Where Will Hodskins Go?

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BLUE RIDGE, GA – Commission chair Bill Simonds wasted little time when it came to implementing new ways to account for money brought in by the recreation department.Several weeks back when questions of accountability were raised concerning the way money is accounted for at recreation department events Simonds knew that the way some things were being managed dealing with the intake of monies would have to change.

In a phone call between Simonds and FYN Simonds stated, “some things will have to change. They just will.”

At the January 27th board of commissioners meeting Simonds took the first of many steps in the way of change.

Simonds stated the following changes were to be implemented immediately:

*Numbered tickets would be sold at recreation department events so as to be able to match up ticket sales with money intake.

*Cash registers will be placed at the concession stands with receipt tape.

*Merchandise in concession stands will be inventoried before and after games.

*The concessions will be secured so that only certain people have keys.

*All stock (candy, soda, etc.) will be paid for with checks.

*Referee’s/coaches/concession workers will be paid with checks

*A lock box will be provided so the money took in from events can be counted every night and locked up. The money will then be delivered to the commissioner’s office the next day to be deposited.

Simonds also said that the duties of some people would be changed.

“Bernie is still going to be at his games…Kristy Ware will be in charge of the recreation building itself and Eddie Oneil will be in charge of all field care and activities. That’s kind of what we have started to put in place and whatever else that we need to do in the future, we’re going to do it,” said Simonds.

Stemming from that topic Simonds began talking about the lease that the county has with the TVA for the property on the lake beside Blue Ridge dam that includes on it the house the recreation director Bernie Hodskins lives in.

At the beginning of the conversation Simonds was ready to make a motion to terminate the lease with TVA for the property come mid-summer because of “liability” issues.

However, after hearing several ideas from citizens, including Joe Webb and John Mullinix, about how the county could use the property to benefit all of its citizens, post 2 commissioner Larry Joe Sosebee recommended that the board wait and talk to a TVA representative to try to renegotiate the current lease so that the county may be able to use the property effectively.

Simonds retracted his motion to terminate the lease with TVA and agreed to meet with a TVA representative to try and renegotiate the lease so that the county has more freedom to use the property to benefit the citizens.

One thing that all of three commissioners were in agreement with, though, was that they don’t believe any one, including Hodskins, should be allowed to live in the houses on the property.

“If we provide [housing] for one [department head] we should provide [housing] for them all. That’s only fair,” said post 1 commissioner Earl Johnson.

So, come mid summer whether the lease is renegotiated or terminated, Hodskins will be moving out of the house on the lake.

Stay tuned for more on the story about the TVA lake property.

Watch the full meeting video below:

Fannin BOC 012715 from Fetch on Vimeo.

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