Newspaper Page Text
January 7, 2009
County Line
continued from the front page
Bilderback, whose district would likely include residents
reclaimed from Bibb County.
Scarborough didn’t immediately return phone calls for
this story. He has said his field work, which began Aug. 1,
would last about nine months. Next, he must present his
evidence to the secretary of state’s office and to Bibb and
Monroe County commissioners. By law, the counties would
then have 30 days to dispute his findings.
But Bilderback said neither county would have much of a
case since the state is settling the dispute according to the
law. Plus, said Bilderback, former Bibb County chairman
Charlie Bishop was the main one who had threatened to
sue, and he was defeated for re-election.
The apparent new county line is almost exactly what
Monroe County commissioners had proposed several years
ago, said Bilderback. That plan was to return to the line
what was established by the Georgia Legislature when it
created Bibb County out of Monroe and other counties in
1822.
When Monroe proposed that solution, said Bilderback,
Bibb County engineer Ken Sheets estimated that 435
parcels of property would be affected. One of those parcels
is the Bass Pro Shop. Currently, just about the entire store
property is in Bibb County. But the new line would put the
parking lot and part of the Bass Pro building in Monroe,
said Bilderback. Bilderback said officials would work out a
solution so that no one can challenge the bonds Bass Pro
used to finance its facility. The bonds currently read that
the property is in Bibb County.
But the good news, said Bilderback, is that resolving the
county line issue will prevent property owners from having
to battle zoning departments from both counties to figure
out where they sit. Developer Joel Kennedy described the
ordeal as a nightmare when he built an office building in
Preston Park. It appears most of that area would now be
firmly in Monroe County, said Bilderback.
As news about the possible county line change spread on
Friday, new Bibb County commission chairman Sam Hart
called a press conference to say that Bibb residents who
may be affected will still receive county services such as
fire protection and water.
It appears the biggest cluster of affected homeowners
would be in the 300-home Providence subdivision off Bass
Road. The county line already split the subdivision, but the
change would put dozens of more homes into Monroe
County.
Monroe County school board chairman Dr. J. Ray Grant
said it's too early to make any statements yet because the
process hasn't played out. But he said if the proposal sticks,
the school system will welcome any new students if they're
part of Monroe County. A Providence subdivision father in
who has children in Bibb County schools and would be
moved to Monroe County has asked to be on the agenda of
Tuesday's Monroe County commission meeting to bring his
concerns, said Bilderback.
Bilderback said most landowners he talks to are excited
about the possibility of being moved into Monroe County
for its lower taxes on homes and cars. “They want to hurry
up and get things finalized,” said Bilderback, perhaps
before their birthday when they have to pay their car tax.
Bibb County's property tax rate is 34.2717, while Monroe
County's is 22.787. For a $200,000 home, a Bibb resident
would pay $2,742 in taxes per year while if they were
moved into Monroe they would pay $1,823.
continued from the front page
austere."
The only notable addition to the budget is a $60,000
earmark for a city administrator. Howard said they had
about 11 resumes come in by the Dec. 31 deadline and
hope to fill the position in 2009. The city named two
finalists in the fall but opted to start the search over.
Councilman James Calloway said at council’s Dec. 16
meeting that he would like to hire a city administrator
in 60-90 days.
The city also has a vacancy for a zoning administrator
but Howard said that vacancy has less urgency.
City clerk Janice Hall has been serving as the interim
city administrator for about three years, and has also
been doing the zoning duties since former zoning official
Frank Vaughan retired.
The city's biggest department, the electrical depart
ment, is expecting a $700,000 loss in revenue, from $6.2
million in 2008 to $5.5 million in 2009. The department
should still make the city money though, as expenses are
expected to be about $4.9 million.
In the water department, the second largest depart
ment, revenues are expected to drop to $2.1 million, but
that's above the expenditures of $1.6 million. The city
contracts a private company, Utility Partners, to operate
the water system.
The cable department is expecting heavy losses once
again, this time of about $478,000. Expenses are budget
ed at $1.6 million with revenue expected at $1.1 million.
Hall said the cable/telecommunications department
would break even if it could pay off its debt. The city has
budgeted $562,000 for debt service on the $5 million the
city borrowed to buy the cable/internet operation in 1999.
It won't be paid off until 2015, said Hall.
Also, the city is facing a big increase in expenses, from
$35,000 to $120,000, for a MEAG telecommunications
project it's committed to in MEAG cities around the
state.
The city plans to cut the street and sanitation depart
ment budget from $1.21 million to $1.16 in 2009. Hall
said the city does still plan to add about $80,000 in
spending to create a methane recovery system at the
city's old landfill on Old Brent Road.
Council members plan to cut the police department
budget from $1.6 to $1.5 million, largely through a hiring
freeze that should save on salaries and uniforms.
Another casualty of the city's tight budget situation
might be employees' $500 annual clothing allowance. All
city employees who are not issued a uniform have histor
ically gotten a clothing allowance. Hall said even if they
are cut out the city might find another way to benefit
employees.
Meanwhile, the city is expected to save about $100,000
in legal fees in 2009 now that it's settled a number of
lawsuits filed by former and current city employees.
The municipal court budget will be about the same.
City judge Bill Clifton will be paid $6,000 for his servic
es, while city judges Bryan Tiller and Jeff Davis will earn
$4,500 each. Public defender Elmo Remick lobbied for
and got a $200 raise to $9,600 and solicitor Kristi Rowell
will be paid $18,000 by the city in 2009.
Reporter
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