White County enacts spending freeze for remainder of the fiscal year
News April 28, 2020
Travis Turner
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the White County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution that triggers a county-wide spending freeze on “non-essential items” for the remainder of the fiscal year Monday.
The resolution reads:
WHEREAS, due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the White County Board of Commissioners is considering a proactive action regarding current expenditures; and
WHEREAS, tax revenues are expected to decline as a result of the shelter-in-place and social-distancing orders enacted by Governor Brian Kemp; and
WHEREAS, a spending freeze aimed at giving White County Officials and staff time to assess revenues and expenditures will be enacted immediately; and
NOW THEREFORE, effective immediately, the White County Board of Commissioners will institute a spending freeze for the remainder of the fiscal year on all goods and services that are not considered “essential” for daily operations of departments and for providing “essential” services to its citizens. Purchases related to the public health and safety needs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic are considered essential.
BE IT RESOLVED, for the duration of the spending freeze, all procurement for goods and services must be reviewed for approval by the County Manager and the Finance Director before purchases are made.
Adopted this 28th day of April, 2020.
In announcing the resolution, Commission Chairman Travis Turner said, “Items such as payroll, utilities and functions required by the state such as law enforcement, public safety, emergency services, court services and elections are not included.”
The Georgia Department of Revenue hasn’t posted receipts for the month of March yet. “Our numbers are a month behind so we have yet to see what impact the coronavirus is having on the budget both revenues and expenditures.” Turner said. “Our numbers through the end of March look very good and we want to keep them looking very good.”
But he noted that some White County residents haven’t worked in a month and are being forced to tighten their belts. “We need to take a proactive approach and tighten our belts too,” he said.
Regarding the pandemic, Commissioner Edwin Nix noted, “We’ve never been in this before. “We don’t know what the future holds.”
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. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
BOC approves lower-than-expected millage rate
News August 1, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners struggled to set the new millage rate during a third and final public hearing Monday. Commissioner Craig Bryant’s initial motion called for a rate of 11.25 mills. That was quickly voted down by Commissioners Terry Goodger, Edwin Nix and Lynn Holcomb. Bryant tried again with a motion of 11 mills. That too failed. Finallly, Commissioner Lynn Holcomb’s motion for 10.75 mills gained unanimous approval.
But the lower millage rate led to another struggle. The budget the Board tentatively approved last month was predicated on setting the millage rate at 11.25. But now that the 10.75 rate has been approved, county staff must find approximately $683,000 in spending cuts to balance the budget.
Commission Chairman Travis Turner strongly opposed withdrawing money from county reserves to help balance the budget. The Association of County Commissioners Georgia recommends counties keep three months of operating expenses in reserves to use in an emergency like the tropical storm that blew through White County last month. The county now has the equivalent of about 1.8 months in its reserves.
“For 10 years, the county has received a strong financial rating by carrying two to three months or more in our fund balance,” he said. “I feel like we’re playing with fire (by considering a reduction in the fund balance.”
Commissioners then turned the work over to county staff to find the necessary cuts and bring its recommendation back to the Board as soon as possible.
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. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
No bids received on rehabilitation of county bridges
News June 26, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – White County officials have hit a snag in their efforts to rehabilitate the two bridges on New Bridge Road.
County Manager Michael Melton said Tuesday that six contractors attended the pre-bid meeting but none submitted a bid. The reason: The county wanted to leave one lane open while the work was being done. Contractors wanted to close both lanes.
“Closing one lane at a time, they didn’t feel they could do a good job of traffic control,” Melton said. Contractors accept all the liability on these jobs and working on a narrow road like New Bridge where one lane remains open can be hazardous.
The county had hoped to leave one lane open to accommodate at least one family that owns farmland on both sides of the creek and travels back and forth daily to feed its livestock. Commissioner Edwin Nix said the family will have to drive nine or 10 miles around each day if both lanes are closed.
Nix said he would work with the family to see if something can be worked out to satisfy both parties.
