The Blue Coyote faces alleged ordinance violations

City Council, Downtown Blue Ridge, News
Blue Ridge, Georgia, City, Blue Coyote, Alcohol, Licenses, Closed, Hearing, Court, Council, Mayor, Donna Whitener, Municipal Judge, Robert Sneed, Petition

Blue Ridge, Ga. – City Council met Friday, April 30, 2020 in a special called meeting to appoint a Hearing Officer that will oversee a case involving the possible “suspension and revocation of an occupational tax certificate allowing for the sale of alcoholic beverages”.

Blue Ridge Municipal Court Judge Robert Sneed will be put in place as the hearing officer.

Blue Ridge, Georgia, City, Blue Coyote, Alcohol, Licenses, Closed, Hearing, Court, Council, Mayor, Donna Whitener, Municipal Judge, Robert Sneed, Petition

City Council meets to instate Hearing Officer.

Council members were unable to speak on the specifics of the case, with Mayor Donna Whitener telling press, “All questions on the matter will have to be directed to the hearing officer.”

The case is presumably involving the City of Blue Ridge vs. The Blue Coyote, a restaurant in the Commercial Business District of Blue Ridge.

Recent events at the Blue Coyote have caused complaints from citizens, along with allegations of the establishment being in violation of numerous sections of the City’s Alcohol Ordinance.

One issue that has been discussed on previous occasions, not only of the Blue Coyote but of neighboring businesses, is violation of the noise ordinance due to live amplified music. The Blue Coyote, however, has not received a citation from the City on the matter.

The most recent issue that could be cause for the hearing involves an altercation that took place between patrons of The Blue Coyote. That altercation which took place in April continued outside of the establishment onto City property according to sources.

Currently several businesses in Fannin County are supporting a petition that is circulating to save The Blue Coyote from possible penalties of the hearing. 

The hearing is set to take place in May but could see delays if requested by either legal party.

Sneed will ultimately decide the fate of the establishment. If found to be in violation of the City’s Alcohol Ordinance, several possibilities of penalties are on the table for The Blue Coyote. These penalties range from a fine, to a probation period where no other violations may occur, to the possible revocation of the occupational tax certificate allowing for the sale of alcoholic beverages.

 

Featured Image courtesy of Fannin County Chamber of Commerce website.

Scearce released from CHI Memorial Hospital

Community, Featured News, Featured Stories, News, Police & Government
Blue Ridge, Police, City, Johnny Scearce, Chief of Police, Covid19, Fannin County, Georgia, Post One, Commissioner, CHI Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga, Fannin Regional Hospital

Blue Ridge, Ga. – After a long battle with Covid-19, Blue Ridge Chief of Police and recently elected Fannin County Post 1 Commissioner Johnny Scearce has been released from the hospital.

CHI Memorial Hospital released a video of Scearce being cheered on as he made his Honor Walk out of the hospital.

“Thank you all, God bless and what a great hospital and staff,” Scearce said as he made his way through a hall of staff cheering on his recovery.

Scearce had been in the hospital for 94 days according to CHI Memorial, but his battle with Covid-19 began in Sept. of 2020.

Blue Ridge, Police, City, Johnny Scearce, Chief of Police, Covid19, Fannin County, Georgia, Post One, Commissioner, CHI Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga, Fannin Regional Hospital

Scearce being released after 94 days at CHI Memorial. Image courtesy of CHI Memorial.

News of Scearce contracting the virus quickly spread via social media on Sept. 17 as his wife Brenda posted a personal post on Facebook asking for prayers for her husband.

At the time of the original post Scearce was in a regular room at Fannin Regional Hospital but struggling with maintaining healthy oxygen levels. 

A prayer vigil was held outside the hospital for Scearce on Sept. 19 and Brenda posted a heartfelt thank you from both her and her husband.

During his stay at Fannin Regional Hospital, Scearce was sedated and put on a ventilator for several days, but was able to overcome this hurdle and made significant improvements. Scearce was released from Fannin Regional Hospital and returned home at the end of Sept.

While Scearce continued to make steady improvements at home, he was still experiencing low oxygen levels. News broke on Oct. 12 that he was being transferred via ambulance to CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. 

The City of Blue Ridge along with Scearce’s brothers in blue gathered for a prayer vigil at the City Park on Oct. 13 and it was there that information was given as to the critical level of Scearce’s condition.

