Bryan CountyThursday, November 12
Bryan County commissioners vote against dissolving the Development Authority and table two other measures
The Daily Savannah team
If you follow Bryan County government, here's where things stand: commissioners voted against a measure that would have dissolved the Development Authority of Bryan County and created a new one. They also tabled two other resolutions until December at Tuesday's meeting in Pembroke, after a lengthy executive session.
The county's dispute with the authority comes down to these figures
- $560,000
- annual appropriation the county cut in 2025, about
- $50,000
- a month in invoices the county hasn't paid, about
- $12 million
- in cash on hand, the county attorney said
Sources: Bryan County News, WSAV-TV
County Attorney Aaron Kappler said the concerns grew from the 2025 budget decision to drop the authority's annual funding. The authority kept sending monthly invoices anyway, he said, and he doesn't believe the county is legally obligated to pay them. He also said the authority operated all year without that money, and that its auditor was not made available to county administration.
- Resolution one: lets commissioners remove their appointees to the authority board
- Resolution two: would limit the scope of the authority's activities
- 2018 agreement: $577,650 a year through Dec. 31, 2028
- Opposed the motion to deny dissolution: Gene Wallace, Alex Floyd
The authority's funding fight spans two decades
- July 2005Commissioners' resolution creates the Development Authority of Bryan County.
- 2018County and authority sign an agreement for $577,650 in annual funding.
- 2025County budget drops the authority's appropriation of about $560,000.
- Nov. 10Commissioners vote against dissolving the authority and table two resolutions.
- DecemberTabled resolutions are due back before commissioners.
- Dec. 2028Last day of the funding obligation in the 2018 agreement.
Sources: Bryan County News, WSAV-TV
Sources: Bryan County News, WSAV-TV