Melton said it is likely that the project will have to be rebid.
Funding would come from 2017 and 2018 local maintenance improvement grants (LMIG) that total $795,548 and a 30 percent county match.
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. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Commissioners approve contractor to replace two bridges
News August 28, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – In a two-hour called meeting and work session Monday, the White County Board of Commissioners considered a wide-range of issues from the replacement of two bridges on New Bridge Road to setting the fall hours at Yonah Preserve.
The county had hoped to replace the bridges one at a time, but when the initial bid request went out with that requirement, no bids were received. When the county rebid the project to allow the bridges to be replaced at the same time, the low bidder was Savannah-based E&D Contracting Inc. Commissioners with a bid of $1,043,645.50.
Most of the funding for the bridges will come from the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Local Maintenance Improvement Grant. The county will be required to provide a match of approximately $238,000.
Commissioners also approved an amendment to the proposed fiscal year 2018-’19 budget. County Clerk Shanda Murphy informed the board that a line-item by line-item review of the budget identified several instances where, based on historical numbers, the amounts could be increased and several other instances where the amount of expenditures could be decreased.
Additionally, Murphy said the county had received about $440,000 in additional revenue in the last couple of weeks that can be added to the budget.
Commission Chairman Travis Turner announced the county had received a check for $100,000 from the state of Georgia to help with emergency road repair of the damage caused by Tropical Storm Alberto in May.
In other decisions, the board approved:
- The annual contract for the senior center with the Department of Human Services to provide transportation for seniors to the senior center and to the grocery and doctor’s offices in the amount of $32,000.
- Adopted of a surplus resolution for eight vehicles assigned to the Sheriff’s Office;
- The purchase of two new fully-equipped Ford Explorers for the Sheriff’s Office from Jacky Jones Ford for $86,930;
- An increase in the fee for participation in league basketball at parks and recreation of $5;
- A title transfer of a 2000 Blue Bird bus from the White County Board of Education to the Sheriff’s Office;
- Adoption of a resolution passed by the Georgia General Assembly that mandates all counties to increase the cost of 911 calls from pre-paid wireless phones from 75 cents to $1.50;
- Authorization to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for a new compactor for the convenience center;
- Appointment of Commissioner Edwin Nix to serve as the voting delegate for the 2018 ACCG Legislative Leadership Conference;
- Appointment of Erica Owens to the White County Department of Family and Children’s Services Board.
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. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Short-term rentals back on BOC agenda Monday
News February 24, 2019
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The issue of short-term rentals will be back before the White County Board of Commissioners when it holds a voting session Monday (Feb. 25) at 4:30 p.m. followed immediately by a called meeting.
Two weeks ago, commissioners directed staff to draft a stand-alone ordinance to regulate what has become a booming business nationwide. The issue is considerably more complex than what it seems on the surface.
On the one hand, those who would like to rent rooms in their home on a short-term basis argue they have a right to use their property as they see fit. On the other, some neighbors counter that kind of activity can affect security in the neighborhood as well as property values.
Nix advised staff to pay attention to health issues while drafting regulations. “You’ve got health issues when drafting criteria,” he said “Are (rentals) on public water? Are they on well water? Is the sewage system designed to handle what they are doing?”
There are also licensing issues, insurance issues, parking issues and zoning issues to be addressed.
Commissioners had to decide whether to regulate short-term rentals under the county’s land use plan or to draft a stand-alone ordinance. They voted unanimously for the stand-alone ordinance.
Also on Monday’s agenda, commissioners will discuss:
- A proclamation in recognition of Exceptional Children’s Week March 4-8;
- A request to improve Redd Road;
- Proposed revisions to the White County Code of Ordinances relative to Emergency Services;
- Proposed surplus resolutions for public safety and the road department;
- Bids received for resurfacing Westmoreland Road under the local maintenance improvement grant (LMIG);
- Bids received for Yonah Preserve Equipment (mower, tractor, bunker rake and utility vehicle);
- Proposed revisions to the alcohol ordinance;
- Approval of the March 4 regular meeting agenda.
