CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — The Habersham County Board of Commissioners will receive an update Monday on the proposed property tax relief sales tax, while a continuing dispute over Cook Construction’s proposed Baldwin development could also produce news outside the published agenda.
The commission is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, in the Habersham County Courthouse jury assembly room.
Property tax relief sales tax update
County Manager Tim Sims is scheduled to provide an update on the proposed Property Tax Relief Local Option Sales Tax (PTRLOST), also commonly referred to as FLOST (Floating Local Option Sales Tax).
Commissioners approved the intergovernmental agreement with Habersham’s municipalities and called for a Nov. 3 referendum on the proposed additional 1-cent sales tax at their Aug. 17 meeting.
If approved by voters, the tax is intended to fund a reduction in county property taxes. Sims previously told commissioners that a full year of collections could produce a property tax rollback approaching four mills, although the first year’s rollback would be smaller because the tax would not be collected for the entire year.
The proposed tax would apply to all property owners, not only those receiving a homestead exemption.
The PTRLOST update comes as the county continues preparations for the November election and works with local municipalities on implementation.
Baldwin annexation dispute continues
The published agenda does not include an action item concerning Cook Construction’s proposed annexation into Baldwin, but the dispute remains unresolved following the county’s unanimous Aug. 17 decision to formally object to the annexation.
The proposed development involves about 45 acres of unincorporated Habersham County that Cook wants to annex into Baldwin and rezone for Highway Business use. County officials have raised concerns about the change in land use, projected traffic and impacts on surrounding infrastructure.
The county’s objection triggered the state annexation dispute-resolution process administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
The Baldwin City Council voted Sept. 15 to table final action on the annexation and rezoning while the arbitration process gets underway. Baldwin City Attorney Sammy Tomasello told the council that proceeding with a final vote while the dispute is pending could create a risk to the city’s Qualified Local Government status because state rules call for the parties involved in arbitration to act in good faith.
Tomasello said the arbitration panel-selection process was underway and that the panel generally would have 60 calendar days to issue a decision after it is formed. He also said the parties could reach an agreement before the panel issues a ruling.
It is not clear whether the Habersham commission will receive an update on the dispute Monday, and no Cook-related item appears on the published agenda. Any discussion would therefore be outside the scheduled business listed for the meeting.
Recognition of 4-H, deputies
The meeting will open with two presentations.
Commissioners are scheduled to recognize the Habersham County 4-H program and its participants.
The board also will recognize Sheriff’s Office deputies Andrew Rabern and Darius Dorsey as part of an employee spotlight.
New agreements, airport work and animal control
Among the new business items, commissioners will consider an automatic aid agreement with the City of Cornelia for fire response within Demorest city limits.
The board also will consider amended master agreements with Kimley-Horn for airport planning and for airport engineering and design services.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a resolution allowing the county to apply for grant funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund for a ballfield lighting project.
Another item would amend the intergovernmental agreements governing Habersham County’s provision of animal control services to Alto, Baldwin, Cornelia, Demorest and Mount Airy.
Appointments and consent agenda
The board also will consider several appointments to fill vacancies on local and regional boards.
Those include an at-large appointment to the Avita Community Partners Board of Directors, a commissioner appointment to the Development Authority and an at-large appointment to the Chestatee-Chattahoochee Resource Conservation and Development Council.
The consent agenda includes minutes from the Aug. 17 regular and executive sessions, airport hangar lease amendments, Airport Commission bylaws, recreation instructor agreements, tennis and pickleball court resurfacing, an unanticipated pool filter repair and several environmental and public-safety agreements.
The board also will consider purchasing a grapple trailer for Public Works, authorizing an application for federal rural transit funding through the Georgia Department of Transportation, a lease-purchase agreement for 46 Tasers for the Sheriff’s Office and renewal of an alcohol license for Country Boy on Cannon Bridge Road in Demorest.
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