An almost day-long session of the Board of Commissioners unfolded Thursday as they moved from Work Session to Public Hearing to Regular Meeting to deal with a number of issues including Alcohol Ordinances, Bonds, Business Licenses, and the Civil Air Patrol.

In the tourism update of the work session, Paige Green of the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce, reported our hotel/motel tax increased by 11%. She also praised the JDA to be a huge help to tourism and the Gilmer Chamber as they now have a group to focus on development and share with in support. Paige says, “I think what you will see is a better concentration in all parties involved.”

As the Work Session continued, discussion on alcohol began as the Board started exploring regulations and control of alcohol on the River. The discussion was ultimately tabled until September for more research and development of possible recommendations.

The First Reader to Amend the Gilmer County Code as to Article II of Chapter 10 Titled as Alcoholic Beverages was also presented. This was two-fold in that it would loosen regulations on requirements to obtain a alcohol license.

Chairman Paris says this is not about the alcohol, but about the business side so two people could sell beverages even if they are within 5 miles of someone else who has a license. He doesn’t want the county to be “picking winners and losers” as they are unable to grant licenses to certain people simply because someone else within a certain distance already has a license.

The second fold was to allow alcohol consumption at the Golf Course as the only exception to the alcohol ordinance, though some do not like the idea that the Golf Course is still run by the County as it would begin serving alcohol.

Business owners and citizens alike continued in the public hearing as well to suggest the core of this change revolved around an idea that you can’t tell one business owner they can’t sell alcohol because someone close by already has the license.

While many citizens, including former Chairman JC Sanford, are worried that it will increase availability of alcohol in the county. They call for any and all possibility to slow down this consumption. Sanford goes on in the Public Hearing adding in all the cost against the generated taxes, “That’s not a profitable situation, and then when you add all the suffering and the heartache that is brought about by alcohol, why would we do anything to promote it?”

Commissioner Dallas Miller even stood in opposition of the changes, speaking on the ordinance as it stood before the changes, “This ordinance is to protect and preserve schools and churches. I will not allow that sentence to be in this ordinance if it is passed because it’s not true.” Miller does not believe these changes will be good for the county saying that his opinion was if this was put to a public vote, it would not pass.

Ultimately, this motion died as Chairman Paris made the motion and no second was made.

Another topic of debate came at a formality as the Board of Education sold its GO Bonds, with most of the citizens speaking against it saying it’s the option to raise taxes. With both Commissioner Miller and Chairman Paris talking about how reluctant they were to “become cosigners” on the bonds of the School Board. The Board of Commissioners is sending a letter to the Board of Education requesting a meeting with the Board. Chairman Paris has already requested a meeting with the BOE on the topic of the TAVT (Title Ad Valorem Tax).

As the county moves forward after having approved this option to levy a tax on the BOE’s behalf if the ESPLOST is not enough to pay the Bonds, that is to say the BOE would initiate the recommendation of the tax and the BOC would have to issue it since they are the only tax levying entity, the Commissioners stand committed to bring the BOE into a working relationship with them.

Many citizens still question the need for the bonds, however, as they reference the BOE’s general fund, ESPLOST collections, and a lack of desperate need for the money.

This motion passed as the formality with each Commissioner in strong opposition of how the issue was handled, saying they wished they had been consulted a month earlier since they have to sign off on the bonds. Their main complaint being with the BOE having gone forward on the bond sales without consulting the BOC.

A few re-zonings were also approved including:
Lance M. Adams, Tax Map 3051 Parcel No. 007B & 016 (R-1 Residential Low Density to A-1 Agricultural),
Trout Haven, LLC, Tax Map 3151 Parcel No. 061 (R-1 Residential Low Density to A-1 Agricultural),
Royce and Jane Hughes, Tax Map 3138 Parcel No. 051D (R-1 Residential Low Density to A-1 Agricultural),
Cartecay Vineyards, Tax Map 3114 Parcel No. 007A (A-1 Agricultural to A-1 Agricultural w/ Conditional Use),
Roger and Wendy Widmann, Tax Map 3098B Parcel No. 017 (R-1 Residential Low Density to R-1 Residential Low Density w/Conditional Use).

Also approved was the installation of air conditioning for the Civil Air Patrol Office at the Airport.