Hall Commission agrees on Cedar Creek mediation

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Commissioners agreed to move ahead with mediation on who controls the Cedar Creek Reservoir but with some changes at Monday's work session in Gainesville.

Commissioner Ashley Bell will represent the commission with Chairman Tom Oliver instead of vice chairman Scott Gibbs; Commissioner Craig Lutz proposed the change, saying Bell was a better choice because he is Gainesville's county commissioner.

"He does represent the City of Gainesville and I think he would be a better bridge to try and get us through this mediation process as fast as possible," Lutz said.

Lutz also did not want any additional consultant's cost involved with the mediation. The resolution authorizing non-binding mediation with the City of Gainesville states that the county's representatives could select consultants 'as they see fit' to assist them in the mediation.

"I'm really not interested in paying additional consultants to do any work on this," Lutz said. "It would be my desire to have the consultants part scratched out."

Commissioners decided to keep consultants on board but for a flat fee or an expenditure cap.

At their regular meeting last week Gainesville City Council named Mayor Ruth Bruner and Mayor Protem Danny Dunagan to represent the city in the upcoming mediation, with the location and date still to be announced.
Last September City Council requested state EPD director Allen Barnes for mediation to settle who has title to the reservoir, the city or the county, since the city wants to build a water treatment plant there.

NOPONE ROAD CENTER PLANS

Commissioners indicated they liked what they saw when Public Works Director Ken Reardon) presented update plans for a technology center and ball room at the Nopone Road Community Center. They chose the tech center to replace the library that is now slated for Clermont and Reardon said he wanted to get started.

Reardon told commissioners the tech center would fit into the project's $9-million dollar plus budget and was popular with North Hall recreation center supporters; Commissioners agreed to put it on Thursday's consent agenda for an expected yes vote.

STAYING DOWNTOWN

Commissioner Bell said he wants a discussion and possible decision at Thursday's voting session on what does and does not go into the county's new headquarters in the Liberty Mutual Building on Browns Bridge Road. Bell represents the City of Gainesville on the board, and the City does not want the county's offices to leave the downtown area. Space studies are now underway at the Liberty Mutual building on how to centralize the county's operations at one location.

SOME AUDIT ADVICE

commissioners got some advice concerning sewer capacity agreements as they received an audit report finding on Fiscal Year 2010. Auditor Beth Grimes said the cities of Flowery Branch an Oakwood were falling short on payment agreements.

"We find that these agreements are not being followed, Grimes said. "These agreements need to be followed and monitored. You're owed money, those agreements are not being followed for whatever reason."

Grimes said the payback shortfalls did not add to up a lot of money but the agreements should be met. Grimes also reported that while the recession cut revenues, the county responded by cutting expenses and ended up with just over a million dollars in the black.
According to the audit from Bates, Carter & Co.LLP, revenues increased less than one percent from 2009 and overall revenues were under budget by $3.4-million, however revenue from housing out of county prisoners was above budget $2.1-million.
Expenses decreased 4.5 percent from 2009 and were below final budget by $4.8-million by eliminating county employee retirement contributions and continued mandatory furloughs; net income was $1.4-million.