Gwinnett County commissioners approve broad consent agenda, defer 2025 budget adoption to 2 p.m. business session
January 07, 2025 | Gwinnett County, Georgia
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The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a large consent agenda of appointments, routine authorizations and contract awards and moved formal adoption of the county's 2025 operating, capital and grants budgets to the 2:00 p.m. business session for discussion.
The budget item (agenda 20 25 40) was presented by Russell Royal, acting director of Financial Services, who said the budget adoption had been advertised on Dec. 29 and requested that it be placed on the 2:00 p.m. business session for discussion. "The adoption of the 2025 budget was advertised on December 29 to be considered at today's 2PM meeting. Therefore, I request that this item be placed on discussion for this afternoon's 02:00 business session," Royal said. The board moved the item to discussion.
By unanimous consent the commissioners approved dozens of routine appointments across county boards and authorities, including reappointments and new appointees to bodies such as the Gwinnett County Water and Sewage Authority (agenda 20 25 21; 20 25 22; 20 25 82), the audit committee (20 25 27), the Gwinnett County Planning Commission (20 25 78) and several human services, animal advisory and transit boards. Terms and appointment sources were read into the record by communications staffer Lauren Diaz; where specified the agenda packets list term-expiration dates (for example: several appointees with terms expiring 12/31/2025 or 12/31/2026). Those items were placed on the consent agenda and approved without recorded roll-call votes.
The board also approved the November 30, 2024 monthly financial status report and ratified budget amendments (agenda 20 25 5). Russell Royal told the board the report contained unaudited information through November 2024 and noted that judiciary expenses were roughly $6.5 million higher than the prior year, in part because of indigent defense attorney fees, and that elections-related expenditures were about $14.4 million higher because of the general election; Royal said those increases are expected to remain within budget.
County Attorney Michael Eduszak presented an agreement to settle litigation brought by Vision Outdoor Media LLC (agenda 20 25 24), a suit connected to a prior 2021 settlement that authorized oversized signs at six locations in the county. Eduszak said five of the six previously authorized signs have already been constructed and that the settlement before the board authorizes a replacement location; the board placed that settlement on the consent agenda.
Tax Commissioner Denise Mitchell, newly sworn for a term beginning Jan. 1, asked the board to renew prior authorizations that identify her as the current tax commissioner and delegate certain administrative powers under state law. Mitchell requested authority to accept specified payment forms and to correct clerical errors and issue refunds consistent with state law, and asked that the chairwoman be authorized to execute resolutions delegating to the tax commissioner the discretion to waive certain ad valorem tax penalties and interest pursuant to state statute. "I request your approval," Mitchell said. The board approved those authorizations by consent. The presenter cited Georgia law by section during the request (Official Code of Georgia Annotated sections cited below).
The board approved a transportation contract award (2025 20 5 Award BL1402204) to Omshiv Construction LLC in an amount not to exceed $2,261,801.10 for intersection improvements at Sugarloaf Parkway and Lawrenceville Highway. Transportation Director Louis Cooksey described the work as installing dual left-turn lanes on both approaches of Sugarloaf Parkway, extending the southbound right-turn lane, adding sidewalks, updating traffic signals, and completing curb, gutter and drainage work. The presentation identified the project as funded by the SPLOST program.
The meeting concluded with the chair calling for adjournment; the board recessed and the work session ended ahead of the scheduled 2:00 p.m. business session where the 2025 budget will be discussed.
Votes at a glance: most items on the Jan. 7, 2025 work-session agenda were placed on and approved via the consent agenda by unanimous voice consent. The 2025 budget item (agenda 20 25 40) was moved to the 2:00 p.m. business session for discussion and was not adopted during the work session.
The budget item (agenda 20 25 40) was presented by Russell Royal, acting director of Financial Services, who said the budget adoption had been advertised on Dec. 29 and requested that it be placed on the 2:00 p.m. business session for discussion. "The adoption of the 2025 budget was advertised on December 29 to be considered at today's 2PM meeting. Therefore, I request that this item be placed on discussion for this afternoon's 02:00 business session," Royal said. The board moved the item to discussion.
By unanimous consent the commissioners approved dozens of routine appointments across county boards and authorities, including reappointments and new appointees to bodies such as the Gwinnett County Water and Sewage Authority (agenda 20 25 21; 20 25 22; 20 25 82), the audit committee (20 25 27), the Gwinnett County Planning Commission (20 25 78) and several human services, animal advisory and transit boards. Terms and appointment sources were read into the record by communications staffer Lauren Diaz; where specified the agenda packets list term-expiration dates (for example: several appointees with terms expiring 12/31/2025 or 12/31/2026). Those items were placed on the consent agenda and approved without recorded roll-call votes.
The board also approved the November 30, 2024 monthly financial status report and ratified budget amendments (agenda 20 25 5). Russell Royal told the board the report contained unaudited information through November 2024 and noted that judiciary expenses were roughly $6.5 million higher than the prior year, in part because of indigent defense attorney fees, and that elections-related expenditures were about $14.4 million higher because of the general election; Royal said those increases are expected to remain within budget.
County Attorney Michael Eduszak presented an agreement to settle litigation brought by Vision Outdoor Media LLC (agenda 20 25 24), a suit connected to a prior 2021 settlement that authorized oversized signs at six locations in the county. Eduszak said five of the six previously authorized signs have already been constructed and that the settlement before the board authorizes a replacement location; the board placed that settlement on the consent agenda.
Tax Commissioner Denise Mitchell, newly sworn for a term beginning Jan. 1, asked the board to renew prior authorizations that identify her as the current tax commissioner and delegate certain administrative powers under state law. Mitchell requested authority to accept specified payment forms and to correct clerical errors and issue refunds consistent with state law, and asked that the chairwoman be authorized to execute resolutions delegating to the tax commissioner the discretion to waive certain ad valorem tax penalties and interest pursuant to state statute. "I request your approval," Mitchell said. The board approved those authorizations by consent. The presenter cited Georgia law by section during the request (Official Code of Georgia Annotated sections cited below).
The board approved a transportation contract award (2025 20 5 Award BL1402204) to Omshiv Construction LLC in an amount not to exceed $2,261,801.10 for intersection improvements at Sugarloaf Parkway and Lawrenceville Highway. Transportation Director Louis Cooksey described the work as installing dual left-turn lanes on both approaches of Sugarloaf Parkway, extending the southbound right-turn lane, adding sidewalks, updating traffic signals, and completing curb, gutter and drainage work. The presentation identified the project as funded by the SPLOST program.
The meeting concluded with the chair calling for adjournment; the board recessed and the work session ended ahead of the scheduled 2:00 p.m. business session where the 2025 budget will be discussed.
Votes at a glance: most items on the Jan. 7, 2025 work-session agenda were placed on and approved via the consent agenda by unanimous voice consent. The 2025 budget item (agenda 20 25 40) was moved to the 2:00 p.m. business session for discussion and was not adopted during the work session.
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