HELEN, Ga. – The Helen City Commission held  the first public hearing for the city’s proposed $3.5 million fiscal year 2017-’18 budget Tuesday. The second and final hearing is scheduled for July 18 at 3 p.m.

The new spending plan calls for $3,510,505 in expenditures. General government operations will command the largest part of the budget at $1,010,350, followed by the police department ($773,700), fire department ($712,026) and public works ($524,179).

The water and wastewater fund is expected to generate the most revenue at $1,058,500, followed by the hotel/motel tax ($975,000), sales tax ($760,000), Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax ($622,400) and property tax ($400,000).

Commissioners voted unanimously to renew the contract with the White County Convention and Visitors Bureau that calls for the CV&B to pay $3,000 monthly rental for the building it occupies plus utilities and the city to distribute a percentage of the hotel/motel tax revenue to the CV&B.

After a lengthy discussion with David Jones, owner of Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen and Chocolate Factory, commissioners unanimously denied a request to add a third sign to the business, saying it would violate the city’s sign ordinance.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at www.fetchyournews.com