Forsyth County commissioners on Tuesday approved qualifying fees for 2012 county elections at 3 percent of the salary for the office.

The breakdown by office was follows:

* State court judge: $4,139.68

* Solicitor general: $3,685.57

* Sheriff: $2,510.87

* Clerk of Superior Court, tax commissioner, probate judge and chief magistrate: $2,320.33

* Solicitor general: $1,312.02

* County commissioner: $1,047.02

* Board of education: $36

Also during their work session Tuesday, commissioners:

• Directed legal and water and sewer staff to meet with Cumming officials to discuss specifications for an emergency raw water generator approved in the recent 1-cent sales tax referendum.

• Dismissed a resolution related to the same recent referendum.

Commissioners Patrick Bell and Todd Levent, who had proposed the public pledge as a way to address voter concerns, opposed it in the 3-2 vote.

• Reappointed Dana Miles to serve as the hearing officer and general counsel for the civil service board in 2012 at $260 per hour, the same rate as in the past five years.

In 2011, the county paid $14,307 to Miles for his time as the civil service board attorney.

Commissioners asked to receive an update on the costs if the amount nears the $20,000 budgeted amount.

• Discussed changes to the sign ordinance to define and set design requirements for vinyl-faced ground signs, nicknamed “mini-billboards.”

• Authorized two public hearings for unified development code changes that would allow for timber harvesting, with certain requirements, on properties larger than 10 acres.

• Accepted a bid to buy 16 Chevrolet Caprices for the sheriff’s office from Hardy Chevrolet at about $439,000. The vehicles were budgeted for in 2012.

Note: All votes were 5-0 unless otherwise noted.