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♦ FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2007
Lawmakers re-submit bill
By RATLIGHTNER
Journal Staff Writer
Infrastructure
Development Districts are
back this year minus the
parts that were most objec
tionable last year and gar
nered it the “private cities
bill” moniker.
Sen. Johnny Grant, R-
Milledgeville, proposed the
latest versions, Senate Bill
200 and Senate Resolution
309. The Senate State
and Local Governmental
Operations Committee
reported favorably on the
bill earlier this month.
The 2007 version is being
touted as a “user pays way
to fund infrastructure like
roads, parks, water and
sewer systems by having
those within the district pay
for the improvements.” It
creates an administrative
body, which can levy the
taxes or fees on the district
and incur debt.
The new version, unlike
the 2006 version, also
requires the meetings and
actions of the elected district
administrative body to be
open to the public and its
records to be open as well.
Local legislators Sen.
Cecil Staton, R-Macon,
and Rep. Larry O’Neal, R-
Warner Robins, sponsored
the 2006 versions, called
the Rural Georgia Economic
Development Act in the
Senate and the Georgia
Smart Infrastructure
Growth Act of 2006 in the
House. The legislation failed
in the House last year fol
lowing objections from both
city and county elected offi
cials. Staton and O’Neal are
not sponsors of the latest
versions.
The 2007 version has the
support of the Association
County Commissioners of
Georgia. “In practice, not
theory, IDD’s would help
close the ever-increasing
infrastructure gaps nor
mally associated with high
growth areas,” said Buzz
Ahrens, chairman of the
Cherokee County Board
of Commissioners in a
press release. “Our board
is strongly in favor of this
type of legislation. It would
help level the playing field
and should promote well
planned developments. The
self-financing feature that
relieves the local taxpayers
The Business Development
Committee of the
Perry Area Chamber
of Commerce recently
awarded the Oil Lamp
restaurant Small Business
of the Month for March.
According to a release,
they were nominated by
one of their peers for
providing “good food in a
friendly atmosphere.” This
makes them eligible for
the 2007 Small Business
of the Year award. The Oil
Lamp restaurant has been
a chamber member for
more than nine years. They
serve home-style cook
ing at their location on
General Courtney Hodges
Blvd.
Contributed
Contributed
Perry Merchants Association members met to stuff bags with all kind of goodies
- including store discount coupons, restaurant menus, flyers, et cetera - for the FMCA
convention that starts this weekend. Thousands of motor homes are anticipated to be
in Perry for the event.
is a key selling point.”
Carroll County
Commission Chairman
Robert Barr said in the
release the act “provides
local governments with yet
another tool for the attain
ment of managed growth
scenarios.”
“Not every circumstance
arising in Georgia coun
ties would benefit from the
creation of Infrastructure
Development Districts, but
with the challenges present
ed by continued growth in
Georgia, local governments
deserve to have as many
innovative methodologies
available to them as other
states have developed,” Barr
said.
The IDD also has sup
port of business and devel
opers including Associated
General Contractors, Bank of
America, Cousins Properties,
Georgia Association of
Realtors, Georgia Electric
Membership Corporations,
Graham Brothers
Construction, Home Builders
Association of Georgia,
Newland Communities and
Temple-Inland Inc.
The new bill requires
approval of the local govern
ing authority be it city or
county or both to enact an
IDD of 1,500 acres or more.
If the district is in both the
city and the county or over
two or more counties, each
governing authority must
grant approval and each can
appoint a member to the
IDD governing board.
The petitioner has to sub
mit the proposed develop
ment plan and complete all
required federal, state, or
regional reviews including,
but not limited to, devel
opment of regional impact
reviews, as part of the
request to the local govern
ment. The master plan has
to “identify the projects to
be undertaken, the necessity
for the projects, the cost of
the projects, and the antici
pated need for tax-exempt
bonds as then reasonably
estimated by the petitioner.
