Gilmer County and the cities of Ellijay and East Ellijay may soon have a meeting with the Ellijay-Gilmer County Water Authority to discuss reducing water and sewerage imposed impact fees.The meeting comes as a result of last week’s October 24th Gilmer County Board of Commissioners special called board meeting held in lieu of its regularly scheduled October 25th board meeting in order to adopt a final resolution that updated the county’s Short Term Work Program.

During the meeting, Gilmer County Director of County Development and BOC liaison Jim Smith informed the commission that it was time for it to update the BOC’s Short Term Work Program with a final resolution since the county’s first resolution for the Short Term Work Program had been approved by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

In July, the BOC first submitted a resolution to the DCA to update its Short Term Work Program, a list of short term goals that the BOC has planned for work related projects in Gilmer County, including the cities of Ellijay and East Ellijay. Along with the short term goals, the county also submitted the DCA with an Ellijay-Gilmer County Water and Sewerage Authority annual Impact Fee Financial Report, a report showing fees that are imposed on people who want to extend water lines or water services. The Ellijay-Gilmer County Water and Sewerage Authority has been implementing impact fees in Gilmer County, Ellijay, and East Ellijay since 2000.

After reviewing both the Short Term Work Program and the Ellijay-Gilmer County Water Authority Impact fees, the DCA approved the county’s first resolution for a new Short Term Work Program and then asked that the county adopt a final resolution of the program before October 31, 2012. The October deadline is necessary so the county will have time to obtain its Qualified Local Government status, which provides the county with special purpose grant money.

However, before adopting the resolution for the impact fees on Thursday, the board raised questions about the impact fees.

Chairman JC Sanford asked County Attorney David Clark whether or not the fees could be removed, while BOC board member Danny Hall showed concern about effects the fees might have on industrial growth in Gilmer County. In 2012, the Ellijay-Water and Sewerage Authority collected $57,771.59 just from water and sewerage impact fees alone.

Hall said he was afraid the impact fees might prevent industries from coming to Gilmer County, adding

“I would like to see some of it reduced or something that is affordable for industry”

Clark told Sanford that although he knew the status of the county’s Qualified Local Government status was at hand, he did not know if other agreements with the Ellijay-Gilmer County Water Authority were in place that keeps the impact fees from being reduced. Conversely, Clark said if the county was serious about reducing the impact fees, he suggested scheduling a meeting between the water authority and all three municipalities.

Here, Smith said without the impact fees, the update of a Short Term Work Program is something the county could do every five years instead of every year due to the DCA’s review of the fees.

The board adopted the final resolution for its Short Term Work Program, although, after voting, Hall requested a meeting between all three municipalities and the Ellijay-Gilmer County Water Authority as soon as possible to discuss the fees.

A date for the meeting has yet to be determined.

To watch the special called meeting in full, please view the video below:

2012 Oct Gilmer Gov BOC Special Called Meeting 10.24.2012 from Fetch on Vimeo.