Commission rejects big buses for Hall Transit

GAINESVILLE - Community Service Center Director Phillippa-Lewis Moss went to Atlanta Friday morning with a counter offer from Hall County Commissioners after their Thursday night meeting.

Commissioners rejected Moss's request to approve an $800,000 federal grant to buy two new thirty passenger buses; they instructed Moss to ask the state DOT if grant money could buy smaller buses like the ones now used by Hall Transit.
Commissioner Craig Lutz said he objected to any federal grant regulations 'going forward' and was opposed to any use of the grant money.

"I don't like being bound by rules and it's not something I want to pass off to the next commission," Lutz said.

"I'm going to do some big time begging to the staff of the Georgia Department of Transportation and try to encourage them to agree with the Commission's position to purchase a different style, different size bus in the hopes of retaining some of these federal dollars," Moss said.

Commissioners also want the county to take over bus maintenance; Friday was the deadline to accept the funding.

"I have never been in this position before," Moss added. "I'm hopeful that we can get some piece of this $800,000 grant."

SEWER RATE DECISION

Hall Commissioners decided to resolve dissatisfaction from South Hall sewer customers Thursday night by accepting a staff recommendation to use new sewer rates passed last December and grant customers a bigger sewer bill credit.

Public Works Director Ken Reardon said the decision clears up confusion.

"This actually gave us some clarity on how the billing is to be done," Reardon said. "Instead of having it convoluted throughout the month of December and January we're starting fresh in December with the usage rates and the capacity charges."

Customers complained about double billing and incorrect credits after commissioners approved a new usage based rate to replace the $42 monthly flat rate sewer charge.

"The credit is fair to the residents," Reardon added. "The $18.97 is what they wanted."

http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/3/259936