Gilmer begins process to change hotel/motel tax

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tax, BOC

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – With the information made available in December 2021, and the decision to move forward made in January 2022, the Board of Commissioners officially approved a motion this month to authorize County Attorney David Clark to begin revisions to the Excise Tax on Rooms, Lodging’s and Accommodations Ordinance.

The motion comes with new information on the change as the final process begins for changing the tax. However, even that won’t be the final step as Clark said the Governor will need to sign this as well. With final county approval potentially occurring in June, Clark said that July 1, 2022, could likely be the actual change date of the tax depending on when the Governor signs. In January’s meeting, it was stated that the approval in the county’s meeting is for the resolution to be sent for approval in state legislation. This was included in the formal motion and approval of a change in the Hotel/Motel Tax came in January as the county was looking into the concept.

Going from five percent to eight percent and including tourism product development (TPD) Projects, this change is also bringing along a change in stay length. Clark reported to the board that Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sandi Holden noticed a change needed for the updated ordinance.

Currently, the ordinance applies to stays up to ten days, however, with changes in the state, Clark stated that stays up to 30 days can be considered “short term rentals.” The county will also be adding this change alongside the increase in percentage.

As for the application of these changes, Paris clarified in the county’s regular meeting after questioning the county attorney. Any rentals scheduled after July 1 will be subject to the new changes. This means that even reservations made before July will fall under the new changes if the stay occurs after the change date.

While the July 1 date is still currently an estimate due to potential delays either from the state or local governance or if the process delays with citizens input, the county only used that date as the assumption for the clarifications. The TPDs listed for the county to pursue in 2022 include Parks, Trails, Wayfinding Signage, and Recreation facilities. However, Clark estimated that with the collection beginning in July, it could be September before the county starts realizing that change in their financial reports. Meaning it could be fall before the county could begin working on those projects.

BOC files restraining order over property in Whitepath

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Second Amendment, Officials, threat, road, wineries, plan, Restraining Order, early voting

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – A restraining order has been filed with the Superior Court with the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners being the entity to file. Approved after an executive session during the commissioners regular meeting on March 10, 2022, the complaint was filed the following day, March 11, 2022.

The restraining order was filed against Daniel and Linda Holmer in the Buckhorn subdivision, a portion of the Whitepath Golf Course. According to the complaint on behalf of the BOC, Art Wlochowski, Director of Code and Regulatory Enforcement, went to the property in August and September of 2021 to discuss a deck with the residents. The Holmers have allegedly built a deck illegally, being that it is on the lake of the property. According to reports, the unnamed lake is not to be built on without approved requests.

However, the complaint, according to the county, is not because of the deck itself, but rather, due to repeated interactions with the residents culminating in alleged “threats to employees.”

According to the complaint, Holmer left a voicemail on Wlochowski’s phone saying, “Yes, if this is Art… uh… what’s his name from the Gilmer County Code and Regulation Commission… Compliance, just want to let you know if you come to my property you better bring the (Expletive) with you.”

Additionally, noted in the complaint, on October 15, 2021, officers of the Gilmer Sheriff’s Office went to the location to inform the residents of the surveying crew operations. It is stated that Holmer told Captain Brian Crump that he would defend his property against Captain Brian Crump or any other County employee or agent.

Exercising rights to inspect their own property, the county was encouraged to get a court order before continuing operations. Now, this filed complaint, filed by County Attorney David Clark, states, “…unless Defendants are immediately restrained from interfering from Mr. Wlochowski’s inspection of the County Parcel and Mr. Vick and his crew from surveying the County Parcel, Plaintiff will suffer immediate and irreparable injury in that it remains deprived of conducting all lawful and legal activities on its County Parcel.”

With the complaint mainly focusing on access to the county’s property and performing operations at that location, the problem seems to arise that the county cannot reach the location it needs to be at without passing over a portion of the Holmers’ land. According to the filed paperwork, the Holmers have 30 days from the date of filing, March 11, 2022, to respond.

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