Commissioners split 3-2 on impact fees vote
Crow’s motion for study denied
BY ANGELA GARY
Jackson County commissioner Tom Crow continued to push his fellow commissioners to move forward to study impact fees Monday night, but his motion failed in a 3-2 vote.
Commissioner Dwain Smith voted with Crow to do an impact fee study. But commissioners Jody Thompson and Bruce Yates and BOC chairman Pat Bell voted not to fund the $28,000 study.
“I feel like the timing is not right,” Bell said. “I’m concerned about the cost. It would totally wipe out our contingency fund…I’m against spending money that is not in the budget.”
Thompson suggested the BOC consider making the study a budget item next year instead of taking the money from the contingency fund.
But Crow said it would take time to get a study completed.
“We need to do the study,” he said. “If the study shows we don’t need impact fees, so be it… I feel like we need to do the study… It takes about one year to do it (the study).”
Yates said he “understands the importance of impact fees,” but doesn’t believe it is the time to do a study.
In other business, two votes were taken on selecting a bond underwriter before any action was taken. The first vote, which failed 3-2, was to name Merchant Capital as the underwriter. The next vote, which passed 3-2, was to name Miller & Martin as the underwriter.
The first motion to name Merchant Capital was made by Smith. Bell seconded this motion, but the other three commissioners voted against it.
The second motion, to name Miller & Martin, was made by Thompson. Crow and Bell voted in favor of this motion, while Smith and Yates voted against it.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Monday’s three-hour meeting, the BOC:
•named Charles Herrington to serve on the county dangerous dog committee.
•approved a $348,370 contract with Moreland Altobelli Associates for engineering and design of Zion Church Road. Funds will come from the 2004 bond project.
•approved a $1.9 million paving contract to Pittman Construction for 2008 road projects.
•approved a $266,000 contract with Heath and Lineback Engineers for preliminary engineering and design for the State Route 53/Hoschton-Braselton Bypass project. Thompson voted against this, while the other commissioners voted in favor of it.
•postponed closing the bridge over Possum Creek Road after hearing from a property owner who said he uses the bridge to travel to and from his property.
•approved a request from Ricky Dale Maddox to locate an additional residence at 1023 Murphy Road in order to care for a family member with medical problems.
•postponed a request from Ninragon for an alcohol license for a restaurant in Traditions Way, Jefferson. The request was postponed because the applicant wasn’t present.
•approved an alcohol license for Braselton Golf Club due to a change in ownership.
•approved a request from Ricky Raymond and Associates for a map amendment to change Athens Stonecasting, located on Hwy. 441, from gateway corridor to rural places.
•Jim Scott of Commerce asked the BOC to consider taking bids for large projects, such as professional services. Professional services include attorneys, surveyors, engineers and accountants. Consultant Don Clerici, who oversees large capital improvement projects for the county, said the county selects the “most qualified firm” and then “negotiates the price.”
