LeAnne Long Commissioner District 5

06/07/2026

BOC Meeting June 2, 2026 Recap-Roads

Last Tuesday, the BOC approved the following for Newton County's LRA (Local Road Assistance) Grant allotment from GDOT for FY 2026: $1,935,534.83
Please note that the county's Chief Engineer/Transportation Team evaluates all roads and sets quarterly priorities. I know each time I post these updates, many citizens reach out. The best way to have your road evaluated is to use this link to get more information or to have the engineers evaluate it. https://www.newtoncountyga.gov/567/Paving-List
County-wide- Total Grant (100%): $1,935,534.83 (this is just one grant; for more road work to come, see the complete or pending projects in the link above).

The 2026 Grant from GDOT List: District 5 (only)

Flint Hill Rd. SR 142 Cul-de-sac 0.45 Resurface $45,000.00 5
Dixie Rd. SR 142 SR 278 1.77 Resurface $235,000.00 5
Orchard Park Subdivision
Orchard Lane Ryan Lane Cul-de-sac 0.33 Resurface $38,050.00 5
Mandy Lane Orchard Lane Ryan Lane 0.19 Resurface $21,000.00 5
Heard Lane Orchard Lane Pratt Dr. 0.1 Resurface $11,604.83 5
River Cove Meadows River Cove Rd. Guardrail @ lake 0.35 Resurface $40,600.00

A list of Paving Projects utilizing the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG), along with matching funds such as SPLOST and grants.

06/05/2026

Many of you have contacted me recently with questions and concerns about recent events occurring within Newton County government. As your District 5 Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Board of Commissioners, I believe you deserve transparency and honest communication about the issues being raised. Ethically, we also have to comply with GA law. Open Records can help with answering more questions.

Throughout my service, I have remained committed to accountability, responsible government, and the protection of the public trust. When questions arise regarding county operations, taxpayer resources, or leadership decisions, those questions deserve answers. I am interested in facts, transparency, and accountability. I support a thorough review of these matters through the appropriate channels so citizens can have confidence in their local government. I am not interested in rumors, speculation, or personal attacks.

These matters continue to generate concern among citizens,

• Concerns regarding actions taken by the Interim Chair that have strained the working relationship between the Interim Chair, the Board of Commissioners, and the County Manager's Office for collaboration and effective county governance.

• Questions regarding the use of the AutoPen process and approval procedures for certain expenditures are still not clear to the BOC.

• Questions surrounding the deployment of deputies at the Administration Building and Courthouse on May 28, including the use of county resources and concerns about public safety, communication, and whether there were threats. I am very concerned about the BOC being at risk after a large number of deputies were dismissed shortly into the meeting. Only two deputies remained from the release until 8:45 pm, when the meeting ended. Personally, I still feel that the safety of members of the BOC has been compromised, and also for our families.

Not every question leads to a scandal, but every question deserves clarification. Seeking answers is not about politics; it is about maintaining public trust and ensuring county government operates openly, responsibly, and in accordance with the law.

Once again, I am not interested in rumors, speculation, or personal attacks. My commitment remains unchanged. I am continuing to ask questions, review information, and advocate for transparency on behalf of the citizens of Newton County.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out. Please continue to stay engaged, attend meetings, ask questions, and participate in the process. An informed community is essential to good government.
— LeAnne Long
Vice Chair, Newton County Board of Commissioners
District 5 Commissioner

06/05/2026

A win for Newton Co. God knows we need a WIN!
We promised that we would work hard to maintain the beauty of Newton County and not accept zonings that don't fit the area! Remember I told you on day one that is not either or!

The County's win in the Sockwell Farms zoning litigation marks another triumph. Following the Superior Court's ruling in the County's favor last year, the developer and property owners sought to appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court. Sockwell's decision to pursue a direct appeal was met with dismissal by the Supreme Court, which found that the appeal should have been submitted as an application for discretionary appeal. This ruling effectively upholds the Superior Court's decision and concludes the case, with the County emerging victorious. It's notable that the Morgan Farms zoning plaintiffs had filed both direct and discretionary appeals, with the latter being denied.
I am thankful for our legal team and what they have done to support the citizens and the Board of Commissioners.
LeAnne

06/03/2026

Thank you! Got a special delivery this morning from a super wonderful citizen in District 5! Delicious eggs!

So proud, we had a great turnout last night at the meeting for folks who are really into their chickens, roosters, and eggs!

