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CORDELE— The Crisp County Board of Commissioners held their first meeting of the 2019 calendar year on Tuesday morning.

The first item of business for the new year was the reappointment of Chairman and Vice-Chair of the commission. Commissioner Sam Farrow was unanimously reappointed to the position of 2019 Chairman of the Crisp County Board of Commissioners, and Commissioner James Nance was reappointed to the position of Vice Chairman of the board.

Up next, Crisp County Sheriff and EMA Director Billy Hancock presented his monthly report to the commissioners. The sheriff touched on the recent lasting effects of the area storms, the government shutdown slightly affecting his department’s income, and work positions that need filling within Crisp County Emergency Management Agency.

“The federal shutdown will affect us, as in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. We will not get a check until they go back to work. I have talked to the Marshal and he assures me that will be a priority once they get back to work, cutting all the checks and paying all the bills and everything. We are up to date at this point and hopefully they will be back to work before the next couple of weeks so we will be able to receive that check,” Hancock told the commissioners.

“It has been busy. The storms, the floods, those things have kept us busy. Our manpower has been shifted to different projects trying to keep things going. I have a GEMA representative coming at 2 this afternoon to do some riding with me and look at some areas both in the city and in the county that were flooded out to just see if there is anything available for those individuals there in those homes. We did not reach the criteria on the flooding as individual assistance is needed, we are still working on public assistance,” the sheriff noted in reference to area storm activities.

Hancock concluded his report by speaking briefly about positions within the EMA that they are hoping to fill with qualified applicants.

“If you know somebody that is looking for a good job and good retirement, we are the place. 911 needs dispatchers, jail needs detention officers, the road needs deputies,” Hancock concluded.

Public Works Director Carl Gamble then updated the commissioners on some of the storm repair work. Gamble asked for patience from the community and stated the public works department is taking and returning every call possible. In reference to the complaints about county roads, Gamble said that public works is making as much progress as the conditions have allowed over the last several days and that they will be working on many potholes as soon as conditions dry out to the point that they can be worked on. According to Gamble, the county had almost 14 inches of rain just in the month of December.

Other items of business from the meeting went as follows:

•Rick Lawson was reappointed as the Board’s County Attorney for 2019.

•Commissioners Wallace Mathis and Nance were appointed to the Board’s seats on the Crisp County Power Commission.

•A resolution was authorized by commissioners for a Rural Economic Development Loan for Crisp Regional.

•The board ratified the low bid award for roof replacements on Reginald Barry Center and Mental Health Center. The total project bid is $37,050 to Certified Roofing & Gutters LLC of Atlanta.