Opening the work session on Wednesday, January 13, Commission Chairman Charlie Paris delivered an update on River Park after the flood.Though all the ball fields and the walking path were completely submerged with sand is still strewn throughout the park, the clean up has progressed enough that the walking path is cleared to be used once again.

Public Works is still cleaning up after the floods as well. While they did manage to complete construction on the salt shed during December, they have been working constantly to manage and repair the flood damage. With several culverts being replaced and road repair continuing, applications have been sent for Emergency LMIG Funding to support the county in its recovery. This funding does require a 30% match. Though that can be in kind services, Gilmer is still looking at that 30%, if the funding is approved, to come out of local money.

You may recall this match previously being 10%. As one citizen highlighted in the work session, this was raised after the county voted against the TSPLOST in the past, going so far as to call it “punishment for voting against it.”

A large portion of the meeting moved into Capital Expenditure Budget Requests. Paris mentioned he has been in talks with Google to use Google Mail and Google Apps for the county’s email. Google would offer storage for the emails on their own servers. Though this possibility is still in talks, we could see this negate the county’s need to maintain it’s own server and licensing for Microsoft Office programs for the majority of its offices.

Moving deeper into capital expenditure, the Commissioners discussed the option of maintaining Sheriff’s Office vehicles on a 5-6 year rotation. A cycle like this could require the replacement of 10 cars a year and the county would lease a new car as the lease on the old vehicle ended. Currently, the Sheriff’s Office is requesting replacement of 8 vehicles this year, 7 SUVs and 1 Pick-up Truck.

A similar plan is also being considered for Ambulances with a one-per-year cycle. Though, the Commissioners were told this year’s ambulance request could be a smaller vehicle and only cost $100,000 instead of $160,000. Chairman Paris noted the current conditions of the county ambulances saying if we do not replace these, we could start to see requests for Fannin Services to take some of the emergency calls which would mean a loss in revenue for the county.

The Road Department is requesting $260,000 for its needs. After discussion and listing needed items such as an equipment shed, bucket truck, backhoe, mini excavator, and a bobcat, the Board offered an idea of allocating $60,000 for the equipment shed in the first quarter, possibly built in way to make additions available later, and allocating the additional $200,000 after April for the road department to decide what its priorities of equipment would be and spend accordingly.

April will be the point when the remaining savings from last years bond refinancing will be realized.

With the new year now arrived, the Commissioners took time to appoint its County Clerk and County Attorney for 2016. The Board offered suggestions to reappoint Kim Rogers as the County Clerk and David Clark as the County Attorney and will vote on the Resolutions at Thursday’s meeting, January 14.

Thursday will also see the Commissioners handle the Resolution to Approve an Agreement for the TAVT Tax. An agreement which will divert funds from the Commissioners to the Board of Education in repayment for the error made within the Tax Commissioner’s office regarding distribution of funds. The plan would remove one third of the BOC’s TAVT Collection for the next three years and deliver that money to the Board of Education.

The Board of Commissioners will also be voting on the 2016 Budget, Rezoning for Charles Adam Green (R-1 Residential Low Density to A-1 Agricultural), Rezoning for Billy McCollum (R-1 Residential Low Density to C-1 Commercial), Application for Farm Winery License by Engelheim Vineyards, the 2016 Organizational Chart, and the Resolution to Approve Supplemental Agreement #1 from the Georgia Department of Transportation for the FTA FY16 311 Capital Program. It was also indicated that the Board will likely table the Resolution to Award Bid on 2016 Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) until February.

In one final note, the BOC is set to vote on Qualifying Fees for the 2016 Elections. In the work session, Chairman Paris stated these fees would not change from last years.

GILMER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ANNOUNCEMENT

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. §21-2-131 the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners announces qualifying fees for each county office to be filled in the upcoming election for 2016.

POSITION/TITLE                                                     2016 FEE

BOC POST COMMISSIONER                                  $   195.79
SHERIFF                                                                      $1,779.86
TAX COMMISSIONER                                             $1,491.66
CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT                               $1,491.66
PROBATE JUDGE                                                      $1,491.66
MAGISTRATE JUDGE                                              $1,491.66
CORONER                                                                      $344.69
COUNTY SURVEYOR                                                    $50.00
BOARD OF EDUCATION                                              $67.50