Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners Pre-Commission Meeting (Dec 2, 2025)

The Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners convened on December 2, 2025, at 5:05 PM for a pre-commission meeting to review and approve a series of routine matters, ordinances, and contracts. The session focused on finalizing alcohol license denials, approving board reappointments, enacting significant pension plan amendments to address death benefits and retired judge compensation, authorizing cost-of-living adjustments, and approving a capital expenditure for an emergency siren system upgrade.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: Unanimous approval of the November 18, 2025, pre-commission meeting minutes.
• Alcohol License Denials: Unanimous approval of final recommendations to deny alcohol beverage licenses for:
  • 10 Day Bernabe (4221 Mercer University Drive, Macon).
  • Tom's Food Mark (811 Pinona Avenue, Macon).
  • JEC 2022 LLC (3565 Pine on the Avenue, Macon).
• Board Appointments:
  • Reappointment of Dr. Monique Davis Smith to the Board of Directors of River Edge Behavioral Health.
  • Nomination of a slate of three candidates (Dr. Mark Grossnickel, Dr. Bill Tift, Mr. Steve Kruger) to the Macon-Bibb County Hospital Authority Board for the seat vacated by John Houser.
• Pension Ordinances:
  • Approval of the charter change to amend pension plan documents regarding a one-time $50,000 death benefit for active employees who vest but die before retirement, and adjustments to superior court judge retiree benefit calculations.
  • Approval of a one-time 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2026, replacing the standard 1.5% adjustment.
• Appropriation: Unanimous approval of a $500,000 supplemental appropriation from the general fund for countywide telephone expenses.
• Contracts & Purchases:
  • Authorization of a $208,530 purchase of V-Force fire protective gear from North America Fire Equipment, payable from the 2018 SPLOST fund.
  • Unanimous approval of a floor amendment to adjust the cost of the emergency siren system project from $12 million to approximately $2.78 million, moving from SPLOST 5 to SPLOST 6 funding, and removing maintenance agreement costs from the capital appropriation.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Safety Assurance: Several commissioners and the public emphasized the critical necessity of the siren system for community safety, citing the Mother's Day storm where sirens provided early warnings that likely saved lives.
• Technology Concerns: Emergency Management Director Spencer Hawkins and commissioners noted that while digital alert systems (text/phone) are growing, many senior citizens rely on audible sirens and are not equipped with the necessary technology to receive digital notifications.
• Location Clarifications: Commissioner Stewart and others requested clarification on siren placement; officials confirmed that locations will be determined to ensure complete county coverage but exact streets cannot be finalized yet.

Discussion Items

• Hospital Authority Appointment Process: Attorney McNeil explained the state law change requiring the County Commission to provide a slate of three nominees for the Hospital Authority Board, from which the Authority must select one (no longer able to reject all three).
• Pension Plan Amendments:
  • Death Benefit: Attorney McNeil detailed the creation of a $50,000 death benefit for active employees who died before collecting retirement benefits to address a gap in coverage. The board emphasized this applies only to active employees and is not retroactive.
  • Judge Compensation: The commission discussed the interaction between a new state salary structure for superior court judges and the local supplemental payments. The ordinance amendment ensures retired judges receive a fixed base payment ($2,730.47/month) plus cost-of-living adjustments, preventing their benefits from dropping to zero if active judges opt out of county supplements.
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Commissioner Hewlett, Commissioner Bronson, and Commissioner Cato disclosed financial interests in the 3% COLA vote due to their personal retirement participation. They chose not to recuse themselves based on Attorney McNeil's legal advice that disclosure sufficed, provided no direct contracting was involved. Commissioner Wynne expressed support for the fair treatment of retirees. Commissioner Browning cautioned that while supporting the retirees, the actuarial implications and potential future budget adjustments must be monitored.
• Siren System Amendment: The commission discussed the reduction in the siren project cost due to the removal of maintenance costs from the capital budget. Commissioner Bailey and others expressed personal gratitude for the sirens' historical role in storm safety, highlighting that the upgrade from 56 to 83 sirens is vital for a county with the second-largest population density per square mile in Georgia.

Key Outcomes

• All Items Approved Unanimously: Every agenda item, including the complex pension charter changes and the siren system amendment, was approved without opposition.
• Charter Change Vote: The pension plan amendments will advance to a second regular commission meeting on December 16, 2025, for final charter approval before submission to the Secretary of State.
• Siren Expansion: Approval granted to expand the county's outdoor warning system from 56 to 83 sirens using $2.78 million in SPLOST 6 funds.
• Retiree Benefits: Official adoption of a one-time 3% COLA for 2026 and establishment of a death benefit provision for qualified deceased active employees.