Sheriff to travel to Israel for law enforcement exchange

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted to accept a grant that will allow Sheriff Gerald Lawson to visit Israel in conjunction with the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) program.

The action was taken at the regular meeting of the commission held Thursday, April 12.

The sheriff's trip will be funded by an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant ($4,500) and GILEE ($1,500).

GILEE's mission is to enhance law enforcement executive development and international cooperation for the provision of better law enforcement services and public safety through the protection of civil rights.

The program focuses on improving homeland security efforts through international cooperation. Its goal is to provide peer-to-peer professional training through the introduction of best practices in order to enhance agency capabilities to deal with threats to public safety.

While in Israel, Sheriff Lawson will represent Lincoln County, the State of Georgia, and the Georgia Sheriffs' Association.

GILEE is a joint project of Georgia State University and local, state, federal, and international law enforcement agencies.

In other business, the commissioners agreed to change their regular meeting time from 7 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., starting in May and continuing through October. The meetings will still be held the second Thursday of each month.

In further business, the commission:

.. Voted to increase the health department's share of county funds by $21,000, bringing the total for FY 2008 to $40,000. In part, the increase includes the hiring of an environmental specialist, who would work in Lincoln County three days a week.

.. Heard the Department of Public Safety Report given by Director Ernie Doss, who indicated that the ambulance service responded to 110 calls for emergency assistance during the month of March.

Concerning the E-911 center, dispatchers handled 789 emergency calls last month and monitored 7,080 radio transmissions.

.. Heard the Public Works Report given by Director Roby Seymour, who stated that 1,274 water customers were billed last month for a total of $33,697.93.

.. Voted to approve a determination that portions of Murray Creek Road should be abandoned because they do not serve any substantial public purpose. The land will revert back to the property owners.

.. Heard the Recreation Department Report given by Director Kathie Davis, who said Eddie Fletcher Memorial Park opened on April 1 and the swimming pool at the Curry Colvin Recreation Complex is scheduled to open Monday, May 28.

.. Voted to renew leases with the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the use of Eddie Fletcher Memorial Park and the Holloway Landing Boat Ramp.

.. Reviewed the Finance Department Report submitted by Director Traci Bussey.

.. Heard the Planning and Zoning Department Report given by Director Meg Burg, who indicated that her office issued 15 business licenses last month for a total of $950.

She further noted that the Planning Commission's May meeting will be held Monday, April 30, at 5:30 p.m. in the conference room in the Planning and Zoning Department's new offices at 107 Perryman Avenue.

Concerning code enforcement activities, 51 building permits were issued in March for a total of $2,829.

.. Was informed by Jim Butler, deputy code enforcement officer, that the county and the City of Lincolnton will host their annual clean-up campaign on Saturday, April 21, beginning at 8 a.m. at the courthouse. The event is being held in conjunction with Keep America Beautiful's "Great American Cleanup."

.. Heard the first reading of an amendment containing textural changes to the Lincoln County Land Development Code.

"We are proposing that the county allow pre-fabricated accessory buildings to be placed on lake corridors with restrictions as to location and appearance standards," said Director Burg, adding, "The amendment will give residents more options in this regard."

A copy of the amendment is available for review in the commissioners' office at the courthouse and on the county's website.

.. Voted to approve a rezoning extension request, with conditions, for a proposed PUD (Planned Unit Development) subdivision on 49 acres of land on the McCormick Highway. The extension was needed to give the developers time to finalize the engineering plans for the project. The property is owned by the Wade Family Partnership.

.. Was informed by Director Burg that the Planning Commission has given preliminary plat approval for the lot and road layout of the Serenity Point subdivision, located off of Nathania Farm Road. The 259-acre parcel will be comprised of 99 lots.

.. Voted to rezone 77.75 acres of land off of Soap Creek Lodge Road, with conditions, from A-3 to PUD to accommodate a new subdivision under development by Tommy Lee and Dean Antonakos.

.. Voted to grant a plat approval variance, with conditions, for 41.27 acres of land on Highway 79, owned by George Phillip Rhodes and Michael Rhodes, to accommodate a subdivision of property.

.. Voted to accept a proposal from Goldman Construction for a concession and filming building at Burke Field, located in the Curry Colvin Recreation Complex. The commission allocated $3,089.62 for the project, which is half of the projected cost, with the understanding that the Lincoln County Board of Education will be responsible for the remainder.

.. Voted to sign an agreement that calls for the Georgia Forestry Commission to provide wildfire suppression support and services to local residents at a cost of four cents per acre of privately owned timberland.

According to the 2004 Forestland Survey, Lincoln County contains 81,271 acres of privately owned timberland which, at four cents per acre, amounts to $3,251.

.. Voted to approve a resolution to adopt a retention schedule for local government records.

.. Was invited by Commission Chairman Walker Norman to tour the new offices of the Planning and Zoning Department and the Public Works Department on Perryman Avenue.

The next regular meeting of the commission will be held Thursday, May 10, at 5:30 p.m. in the courtroom at the Lincoln County Courthouse.