Fannin Board of Commissioners: Department News and Citizen Comments

Fannin County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday evening, January 26.  Since it was the second meeting of the month, the majority of the time was spent with reports by county department heads.  Later, Marty Kahn, Henry Mallard and other residents spoke.  At the end, Post Commissioners Johnson and Sosebee spoke about the misinformation surrounding the intra-Commission lawsuit.

John Scalera, head of Parks and Recreation answered Commissioners’ questions about two recent changes in parks and recreation fees.  The suggested pavilion fees were $55 for a four-hour rental and $110 for an eight-hour rental. The commissioners rejected the suggested pavilion rental fees because they felt that the pavilions were a service to Fannin citizens and therefore should be affordable to all citizens.  Post-Commissioner Johnson told Scalera that he had received complaints about the increase in spring sport registration fees.  This year it will be $65 as opposed to last year’s which was $50. Johnson said there needs to be more publicity about all the changes in the sports fee.  Until this year, each attendee had to pay a $2 gate fee.  Starting this year, there is no gate fee.  Johnson gave the example that for a child and two parents the total cost of spring sports was $50 for the registration and then $2 per parent at the gate which totaled $90 by the end of the season.  Starting this year, the only fee is $65.  Everyone, parents, uncles and aunts, cousins and friends have free entrance. Johnson reminded Scalera that all decisions about fees must go through a Commission vote first before the fees are made public.

Next, the Commissioners heard a report from Charles Collins, Road Superintendent.  He said that most of the major washouts from December storms had been fixed.  The washout near Doublehead Gap Road and Silver Fox Trail is still being repaired.  The Commission greatly thanked the department for tworking on Christmas Day during the December storms and for their great job of keeping the roads cleared during the January snow.

Keith Nicholson, County Building Inspector said 208 newly built houses were certified for occupancy in 2015.  The number of new Fannin  homes is significantly higher than that of surrounding counties.   Dawson registered 127 new homes, Gilmer 139, and Union 126. Also, he spoke about a new building code beginning in 2016.  As of this year, all new homes will need a “911” sign in the yard.  These blue and white signs easily show the house number day or night because sometimes emergency responders can’t tell which house goes with which number on the mailbox at the end of the road.

Head Librarian Clare Barton reported that the library would like to apply for SPLOST funding on the November ballot. She said that the state of Georgia will match funds up to $2 million. Barton says that with $2.5 million in SPLOST funding and $2 million from Georgia the library can expand to better meet the needs of Fannin residents.

The Commissioners thanked Robert Graham, Director of Emergency Medical Services, the Fire Department and the Police Department and their employees for keeping the roads safe during the winter snows and storms.

Chief Larry Thomas said that the MaCaysville fire station suffered double damage during the December floods.  First, the floods weakened some of the walls and shelving.  Then, while knocking out the walls, workers found signs of major termite damage.

Commissioners reported that the county looks to be coming in below budget for 2015.  The final quarter’s expenses have not yet been reconciled.  So, it will be a few weeks before the Commission can be certain that 2015 is in the black and not in the red.

Then the floor opened to residents.

One talked about his exasperation with roadway litter in Fannin County.  It is getting more and more evident  that the roadsides haven’t been picked up in a long time.  The Commissioners agreed that roadside litter is a definite problem in Fannin and said that they would look into an economical way to pick up the trash.

Marty Kahn spoke about the sluggish, opaque response that the Commission has given to his November request to give citizens specific information regarding the timeline for the Advanced Disposal Services’ and other contracts.  Lynn Doss said that the county has sent a letter of non-renewal to Advanced Disposal Services and she believes the contract will end August 14^th.  Doss said that the county will send out requests for bids on the contract in mid-spring.  Bill Simmonds said that the Commission hasn’t been able to locate so many services to approach about the garbage contract because whatever service the county decides upon must have the capacity to pick up the garbage and access to a federally-certified landfill in which to dump the waste.

The Good Samaritans invited the Commission and all present to Jan. 31^st Good Samaritan Open Table Sunday Brunch from 8 – 1:30 at the Fannin County Senior Center.  The cost is free.

Henry Mallard spoke about his ongoing campaign to change the noise ordinance.  He claims that a neighbor’s kennel-like collection of dogs barks so much that it is disturbing the peace on Cutcane Road.  Also, he said some of these dogs killed three neighborhood dogs.  He is offended that nothing has been done after a petition sent by certified mail and his reports of neighbors’ attitudes towards the noise. Commissioner Johnson assured him that he had spoken to several neighbors on the road and they had declined to give comments about the situation.  He said he had also traveled Cutcane Road several times to listen for the dogs’ barking, but hadn’t heard any disturbance.  He asked Mallard, who was alone, to return to another meeting with other neighbors so that their complaints can be publicly heard.  After that, the Commission will consider a noise ordinance variation.