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. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
County may join lawsuit against U.S. government
News June 27, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – White County officials say the U.S. Government is in violation of the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) law that requires the federal government to make payments to local governments to help offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable federal lands within its boundary.
As a result, the Board of Commissioners is considering joining a class-action lawsuit against the federal government.
County Manager, Michael Melton told commissioners during a Monday called meeting he has received an email from the law firm of Smith Currie & Hancock that informs the county of a class-action lawsuit filed against the federal government on behalf of Kane County, Utah. That lawsuit seeks to recover Kane County’s underpayments and the underpayments of a class made up of all other PILT recipients nationwide.
“Our piece of that pie for the payment we get each year has gone down significantly,” Melton said. “We estimate the federal government should have paid us between $25,000 and $26,000. The county received only about $3,000. “I got some paperwork on my desk where we can opt into the class action lawsuit if the Board so chooses.”
Commissioner Edwin Nix said about half the land in White County is state of federally-owned land.
The formula used to compute the amount of payments local governments receive is contained in the PILT Act and is based on population, receipt sharing payments, and the amount of Federal land within an affected county.
Commissioners could vote during the next regular meeting to opt into the lawsuit.
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. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Commissioners agree to give cities 20 percent split of proposed 2020 special purpose local option sales tax
News May 18, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 during a called meeting Thursday to divide the revenue from a proposed 2020 special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) with the cities of Cleveland and Helen on a 60-20-20 basis.
Before it can be collected, however, voters must approve an extension of the one-penny tax in a November referendum.
In a recent work session, Helen Mayor Jeff Ash and Cleveland Mayor Shan Ash requested their cities receive 23 percent each. County officials, however, only seemed willing to part with 13 percent. Put to a vote Thursday, Commissioners Terry Goodger, Craig Bryant and Lyn Holcomb voted in favor of awarding the cities 20 percent each.
“I thought it was fair,” Goodger said. “Several years ago, they had a bigger split. They moved down to 13 percent to help us bond the jail and now they want to go back to 23 percent.”
Commissioners originally estimated a six-year SPLOST would generate about $24 million. However, Goodger said collections have been stronger than anticipated the last few years. “Collections remained strong even during the bad times of the economy,” he said. “With two or three percent growth, over the six years of the SPLOST we could collect closer to $28 million.”
Both mayors said projects they would like to undertake would cost about $5.5 million.
Helen Mayor Ash said an expensive upgrade of its wastewater treatment facility would cost about half that. “We have 93 million gallons of sewage that has to be lifted and put in that pond (for treatment). We need a new lift station and those things aren’t cheap,” he said earlier this month.
The city of Cleveland wants to use its share of the revenue for improvements to the city courthouse, infrastructure, public safety facilities and roads and bridges.
Commissioners also approved a joint resolution with Lumpkin County that calls for Ga. 400 to be extended 16.2 miles from its intersection with state Route 60 in Lumpkin County to the new Appalachian Parkway in White County.
Ga. 400 has been an important catalyst for commercial, industrial and economic growth in the counties it runs through. Tourism is one of the top industries in White and Lumpkin counties, hosting about 1.2 million tourists each year. A major four-lane divided highway would make the counties more accessible to tourists. The counties will now present the resolution to state Senator Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega).
“Senator Gooch will bring it to the Georgia Department of Transportation to see if they will put it into their bucket of things to do,” Goodger said. “It’s going to happen eventually. We just want to be proactive rather than reactive in trying to get this on the table now.”
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. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Commissioners Vote to Move Forward With Prep Work on Stanley Nix Road
News March 7, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Road projects were front and center at Monday’s meeting of the White County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with the prep work on Stanley Nix Road and awarded low bidder Nelson Contracting the job for $95,899.35. Chairman Travis Turner said prep work should begin this summer, giving the roadway a year or two to settle before paving begins.
Commissioners, however, rejected bids to improve Carolina Springs Road for being too expensive, but said they will re-bid the project. They also withdrew a previous decision to pave Bean Creek Road. Commissioner Edwin Nix explained that residents who live along the road said they didn’t want the road paved.
The Board also approved several Consent Agenda items, including:
⦁ Allowing the Sheriff’s Office to surplus 11 vehicles that have outlived their usefulness and
⦁ Authorization for the Tax Commissioner’s Office to continue receiving various forms of payment and revised authority to disburse funds to the Board of Commissioners on a monthly basis.
Commissioners also presented a proclamation to declare March 29, 2017 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” and March 6-10 as “Exceptional Children’s Week” in White County.
Commissioners Discuss Historic Overlay District
News February 28, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — White County Commissioners devoted much of Monday’s work session to a discussion about the creation of an Historic Overlay District, a complex issue they acknowledged would require months of planning and a considerable amount of public involvement.
Tom O’Bryant, Director of Community and Economic Development, said his department had conducted a study and identified about 150 areas for a potential historic overlay.
“White County already has the largest historic area in the eastern United States in the Sautee Nacoochee Valley,” O’Bryant said. “We also have a large campground that is historically significant.”
The study also identified some 25 cemeteries associated with local churches and approximately 65 family cemeteries, some of which date back to the early 1800s.
Commissioner Edwin Nix said in planning a historic overlay district it is important to protect private property rights. For example, if a 150-year-old barn on private property is placed into a historic district, he wants to ensure the property owner’s rights are protected.
The Board also held a public hearing on an application submitted by Kenneth R. Grimes to redistrict 1.39 acres of property located on FM Road from R-3 (Residential Seasonal District) to R-1 (Single Family Residential). No one spoke in opposition.
Commissioners agreed to allow the Sheriff’s Office to surplus 11 vehicles that are no longer serviceable. That issue will be added to the consent agenda and voted on at the March meeting.
County Manager Michael Melton told commissioners bids received on the Carolina Springs Road project were way over budget and commissioners decided it would be best to re-bid the project.
Commissioners decided there was no desire to have a portion of Bean Creek Road paved and withdrew the issue from consideration but wanted to begin prep work on Stanley Nix Road this summer. Nelson Grading was the low bidder on that project at $95,899 but the county will also have to pay an additional $134,261 to move 12 power poles and 10 telephone lines. That issue will be voted on at the next regular meeting.
Commissioners Adopt 9.998 Millage Rate
News August 9, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners voted to raise the millage rate by .89 mils to 9.998 Monday and the only complaint heard during the third and final public hearing was from citizens who thought the increase should have been bigger.
Elizabeth Wells, one of five people to make public comment, said she would be willing to have a bigger tax increase if commissioners would approve a pay raise for public safety personnel.
“We all know the importance of our public safety employees and the tensions that have arisen,” she said. “Now that our population has reached 33,000, their job is even more important. I’d like to see them paid more to stay here.”
Sheriff Neal Walden has spoken often about the high cost of training replacements when experienced deputies leave to accept higher paying law enforcement jobs in other counties.
Russell Mobley said, “No one wants to pay more taxes, but I strongly support the Board of Commissioners in raising the millage rate.”
Laurie Lee said, “I too support the commissioners and commend them for doing of this.”
Chairman Travis Turner and Commissioners Terry Goodger and Lyn Holcomb voted for the increase while Commissioners Craig Bryant and Edwin Nix opposed it.
Turner said, “Raising taxes is not what I’m all about but when you milk a cow, there is only so far you can go. We have to look ahead.”
The millage rate was 8.19 in 2006 and ’07 then increased to 9.19 in 2008 and remained there until it was lowered to 9.168 from 2014- ’16.
White County Commissioners Will Advertise Millage Increase
News July 19, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The White County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 during a called meeting Tuesday to advertise a millage rate increase to 9.998 mils to support the Fy 2017 budget. Public hearings are scheduled for Aug. 1st and Aug. 4th at 8 a.m. and Aug. 8th at 6 p.m.
The advertised rate represents an increase of .89 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $160,000.00 is approximately $56.96 and the proposed tax increase for non- homestead property with a fair market value of $130,000.00 is approximately $46.28.
Commissioners had projected a tax digest of $863,623,546 when they approved the FY 2017 budget but on Thursday they received the bad news that the digest was about $3 million below that projection.
As a result, commissioners were faced with the difficult decision to raise the millage rate or lower the county’s fund balance in order to balance the budget. The Association County Commissioners of Georgia recommends that counties keep at least a three-month fund balance in case of emergencies.
Reluctantly, Commissioner Terry Goodger proposed a millage rate of 10.108 in order to preserve a three-month fund balance.
“This Board has worked hard and been frugal with the taxpayers money,” he said. “This will be the first time in my six years on the board we’ve needed to raise taxes. But I’ve looked at the future and I don’t see the tax digest getting any better in the next two or three years. So I think we need to step forward and take care of this now.”
The motion failed 2-3 with Chairman Travis Turner voting with Goodger.
After a lengthy discussion, Goodger motioned for a millage rate of 0.966 which would have balanced the budget, but kept only about two-and-a-half months in the fund balance. That motion also failed 2-3.
Lyn Holcomb finally made a motion to advertise for a 9.998 millage rate and that was approved 3-2 with Craig Bryant and Edwin Nix opposed.
Commissioners Look for Budget Cuts to Avoid Millage Increase
News June 13, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. — In a marathon two-and-a-half hour called meeting Monday, the White County Board of Commissioners grappled with the inevitable, a slight millage increase in the FY 2016-17 budget. Currently, it looks like the increase will be one-half mil which translates to about $20 annually on a $100,000 home when the proposed budget is adopted in July.
Commissioners authorized County Clerk Shanda Murphy to advertise public hearings for 8 a.m. June 23 and 30.
At the start of the meeting, the Board was battling a $800,000 differential between proposed revenue and expenditures in the proposed $13.4 million spending plan and they looked for cuts anywhere they could find them.
The biggest cut came in funding for the YMCA. Commissioners voted 3-2 with Chairman Travis Turner and Commissioner Terry Goodger discontinue the agreement with the YMCA and bring those services in house. The proposed budget for the YMCA had been $575,000. Commissioners will give those responsibilities to Parks and Recreation and reduce the budget to $500,000, a savings of $75,000.
The Board’s decision to end its agreement with the YMCA was not just about the money, however. Commissioner Lyn Holcomb cited a lack of communication and failure of the YMCA to develop a feeder system for the middle school and high school. Commissioner Edwin Nix said he had fielded numerous complaints from citizens about the YMCA, including failure to open concession stands during hot summer months so people could buy cold drinks.
The Board also found an additional $61,000 in savings by reducing the amount of the hotel/motel tax it distributes to organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sautee Nacoochee and the Historical Society and another and by reducing its payments to the Health Department by $25,000. But, in the end, it wasn’t enough.
“I was hopeful we wouldn’t have to raise taxes,” Holcomb said.
Turner said this is the first time since he’s been on the Board that taxes had to be raised.
“I don’t want taxes to go up,” he said. “Nobody on this Board does.”
Nix said, “People here can’t say we haven’t beaten ourselves up over this.”
The Board also awarded bids to two contractors to do the preparation work associated with the paving of a portion of Mt. Pleasant Church Road, Gene Nix Road, Yonah Valley Road and Barret Mill Road. The votes were unanimous, however, Commissioner Craig Bryant recused himself from the discussions because he had a relative who is one of the bidders.
The prep work Gene Nix Road and Yonah Valley Road was awarded to the low bidder Crumley Creek Construction in the amounts of $56,163 and $45,258 respectively.
The prep work for Barrett Mill and Mt. Pleasant roads was awarded to the low bidder Nelson Construction in the amounts of $95,631 and $44,727 respectively.