By Cindy Eckles
According to Dodge County Manager Spence Barron, preliminary results are starting to come in from the from Professional Environmental Management Certified Industrial Hygienist Erin Garmon. Barron added that they are still waiting for the more preliminary and final results of the testing for the potentially hazardous air quality conditions at the courthouse.
Until then, and pending results of those tests, the Dodge County Courthouse will remain closed.
The Dodge County Commissioners voted at their meeting on Monday night to sign a resolution to designate the courthouse annex, located at 5016 Courthouse Circle, and the Dodge County Law Enforcement Center (DCLEC), located at 85 Industrial Boulevard, as the alternative courtroom locations for motions and non-jury matters because of public health concerns relating to air quality conditions and the ongoing need for testing at the Dodge County Courthouse.
A motion for the resolution was made by commissioner Jr. Howell and seconded by commissioner Terry Niblett. The motion passed unanimously.
Oconee Superior Court Chief Judge Sarah F. Wall then stated for the public that the DCLEC courtroom has a separate door for the public and that the law requires that it is open to the public.
Dodge County Attorney John Harrington added that unless there was a special motion or juvenile court matter that is sequestered, all court matters are to be deliberated in open court.
Judge Wall then commented that after an amended order to the declaration of judicial emergency pending expert testing into the air quality of the courthouse is filed with the Georgia Supreme Court (which will be Tuesday, February 19, 2019) then court will resume.
The order also suspends deadlines relating to filing requirements, designates alternative courtroom locations for motions and non-jury matters and authorizes juvenile court to resume normal operations.
Offices that are officially working out of the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce chamber hall are Dodge County Probate (478-374-3775), Dodge County Clerk of Superior Court (478-374-2871), Dodge County Tax Commissioner (478-374-2154) and Dodge County Registrar (478-374-8123). Dodge County Building Inspector/Tax Collector Rob Stanley is working out of the chamber hall and an office at the courthouse annex and can be reached at 478-374-8127.
Commissioner Howell then made a motion, which was seconded by commissioner Brian Watkins, for a resolution to go into a temporary lease with the Dodge County-Eastman Development Authority to take control of what has been identified as the AT&T building, for the temporary time period, for the purpose of continuing services and the potential future designation of some courtrooms.
Attorney Harrington stated that the location (AT&T building) was not added in the first resolution as a designated court location until the modifications that are made are approved by the court system.
[Full Story »]
Top Stories - Topics from February, 2019
Updated: Commissioners, judges close courthouse
In addition to electrical, ventilation and heating and cooling problems, inspectors found pigeons roosting in the attic of the Dodge County Courthouse.
At a called meeting on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 the Dodge County Commissioners officially closed the courthouse until further notice.
County commissioners voted to allow Dodge County Manager Spence Barron to spend up to $25,000.00 to relocate the county offices and for testing.
Due to the interruption of government services and temporary unavailability of the courtroom, Oconee Superior Court Chief Judge Sarah F. Wall and judges C. Michael Johnson and Howard C. Kaufold, Jr. signed a Judicial Emergency Order that suspends deadlines and continues court terms immediately following the meeting on February 6. Within the order it states, “The nature of this emergency is due to hazardous air quality conditions in the Dodge County Courthouse”. (A copy of the order is printed in this edition of The Dodge County News’ legal section.
Professional Environmental Management (PME) Certified Industrial Hygienist Erin Garmon and PEM Industrial Hygienist Dan Hutto conducted a site visit on Thursday, February 7, 2019.
After reviewing information from the building inspection and photographic documentation, PEM reported to county manager Barron that there were visual areas of contamination in the interior building spaces, primarily the attic (bird (pigeon) droppings) and mold in the basement.
Because of the conditions founds, PEM recommended to evacuate occupants and restrict access until further assessment and testing could be conducted.
PEM also provided a plan to gather additional information with samples collected from designated areas inside the building and the building’s exterior and obtain the results in an expeditious and efficient manner.
The proposed fee from PEM will be $27,500.00. The majority of it, $22,356.00, being the cost of laboratory testing and shipment of the samples. The remainder includes their costs for preparing the final report with recommendations, the cost of the field investigation and travel. Barron also advised that he has met with two abatement/restoration companies over the past week and both companies stated they would need the results of the environmental testing before they could determine a final cost to repair the courthouse.
[Full Story »]
At a called meeting on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 the Dodge County Commissioners officially closed the courthouse until further notice.
