CATOOSA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 800 LA FAYETTE ROAD
June 19, 2007, 6:00 p.m.
The regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners was held Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. in the Catoosa County Administrative Building, 800 LaFayette Street, Ringgold, Georgia.
Commissioner Ken Marks gave the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Chairman Clark called the meeting to order. The following commissioners were present: William H. H. Clark, Chairman; Ken Marks, Commissioner District One; Robert Winters, Commissioner, District Two;
James F. Emberson, Commissioner, District Three; and Dewayne Hill, Commissioner, District Four.
Additions: Selection of Aggregator to sell Carbon Credits; Executive Session for Legal Advice Remove: None. By unanimous consent the agenda was approved as amended.
MINUTES
Chairman Clark called for approval of the minutes of the Public Hearing and Regular Meeting of June 5, 2007. There were no corrections and the minutes were unanimously approved as presented.
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS CONTRACTS FOR PRISON DETAILS I AND II FROM WALKER STATE PRISON
HAYS PRISON WORK CREWS CONTRACT County Manager Ron Brown presented the contract renewals for Walker State Prison Details I and II, and the Hays Prison Works Crews 1 and 2. County Manager Brown stated staff recommends approval of the contracts in the amount of $37,500 per crew. Chairman Clark called for all in favor of approving the contracts do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and the contracts were approved by unanimous consent.
CHANGE ORDER FOR COLBERT HOLLOW ROAD BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT County Manager Brown stated staff recommends a change order for the Colbert Hollow Bridge Project. Mr. Brown stated the change order is a result of an alternate bridge design that has been approved by the State of Georgia DOT and there will be no additional charges for the change order. Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of approving the change order for the Colbert Hollow Road Bridge Project do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and the change order was approved by unanimous consent.
DECLARE SURPLUS – 3-AXLE TAG-ALONG TRAILER County Manager Brown stated staff would like to declare the 3-axle tag along trailer at the Public Works surplus so the County can do a trade out and obtain another tag along trailer. Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of approving declaring the trailer surplus do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and the declaration of surplus was approved by unanimous consent.
ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR COPIER AT STORMWATER OFFICE County Manager Brown stated staff recommends approval of the annual contract for the copier at the Stormwater Management Office. Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of approving the contract for the copier at the Stormwater Office do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and the contract was approved by unanimous consent.
COUNTY MANAGER REPORT Mr. Brown reported on the following:
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES BOARD APPOINTMENT (1)
County Attorney Chad Young stated there is one current vacancy to fill a 5 –year term beginning on July 1, 2007 and ending on June 30, 2012 on the Department of Family and Children Services Board. Mr. Young stated the incumbent is Robbie Fletcher and is seeking reappointment and is the only applicant. Mr. Young stated a letter has been sent to the Board from Terry Catlett, Director of the Family and Children Services, requesting that Ms. Fletcher be reappointed. Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of reappointing Robbie Fletcher to a 5-year term on the Department of Family and Children Services Board do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and Robbie Fletcher was reappointed by unanimous consent.
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD APPOINTMENT (1) County Attorney Chad Young stated there is one current vacancy to fill a 3-year term beginning on July 1, 2007 and ending on June 30, 2010. Mr. Young stated the incumbent is Sarah Roach and is seeking reappointment and is the only applicant. Mr. Young stated the Board has received a letter from Dr. Thomas Ford, Executive Director of the Lookout Mountain Community Services, requesting that Ms. Roach be reappointed. Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of reappointing Sarah Roach to a 3-year term on the Lookout Mountain Community Services Board do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and Sarah Roach was reappointed by unanimous consent.
PUBLIC WORKS/SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY APPOINTMENT (1) County Attorney Chad Young stated there is one current vacancy to fill a 4-year term beginning on July 1, 2007 and ending on June 30, 2011. Mr. Young stated the incumbent is Don Hutelin and is seeking reappointment and is the only applicant. Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of reappointing Don Hutelin to a 4-year term on the Public Works/Solid Waste Management Authority do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and Don Hutelin was reappointed by unanimous consent.
LIBRARY BOARD APPOINTMENTS (3) County Attorney Young presented the names of the candidates for the 3 vacancies on the Library Board and handed out ballots to the Board. The candidates were: Cherise Miller, Patricia Silcox, Sarah Hutelin, Mona Allday, Jim Price, Darlene Cutler, Reba Clotfelter, Janice Kennedy, and Clayton Brannon. The votes were tallied and Mona Allday, Sarah Hutelin, and Darlene Cutler were selected to fill the 3 vacancies beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2010 by a vote of 3-1.
