Donna R. Prather, County Clerk
The Ben Hill County Clerk serves as the official custodian of the Ben Hill County seal and materials of public record for the Ben Hill County Board of Commissioners and other County boards and authorities. Additional responsibilities include:
- Coordinating and distributing Board of Commissioners agendas and minutes
- Handling requests for public records
- Maintaining the Ben Hill County Code of Ordinances
- Ensuring that the County adheres to the Georgia Open Meetings and Open Records acts
- Assisting with the processing of contracts
- Publishing and distributing all disclosures pursuant to the Ben Hill County Code of Ethics
- Boards and Authorities Appointment Process
Need to get in touch with the County Clerk?
The Building Inspector provides the following services to Ben Hill County Residents:
- Review plans to ensure they meet building codes, local ordinances, and zoning regulations
- Approve building plans that are satisfactory
- Monitor construction sites periodically to ensure overall compliance
- Use survey instruments, metering devices and test equipment to perform inspections
- Inspect plumbing, electrical and other systems to ensure that they meet code
- Verify alignment, level and elevation of structures to ensure building compliance
- Issue violation notices and stop-work orders until building is compliant
- Keep daily logs, including photographs taken during inspection
- Provide written feedback related to the findings
Construction and building inspectors examine buildings, highways and streets, sewer and water systems, dams, bridges and other structures. They also inspect electrical, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR); and plumbing systems. Although no two inspections are alike, inspectors perform an initial check during the first phase of construction and follow-up inspections throughout the construction project. When the project is finished, they do a final, comprehensive inspection and provide written or oral feedback related to their findings.
For permit applications Click Here
Need to get in touch with someone in the Building Inspector’s office?
The Honorable Betty Lynn Johnson
The Clerk of Superior Court provides the following services for Ben Hill County Residents
Filing records for:
- Criminal
- Juvenile
- Adoption
- Garnishments
- Warrants
- Recordings
- Real Estate
- Liens (Federal, State, Lis Penden, Etc)
- Hospital Liens
- UCC (Personal Property)
- Plat
- Military Discharge
This Office Issues:
- Notary Commissions
- Passports
- Subpoenas
- Jury Summons
- Fi Fa's
- Bench Warrants
- Bond Forfeitures
- Arraignment Notices
Compile Calendars for:
- Civil
- Criminal
- Arraignment
Records not available to the general public:
- Juvenile
- Adoption
- Military Discharge
Need to get in touch with the Clerk of Superior Court?
Robert W. Chasteen, Jr., Chief Judge T. Christopher Hughes, Judge Denise D. Fachini, Judge
Mark Shealy, County Coroner
The coroner's major role in the investigation is to establish the cause and manner of death. The cause is the medical reason the person dies and the manner is whether they died as a result of a homicide, suicide, accident, natural causes or in an undetermined fashion.
The Coroners office provides the following services for Ben Hill County Residents
To investigate deaths that occur in Ben Hill County:
- As a result of violence
- Suicide or casualty
- Suddenly when in apparent good health
- When unattended by a physician
- In any suspicious or unusual manner
- After birth, but before seven years of age if the death is unexpected or unexplained
- As a result of an execution carried out pursuant to the death penalty
- When an inmate of a state hospital, or a state, county, or city penal institution dies
Need to get in touch with the Coroner?
O.D. Netter, Jr., Chairman
The DABHC's primary goal is to serve our community through a variety of services. Our office operates as a regional hub of information and support for the GA Appleseed Heir's Property Project, USDA StrikeForce Center, the Joint Land Bank, The Revolving Loan Fund and Economic Development. Our holistic approach to Economic Growth is a community wide effort and we look forward to working with you.
Ben Hill County has multiple organizations who missions encompass the growth of the county’s economy and the success of our business sector. While each entity has a different perspective, operates within a different structure, and leverages different resources, we work collaboratively to ensure that an individual or a company seeking business assistance is directed to the most relevant source. Resources such as the county's incentive programs and most overlooked tax credits.
More information is available on the Development Authority's website.
Need to get in touch with someone in the Development Authority's office?
Cindi Dunlap, Elections Supervisor & Chief Registrar
IMPORTANT JURY INFORMATION
The Board of Elections provides the following services for Ben Hill County Residents
The Board of Elections registers all eligible citizens to vote, provide free voter id's, and maintains districting maps for Ben Hill County and the City of Fitzgerald. We also conduct all Federal, State and County wide elections, maintain election results, and uphold election laws regarding registration and voting.