The community continued to rally behind their Chief of Police over the next several months with fundraisers and prayers. 

The news of Scearce’s release from CHI Memorial is a major milestone that was celebrated by many via social media. Scearce still faces a long road of rehabilitation but the community remains confident that he will overcome any hurdles that he may face.

Zoning request for Hastings Development tabled

Community, Downtown Blue Ridge, News
Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Zoning, Hastings, Development, College Street, Highway 515, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, James Balli, Utility Director, Rebecca Harkins, Integrity Development Group LLC

Blue Ridge, Ga. – A development that has drawn the attention of many in Fannin County has once again come to a temporary halt as the developer seeks to have land rezoned in the City of Blue Ridge to accommodate the plans.

What has become known locally as the Hastings Development is a residential development set in the City of Blue Ridge with access points to Highway 515 and College Street. The 14 acre property sits adjacent to Overlook Subdivision.

The proposed development itself has seen a number of changes based on community feedback and most recently the city zoning board gave approval for an 83 town-home high density site. The Blue Ridge City Council has final say on whether zoning of the land will be changed for the development to take place.

Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Zoning, Hastings, Development, College Street, Highway 515, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, James Balli, Utility Director, Rebecca Harkins, Integrity Development Group LLC

Developer Johnnie Hastings addresses concerns of the citizens and presents a revitalized plan for the development.

The Hastings Development has been met with concerns ranging from the possibility of high volume traffic on narrow College Street to whether the city’s infrastructure can handle the additional stress of the new units.

A vote was expected to take place at the Jan. 12 Blue Ridge City Council meeting but with last minute changes to the proposed plans, a motion was made to table the decision until next month’s meeting.

“We listened,” Johnnie Hastings, the developer of the property, spoke to the council and citizens, “What is the need in the community? What is it that you guys need in terms of housing?”

Hastings explained that the original concept for the development dating back to Jan. 2020 was for affordable housing in the $250,000 range, but after gathering further community input the design was changed to upscale town-homes in the $450-500,000 range.

“I want to do something…that’s good for the community, that we can all get around,” Hastings said as he revealed the revised plan based on community push back to the suggested 83 town-homes, “Believe it or not but that’s my heart.”

Hastings’ new plan consists of 56 freestanding family homes at 4 homes per acre. The price will still be in the range $500,000 per home.

“We’re here to compromise and bring a little unity to this project,” Hastings said, adding, “At the end of the day you’ll be very pleased with what I did up there.”

Citizens who had come to the meeting to speak in opposition or at least express concerns over the development were taken off guard with the proposed changes to the site.

The main concerns echoed by the citizens present was the need for the new changes to be approved by the planning commission or flow through proper channels, whether the city’s infrastructure could handle the added usage and traffic coming onto College Street.

“It concerns me that you would vote on this when the planning commission has not,” one citizen spoke.

“The sewer system won’t handle it. The water system won’t handle it,” another citizen voiced.

Utility Director Rebecca Harkins addressed the concerns of city infrastructure stating that the city has more than enough capacity remaining in their system to handle the proposed development.

“I don’t have a position on this development,” Harkins stated adding that she simply wanted to present the public with the facts.

Harkins confirmed that the city did have capacity to handle the additional units to the system and that there are issues that need to be fixed and updated throughout the city’s infrastructure, but that those issues would have to be addressed regardless of the development adding on.

“I agree that it needs to be worked on and it needs to be worked on diligently,” Harkins said of the city’s current infrastructure and reassured residents that the development would cost nothing to the city: “The city does not fund any portion of the water and sewer system for a new development.” 

Harkins also pointed out that the developer would be financially responsible for any impacts on the system from the development to the plant caused directly by their connection.

Mayor Donna Whitener confirmed that City Attorney James Balli had sent in writing that council could vote on the rezoning if Hastings had lowered density but that it would need to go through proper channels before coming to council if the density had increased.

Council member Mike Panter made a motion to table the vote until the next regular meeting in Feb. giving the council more time to look over the proposed changes. 

All council members voted in favor of tabling the vote with the exception of Council member Rhonda Haight who stated her reason as “I think we’ve kept people waiting long enough”.

Charter changes and reopening of City playground

City Council, Community, Downtown Blue Ridge, News

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Citizens could see a change in the way the City of Blue Ridge is managed after the city council voted on charter changes that would allow for the hire of a City Manger.

