Lincoln County EMS received a $71,428.57 grant for the purchase of a new ambulance from the EMS Vehicle Replacement Grants Program, which is administered by the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission (GTCNC).

The announcement was made at the regular meeting of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners held Thursday, May 14.

The focus of the EMS Vehicle Replacement Grants Program is sustaining and building the capacity to respond to emergency situations in rural Georgia.

Wanda Duncan, interim director of the Lincoln County Department of Public Safety, indicated that due to time constraints, the GTCNS waived match requirements for the grant.

She went on to add that the purchase of the replacement vehicle must be made within 180 days of the signing of the contract with the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Fifty-six grants of this type were recently awarded to rural EMS agencies throughout the state.

In other business, the commission heard a report on the new gymnasium floor, given by Kathie Davis, Recreation Department director.

In her comments, Davis said, "There are terrible imperfections in the floor. S.D. Clifton, the general contractor, said they did everything to prepare for the pouring of the floor. Dynamic Floors said the floor wasn't ready but signed off on it anyway. Personally, I don't think Dynamic should have poured the floor if it wasn't ready.

"Hopefully, we will get this resolved — they have given up options but they want us to pay for them," she continued. "Basically, its one company blaming the other, and nothing is getting done."

Referring to the summer camp that will be held in the gym in June and July, Davis said both companies have assured her that it will not hurt anything to use the floor.

The commission will consult with county attorney Barry Fleming for assistance in resolving the matter.

In further business, Nelson Brooks addressed the commissioners about the need for a united effort on the part of counties in both Georgia and South Carolina to require the United States Army Corps of Engineers to pay tax on the timber it cuts in each respective county. "We will have to change federal and state law to accomplish this," he said.

In other remarks, Brooks gave the commission an update on the corps' management of Clark's Hill and other lakes in the Savannah River Basin.

"Since the public forum we had earlier in the year, the corps has done things it has never done before," he stated. "Basically, the corps has put a stopper in the tub and the lake is up 12 feet. When lake levels increase, people come back to the lake and sales tax revenues increase."

Brooks gave the credit to Col. Ed Kertis of the corps. "He has done Lincoln County and every county on both sides of the river a great service. We should thank him."

He went on to emphasize that the corps needs to revise its Drought Contingency Plan so as not to let all of the water out of the lake during the next drought. "When the lake drops two feet, the corps needs to decrease flows. The lakes need to be managed at a higher level. It will establish confidence in the lake, which will stimulate the economy."

Also during the meeting, the commission:

.. Heard the Public Safety Department Report given by Interim Director Duncan, who indicated that the EMS office received 87 calls for service during the month of April.

.. Heard the Recreation Department Report given by Director Davis, who said registration for adult softball is underway. "We currently have four teams, with the season scheduled to begin the week of June 22."

In other items of information, she pointed out that the pool at the Curry Colvin Recreation Complex is set to open on Tuesday, June 2. Pool hours are from 12 noon until 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

Moreover, Tim Sanders will be teaching swimming lessons the week of June 22.

Director Davis further noted that the pool will be available for birthday party rentals this summer.

.. Heard the Finance Department Report given by Director Traci Bussey.

.. Heard the Public Works Department Report given by Director Roby Seymour, who said his office billed 1,342 water customers and 491 "availability" customers a total of $47,452.37 for the month of April.

Concerning the road department, Seymour said his staff has been busy working on signage; unstopping drain pipes; installing pipe; scraping dirt roads; cutting grass; hauling sand, dirt, and crush-and-run; patching potholes; cutting trees back off of rights-of-way; bush-hogging; and working on trucks and equipment at the county shop.

.. Voted to authorize Director Seymour to proceed with the bid process for a new tractor. "Our old one blew a motor, damaging various components of the tractor," he explained.

.. Heard the Planning and Zoning Department Report given by Director Seymour, who indicated that his office issued seven business licenses during the month of April for a total of $353 and processed three zoning requests for a total of $600.

Regarding code enforcement, 26 building permits were issued last month for a total of $1,373, and 33 building inspections were conducted.

.. Voted to grant a variance request to create two two-acre lots in A-1 zoning on property owned by Earl McKellar on Aycock-Norman Road to accommodate a stick-built house. The request was approved with the stipulation that a building permit must be issued within a year or the plat reverts back to four acres.

.. Voted to grant a "Special Use" request for an assisted living/personal care facility a 1.04-acre lot owned by Tammy Bennett on L & N Road.

.. Voted to approve a request made by Michael L. Frazier to accommodate an accessory structure in R-1 zoning on a 10.08-acre lot he owns in the Saddlebrook subdivision.

.. Voted to approve a Special Use request for a golf cart repair business on a 5.86-acre lot owned by Danny Dawkins on Highway 220 West.

In a related item of business, the county denied a request to refund the $200 fee for the Special Use permit.

The Planning Commission felt that Dawkins should be grandfathered in and recommended that the Special Use fee be returned to him because he has been operating his golf cart business in the same location for 20 years.

.. Voted to direct the county attorney and Charles Huggins, attorney for the Serenity Pointe subdivision, to discuss the possibility of helping the developer "tread water for about another year" by either changing the language of the ordinance that requires that the county keep a 25-percent surety to cover the risk of infrastructure failure or working out a way for the county to disburse the surety funds to creditors.

"The ordinance wasn't written to encounter the perfect storm we are in right now," said Huggins.

.. Voted to proceed with the process of abandoning Bailey Drive, off of Graball Road.

.. Voted to sell surplus equipment at an auction at the county shop. The motion included putting a $15,000 reserve on a 770B motor grader. Other items for sale are a Ford dump truck, several Ford Crown Victorias, a tractor, and a ditch witch.

.. Voted to purchase a security camera system for the main hall on the first floor of the courthouse from Network Digital Security of Augusta for $6,000.

Commissioner Larry Collins cast the lone opposing vote.

"We have several employees who work after hours, and there's no real security for these people," said Commission Chairman Wade Johnson.

.. Voted to enter into executive session to discuss two legal matters. No action was taken upon returning to regular session.

The next regular meeting of the commissioners will be held Thursday, June 11, at 7 p.m. in the courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse.