Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Georgia
Unified Government Charter
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The new government shall be called the Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Georgia Unified Government.
The Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Georgia Unified Government Charter Writing Committee was formed
approximately 1 year ago to research and create a document to be used as the foundation of a unified
and consolidated government for the City of Milledgeville and Baldwin County, Georgia.
The committee consisted of:
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Mr. Stan Aldridge, Retired Athletic Director for Georgia College State University
Mrs. Lisa Shinholster, Quality Supervisor for Triumph Industries
Mr. Tony Hurt, employee at Georgia Power
Ms. Candace Haynes, Science Teacher at Baldwin High School
Rev. Omer Reid, Senior Pastor at Flagg Chapel Church
Mr. Randy New, Entrepreneur/Co-Owner of Bayne’s Army Store
Mrs. Nancy Hartley, Retired Teacher
Mr. Ken Vance, former City Councilman and Executive Director of the Peace Officer Standards
and Training Council of Georgia
At our first meeting Mr. Vance was elected Chairman of the Committee, and meetings were held
approximately twice a month until March of this year.
The Charter comprises some 57 pages and is divided into 9 Articles encompassing:
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Powers of the Unified Government
Legislative Make-Up
Unified Government Head
Administration
Judiciary
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Elections
Revenue and Finance
General Provisions
Transition Provisions
The Charter calls for an elected governing body of a Chair, elected at-large, and 6 Commissioners with
one commissioner elected at-large and 5 commissioners elected from the current five county districts. A
Vice-Chair shall be elected by the commissioners annually from the membership excluding the Chair.
Initially, the terms of the Chair and the commissioners from the odd numbered districts shall be for four
(4) years. The initial term for the At-Large commissioner and the commissioners from the even
numbered districts shall be for two (2) years. Thereafter, all terms shall be for four (4) years. No
commissioner, including the Chair, shall serve more than 2 full consecutive four year terms. The only
exception will be for the commissioners elected from the even numbered districts who initially will be
elected to a 2 year term. Salaries for the Commissioners shall be $10,000 annually payable in equal
monthly installments. The salary for the Vice-Chair shall be $11,000 annually payable in equal monthly
installments, and the same arrangement shall be for the Chair who shall have an annual salary of
$12,000.
The qualifications for the Chair and the commissioners shall be that he/she is at least 30 years of age at
the time of election, have resided within the county boundaries for at least a year prior to the election
date, be a registered voter in the county, meet any other requirements established by law, and hold no
other federal, state, or local elective office government office while serving as Chair.
Among the powers of the Chair shall be the authority to appoint a County Manager, Commission Clerk,
County Attorney, Auditor , and Fire Chief all of whom must be confirmed by a majority vote of the entire
commission. Removal of any or all of those serving in these positions shall be with the concurrence of a
majority of the entire commission. Additional powers shall include but not be limited to setting the
commission agenda, presenting an annual budget, veto proposed resolutions and ordinances, and
preside over commission meetings. The Chair can vote on any matter before the commission except in a
case of conflict of interest.
The unified government shall be administered by a County Manager who is appointed by the Chair and
confirmed by a majority of the commission who shall set the qualifications and salary for the incumbent
and shall have those powers enumerated in Section 4 of the Charter and including the appointment and
removal of department heads. Additionally, except for the purpose of inquiry and investigation the
Commission Chair and Board members shall not give orders or directions to any employee with the
exception of the County Attorney, Fire Chief, Auditor, and /or Commission Clerk either publicly,
privately, directly, or indirectly. The elected Sheriff of Baldwin County shall be vested with all the
responsibilities of providing the law enforcement function to the citizens of the Milledgeville- Baldwin
County, Georgia.
The Unified Government shall divide the county into 2 or more taxing districts called Service Districts
with one “district” representing the entire geographic area of the County as well as an Urban Service
District which shall include the corporate limits of the City of Milledgeville. Special Service Districts may
be established by future commissions for those areas requiring or requesting additional or higher levels
of unified government services but only after the appropriate advertising and public hearings are held.
Additionally, the Unified Government shall assume the debt obligations of both the City and the County
either under General Service Area (County) or the Urban Service Area (City).
Most importantly, no City or County employee will lose their employment, seniority, tenure, pension,
insurance, or retirement benefit upon adoption of this Charter. Efficiencies will be realized through
future attrition. A transition team will be formed to ease the transition to the new government. Future
changes in the Charter will be done in accordance with the will of the commission acting in accordance
with state and federal law.