expires June 30, 2019.

• Heard a presentation by Michelle Dean and Dana Willis seeking the county commission’s support for the arts. County leaders were encouraged to attend the upcoming performances of local dancers with Willis’ Off Broadstreet Centre for the Dance Arts. Dean also stressed the need for better coordination and communication when planning events and chastised the City of Cairo for scheduling a downtown, outdoor concert on the same evening as the upcoming dance recital. Administrator Johnson suggested representatives of the arts community work in coordination with city and county leaders as well as the board of education and chamber of commerce in a cooperative effort. Johnson said he was familiar with how the Arts Council works in Miller County and he agreed to share contact information with the two ladies so that they could learn how that community manages and promotes the arts.

• Approved plats for Linda Ward and Vanna Faircloth Clements.

• Met behind closed doors for nearly 30 minutes discussing a personnel issue. No action was taken as a result of the closed session.