According to council member Rhonda Haight, the move to a city manager or a full-time mayor has been discussed among councils for several years. Haight stated that when looking at projected growth of the city, citizens would benefit by “making sure someone is here full-time to answer questions”.

Many municipalities in the area have this form of government, council member Mike Panter cited the cities of Jasper and Cumming to name a few. Council members also pointed to an example in Fannin County of the County Chairman holding a full-time position to oversee day-to-day operations.

“The council still has control over everything, including the budget, hiring and firing of the city manager,” Haight explained of the proposed move, saying that the only difference would be that a City Manager would not be an elected official and would therefore be able to be held accountable for their job performance.

“We know there is a need for leadership,” Haight said, adding that while council members are currently overseeing departments, most members hold other full-time jobs giving them less time to keep track of everyday business. 

“Our job is really to set policy,” Council member Nathan Fitts stated agreeing with Haight : “I think there needs to be some accountability to the public and this is the only way we’re ever really going to get there.”

Fitts added, “I think this form of government takes power out of people who want to be in the position for power. The mayor doesn’t have power then. It puts the workload on someone who is being paid to do it.”

Council voted in favor, with Mayor Donna Whitener and Council member Robbie Cornelius absent, to send a Resolution to the Georgia State Legislature requesting that the city be able to move to a City Manager form of government.

The Resolution would need to pass on state level before any charter changes can take effect. 

If enacted, there would be a transition period of 1 year taking place in 2021, with the official City Manager style government going into effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

The City Manager position would oversee and have executive power over all day-to-day activities including inner workings of all departments, tax collection, and grant availability.

CITY PLAYGROUND TO REOPEN

Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Charter, Change, Election, Resolution, City Manager, Playground, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, James Balli

Council member Mike Panter going over his findings in a previous meeting regarding the city’s playground.

The City of Blue Ridge Street Department has been hard at work correcting the issue of drainage at the city’s playground.

With the corrections having been made, the council voted in favor of new padding and turf to be added and the playground be reopened to the public upon completion.

The issue of the drainage system was one that had previously halted some council members from moving forward with the new playground turf, concerned that there would be significant unforeseen expenses once corrections began to take place.

Panter, who wanted the playground corrected in a manner that would cut costs in the future, had been a strong proponent of moving to the padding and turf option rather than continuing with mulch.

“I do believe we have ample funding to do this at this point,” Haight said of moving forward with the project.

The company responsible for installing the padding and turf will have to do an initial inspection of the area and drainage system before their work would begin. The process is expected to begin as soon as next week.

Panter stated that he hopes the playground will be reopened by March 1, 2020, and could possibly be open sooner. Weather permitting and void of an unforeseen circumstance, once work has begun the process could be completed in as little as 3 weeks.

“It’s going to be done correctly. It’s going to be done right,” Panter said of moving forward with the padding and turf option.

The city has also received approximately $19,000 from a private donor for shades to be installed at the park. The city could have to spend an additional $5,000 in this area.

Moving forward with work on the playground, at a cost of $60,743.75, was voted unanimously in favor with Cornelius and Whitener absent.

Haight announces intent to run for Mayor

City Council, Election, News
Blue Ridge city council candidates
Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Charter, Change, Election, Resolution, City Manager, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, James Balli

Council member Rhonda Haight

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Rumors have already begun to circulate regarding who may or may not be running and for which seat they will seek in the 2021 Blue Ridge City Council / Mayor election.

One such rumor is that of current council member Rhonda Haight and her intent to seek the seat of Mayor in the upcoming election.

Haight confirmed with FetchYourNews that she does intend to qualify for the seat of Mayor next year.

Haight said that this is an option that she had contemplated for awhile, but recent city council meetings were what solidified her decision. Her hopes as Mayor would be to bring unity to the council so that city business could run more efficiently.

Council votes to stagger elections

City Council, Downtown Blue Ridge, News
Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Charter, Change, Election, Resolution, City Manager, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, James Balli

Blue Ridge, Ga. – The Blue Ridge City Council made moves to bring about changes to the city charter which according to council member Rhonda Haight has not been updated since 1989.

While it has been discussed in previous years, council members voted unanimously to begin the process of staggering elections for city council and mayor.

Currently all five city council seats, along with mayor, go up for election simultaneously after a four year term. This leaves the possibility of all seats being filled with newly elected officials at the same time. Council members agreed that not having an experienced member to guide newcomers is a vulnerability for the operations of the city.

“I can’t name another city who does it like we do,” Haight said of the city’s current election practices, “Even the county, they stagger their terms.” 

While all changes to a city’s charter must be passed on the state level, council members voted in favor of sending a Resolution to the capital for consideration. 

This resolution would stagger the terms of council and mayor in the following manner by dividing seats into two elections. One election would be for Mayor and council seats 2 and 4. Another election would be for council seats 1, 3 and 5. The elections would take place in off years of each other.

Council member Mike Panter also presented the idea of reducing the council size altogether: “Looking at where we are growing, with our budget, how our budget’s grown over the last five to 10 years and how projected growth is, I’m not sure that we shouldn’t go to three council members, a mayor and then a city manager.” 

Panter cited the Fannin County Board of Commissioners (BOC) as an example, stating that the county budget is almost $5,000,000 more than the city budget and that the BOC is able to operate with two part time commissioners and a full time commission chair.

“I think that it would put more responsibility on the councilmen,” Panter said of switching to a three person council.

Council member Nathan Fitts said that he while he mostly agrees with Panter, he had spoken with a few citizens and had not found anyone in favor of the major change: “Citizens need input on that.” 

“We have a hard enough time just meeting with five and that is an issue,” Haight shared her opinion on the reduced council and explained why she felt the change would not be good for the city. 

Haight said there are many times where items need to be discussed between meetings and with the current five member council, council members can reach out to each other to talk about issues: “If you have only three you can’t do that because then you’re breaking the Sunshine Law”

The Georgia Sunshine Law states that members of a board (or council) cannot speak privately to one another if a quorum (majority vote) is present. With the five member council this means that three members would have to be present in the discussion to violate the Sunshine Law. 

With a three member council, however, two members constitute a quorum meaning that members of a three person board may not speak on official matters outside a public meeting.

Haight feels that a better alternative would be to keep the five member council but move the city toward a City Manager style of government or compensate the seat of Mayor to a full time position.

“City manager government is the most prominent form of government according to GMA (Georgia Municipal Association),” Haight said of the suggestion, pointing out that a city manager would be trained to supervise departments and all working aspects of the city. This would free up council to vote on decisions without having to oversee individual departments.

Mayor Donna Whitener suggested a town hall meeting to get citizen input on these proposed changes. 

Haight pointed out that 2021 would be an election year so the changes need to  be “done quickly” adding, “That’s why I don’t even know if we have time for a town hall meeting. Even if we have a town hall meeting they don’t understand the inner workings like we do.”

Haight made a motion for the City Attorney James Balli to draft a Resolution for the City of Blue Ridge to move to a City Manager form of government but the motion failed with council members Robbie Cornelius, Harold Herndon and Mike Panter in opposition.

Arguing erupts over City Park playground

Community, Downtown Blue Ridge, News
Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Playground, Park, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Zoning and Project Manager, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, Jeff Stewart, James Balli, Legal, Safety, Reopen

Blue Ridge, Ga. – It was clear from the onset of the Blue Ridge City Council meeting that tensions were high between fellow council members Rhonda Haight and Mike Panter.

During approval of the minutes from a Special Called Oct. 20, 2020 council meeting Haight made the motion to accept the minutes but with it being noted that Panter had brought forth non agenda items at this meeting and that this was illegal according to the Open Meetings Act.

During this meeting Panter asked to speak and used this time to point out the history of dysfunction within the city council.

Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Playground, Park, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Zoning and Project Manager, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, Jeff Stewart, James Balli, Legal, Safety, Reopen

View of playground in City Park showing height of slide.

Mayor Donna Whitener pointed out that it was a council member who had made the request for this for the time to speak.

“It doesn’t matter if it was a council person,” Haight responded to the Mayor’s comments, “I’ve never been allowed to do that.” 

The motion to accept the minutes with the added note passed 3-2 with council members Robbie Cornelius and Panter opposing.

Contention didn’t stop there, as Haight then moved to have the agenda amended, moving Panter’s line item (Presentation of playground and Purchase) from Action Agenda Items to Purchasing Approvals.

Haight stated that according to the city charter and for clarification in minutes that the item should be moved: “Are we going to be purchasing?”

Council member Nathan Fitts backed Haight stating, “If we’re going to go by procedures, let’s do it correctly.” Fitts added that everyone needs to get on the same page.

