Commission Approves Budget

The Jasper County Commission approved an $11.2 million total budget for 2007 during the regular meeting on Monday, but not before moving several budget items into contingency, and nearly ending funding for Jasper Memorial Hospital. The commission must have a budget approved by January 1, 2007, so rather than change the bottom line of the budget, commissioners just moved the funds into the contingency fund.

During discussion of the budget, Commissioner Greg Johnson reiterated his list of places to cut, and they went through those suggestions individually.

Then, Commissioner Bob Yarbrough made a motion to take the hospital funding of $384,368 away from the hospital and put it towards roads.

Commission Chairman Jack Bernard seconded the motion, and said that would be enough money to take care of the first 21 dirt roads on the list to be paved.

He then read off the names of the roads and the district in which the roads lie. All the roads were in Districts 3, 4, and 5. He said, “we’re talking about hundreds of people.” Mr. Bernard said that Commissioner Johnson had estimated the cost to pave a road at $75,000. (There has been no engineering done on these roads to know what would be required to prepare the road for paving.)
Chairman Bernard said he gets more calls about roads than anything. “I don’t hear about the hospital in my district,” he said.

Commissioner Charles Hill was incredulous, and said “what counties do not supplement their hospital?”

Mr. Bernard replied that proportionately we have the highest supplement in the state.

Commissioner Yarbrough said that what he gets fussed at about in his district is roads. “We’re our own worst enemy about the hospital. If we used the hospital it would not be an issue. Now, I use it.”

When Commissioner Pennamon suggested if you take $384,000 from the hospital it won’t be there to use, Mr. Yarbrough replied, “really, last time they said if we took a nickel from them the place, they’d shut the doors. That didn’t happen.”

After discussion, Commissioners Bernard and Yarbrough voted for the motion to use the money to pave roads, while Commissioners Hill, Johnson and Pennamon voted against the motion. Several in the audience applauded the vote, and Chairman Bernard threatened them with removal.

He said, “We won’t have any more outbursts…this is a county commission meeting, not a football rally.”

Before the discussion of the hospital’s budget, John Graham of the “Hospital Oversight Committee” made a presentation about that committee’s findings. Mr. Graham reported from a document dated October 1, 2005. Commissioner Pennamon asked why was the board getting this report now. Chairman Bernard said the committee felt like the commissioners needed to hear the report again.
Later in the meeting, the commissioners voted to dissolve the committee.

Last year this same commission cut several budgets, including the hospital, with the commissioners saying the money was being put in contingency and if available, departments could petition for the money this year. Then, several months ago, one of the departments inquired about the funds, and Mr. Bernard said that money was gone.

With the action they took Monday, it was clear their intent is to not return it to the department, but they did not completely rule that out. The biggest cut in one place was to the Development Authority of Jasper County whose budget was slashed in half. Mr. Bernard said that DAJC had not brought a single new job to the county, and his constituents elected him to watch expenditures.

Commissioner Bob Yarbrough said he’s never felt like he’s getting his money’s worth from DAJC.
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He, along with Mr. Bernard, criticized the county’s involvement in the Four-County Industrial Authority and its project, Stanton Springs. He said the people in his district elected him to look at how the money is spent.

Commissioner Carl Pennamon reminded everyone the economy has been down, gas prices are up and everyone is struggling. He said that the “leaders are criticizing Jasper County and everyone hears it,” apparently referring to Mr. Bernard’s continuous disparaging remarks about varying aspects of Jasper County. Mr. Pennamon said, “If we don’t show leadership, and just criticize, and don’t ask what we can do to help, then DAJC has a tough job.” Commissioners voted 3-2 with, Commissioners Hill and Pennamon disagreeing with the cut.

Another cut will come in the Board of Commissioners budget, as after a 30-minute closed session, the commission voted to “reorganize staff and transfer positions so to eliminate one staff position as discussed in closed session.” Once the county manager decides which staff position to cut, the funds for that employee will be moved into contingency.

Commissioners also agreed to move all pay increases into the contingency budget. They are awaiting completion of a job classification and wage survey and will presumably base raises on the findings of that report by the University of Georgia.

The commissioners were not in agreement about the $800,000 in the budget for capital expenditures. Since those funds are to be borrowed, there is no taking them out of the budget. Instead, commissioners agreed to move the $200,000 that is budgeted for debt service into contingency. If they don’t borrow the $800,000+, they won’t need to repay $200,000.

