County residents could see a $12 "fire protection fee" on their property tax notices this year. The Jenkins County Commissioners were requested during their Sept. 1 meeting to consider imposing the fee as away of helping to fund volunteer fire departments in the county. Jenkins County Fire Chief Dwayne Herrington, along with representatives from the volunteer fire departments, met with the commissioners to express a need for additional funding.

Chief Herrington noted that the departments rely on donations and boot drives to pay for their day-to-day operations, and that these revenues had diminished. Since care for the dry hydrants in the county was performed by the volunteer firemen, with the county paying for the supplies, he requested that the commissioners increase the "dumpster fee" which appears on property tax notices by $12. This amount could then be turned over to the volunteer fire departments to help fund their operations.

Commission Chairman James Henry explained that the fee to which Chief Herrington referred was not a "dumpster fee" but a "solid waste" fee to help pay the cost of transporting the county's waste to a South Carolina landfill. Should the commissioners decide to add an additional fee to the tax notices, it would be designated as a "fire protection fee."

Several representatives of the fire departments spoke, noting the need for additional and on-going operational funds to cover the approximately $52,800 required to operate all of the volunteer fire departments in the county for one year.

After further discussion, the commissioners approved a motion authorizing the county attorney to determine the legal means by which a fire protection fee could be placed on the tax notices this year.

In other matters, Commissioner Tommy Lane commented on the need for stimulus funds to replace the two Herndon bridges and Skulls Creek bridge. It was noted that the Georgia Department of Transportation had not completed plans for the bridges, and, therefore, they were not in line for stimulus funds. The commissioners agreed that the plans should be completed and funds targeted for 2014 to rebuild the three bridges.

Other actions taken by the commissioners included the following:

• Approved a proposed lower monthly premium for employee health insurance as presented by Michael Jackson, agent for Glenn/Davis & Associates Insurance Agency;

• Approved renewal of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) #5 agreement with the City of Millen;

• Accepted a bid from Air Systems Restoration in the amount of $13,782.50 to clean air ducts in the Jenkins County Courthouse;

• Accepted low bids for several building repair projects;

• Tabled action on bids for repairs needed at the Headstart building;

• Approved Drug and Alcohol Policy and authorized Chairman to sign the policy;

• Authorized the repair of a computer hit by lightening if the price was under $750, if not, a bid from Wiggins Office Equipment to replace the computer at a cost of $1,391 was approved;

• Approved a list of individuals to be asked to serve on the Comprehensive Five Year Plan Partial Update Planning Committee;

• Approved SPLOST #4, SPLOST #5, and Jail fund budgets as presented; and

• Approved $750 for a systems upgrade to the accounting program in the commissioners' office.