It was important to clear things up: we never said anything about taking anyone's chickens away. The UDO consultants met, and an updated presentation included a slide with suggestions from the oversight committee. Lots of different things were talked about, but chickens became the focus on social media. We get that chickens are a wonderful part of living in a rural area. Commissioner Edwards and I have spent the last 18 months (Edwards has spent the last 9 years) working with the entire BOC to ensure we keep Newton County as beautiful and rural as possible. We love that there are parts of Newton County that are still rural, with farms, gardens, chickens, and roosters, and no one's going to take that away. On the other hand, we have people who live on quarter-acre lots who really don't want chickens and roosters next door. So we have to figure out what works for the county based on lot size, subdivisions, and similar factors. No one's trying to take anything away from people who have bigger lots, land, farms, or anything like that. I'm not sure many people know that we already have a county ordinance for chickens, hens, and roosters. I think when we asked last night, only about five out of 50 people in the audience knew that.

The best way to achieve the best results is always to work together to find a solution. I've asked a few of the most passionate people in the audience last night to get in touch with me so we can have them look over the rules and find something that works for everyone.

And to the keyboard warriors, we're not just talking about chickens; we're updating the whole UDO, and that's just one small part of what we all need to be paying attention to. Stay involved and make sure our county grows the way we want it to. That's the goal! [email protected]

05/29/2026

● The proposed budget for Newton County's Fiscal Year 2027 will be presented to the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, June 2, for a thorough review.
● June 9th at 6pm ,we will offer an opportunity for public comment on the proposed budget, an official Public Hearing for citizens.

Since this process began in February, several commissioners and I have expressed opposition to any increases in the millage rate. We believe, based on increases in the digest and income from industry growth, along with cutting waste and fluff, we can meet the needs of the public without wasteful spending and tax increases. We must manage public funds with the same fiscal responsibility as individual citizens. As of this evening, additional cuts have to be made, and I am sure they will be done on Tuesday night, to get to a balanced budget. This is why the public must come and express concerns.

Be assured that no department is being negatively impacted by this thorough budget process. We remain committed to ensuring that resident safety and essential services are never compromised.

The majority of the county department heads and constitutional officers, in collaboration with the Finance Director and the County Manager, have diligently worked to identify areas for elimination or reduction. We thank each and every department head and constitutional officer who understands and is attuned to the current economic challenges we are facing as a nation.

IMPORTANT DATES:
Attached-

More to come...

05/29/2026

We understand that many of you have inquiries regarding this evening's Board of Commissioners meeting and the extended executive session dedicated to personnel matters. We would like to address certain inaccuracies that have been disseminated by local agencies, suggesting that the county manager and the Board of Commissioners were responsible for the circumstances that transpired. This assertion is fundamentally incorrect. As many of you are aware, the conflict that arose today stemmed from a decision made by the Interim County Chair, which was subsequently supported by the sheriff and their legal counsel.

It is important to note that the county manager retains the full support of four commissioners, in attendance. There is no conflict between the county manager and the Board of Commissioners.
Through collaborative efforts, a favorable resolution was achieved. Personnel matters are appropriately addressed in executive session to ensure fairness and privacy, a protocol adhered to by all governmental bodies.

We observed the presence of over 65+ deputies in the audience, either as attendees or spectators.
It was great seeing so many of our wonderful law enforcement team!!! However, the rationale behind this significant display of force at tonight's meeting remains unclear to us. At no point did we encounter any online threats pertaining to this meeting, nor did we perceive any circumstances that would have posed a risk to our safety, citizens or attendees. Upon the conclusion of the meeting, only two deputies remained. There was no deputy present to ensure our protection as we exited the courthouse, nor was there anyone available to es**rt me to my vehicle. We trust that the sheriff's media team will exercise greater discretion in their communications, as we are committed to avoiding the unnecessary dissemination of fear within our community.

05/28/2026

Public Notice:

An emergency meeting has been scheduled for tonight at 7:00 PM. This session will include an executive discussion regarding personnel matters. Public Notice has been provided by the County Clerk on the official county website.

I am deeply concerned by certain actions observed today, reported to the Board of Commissioners. However, I want to make it clear that I will not tolerate any attempts to circumvent the County's Enabling Legislation, and (or) create a hostile environment for our county employees, and citizens. Therefore, as the Vice Chair of the Newton County Board of Commissioners have requested an emergency meeting, with the support of other commissioners.

We must have the support of two additional Commissioners for a called emgergency meeting. Supported confirmed by: Edwards, Mason, Cooper, and Long. Once I receive an email from Henderson I will update.

05/27/2026

Happy Wednesday!
It's super important to get accurate info to understand what's happening with the Unified Development Ordinances (UDO). I can assure you, your BOC is not just sitting around talking about chickens!!! We've got lots of issues to deal with daily!

To stop the spread of misinformation, my objective has always been to furnish accurate and up-to-date information to all interested parties. Individuals whose primary intent is to create discord, I always say please do so on alternative platforms. Those who follow this page regularly know I'm striving to uphold best practices and find uninformed commentary to be counterproductive. While open discussion and dialogue are valued, a closer examination of our shared objectives will reveal WE ALL WANT THE SAME THINGS!!

