2026.11.03 Columbia County Board of Commissioners Meeting

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners meeting, identified in the title as November 3, 2026, included a presentation on the planned Georgia state veterans cemetery in Augusta. The state will own and operate the cemetery on a 200-plus-acre site behind Gracewood Hospital; the VA has contributed $13.6 million toward construction. A groundbreaking was scheduled for November 13, with first interments anticipated in summer 2028. This was a regional/state project update; no county contract award or purchasing decision related to the cemetery was identified.

The board approved the consent agenda, denied a variance request to allow a convenience store to operate 24 hours, and approved a rezoning and companion setback variances. It also authorized staff to begin amending the county code to comply with House Bill 155. Following executive session, commissioners approved a one-time 3% payment for eligible employees. A resident raised concerns about event-related traffic and parking near Augusta Cheer Academy; no procurement action followed. The board nominated Deputy County Manager Matt Slockter as the sole finalist for county manager.