County Determines SPLOST Projects
The Jasper County commissioners met in a “work session” Monday morning before their regular meeting to discuss priorities for an upcoming Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) that will be placed on the ballot for a November special election.
Jasperites currently pay 7 percent sales tax, but one penny of that is a SPLOST passed in 2005 that expires next March. Commissioners are hoping voters will approve the new SPLOST to fund some needed upgrades that would not be possible without the additional funding.
After discussing the items in the work session, the commissioners approved them during the regular meeting which followed.
Commissioner Jack Bernard said he thought it was important to keep the language as vague as possible as priorities could change.
For example, on the proposed SPLOST funding sheet provided by staff, it allots $598,000 for the fire department. That is broken down into specific funding for fire trucks, radios, rescue trucks and extrication tools. Commissioner Bernard wants to be sure the ballot merely says capital improvements. “Priorities may change,” he said. “We need to be as general as possible to give flexibility to local elected representatives.”
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Attorney Jim Alexander reminded the commissioners that the ballot had to specifically say where the money would go. “Capital improvements” for a particular department would be satisfactory, however, he indicated.
Mr. Bernard asked what about a medical office building near the lake that the hospital wants. Commissioner Patrick said she had not heard the hospital say it wants that. Commissioner Bernard said the head of economic development wants it. He said the hospital needs to get into a better area with better insurance and younger people.
Besides the fire department, other funding approved by the commissioners was $140,000 for the Emergency Management Agency (EMA)/911 operations for upgrades to the radio system and to the electrical system at the building; $184,000 for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for an ambulance and heart monitors; $250,000 for the sheriff’s department for five patrol vehicles and an emergency generator; $300,000 for recreation for a building to serve as a community center; $14,500 to animal control; $10,000 each to the senior center and the library; $9,506 for the tax assessors for a new server, and $898,000 to the Public Works Department for equipment.
With those priorities, and the city of Monticello receiving 19 percent of proceeds and Shady Dale receiving three percent, more than a million additional dollars should be collected which would go to roads and bridges.
Also, during the regular meeting, commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a fee increase for Advanced Disposal Services. Individual property owners will pay $11.63 per month for the service beginning in January, 2012. That fee is billed on the tax bill, however, so it needed to be set now.
Commissioner Patrick was opposed because she is concerned about the contract and did not want to approve the fee before approving the contract. County Manager Greg Wood said that the contract can be dealt with later, but the fee determination is urgent for it to be included on tax bills which will go out this month.
For the first time, Jasper County taxpayers will have their property tax bills split into two payments—one due in September and one due in December.
Also during the regular meeting, commissioners voted to approve payment for Hodges Farm, Bullard and Feldspar roads.
Commissioners also approved a buffer plan for the recreation center expansion, a move required by the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
They also added Aikenton Road to the list of roads to be submitted to the state for possible funding for 2012.
During general comments, Charles Forsythe distributed a summary of a recent ruling on the Georgia Open Meetings Law. The ruling makes it clear that elected officials cannot go into a closed session for the broad topic “personnel.” As the law states, any evidence must be given in open session, then deliberations can be in private.
Generally, in Jasper County, elected officials use that term to go into closed session without giving any indication of where the discussion is going.
Tax Levy
Last Thursday evening, all five commissioners met for the final public hearing on the 2012 fiscal year budget, then held a meeting to adopt the millage rate and tax levy as well as the budget..
During the public hearing they heard again from Charles Forsythe who said he thought the county was making a mistake to raise the millage rate. He said the economy continues to go downhill, and you are not doing the citizens any favors.
He went on to say that the commissioners set a poor example, just like the federal and state governments. He said, there is a revolt going on. He closed his remarks by saying, I must be the only person in the county with any fiscal responsibility, or they don’t know what you’re doing to them.”
After the public hearing ended, with only Mr. Forsythe commenting, Commissioner Carl Pennamon made a motion to adopt the 2011 Tax Levy, and the motion was seconded by Chairman Charles Hill.
Commissioner Alan Cox said, “I do not feel this was done in the best interest of all the citizens.”
Commissioner Jack Bernard said, “I concur with Commissioner Cox. My difficulty is the millage rate could be brought down significantly through an assessment which would be a ‘fair tax.’”
Commissioner Mary Patrick said she wants to be sure that if we see revenues are down, we have to cut then. She went on to say, “I’d like to see more cuts, or make operations more efficient to give the people a tax break.”
The commissioners have been working on the budget since early May.
Commissioners then voted 3-2 to approve the tax levy, with Commissioners Bernard and Cox opposing. Commissioner Pennamon then made a motion to approve the budget. Commissioner Patrick seconded it, and the motion passed 4-1 with Commissioner Bernard voting against.
