Gilmer County restructures two department’s leadership

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GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – An Executive Session late Thursday night at the end the Gilmer Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting saw the board return with formal motions and approvals that moved one department director affecting three people.

As the meeting’s regular agenda ended, the board approved a motion for executive session and said they anticipated action. Upon return, Chairman Charlie Paris made a motion to move Public Works Director Jim Smith to Planning and Zoning Director, a position held by Karen Henson.

With the motion, Paris explained that current Planning and Zoning Director Karen Henson would take on a role as Smith’s assistant in the department. In Public Works, the former Assistant Director Ryan Steingruber will step up as the new Director.

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Newly appointed Planning and Zoning Director Jim Smith

Post 2 Commissioner Karleen Ferguson took a moment to thank all three people for their service in the county. Ferguson stated, “I’ll say thank you all for your service. Jim, Karen, Ryan, much appreciated. This has been a difficult, challenging year. Now that we’ve got a little adjustment, we’ve got the dream team back.”

This is not Smith’s first time in the Planning and Zoning Department as he did previously hold positions within it as it used to be Planning and Community Development in the early 2000’s. Smith was formerly the Director of this department.

Likewise, as the newly appointed Public Works Director, Steingruber is not unfamiliar with his position either as he stepped in to the role when Smith dealt with health and family issues in recent years. Steingruber not only stepped in to deliver updates and reports to the county in meetings, but served as the Director in formal capacities with contracts and other day to day operations.

With the motion seconded and unanimously approved, these changes will be taking place immediately as the department undergo the transitions to their new directors.

City Council approves rezoning for planned apartment units

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Council listens to details of rezoning for planned apartment units

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. — At their latest meeting, the Ellijay City Council voted to approve the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) distribution rate and an Off Premise Consumption Ordinance for distilled spirits. They also approved a rezoning request to accommodate plans for new apartment units.

After approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and a public hearing, the council voted to approve the rezoning of 17 Barclay Street. To make way for apartment units, the property will be changed from general commercial zoning to R3 – residential zoning. Code Enforcement Officer Andrew Mathis explained that the rezoning request saw several objections, including “concerns that there might be an increase of traffic in that area due to the apartments, and concern that having apartments there might decrease the property values of the area.” Paul King, who owns the building, said the building will be converted into four, one bedroom apartments. He also noted that the apartment units would cater to older tenets, with prices “in the neighborhood of $1,400 per unit.” Ellijay DDA Chairman Reece Sanford noted that middle class in Gilmer County is a household income between $34,000 and $69,000 and commented: “This type of housing really supports our middle class and there’s a great need for it in Gilmer.”

Mayor Al Hoyle presented the renegotiated Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) distribution rate of 17%, a one percent increase for the City of Ellijay. In an email included in the agenda packet, Chairman Charlie Paris wrote “The Gilmer County Board of Commissioners wishes to acknowledge, and express our appreciation for, the professional and beneficial working relationship shared with the city of Ellijay. It has been our policy to do all that we can to be a valuable partner to the city, and we have seen that the city shares that same goal when working with the county.” The council unanimously approved the distribution rate, which had already been approved by the commissioners.

The council also approved an ordinance amendment at the meeting. The Distilled Spirits Off Premise Consumption Annual Ordinance amends current regulations and provisions surrounding alcoholic beverages within the city. Notably, the council set the required annual license fee at $3,500.

The council also held a workshop prior to the regular meeting. Shepherds Loft Representative David Grubb was in attendance to discuss the city’s plan for a new website.

BOC Rescinds Real Estate Agent Resolution

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County’s Board of Commissioners has rescinded a resolution passed less than two weeks ago to accept bids on retaining a Real Estate Agent to sell of properties the specify.

After an Executive Session, both present board members voted in favor of rescinding a resolution to engage bids from real estate agents. That motion came on July 24, 2020, when the commissioners were looking to sell the Planning and Zoning building.

Originally, the county would have used the agent to sell the Planning and Zoning building, but wouldn’t have to go through the agent for every piece of property that may come up. They would have decided their choice on each property. Now, they will still look to sell the building. However, it will go through a usual bid process for properties.

The single motion covered both actions as the board moves forward with the sale.

 

BOC to sell old Planning and Zoning Building

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Downsizing its facilities due to moving offices around, the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners is now looking to sell their building on the square that has been used recently as the Planning and Zoning office.

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Gilmer’s former Planning and Zoning building is located in the square immediately south of the courthouse.

The property disposal came before the commissioners in a Special Called meeting under an agenda item that encompassed both the “disposal of the property” as well as engaging a real estate agent.

Gilmer Commissioner Chairman Charlie Paris stated that engaging a real estate broker will begin with a bid process to the board to find an agent to use in the process. However, engaging the bid should follow broad language on usage. County Attorney David Clark encouraged this option of specificty to allow the Commissioners options down the road. He stated, “That gives you the option to consider it, but you don’t have to use the agent with the additional piece of property.”

This means that the county could use the agent to sell the Planning and Zoning building, but wouldn’t have to go through the agent for every piece of property that may come up.

Paris also clarified further saying that if they get another piece of property they need to sell, but wish to just auction it off, they could do this. However, if they do wish to go through the real estate agent again, they would not need to complete the bid process again at that time.

Having the bid process set one agent into this position, the county is also looking to only extend the contract by a specific time period. After that time they would need to rebid the services of real estate agent. With that in mind, Clark also suggested the contract would terminate after a year unless the agent was amid a selling process at the time.

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The final decision came through two motions, the first came to take bids for a real estate agent to handle disposing of county property while reserving rights to dispose of property in other ways. The second came to dispose of the building previously referred to as the Planning and Zoning building. Both were approved by the two present commissioners, with Post 2 Commissioner Karleen Ferguson absent.

Along with the disposal in this meeting, another issue arose that could become a major issue. While the office of the Board of Commissioners is attempting to satisfy requirements for a DOT audit with regards to Gilmer’s Airport Professional Services Agreement. According to Paris, Georgia’s Department of Transportation is going through an audit process.

As such, Gilmer has used grants they have used at the airport from the FAA. Part of those grants cover engineering requirements. The state’s audit saw a request for the master contract with the engineering firm from Gilmer County. Paris said that the county didn’t have a contract in 2015, but the county specified it was to be done under the contract of 2012. However, in 2012, the engineering firm, Croy Engineering, signed the contract and sent it to the county. The county at the time tabled the item to investigate. However, the county never revisited the contract.

With no contract, Gilmer County could be held responsible for reimbursement of all the engineering costs since 2012. Clark explained that the county has tried other options to resolve the issue, but have been rejected. Now, the county will authorize the chairman to sign the contract with a retroactive effective date to satisfy the needs.

The county has been operating under the contract over the years, but has simply not signed the contract.

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