County commissioners voted to allow Dodge County Manager Spence Barron to spend up to $25,000.00 to relocate the county offices and for testing.
Due to the interruption of government services and temporary unavailability of the courtroom, Oconee Superior Court Chief Judge Sarah F. Wall and judges C. Michael Johnson and Howard C. Kaufold, Jr. signed a Judicial Emergency Order that suspends deadlines and continues court terms immediately following the meeting on February 6. Within the order it states, “The nature of this emergency is due to hazardous air quality conditions in the Dodge County Courthouse”. (A copy of the order is printed in this edition of The Dodge County News’ legal section.
Professional Environmental Management (PME) Certified Industrial Hygienist Erin Garmon and PEM Industrial Hygienist Dan Hutto conducted a site visit on Thursday, February 7, 2019.
After reviewing information from the building inspection and photographic documentation, PEM reported to county manager Barron that there were visual areas of contamination in the interior building spaces, primarily the attic (bird (pigeon) droppings) and mold in the basement.
Because of the conditions founds, PEM recommended to evacuate occupants and restrict access until further assessment and testing could be conducted.
PEM also provided a plan to gather additional information with samples collected from designated areas inside the building and the building’s exterior and obtain the results in an expeditious and efficient manner.
The proposed fee from PEM will be $27,500.00. The majority of it, $22,356.00, being the cost of laboratory testing and shipment of the samples. The remainder includes their costs for preparing the final report with recommendations, the cost of the field investigation and travel. Barron also advised that he has met with two abatement/restoration companies over the past week and both companies stated they would need the results of the environmental testing before they could determine a final cost to repair the courthouse.
[Full Story »]
ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED
A Dodge County woman was seriously injured and was air lifted by helicopter to Navicent Health in Macon after the pickup truck she was driving hit a tree. As of a last report, she was listed in critical condition. Kandice Janie Sharpton, age 28, of a 733 Jay Bird Helena Dirt Road address, was traveling north on Jay Bird Helena Dirt Road when the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado pickup she was driving ran off the right side of the roadway. The truck then turned sideways and traveled back across the roadway into the opposite ditch and struck a tree on the passenger’s side. The accident happened at approximately 8:29 a.m. on Friday, February 1, 2019.
Problems stop courtroom use
Electrical, ventilation and heating and cooling problems on the second floor of the Dodge County Courthouse has stopped court from being held in the upstairs courtroom until further notice.
Dodge County Manager Spence Barron stated, at the regular meeting of the Dodge County Commissioners Monday night, that for safety reasons the small court cases would be held in the courtroom located in the annex building beside the courthouse. He added that regular court would reconvene in February and the larger cases would be held at the chamber of commerce.
County manager Barron told The Dodge County News that he had specialist arriving this week to evaluate the condition of the courthouse and what their recommendation for resolving the problems would be.
County manager Barron complemented the Dodge/Wilcox 911 center and reported that during January 2019 that the operators answered 4,644 phone calls. From those calls the Wilcox Law Enforcement, 1,047 calls; Eastman Police Department, 978 calls; Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, 738 calls; Dodge County Emergency Medical Services, 260 calls; Eastman Fire Department, 137 calls; Wilcox Emergency Medical Services, 130 calls; Dodge County Fire Departments, 103; Wilcox Fire Departments, 37; Chauncey Police Department, six calls and Milan Police Department, one call.
[Full Story »]
Dodge County Manager Spence Barron stated, at the regular meeting of the Dodge County Commissioners Monday night, that for safety reasons the small court cases would be held in the courtroom located in the annex building beside the courthouse. He added that regular court would reconvene in February and the larger cases would be held at the chamber of commerce.
County manager Barron told The Dodge County News that he had specialist arriving this week to evaluate the condition of the courthouse and what their recommendation for resolving the problems would be.
County manager Barron complemented the Dodge/Wilcox 911 center and reported that during January 2019 that the operators answered 4,644 phone calls. From those calls the Wilcox Law Enforcement, 1,047 calls; Eastman Police Department, 978 calls; Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, 738 calls; Dodge County Emergency Medical Services, 260 calls; Eastman Fire Department, 137 calls; Wilcox Emergency Medical Services, 130 calls; Dodge County Fire Departments, 103; Wilcox Fire Departments, 37; Chauncey Police Department, six calls and Milan Police Department, one call.
[Full Story »]
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