Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, October 14, 2021
UPSON
BEACON
Page 3B
Together, we’ve accomplished a lot...
WITHOUT INCREASING
PROPERTY TAXES!
Ptetkie Re-Elect
Doug Head
City of Thomaston Mayor Pro Tern
Doug was bom and raised in Thomaston. Doug graduated from R.E Lee Institute in 1973 and then earned a B.B.A. degree from the University of Georgia in management
in 1978. He completed the Georgia Bankers Association Commercial Lending School in 1997, Kennesaw State University’s Graduate School of Banking for Community
Bank Management in 1998, and is a 2011 graduate of the Louisiana State University Graduate School of Banking.
Doug began his community banking career at C&S Bank in 1983, going through the Loan Officer Development Program and later the Commercial Lending School in
1990. He joined SouthCrest Bank’s predecessor Bank of Upson in 1995 and has now completed over 38 years in banking. Doug is currently a Commercial Banker and
Senior Vice President of SouthCrest Bank (soon to be Colony Bank) and is located in the Thomaston office.
In addition, Doug was elected in 2003 as Mayor Pro-Tern (Councilmember At-Large) of Thomaston, and is currently in his fourth consecutive term. Doug is currently
on the Downtown Development Authority.
Doug has two daughters, Mary Kathryn and Sarah Ann, and attends First United Methodist Church. Paid p0 || tica | advertisement
Safety • Infrastructure • Quality of Life • Community • Progress
Everything that is important in a thriving community!
Some of Our Game Changing Accomplishments...
The City of Thomaston’s finances are in great shape and more importantly,
NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASES.
Fiscal Responsiblity
• Operational reserves - the City has seven to nine months’ worth of unre
stricted operational reserve for general fund operations. Through 6/30/2021 we
have $5.3 million in unrestricted cash and $7.7 million in reserved/designated ac
counts
• Millage rate rolled back every year (no property tax increase)
• Developed procurement position and policy with a strong local pref
erence.
Public Safety
Implemented 15% Pay Increases for our
public safety employees.
Fire & Ambulance Services
• Working on developing a Licensed Medical First Responder Unit for the city
through the Fire Department
• Commissioned necessary, new fire station that will be move-in ready by Christ
mas
• Purchased new aerial (ladder) fire truck and potential replacement Pumper Truck
(the other trucks are 15-20 years old and are outdated)
Police Services
Crimes rates are increasing across America, we support our law en
forcement and are taking a proactive stance by...
• Implementing Police-Crime Suppression Unit-4 officers, working as a unit to
prevent and address specific crime issues.
• Developing police officer enhanced recruitment policies
Infrastructure
Executed IGA between City and County to restructure all
outdated sewer contracts for extra territorial service to
address the needs of the industrial park.
Utilities & Streets
• Completed $20 million in sewer infrastructure upgrades and repair-$9 million
in Grants and forgiveness
• Completed $3 million in storm water infrastructure upgrades and repair
• Maintained some of the lowest residential electricity rates in the state of Georgia
and still provide transfers to the general fund to offset taxes
• Created annualized electrical rates.... not subject to large seasonal price changes.
• Implemented online utility payment option
• Implemented budget billing for utilities- for summer rates Thomaston is the
10 th lowest out of all providers and for winter rates Thomaston is the 27 th
lowest out of all providers (94 total). Residential electric rates
https://psc.ga.gov/utilities/electric/residential-rate-surveys/
Water. Storm & Sewer Services
• Water/sewer fund is now self-sustaining, it pays for itself (prior to 2016, funds
were transferred in to subsidize the utility)
• Created GIS mapping system for critical asset management including: water in
frastructure, sewer infrastructure, electric infrastructure, storm water infrastruc
ture, city streets, city sidewalks, electrical territorial map, DDA boundary, historic
district boundary, zoning by parcel, and political boundaries
• Public works building renovation
• Relocated and renovated water/sewer department building
• Finalized drinking water withdrawal permit with the EPD
We have increased the trust or flex
accounts for future electric debt by 42%
that will keep rates down.
Streets
• Paved more than $3 million in city streets- TSPLOST passed to provide additional
funding for paving City streets ($1.3 million last year)... anticipate to expend $1.4
million per year over the next 4 years
Quality of Life
The way we live, work, and play
• Constructed new pavilion at Weaver Park
• Removed 65 substandard/dilapidated structures in the city. Added an additional
code enforcement officer
• Constructed new tennis courts and pickleball courts at GGP
• Implemented Downtown Development Authority and Main Street pro
grams- key to our redevelopment of the downtown area
• Authorized DDA facade grant program: this will also be key to our rede
velopment of the downtown area-1 wrote this up as a member of the DDA
• Commissioned first ever master plan for downtown and received the
state’s Rural Zone Designation. This is a major GAME CHANGER that
will attract new businesses and revitalize downtown Thomaston.
• Completed phase 2 of Greatest Generation Park walking trail
• Lake Thomaston- open to the public- walking trail and biking-workout
stations and fishing events-it is 1.6 miles around.
• Park Street Playground- Started summer program for children and completed
bathroom and pavilion at projects.
• We are Growing- Chic-fil-A, LongHorn (starting in September), Dunkin’,
Planet Fitness, Popeye’s (already underway), Verizon (just started)
• Events- Instituted the Independence celebration for 4 th of July... 3 years running
• Expanded South View cemetery
• Updated city website- easier to use and navigate
• Enacted Sunday alcohol sales
• Just called for ballot question on package sales/distilled spirits- Voting
on Package Sales of Distilled Spirits
• Commissioned redraft of city alcohol ordinances
Ordinances & ISO
• Commissioned redraft of entire zoning ordinance - will be complete in
October- last one is from the 60s- will help us maintain the control and consistency
of vital areas of our community
• Insurance Savings for Residents, We’ve Lowered ISO to 4 from 3
Support City and County Relations
• Renegotiated service delivery
• Created IGA for IT services with Upson County -one of the ways we work together
• Updated hazard mitigation plan
SPLOST
A tax we all share
2016- Will go through June 30, 2022-Total sales tax collected-$ 17,947,589, a tax
that everyone shares, and is not tied to property ownership
• Projected through June 30, 2022 is expected to be $21,400,000
City was 25% of the SPLOST until $18,000,000 and
will receive 34% of the remainder.
• Projections for 2016 SPLOST thru June 2022 for City should be $5,400,000
• Since the city uses SPLOST for sewer repairs, we ran the numbers on our sewer
customers. We have an estimated 4,900 customers. Therefore the amount each
customer would have to pay over the 72 months would be an additional $15 per
month or a total of $1,100 over six years without SPLOST.
I support the 2022 SPLOST- Projected $23,400,000 over the next 6
years, 13.8% or $35 million of sales revenue comes from people who
live outside of the city and county.
Upson County 64%
Thomaston 35%
Yatesville 1%
Thomaston recently had a market analysis done for the city of Thomaston, Upson
County and the 20-mile radius. For Upson County we have an estimated $254 mil
lion in sales annually but the demand for sales in just Upson County is only $219
million. Therefore, the remaining $35 million in sales comes from people outside
of Upson County. That counts for 13.8% of sales coming from people who
don’t live in Upson County. We would take a 13.8% income cut without
the sales tax from people outside our County.
If the SPLOST does not pass, projects would have to be deleted, services
cut, or taxes increased. With water and sewer projects it would be
nearly impossible to complete our necessary upgrades and improve
ments.