These estimates shall be
submitted in good faith but
shall not be binding and may
be subject to change.”
It also includes a designa
tion of four persons to be the
initial members of the board
who shall serve in that office
until replaced by elected
members. As it builds out,
Small Business of the Month
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Goody bags
or tracts are sold, the ini
tial members are replaced by
those elected by landowners
with the district with one
vote per one acre of land
owned.
Unlike the 2006 version,
the votes/acre don’t apply to
any land currently used or
identified for future use of
district facilities, infrastruc
ture, or other district specif
ic purposes including com
mon areas. Another change
is that “no qualified elector
may cast votes representing
more than 15 percent of the
available votes.”
When considering approval
of an IDD, the local author
ity can consider whether the
proposed district projects are
consistent or inconsistent
with any applicable element
or portion of the appropriate
local government’s compre
hensive plan, whether the
creation of the district is
compatible with the appro
priate local government in
general and will supplement
rather than be a detriment
to the general population;
and whether the district will
result in an increase in taxes
paid by existing taxpayers in
the county or municipality
residing outside the district.
The decision to approve
or deny requires at least
one public hearing by the
local governing body. That
hearing also has to be held
within 60 days of the appli
cant and be held at the same
time. Beginning no earlier
than 6 p.m. and no later
than 7 p.m.
As soon as practicable after
each election or appoint
ment, the board organizes
by electing one of its mem
bers as chairperson and by
electing a secretary, who
doesn’t need to be a member
of the board, and such other
officers as the board may
deem necessary including a
treasurer, who per the bill,
shall not be a current mem
ber of the board.
The bill requires the trea
surer to present a budget
to the board and at least 60
days prior to approval to the
governing authority as well.
Like the previous ver
sions, it also requires state
wide voter approval before it
can be enacted. That selec
tions set for the November
2008 general elections, and
if approved is effective as of
Jan.l 2009.
LOCAL
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Contributed
The Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for Endless
Love Pet Palace Tuesday. During that time, Sheila Kemp and her two- and four
legged friends gathered with chamber representatives at 1012 Carl Vinson Pkwy.,
to celebrate. According to a release, Endless Love Pet Palace has upgraded from
its little blue house in Centerville to this state-of-the-art facility in Warner Robins.
Along with this has come even more amenities for our four-legged babies, the
release reads. All areas on the right side of the facility have a flat screen TV in each
area as well as piped in stereo in the evenings. Big built-kennels for the larger dogs
are located in on the left side of the building with piped in stereo music 24 hours a
day. Every animal is taken outside five times a day and once in the evening. Both kit
ties and dogs get time in the Meet N Treat Lounge where they II find two toy boxes
filled with their favorite toys. The kitties have their own fish aquarium in their room.
They are called Endless Love for a reason! Its ALL about your babies! For more
information call 478-329-1673.
Community Events
■ FREE TAX HELP
- A ARP is currently offer
ing tax assistance - through
April 14 - at the Perry
Library for “taxpayers
with moderate incomes.”
They are there Thursdays
from 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m. and
Saturdays from 9 a.m.-l
p.m.
■ WR REC. SPRING
DAYS - The Warner
Robins Recreation
Department started reg
istration Monday for
“Spring Dayz”, a day
camp for spring break.
The camp will be held
from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday
(five days), April 2-6
for boys and girls ages 7
through 12 years old. The
cost is $54 for city resi
dents, $lO2 for county
Delilah
is Back!
Every night at 7
on \
Ribbon cutting
residents and $l6B for out
of-county residents. Bring
a sack lunch every day -
drinks and snacks will be
provided. For more infor
mation, call 929-6945.
■ SCHOOL COUNCIL
- The Shirley Hills
Elementary school council
will meet today from 7:30
p.m. in the school cafete
ria.
Ocmulgee
SURVEYORS ♦ ENGINEERS ♦ CONSULTANTS * PLANNERS
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Perry, GA31069
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