Coffee County commissioners approve rezoning, authorize regional transit grant application and award truck bid

Coffee County commissioners met Sept. 2, 2025, in the Commissioners Meeting Room and unanimously approved several administrative and land-use items, including a rezoning request, a regional transit grant application and a low bid for two pickup trucks for the Road Department.

Chairman Johnny Wayne Jowers opened the meeting and noted Commissioners AJ Dovers (vice chairman), Jimmy Kitchens and Ted O’Steen were present; the District 1 seat remained vacant. After approving the minutes and agenda, the board adopted a proclamation recognizing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month; Ms. Sheila Butler, of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Group of Coffee County, read the group's mission statement.

County Administrator Wesley Vickers reviewed three bids for two pickup trucks for the Road Department and recommended the low bid from Fitzgerald Ford for $97,360.96, to be paid from SPLOST VII funds. Commissioner Jimmy Kitchens moved to accept Fitzgerald Ford’s bid; Commissioner Ted O’Steen seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Vickers also presented a resolution authorizing Coffee County to join a regional application for transit funding under Title 49 U.S.C. §5311 at the request of the Southern Georgia Regional Commission. The board approved the resolution and authorized the chairman to sign the application documents.

The board approved placing three surplus sheriff's vehicles on the GovDeals auction site as presented by Vickers; the agenda lists the vehicles as a 2018 Dodge Durango (4532), a 2020 Dodge Durango (5585) and a 2019 Ford F-150 (8348) — these identifiers are those recorded in the meeting minutes and are partial identifiers as entered in the record.

County Attorney Tony Rowell explained the Local Emergency Management Ordinances on the agenda were being adopted in full and authorized for chairman signature so the documents could be transmitted to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency; the board ratified the ordinances unanimously.

On a land-use item, Code Enforcement Officer Jason Whiddon introduced a rezoning application by Joel Scholten to rezone 2.56 acres at 999 MJ McClelland Road from R2 (Residential) to AG (Agriculture) to allow placement of a HUD-code manufactured home. The Planning Commission had recommended approval and staff concurred. During the public hearing, resident Emily Ragsdale described hardships following her husband's death and the family's need to have relatives nearby; Scholten described the proposed HUD-code home’s quality. Commissioner Kitchens moved to approve the rezoning; Commissioner O’Steen seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

The board also approved an amendment to the May 5, 2025 minutes to change a project label from “2024 LMIG Resurfacing” to “2025 LMIG Resurfacing,” and recognized Road Department employee Wendell Troupe with a plaque for 53 years of service.

With no further public comments, the board adjourned at 10:03 a.m. The commission plans a Special Called Meeting on Sept. 12, 2025, to adopt the millage rate.