“An action item can be an action item where you are taking action on something and a purchasing approval,” City Attorney James Balli clarified whether the item had to be moved. “Legally you can do it under either one.” 

The motion to move the item passed with only Panter in opposition and council member Harold Herndon expressing his opinion that it didn’t really matter.

Panter had previously presented to the public his research and opinion on the route that should be taken when considering reopening the City Park’s playground area.

During his presentation at the current meeting Panter reiterated that his concern is with safety and the lack of upkeep the city has done in maintaining the playground area. 

Panter advocated for using rubber padding in lieu of mulch and stated that while the initial cost would be over $60,000, the benefits of not having the upkeep of mulch would save the city money in the years to come.

“We had two grants of over $150,000 offered to the city,” Panter stated of the park’s history, “We got zero because we couldn’t make a decision.” 

Blue Ridge, Georgia, Fannin County, Playground, Park, City Council, City, Mayor, Planning, Zoning and Project Manager, Attorney, Donna Whitener, Rhonda Haight, Nathan Fitts, Robbie Cornelius, Mike Panter, Harold Herndon, Jeff Stewart, James Balli, Legal, Safety, Reopen

Panter presenting his research and findings into reopening the City Park playground.

Arguing among council and mayor erupted over who had been previously responsible for the decisions made about the park and playground.

“Ms. Whitener went down to the park yanked all the equipment out and left it totally blank,” Haight said of the park’s two year saga of renovation between 2015 – 2017.

Haight acknowledged that there was a grant for $120,000 to be used in the park but that the grant was for a botanical garden and not for the playground. 

Mayor Whitener retorted to Haight, defending the landscaping that began but was later removed, “You were moving the park to the other side.” 

“And yes I did want it to go at the other end but it was too late at that point,” Haight responded to Whitener’s remark.

One thing that the two did agree on was that $12,000 was spent during this time on sod that was later removed and a sprinkler system.

Conversation became more heated when Whitener pointed out that council member Haight’s husband had been involved with the park at that time. Haight acknowledged that her husband had volunteered some of his time but was not involved in the ultimate decisions that were made.

“I think you’ve told so many lies over the years, you don’t even know what the truth is,” Haight spoke directly to Whitener.

Fitts tried to steer the conversation back to addressing the playground as it is today instead of discussing the history: “We need to do what is best for the citizens right now. What would it take to get the park open to code?”

Cornelius finally made a motion to purchase the turf option presented by Panter, stating that the problem should just be fixed rather than “putting a band-aid on it”. The motion, however, failed to pass with only Panter and Cornelius voting in favor.

“I’m not interested in taking the liability and doing that,” Panter said when suggested that the city use mulch for now.

Haight responded to Panter,  “Just because we voted you down, you don’t want to participate even though you’re over the park?”

“I’ve done my job,” Panter responded “You do your job. I’ve done mine.”

Haight motioned for $10,000 to be spent in bringing the playground up to code with the use of mulch and to address drainage issues in the area. This motion passed 3-2 with Cornelius and Panter in opposition.

Planning, Zoning and Project Manager Jeff Stewart agreed to take on the project of the City Park playground and will oversee the steps necessary to reopen the playground to the public.

Annexation halted for City of Blue Ridge

City Council, Community, Downtown Blue Ridge, News

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Annexation of portions of Hwy. 5 and Hwy. 515 have been halted for the remainder of the 2020 year.

City of Blue Ridge officials met opposition to the annexation plan when council members Nathan Fitts and Rhonda Haight questioned the information they had been given by Blue Ridge City Mayor Donna Whitener prior to a vote that sent the appeal for annexation to the State Capitol.

Haight, Fitts and new council member Mike Panter all voiced that more public input was needed before the annexation should take place. A Town Hall meeting was scheduled shortly after to allow citizens to speak either for or against the topic at hand.

The majority of speakers at the meeting were in opposition, most agreeing that growth is inevitable but the way this particular deal was made regarding the annexation was not forthcoming or transparent and should therefore be tabled until more information is available to the public.

“Back up and do it right,” citizen Paul Miguire declared at the town hall.

Residents were still left baffled when the Blue Ridge City Council released their upcoming June 9 (Election Night) meeting agenda. Annexation was not on the agenda to be discussed, even with the looming deadline to either move forward or rescind before State Legislators reconvened their session.

