Echols County commissioners adopt FY 2026 budget, approve policies and ask legislature to remove commissioner districts

The Echols County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 2 adopted the county’s FY 2026 budget and approved a series of policies and contracts, including a volunteer fire department stipend policy and a general services agreement with Watkins & Associates.

The board voted to adopt the FY 2026 budget by motion (Bobby Walker moved; Justin Staten seconded) and carried the motion 5–0. The budget vote came alongside several routine approvals intended to support county operations, including declaring surplus vehicles as trade-ins toward a dump truck purchase and approving an engineering services contract.

Board members approved a Volunteer Fire Department stipend policy to provide limited stipends and nominal fees to Echols County volunteer firefighters; that motion carried unanimously. Commissioners also approved using surplus county vehicles as trade-ins toward purchasing a dump truck and authorized a General Services Agreement for engineering services with Watkins & Associates; both motions carried 5–0.

Separately, the commissioners passed a resolution implementing HB 223 (the Trees Act), which allows local governments to forgive timber tax collections for the fourth quarter of 2024 and all of 2025 by passing a local resolution. That measure passed with a 4–0–1 outcome (one abstention by Vice‑Chairman Bobbi Pohlman Rodgers).

In a more contested vote, the board approved a resolution requesting the Georgia General Assembly amend HB 1601 to remove commissioner districts. Commissioner Justin Staten moved the resolution and Commissioner Bobby Walker seconded; the motion carried 4–1 with Commissioner Stanley Corbett in opposition. The board did not provide additional local ordinance or statutory language during the meeting; the motion requests the state-level change only.

Votes at a glance
• Approve FY 2026 budget — motion carried 5–0 (mover: Bobby Walker; seconder: Justin Staten).
• Adopt Volunteer Fire Department stipend policy — motion carried 5–0.
• Approve surplus county vehicles as trade-ins toward dump truck purchase — motion carried 5–0.
• Approve General Services Agreement (Watkins & Associates) — motion carried 5–0.
• Adopt resolution implementing HB 223 (Trees Act; timber tax forgiveness for Q4 2024 and all of 2025) — motion carried 4–0–1 (Vice‑Chairman Bobbi Pohlman Rodgers abstained).
• Approve resolution requesting amendment to HB 1601 to remove commissioner districts — motion carried 4–1 (Commissioner Stanley Corbett opposed).

The board announced a county “Truck or Treat” on Oct. 31 at 6:00 p.m. at the pavilion and adjourned the Oct. 2 meeting. The county clerk’s minutes record the votes and motions; no executive session was held.