The land donation for a park at Marina Bay on Cool Springs Road topped the Commission's agenda after Starke's attorney sent a letter informing the Commission that if they did not accept the property by September 1st it would return to him, and they accepted it 3-2. Commission Chairman Tom Oliver, Billy Powell, and Bobby Banks voted yes, Ashley Bell and Steve Gailey voted no. Powell made the motion to accept the land, and Oliver seconded.
Bell asked County Attorney Bill Blalock if the Commission was free of conflict of interest in voting to accept the property since it was part of an ethics investigation involving land dealings by Oliver and Powell.
"Are we free to act and are all commissioners free of conflict to vote," Bell asked.
Blalock recalled there was an ethics complaint filed by citizens with the Governor's Office that included accusations about irregularity concerning the property.
"But as you heard the plan for turning this property over to the county has been in the works going back to 2003," Blalock said.
Blalock said the title work is done and the property was deeded back to Starke's company because the road was changed to give the county access to wetlands needed for mitigation and the county gained 3/10th of an acre by the transaction.
"The intent was a new survey would be made and it would be deeded back to the county," Blalock said. "In the mean time the accusations were made so the matter is pending. The approval of the county based on Mr. Starke's request that you accept it at this time I know of no reason that you could not and should not."
"It occurred before Mr. Powell and Mr. Oliver were here on the Commission,"Starke said. "The question that somebody raised was whether or not Mr. Powell and Mr. Oliver had some arrangement with me that was not proper and I never could understand what that could possibly be. I was going to give property for a park under terms that were discussed long before they were there."
LINE OF CREDIT
Hall County Commissioners approved a $15-million line of credit enabling them to buy the Liberty Mutual Building for a possible new administration building on Browns Bridge Road.
Finance Director Michaela Thompson said tax revenues are low right now so the Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) was needed to meet operating expenses and the $6-million building purchase deadline this month.
NO TRICK OR TREAT?
Commissioners heard that stricter rules on door to door sales were too strict on non profit soliciting by youngsters for church and school projects.
Doug Aiken complained that it was unfair to school children, even Girl Scouts selling cookies, and it might even prohibit trick-or-treaters on Halloween as he called for exemptions. Business License Director Susan Rector told commissioners those exemptions were in place and the new rules would not affect trick-or-treaters.
CITIZENS COMMITTEE
Commissioners also listened to supporters of private/public county services to cut spending during the current recession. Commissioner Bell said he wanted a citizen's committee to recommend ways to outsource services to save money.
"The problem is we can't ask our staff to do it," Bell said. "It's a conflict to sit there and ask folks to look at a decision that may cost them their jobs, so we're going to have to ask the business community to help us out on this."
Bell said because of the economy work in some departments such and planning and engineering has dropped while employees are still drawing salaries.
Developer Wendell Starke wanted to make it clear Thursday night at the Hall County Commission meeting that his gift of 74 acres of Cool Springs LLC property was a gift, simply that
Finance Director Michaela Thompson said tax revenues are low right now so the Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) was needed
Doug Aiken complained that it was unfair to school children, even Girl Scouts selling cookies, and it might even prohibit trick-or-treaters on Halloween
Bell said he wanted a citizen
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