NC is currently in the process of updating all UDO ordinances, a necessity driven by growth and a need for the statewide mandate requiring every county to complete this update within a specified timeframe. All of this began in 2024 when those BOC members put in a moratorium on rezonings for residential for 2 years.

Last August, YOUR CURRENT Board of Commissioners did not like the cookie-cutter version that was brought back to us by the consultant firm; it resembled Alpharetta or a town on the Northside of Atlanta, which is not how we want Newton County! So we sent them back to the drawing board, to start again-
Currently, it seems like Newton County is split into two counties: one side is high density and the other side of the county is rural. I believe most of the Commissioners are in agreement; we are listening and we would like to have something for everybody in this county, not high density everywhere.

My vision has always been to keep the eastern side of Newton more rural. So for the last year and a half, that has been the goal of the Board of Commissioners; we have done everything we can to stop bad growth throughout the entire county and to work on good growth. This BOC has stopped bad zonings and Data Centers that do not match the will of the citizens! Its been exhausting but worth it!

● Last week, there was a UDO update meeting for the BOC from the consultant hired to work on changes. They are using information compiled from citizens that attended meetings last year in every district, also meetings with stakeholders, citizen groups, and Commissioners. Currently, nothing has been approved; everything is in the draft stage!!! Once again, Draft only!

● The information being circulated on FB and in a news article is not inaccurate; hear me, we are in draft only, the UDO needs lots of work still! I stated at the meeting, the BOC must spend more time on this and have a dedicated work session ASAP! It's important for all of us to get this right!

During this meeting, there was lots of discussion regarding various ordinances. However, a proposal emerged concerning the regulation of chickens on smaller land parcels and within subdivided plats, not sure anyone heard that!! It was not addressing rural areas, larger tracts, or farms!!

● Please know we have an existing ordinance that addresses chicken ownership. It appears that public awareness of this regulation is limited, based on community feedback.

● It is important to clarify that any modifications to the current ordinance are not intended to restrict chicken ownership for those possessing agricultural land or farms. The primary objective of these proposed changes is to update and refine the existing ordinance as it applies to smaller areas and platted subdivisions.

● It is important to clarify that no one is seeking to infringe upon property rights. Our objective is not to diminish individual property ownership rights; however, we also recognize that individuals who do not wish to own chickens possess their own property rights in higher density areas.

● We welcome input and suggestions to enhance the current ordinances on anything in the UDO. I don't believe in a "cookie-cutter" approach, so anything you would like to address, please email us! Our emails are listed on the NCBOC website.
My email is [email protected]

As Commissioners, one of our most challenging responsibilities includes fostering consensus and achieving unity across all relevant ordinances for the entire county!

By the way, I live on almost 9 acres, and I agree, if I want some chickens, I should be able to get some!
Thanks as always, Le Anne

Stay tuned, my next post will be on County Waste, cuts...and more cuts! ✂️

05/24/2026

**Sign up for important meeting alerts ⚠️
https://www.newtoncountyga.gov/list.aspx
Be in know!

It is highly concerning that only four citizens attended the recent UDO stakeholders meeting, especially given the presence of two individuals not from Newton County, actively advocating for the development of a substantial data center on Elks Club Road at a citizen stakeholders meeting😠
It is noteworthy how much new information is emerging regarding the negative impacts of Data Centers. Twelve months ago, these centers were widely perceived as highly beneficial; however, this perception has significantly shifted.
Are you tracking your utility rates? I have for years-
I recommend setting, alerts up, to watch "usage" increases, Instead of rasing the base rate. More Smoke and Mirrors!

*Great Read- find at Clark Howard Data Center WSB*

Clark Howard warns that the massive power and water demands of AI data centers are causing utility bill increases.
• These centers strain power grids and consume millions of gallons of water daily, leading to rate hikes.
• Howard advises consumers to manage personal energy use, explore smart home tech or solar options, and stay informed about utility commission hearings.
• Some governments are implementing moratoriums on new data center developments due to these concerns.

Here is mine!

05/22/2026

We gotta keep an eye on this economic stuff! I'm seeing some values dropping in our loca metrol area.

Buyers have more negotiating power than they have had in years across much of the country, according to Realtor.com's inaugural Market Clock Report.

Eight of the 50 largest metros have fully shifted into buyer's market territory, including Atlanta, Austin, Miami, Nashville, and Tampa, while 23 more are balanced but loosening. Sellers still hold the upper hand in at least 13 metros, making the market the most fragmented since at least 2018. Key signs of the shift include rising inventory, slower sales, and longer days on market. The typical home sat on the market for 57 days in March, four days longer than a year ago. Still, conditions vary widely by location, price range, and property type, and buyers should focus on local trends rather than national averages.

Read more: https://rltor.cm/otRv5L