BALDWIN, Ga. — The Baldwin City Council approved five license plate reader cameras and authorized a financial consulting contract Tuesday night, while also hearing a report showing a sharp increase in fire department call volume.
FLOCK cameras approved
The council approved a memorandum of understanding for five FLOCK license plate reader cameras. The motion passed without objection.
Assistant Police Chief Justin Ferguson said each camera costs $3,000 annually, with an $800 setup fee per unit.
Two cameras will be funded through the city’s existing speed detection camera agreement, under which the vendor pays Flock directly. The remaining three cameras will be funded through a $9,000 annual donation from Steel Sales.
Ferguson said the donation will be made to the city, which will retain full control over the cameras and their data.
“They want to pay it through a donation to the city that the city controls the data, the access,” Ferguson said.
City Attorney Bubba Samuels drafted the MOU governing the agreement. Ferguson said either party may terminate the arrangement.
The motion passed without objection
City hires financial consultant amid staffing search
Council members also approved a consulting services agreement with CKH Group to help stabilize the city’s financial operations while Baldwin continues searching for a finance director.
Roger Nixon, vice president of business development for CKH, addressed the council and outlined the firm’s municipal experience.
“We’re a CPA accounting firm based out of Atlanta,” Nixon said, noting that the firm works with approximately 80 municipalities across Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. “We recently were awarded a contract with NASA. So if they can trust us to do their finances with NASA, hopefully y’all can trust us to do yours.”
Nixon said the firm has experience helping municipalities recover from delayed audits and financial reporting issues.
“One of the most important things that a city needs to always do is stay on top of their finances,” Nixon said. “It can be pretty devastating when they fall behind.”
He said CKH also provides training seminars for local officials, noting that city managers and clerks are not always trained financial professionals.
“City managers are not necessarily finance folks, and they don’t know what they don’t know,” Nixon said.
City Manager Tiera Morrison said the city has struggled in recent months with bank reconciliations, journal entries, payroll processing and vendor payments.
“We are looking to utilize CKH to help us get caught up,” Morrison said.
The firm will charge $125 per hour. The city has $45,000 budgeted this fiscal year for professional financial services.
Morrison estimated approximately 120 hours of bookkeeping work, totaling about $15,000. Payroll and accounts payable services will be billed hourly through June 30, with total costs expected to remain within the remaining $30,000 allocation.
Mayor Doug Faust said the council previously authorized recruitment for a finance director but has not yet filled the position.
“We’ve yet to find a finance director, and at this point we need to seek some additional financial help,” Faust said. “The advantage of bringing in the consulting firm is they have the immediate expertise to step in immediately.”
Morrison said the city hopes to advertise the finance director position next week.
The motion passed without objection.
Fire department reports rising call volume
Fire Chief Ross Jackson reported that the department responded to approximately 1,241 calls last year — a 20% increase from 2024. Three years ago, call volume was around 900.
“We are 48 days into this year, and we are over 200 calls already,” Jackson said, adding that the department is on pace to exceed 1,500 calls in 2026.
Jackson said the department is upgrading its emergency medical capabilities, with additional EMT certifications and efforts underway to secure a medical director to expand treatment options.
“As people move into Habersham County, we do have improved call volumes,” he said.
Jackson also outlined ongoing equipment maintenance needs and said personnel requests will likely be part of upcoming budget discussions.
