While not on the agenda, discussion of the county’s one-cent SPLOST collections came up at Thursday’s regular commissioner’s meeting, with Sole-Commissioner Rob Jones informing the handful of residents in attendance that sales-tax collections have been down significantly since the first of the year. The most recent check collected by the county for SPLOST (reflecting April 2009 sales tax) was down nearly 30 percent from the previous month of collections (March 2009). Collections are also down 16 percent from April of last year, according to Jones and County Financial Director Mechelle Champion, who spoke with the Progress in an interview after the commissioner’s meeting.
On average, collections for 2009 are down 10.3 percent to date from the average of 2008 collections.
May and June figures are not yet available because SPLOST collections run two months and seven days behind actual collection dates, meaning the check received in June 2009 is from sales-tax collections made in April.
Voters narrowly approved in February 2008 the addition of a one-cent sales tax set to fund $17 million for courthouse renovation, $6 million to pay off existing debt, $3 million for recreation and $2 million for a library expansion, among other things.
“Unless something happens and the collections go up, or if this new Wal-Mart they say is coming in is going to shoot us with a bunch of sales tax…I don’t think we’re going to collect 33 or 34 million dollars,” Jones said. The county, however, is still cautiously moving ahead with Tier I SPLOST projects.
Georgia state law mandates SPLOST projects must be completed in tiers, or phases. All courthouse or jail projects and previous county debts fall under Tier I.
Recreational facilities, libraries and utilities fall under Tier II. Projects in that second phase cannot begin until projects in Tier I are completed. The commissioner said the county is now focusing on courthouse renovation and chipping away at debt incurred from “previous administrations,” including the Pickens County Adult Detention Center.
To date the county has collected $3,170,446.59 for the 2008 SPLOST. Champion said approximately $400,000 has been used for engineering studies for the county courthouse and debt on the Pickens County Administration Building. Commissioner concerned about Wal-Mart’s effect on small businesses
Following the commissioner’s brief mention of the Wal-Mart now under construction on the east side of Hwy 515 North, a man in attendance expressed concerns with the mega retailer’s effect on small businesses in the county.
The man said he was at one time a salesman and witnessed first-hand the negative impact of Wal-Mart on surrounding businesses.
“When Wal-Mart came in, you had a shadow of a town,” he said. “Before you knew it, the town was nothing, and it’s going to happen here.”
The commissioner said he knew the history of Wal-Mart and further that he agreed with the man’s statements. Jones said he was concerned with the downtown area, but because the Wal-Mart site falls within the city limits of Jasper, his involvement in the project was limited to third party information. The commissioner said the Wal-Mart deal has been ongoing for seven or eight years now, but that he has only met with City of Jasper Mayor John Weaver and a developer once. The meeting was three months ago, he said. County has 2008 audit in hand, details to follow
Jones was also asked about the status of the 2008 county budget audit, and the commissioner reported all “field work” has been completed as of two weeks ago. Further, he said the county now has an audit draft in hand.
The Progress has set-up a meeting later this week with the commissioner and Financial Director Mechelle Champion to discuss details of the audit. Details of the budget amendment approved June 18, 2009 at a called meeting are also up for discussion.
County waiting for stimulus project approval
Public Relations Officer Norman Pope reported the county now has an application in with the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority for $1.27 million in infrastructure projects, to include a 500,000-gallon water tank and over 14,000 linear feet of water lines.
The county would like to update an existing tank at Tate and also water lines to infrastructure on the west end of the county that would provide another connection with the City of Calhoun, a water supplier for Pickens. While Pope said the projects have cleared several federally mandated requirements, they don’t have final approval from the state.
Pope also reported the county recently received a letter from Gov. Perdue’s office stating 26 stimulus projects have been approved in the state totaling $43.1 million. Pope said the county is still in the running for the money, but noted just one county in Georgia – Gwinnett – has been approved for a stimulus project. All other stimulus recipients are municipalities.
According to Pope, $90 million in federal stimulus funding remains available to the state of Georgia.
“I’m hoping we can get that money, although it will be in the form of a loan,” Pope said. If Pickens does gain access to the funding, the county will be required to provide 60-percent matching funds and will also be required to finance the loan for 20 years at three-percent interest. The county will also have to pay two-percent closing costs and two-percent closing costs on the 60-percent matching funds.
Because of Pickens County’s tier ranking as the 9th wealthiest county in the Georgia, gaining access to federal funding and grant money is difficult.
The Department of Community Affairs’ ranking system is based on population growth, unemployment rates and per capita income and is meant to determine the economic stress of Georgia counties. Tier 1 counties are considered the most stressed––tier 4 the least stressed.
Pope also reported that water filters, needed for the project, will not be funded with stimulus money because of the American-made clause in the American Investment and Recovery Act.
All materials and labor funded with stimulus money must be made in the United States. According to Pope, however, water filters needed for county water system improvements are not manufactured in the United States. Pope said other Georgia counties have applied for variances on this stipulation, but that GEFA (who handles all stimulus monies for Georgia) is not allowing variances at this time.
“We don’t have a problem that it requires American made,” Pope said, “…but we’re going to have to find some company that goes into that business very quick here in the United States,” he said.
The county was also given a red light from GEFA on previous stimulus applications for pumping station construction, because needed pumps also were not made in the United States.
County hopeful VW plant in TN to bring jobs to Pickens
Pope also expressed hopes the Volkswagen plant, expected to open in Chattanooga in 2011, will entice satellite supply companies to open in Pickens County.
Pope said Pickens falls within a good radial distance from the Tennessee city for such companies and noted that seven of the top 10 companies that have recently relocated into Georgia are related to the automotive industry.
Library trustees appointed
The commissioner adopted a resolution appointing Mary Ellen Johnson to the Pickens County Library Board of Trustees to fill the unexpired term of Kay Hendricks.
The term ends June 30, 2010. The commissioner also adopted a resolution reappointing Lawton Baggs to the Pickens County Library Board of Trustees for a four-year term beginning July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2013. |
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