Dawson County commissioners approved a resolution to appoint attorney Ken Jarrard as counsel for the board of commissioners in connection with claims from Sheriff Billy Carlisle about the 2015 budget process.

Jarrard is from the law firm Jarrard and Davis, LLP in Forsyth County. His hourly rate is $175 per hour.

Carlisle announced last month that he felt he can no longer properly serve the countys citizens due to budget constraints. He has retained attorney Steven Leibel to review his departments budget before it is submitted on June 1.

While we may not need to use anybody, we need to be prepared just in case, Chair Mike Berg said.

County attorney Joey Homans cannot represent the commissioners because he also represents the Sheriffs office in his position.

The commissioners also approved a new alcohol license for a convenience store whose license was revoked under

a different owner.

At its voting session Thursday, Commissioner James Swafford, Jimmy Hamby and Julie Hughes-Nix approved a license for beer and wine sales to Silver City Citgo, under the corporation of Dawson Express Inc. District-1 Commissioner Gary Pichon was absent.

The previous owner of the store surrendered his license after it was suspended until the end of 2014 following allegations of illegal gambling inside the store. The store is located at 6623 Highway

9 South.

The new owner of the store, Abdulrasool Jiwani, owns three other stores in the Atlanta area and does not have any

previous infractions, according to his attorney, Graham Purpura.

Swafford made the motion to approve the license, and Hamby seconded. After making the motion, Swafford gave

the store representatives a stern warning about illegal activity in the store.

We take a dim view on selling underage, and unlawful activities that have just been going on at that location, he said. If he comes back before us he can probably kiss his license goodbye. We take a dim view of that and intend on enforcing our ordinance.

The board meets again for a work session Thursday at 4 p.m.

A special called meeting is scheduled after the work session. The board is expected to consider approving the 2013-2014 insurance renewal with Northwestern Benefits.

An insurance presentation will be made.