Montgomery County Commissioners met Monday in what was likely their last meeting at the county courthouse.
The next time the three-member board convenes at 8 a.m. April 25 they are expected to do so in the newly opened county government center on the city’s northside. The county began moving many of its offices in late March to the site of the former Williamsburg Healthcare facility at 1580 Constitution Row.
Commissioners gathered with many of the department heads who were in attendance for a photograph. Among the department heads was Jim Peck, county engineer. Monday’s meeting was his last as a county employee. He has resigned his post and will take on a similar role in Putnam County. Commissioners honored him with a certificate.
“When I become a commissioner five years ago we didn’t have an engineer at that time, and we hadn’t had one for several years,” Frey said. “I just felt like I needed more input in making million dollar decisions about our roads and managing that budget, so I pushed Jim Fulwider and at that time Phil Bane toward getting a county engineer, and I think we’d all agree that we made the right decision.”
Frey thanked Peck for his work and service to the county.
In other business, commissioners:
• Appointed Frey from the commissioners, David Hunt from the county council and Steve Loy as a private citizen to serve on the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee. The county is a member of Thrive West Central, an EDA-designated economic development district. The district must develop a strategy and update it every five years. The current strategy runs through 2022. An updated strategy must be developed by the end of the year and will cover 2023-2027.
The updated strategy is required to be eligible for federal and state funds and serves as a demonstration that proposed grant projects are derived from a regional planning process.
• Approved a contract with Banning Engineering for on-call drainage review at a rate of $155 per hour. The company was recommended by Peck and Tom Cummins, county surveyor.
• Approved on second reading an ordinance establishing a delinquent business property tax fund and an ordinance establishing a posted speed limit of 35 mph on Offield Monument Road. Both ordinances will receive a third and final reading at the next meeting.
• Introduced an ordinance for adopting an updated investment policy. The previous policy expires in mid-May. The updated policy will continue to invest public funds for the highest investment return with maximum security.
• Introduced an ordinance adopting the county logo, which is used for branding and other marketing efforts.
• Introduced an ordinance amending the emergency management code, renaming the department and adopting a new logo for the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department. This was previously approved by the county advisory council.
• Recognized this week as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