Commissioner Bernard asked the commissioners if they wanted to do something with the jail budget. He said the sheriff is asking for additional staffing, but the County CFO made a projection of $400,000 in lost revenue because the jail is not full. He maintains the jail could make money by housing prisoners from other jurisdictions.

Sheriff Charles Roper met with the commissioners last month to explain that he would have to increase staff to house other prisoners, and that other counties won’t pay enough to make it worth the trouble.

Mr. Pennamon said that the jail was not built to make money. He said they can’t occupy every bed every day. Mr. Bernard said there were dozens of jails across the state taking in prisoners to make money.

County Attorney Kevin Brown said you have to have cooperation with the sheriff. No action was taken to change the jail budget.

In another item, not reflected in the general fund, commissioners agreed to a rate increase from Advanced Disposal Service to $10.19 per container for curb side pick-up. Currently the county is paying about $8.60 per container. The commission will pass the increase on to its customers who will be billed $14 per month for curb side pick-up.

Currently, customers are billed quarterly, and the commission is considering changing it to an annual bill, included on the tax bill in some fashion. The commissioners will consider the change at a called meeting next Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m. at the Courthouse.

At that time they will also consider creating a special tax district for fire protection purposes. What it will do in essence is tax people more if they live in an area that is served by fire hydrants. Many of those citizens will see a decrease in homeowner’s insurance rates because of the hydrants. This change would offset their insurance savings by increasing their taxes.

The commissioners did not discuss the proposal in open session, so it is not clear what amount of revenue they plan to generate. The taxes on the tax district presumably will go to the Jasper County Water & Sewer Authority which installed the hydrants.

•Although it was not on the agenda, the County Commission discussed the status of Chief Magistrate Judge Ken Jackson. Some discussion centered around the budgeting process, and Attorney Kevin Brown read the law to the commissioners that explains an elected officials pay cannot be cut during his term in office.

Commissioners talked about asking the Judicial Qualifications Committee to look into the situation. However, at the advice of their attorney, they agreed to first ask Judge Jackson to provide time sheets verifying his full-time hours worked, and depending on the outcome of that, to then go to the commission.
In other action at Monday’s meeting, commissioners:

•Held a public hearing on the Capital Improvements Element of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Bill Ross brought a report, that raised many questions about the whole impact fee study.
Mr. Ross said he had met with the impact fee study committee, and explained this was the first of several public hearings before impact fees are set.

•Heard from the Jasper County Recreation Commission about setting up a Disc Golf course. The course will be established on land owned by the county across from the currently softball fields. There will be no charge to the county, as volunteers will cut the brush, mount the goals, and generally maintain the property.

•Voted to meet on Monday, Jan. 8 since the regular meeting day—the first Monday in the month—is a holiday.

•Approved funding the mentor program nearly $1,500 which comes out of a jail fund that can only be used for specific purposes.

•Agreed to continue to provide a 19/hour per week program assistant.

•Heard a report on employee insurance options, and voted to accept the recommendation of Kelly Fox, who serves as a broker for Jasper County.

•Approved the minutes from four previous meetings. Virtually all of the minutes had corrections from Mr. Bernard who said his comments were not included and he wanted them in the minutes.

•Approved two rezoning requests. The first one was 13.85 acres at County Line and Rocky Creek Roads. Commissioner Yarbrough said if the applicant has met the county’s criteria, it’s hard to deny. He made a motion to approve the application. Commissioners Hill and Pennamon voted with him. Commissioners Bernard and Johnson opposed the rezoning.

The second one involved industrial growth. A tract of land on Hwy. 83 south at Edwards Road was rezoned from agricultural to manufacturing. The land is adjacent to a M-2 tract, but had not previously been rezoned.

•Heard from Dave Dammann about a number of issues, particularly the budget, who repeated several times, “there are no sacred cows.” He also admonished Commissioner Pennamon to “not play to the crowd,” saying it is not a popularity contest.

•Heard from Mary Patrick on the budget. She asked who looks into sick pay, annual leave, etc., questioning how much time some employees are out of work.

•Heard from Charles Forsyth who said it appears there is a conflict between the commission and the staff. It should be up to the commission to make decisions, not the staff he said. Then he questioned the status of several items the commission had instructed County Manager Greg Williams to look into. Mr. Forsythe said the county had not received answers on several items.

•The commission adjourned their four-and-a-half hour meeting without reviewing financial statements.

•Called meetings are set or December 13 and December 28 for the special taxing district for fir hydrants and to change the curb side billing to annual.