Commissioners approve costly repair to relatively new backhoe

Grady County commissioners met in one of their shortest regularly scheduled meetings, perhaps of all time, on Tuesday evening. Without a 25-minute closed door session to discuss real estate, the meeting might have ended in under 15 minutes.

However, commissioners did spend some of taxpayers’ money by approving a $14,827.28 estimate for repairs needed on one of the county’s newer pieces of equipment.

Grady County administrator J.C. (Buddy) Johnson III, briefed the board on the transmission and rear differential that is in need of repair on the county’s 2017 John Deere backhoe for the road department.

According to Johnson, there is money remaining in the 2020 operating budget for major repairs to cover the expense, but since the expenditure is estimated at over $10,000, the board’s authorization is required.

Johnson said that an additional quote for repairs was solicited, but the only bid received was from Flint Equipment.

“Is this something it would be worth trying to get some other bids?” Chairman Keith Moye asked.

Commissioner Ray Prince, who has experience with heavy equipment, said that any other bids the county may receive would be in line with the bid from Flint. According to Prince, it did not take much to run up a bill when repairs to a backhoe’s transmission are involved.

“This isn’t a bad bid,” Prince said.

The board voted unanimously to approve the repairs and accept the estimate from Flint.

Board members LaFaye Copeland and Phillip Drew both participated in the meeting via telephone conference call.

On Tuesday night, administrator Johnson also briefed the board on recent inspections he had conducted of both the road department and Grady County Emergency Medical Service.

“I was very impressed with both departments,” Johnson said.

Johnson bragged on vehicles being cleaned, facilities cleaned and organized and the morale of the staff.

Johnson has just implemented an inspection of county departments and his next inspections will be of the Code Enforcement, Building & Grounds and Recreation Department.

The county administrator also reported that part of the deliberations of the Grady Growth & Development Committee, chaired by Commissioner June Knight, had been to investigate the possibility of the county teaming up with the City of Cairo for a joint effort on tourism and marketing.

According to Johnson, he met with Cairo city manager Chris Addleton and Main Street director Alyssa Blakely Tuesday for some preliminary discussions. Johnson said that what was discussed was expanding what the city is currently doing and a partnership would be fair for both the county and the city.

“All we would be doing is expanding on what they are doing,” Johnson said.

The administrator said he would bring forward a recommendation and additional information in the near future.

Before adjourning, the board met for approximately 25 minutes behind closed doors with Gabe Ridley, county commission attorney, to discuss real estate. Following the closed session, the board voted unanimously to authorize Chairman Moye to execute a resolution that authorizes the process of abandoning a portion of Asbell Lane.

The county commission had been approached in May of this year by Kenneth Hicks concerning a possible swap of property or abandonment of a section of Asbell Lane.

Lastly, the board was reminded by the administrator that a workshop has been scheduled for Aug. 6, beginning at 9 a.m., to discuss possible revisions to the county’s code of ordinances with regards to chicken houses and other similar operations.