One county commissioner is raising questions about a six-year-old land deal carried out by the board of education. The commissioner said that a tract of property behind Northside Elementary School, valued at $9,000, was approved by the school board to be granted an easement, but the property was sold for the sum of one dollar.

At the regular meeting of the commission Monday night, Third-District Commissioner Bradley Hendrix told the mayor and commissioners that he had acquired paperwork on the deal that puzzled him. "Some paperwork has come to my attention, and I’m trying to figure out," Hendrix said. "What is the process of selling property owned by DeKalb County?"

"It would be based on the fact that we didn't have any use for it, like we did the ambulance earlier, and declare it surplus. I think it would have to be publicly advertised, with bids taken," County Attorney Hilton Conger replied.

When Hendrix inquired as to what the result would be if the correct steps weren't taken, Conger replied that the deal would possibly be considered voidable.

"I’ve got some paperwork here where Mr. Bobby Simpson wanted a quick claim deed easement to a little piece of property behind Northside Elementary School. The school board agreed to the easement, but he ended up with a quick claim deed for $1 for the property, which was valued at over $9,000."

"Was that property owned by the school board?" Conger asked.

"Yes, but it's still county property isn't it? Hendrix inquired in return.

Conger said that he was familiar with that particular property, and that the school board owned it, and voted for and approved the deal. "It is county property, just like the school property, but the school board has control over that," the attorney replied.

"They agreed to an easement, but it was sold for a dollar," said Hendrix.

Conger said he doesn't know what happened in that transaction. "I was familiar with it back when it happened, but it wasn't anything that came before the commission."

"Don’t you think it should have?" Hendrix asked. "I’m not going to make a public announcement tonight that it should have, I would have to know more about it," Conger answered.

"So there's nothing we can do about it?" Hendrix returned. "Probably not at this point, that was several years ago." Conger replied. "It was six years ago. Is there nothing we can do about it? Can we get the land back, or get somebody to pay for it?" Hendrix asked again.

Conger said he would be happy to look into the matter. It had never came before the commission, and he had never been asked to. "But don’t you think it probably should have?" Hendrix asked again.

"I’m not going to say that, I believe it was probably something the school board could do with property that they own."

In other business, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve a measure that would move money to the county fire department's budget to pay for a backup generator at the main fire station on King Ridge Road. A total OF 6,489.84.

The fire department will use excess funds from a FEMA grant to help fund the purchase of a stationary natural gas-powered backup generator at the station.

County Fire Chief Donny Green request in February that the commission approve the amount to supplement $12, 598 in FEMA grant funds remaining in the department’s budget from other projects. Mayor Tim Stribling recommended that the matter go before the county budget committee, and a recommendation be made to the full commission the next month. Stribling's recommendation was approved on a voice vote by the commission. Second District Commissioner Joe Johnson voted against waiting, expressing concerns that the extra grant funds would be lost if the project was not completed by July 16.

The estimated cost to purchase the 25kW 120/240 volt, natural gas fueled generator with automatic transfer switch is estimated at just under $20,000.