Commissioner Craig Lutz proposed a resolution that deletes the chairman's ability to make motions, second motions, and deliberate on those motions.
Oliver called on his own attorney from Atlanta, William Droze, to argue the change could not happen that the chairman had the same authority as any other commission member since 1966.
Droze said if the resolution was adopted and interpreted to strip the chairman of his participation rights, it would be in conflict with Georgia law. The law creating the position of chairman describes the position as a 'member' with no restriction of powers.
Oliver challenged commissioners supporting the resolution to go hire their own attorneys to avoid a legal argument at taxpayer's expense.
"I'm going to do what's right," Oliver said. "I would ask that the other commissioners agree to the same thing if they decide to follow through to remove the chairman's vote and ability to make motions, that they would do it out of their own pocket rather than put it on the tax payers."
Oliver told commissioners he was going 'plays this card all the way'.
ASSESSORS COMPLAINT
The Commission majority that held a special called meeting January 6th came under fire from the County Tax Assessors Board and its attorney Joseph Homans.
Homans argued that since the Commission did not give proper notice of the meeting in which commissioners sought to remove Reverend Jeff Benefield as an assessor, their action was improper.
Commissioner Ashley Bell, who is an attorney, questioned the Assessors Board's authority to have their own attorney to represent them before the commission board.
HIGHER AMBULANCE RATES
The cost of ambulance transport would be going up for some county residents under a proposal to adjust service rates proposed by Hall Fire Services Chief David Kimbrell. Kimbrell told county commissioners he wants to update charges to reflect a new reimbursement schedule from Medicare and Medicaid.
"There's roughly a $100 average increase per call that those people would see,"Chief Kimbrell said. "The six percent is all that pays all that pays for the ambulance service out of their pocket."
Kimbrell added 94 percent of the residents are covered by insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The rate adjustment would bring an additional $880,000 in revenues to the county.
Oliver called on his own attorney from Atlanta, William Droze, to argue the change could not happen
Homans argued that since the Commission did not give proper notice of the meeting in which commissioners sought to remove Reverend Jeff Benefield as an assessor, their action was improper
Droze said if the resolution was adopted and interpreted to strip the chairman of his participation rights, it would be in conflict with Georgia law
The cost of ambulance transport would be going up for some county residents under a proposal to adjust service rates proposed by Hall Fire Services Chief David Kimbrell
Commissioner Craig Lutz proposed a resolution that deletes the chairman's ability to make motions, second motions, and deliberate on those motions
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/1/235580