RESOLUTION IMPOSING A FEE FOR USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE Commissioner Emberson said that at 5:00 that afternoon the Commissioners held a worksession to discuss the resolution imposing a fee for use of public transportation assistance. Commissioner Emberson said that after the worksession he presented Attorney Young with changes he recommended to the resolution and he would like for Mr. Young to present those to the Board. County Attorney Chad Young said Mr. Patty has prepared a draft resolution for the Board to consider, and according to the matters discussed in the worksession the changes to the Resolution would be: 1) charge for in-County trips one-way will be reduced from $2 to $1 2) out of County trips for $3 will be deleted because the only out of County trips Trans-aid makes are for medical appointments 3) Charge of escort fee of $1.50 will be deleted 4) Cancellations without notice as opposed to being charged $2 will be charged $1 5) If trip is for medical purposes no fee will be charged 6) If person is financially unable to pay the fee will be waived for any reason. Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of approving the Resolution imposing a fee for use of Public Transportation Assistance with the changes/additions discussed do so by saying aye. The Clerk called the roll and the motion passed with a 3-2 vote with Commissioner Marks and Commissioner Winters voting against the Resolution.
RESOLUTION REGARDING HOUSE BILL 1310 AND HOUSE BILLS 1309 AND 1315 Commissioner Dewayne Hill made a motion that the Commissioners write to Legislative Delegation in Atlanta and request local legislation to change the following: House Bill 1310 dated April 1, 1998 provided that those over 62 years of age with an annual household income of $14,000 or less should be exempt from all County advalorum taxes. Commissioner Hill would like to request that the $14,000 exemption be increased to $20,000.
House Bill 1309 and 1315 introduced in 2000 Session of the General Assembly provides that those that are totally disabled and whose annual net income does not exceed $14,000 should be exempt from both County and school advalorum taxes. Commissioner Hill would like to request that the $14,000 exemption be increased to $20,000. Chairman Clark said he has been looking at the possibility of changes in the property tax structure and a number of suggestions came forward and after speaking with the Tax Commissioner this seems to be helpful to more people than any other change in the property tax code. Chairman Clark said it will cost the County approximately $60,000. Commissioner Marks second the motion. There was no further discussion and Chairman Clark called for all those in favor of the motion do so by saying aye. There was no opposition and the motion passed by unanimous consent.
Phyllis Williams, resident. Said 8 months ago were told the County would be getting $70,000 to $80,000 from the selling of carbon credits, 4 months ago were told the County would be getting $30,000 to $40,000 from the sell, she would like to know how much money the County is paying GeoSyntec for this and exactly how much money the County will be getting back. Ms. Williams said as taxpayers we keep paying these companies money and never see anything in return. Ms. Williams said she would also like to state that Transaid and the mosquito sprayer are great services in the County.
Olney Meadows, Public Works Director, stated the primary service outside of placing the carbon credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange that GeoSyntec will be providing as the aggregator will be the maximization of the tonnage of those credits between 2003 and March 2006, during this time there was no verification of the meters which were used for tonnage, since March the County has begun to verify it. Mr. Meadows said the methodology for getting this approved and verified is very complicated. Mr. Meadows stated to cut to the chase 30,000 metric tons is the maximum that the County can sell if the Chicago Climate Exchange excepts all of that and should the County sell at $4 a ton the County would have a gross of $120,000 out of that GeoSyntec would charge 30%. Mr. Meadows stated there would be no out of pocket expense to the County. Mr. Meadows stated the County will receive 70% of whatever is grossed and GeoSyntec will receive 30%.
Commissioner Emberson said he felt that the changes to the resolution was thing and felt is was fair because those who can afford to pay will make a nominal payment and those who cannot afford to pay will not be required.
EXECUTIVE SESSION Chairman Clark said the Board would go into executive session for the purpose of legal advice. The vote was taken by roll call and the Board unanimously voted to go into executive session for legal advice at 6:26 p.m. The Board voted unanimously to come out of executive session at 6:58 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT There was no further business, and the Board unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting at 6:59 p.m.