To register to vote you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be a legal resident of the Ben Hill County
- Be at least 17 1/2 years of age to register and 18 years of age to vote
- Not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude
- Have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge
Any registered VOTER with questions regarding their provisional ballots may contact your local elections office. You may also contact the Georgia Secretary of State's Office at 1-844-537-5375.
You can access Election forms here: Election Forms
Fax Number is (229) 233-6162
The Ben Hill County Board of Elections will hold their monthly meetings at 10:00 am every 2nd Tuesday of the Month until further notice. The meeting will be held at:
602 S. Grant Street
Fitzgerald, GA 31750
Need to get in touch with someone in the Election's office?
Click here for COVID-19 Updates
Brandon Fletcher, EMA Director
The Ben Hill County EMA's purpose is to increase the resiliency and its ability to respond and recover from the hazards that threaten our community. This is done through mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, which is a combined effort with EMS, E-911, Police and Sheriff's Departments, Fire Department and the Volunteer Fire Department.
What is Emergency Management?
The Emergency Management network is a combination of your local, state and federal governments working together in partnership with local volunteers and businesses, to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all hazards that affect a jurisdiction. The Ben Hill County Emergency Management Agency is the local agency with the responsibility for coordination and mitigation, preparedness, and response and recovery efforts to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Ben Hill County. There are many natural hazards that may impact the communities in Ben Hill County.
These include tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, lightening, floods, winter storms and wild fires. These are dangerous and often unpredictable events. It is very important that citizens know the safety precautions to take before an emergency and what actions to take during an emergency, whether natural or caused by man. In addition to the many natural hazards that may impact the county, there are other man-made and technological hazards that pose an equal, if not greater, threat to the citizens.
Need to get in touch with someone in the EMA's office?
The EMS office provides the following services for Ben Hill County Residents:
Ben Hill County EMS operates a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year ALS Ambulance Service. ALS stands for Advanced Life Support. Ambulance's are now described as mobile emergency rooms.
Emergency Services
- 911 service for the citizens of Ben Hill County
- Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support 911 services depending on the nature of the call
- Three 24-hour ALS 911 ambulances
Non-Emergency Services
- One Specialty Care ambulance
- 7 days a week
- Hours of Operation: 8am-8pm
- Stretcher transports for Ben Hill County
- Low rates for a dedicated ambulance for private events
- Educational classes such as CPR, First Aid, ACLS, and PALS certification and re-certification
To schedule a non-emergency transport, please call 229-336-2072.
Need to get in touch with someone in the EMS' office?
What is UGA Extension?
We deliver lifelong learning across the state through science-based programs in agriculture and the environment, family well-being and 4-H youth development. We are a collaborative between Georgia county governments, the USDA and the University of Georgia's colleges of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences and Family & Consumer Sciences.
The Ben Hill County Cooperative Extension Office extends lifelong learning to Georgia citizens through unbiased, research-based education.
Some of our services include:
- Soil Tests & Water Tests
- Researched-Based Advice for Production Crops
- 4-H Summer Camps
- 4-H Competitive Events
Need to get in touch with someone in the Extension Service's office?
Chris Naylor, RN- County Nurse Manager
The Ben Hill County Health Department serves the entire population in the county. Our services are available to everyone regardless of age, race, religion, national origin, political belief, disability or sex. We charge only minimal fees for our services, and some services have adjusted fee scales based on ability to pay. Health care services will be provided even if someone is unable to pay. Medicaid and Medicare are also accepted forms of payment.
Provided Services
Our services are available to everyone, regardless of age, race, religion, national origin, political belief, disability, or sex. We charge only minimal fees for our services, and some services have adjusted fee scales based on ability to pay. Health care services will be provided even if someone is unable to pay. Medicaid and Medicare are also accepted forms of payment for covered services.
Environmental Services
Health Education
Family Planning Services
General Nursing
Immunizations
Infectious Disease Program
School Health
Sexually Transmitted Disease
Sickle Cell Screening and Counseling
Community Health Planning
Prenatal Planner
Travel Immunizations
Sweet Dreams
Breast & Cervical Cancer Program
Children with Special Needs
Health Check
Prenatal Programs