Annexation is not on the agenda for the upcoming meeting because Blue Ridge City Officials have already sent a letter to the Capitol asking that no action be taken on the annexation request for the remainder of 2020, unless voted on by council to renew its original request.

The letter, dated June 4, 2020, reads:

Dear Speaker Ralston:

As you may recall, I previously forwarded a resolution passed by the City Council requesting the annexation of certain roads into the City. It is my understanding a House Bill was drafted to comply with that request. However, on May 19, 2020, the City Council voted to respectfully request that you table the previously requested annexation and take no action for the remainder of the 2020 legislative session unless the City renews its previous request. Additionally, the City Council also wishes to rescind its requests relating to the Charter amendments for staggered terms and the ability fill a vacant seat by appointment. I appreciate all you do for the State and am happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Taylor English Duma, LLP

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Town Hall Meeting : Annexation

Announcements, City Council, Community, Downtown Blue Ridge, News, Press Release

PUBLIC NOTICE

 

The City of Blue Ridge will hold a town hall meeting on Monday, June 1, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be located at City Hall, 480 West First Street. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and receive public input regarding annexing sections of Hwy 5 & Hwy 515 right-of-way only. The portion of right-of-way to be annexed on Hwy 5 will be from the current location at Harmony Lane to 6931 Blue Ridge Drive (parcel number 0051 B 083). This ending point was selected because it is at the end of the City’s service delivery area. The portion of right-of-way to be annexed on Hwy 515 will be from the current location at Toccoa River Bridge to Forge Mill Road (parcel number 0031 087 A). This ending point was selected due to a request from the property owners. The public is encouraged to attend however, social distancing will be practiced, and everyone is encouraged to wear a mask. Seating will be limited in order to follow the guidelines set forth by the Governor of Georgia. If you do not wish to speak but would like to watch the meeting, FetchYourNews will be filming live on FYNTV.com.

With social distancing in process we understand that some may not wish to attend. Therefore, questions regarding this meeting or annexation may be answered prior to the meeting by calling Jeff Stewart at 706-632-2091 ext. 2. If you would like to submit a letter of support or opposition but do not wish to attend the meeting, please email them to [email protected].

$873,000 projected loss in revenue for City of Blue Ridge

Community, News
Fannin County, City, Blue Ridge, Georgia, Financial, Shortfall, Lost Revenue, Mayor, Council, Donna Whitener, Mike Panter, Department Head, Finance Director, Utility Director, Alicia Stewart, Rebecca Harkins, Covid-19, Funding, Water, Sewer

Blue Ridge, Ga. – The City of Blue Ridge is facing a substantial projected loss of revenue amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Department Heads gave updates during the April 2020 Blue Ridge City Council meeting and a theme among these updates was loss of revenue due to many businesses having to close for the month of April.

Finance Director Alicia Stewart informed the Council and Mayor of the city’s projected shortfalls.

“The biggest concern is LOST(Local Option Sales Tax ),” Stewart said, explaining lost revenue to the general fund. 

Current projections show a loss of approximately $192,000 in this area. This is a decrease of 22 percent. Stewart also pointed out that Hotel/Motel revenues are projected to have a loss of $37,000 or 21 percent and a loss of $56,000 in SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) or 14%.

“As we see what the revenue actually is we would have to adjust the projects,” Stewart said of the projects funded by SPLOST dollars.

All projections were based on limited data from one month.

The water fund is projecting a loss of $405,000.

Despite there being no lag in the utility department and the city still processing the same amount of transactions, overall water consumption has been down during the statewide Shelter In Place.

“We sold 8.6 million gallons less water over a 2 month period,” Utility Director Rebecca Harkins said of the dramatic decrease, pointing to businesses, hotels and schools being closed as a reason for less usage.

This decrease in demand leads the department to a $124,000 shortfall, which can be mostly negated (short $6,000) if demand were to rise back to pre-pandemic levels and staffing remain the same.

Mayor Donna Whitener shared that the city would currently receive no help from the United States Department of Agriculture, “I’ve asked for deferments on some of our payments like our water plant and our sewer plant which are two of our biggest payments. USDA, at this point, is not doing any deferment.”

Council-member Mike Panter asked Stewart directly, “What’s your projection of our total shortfall for the year?” 

Stewart replied that including all funds the city is projected to have $873,000 in lost revenues.

To combat these losses, Stewart and Harkins said that payroll is an area to consider, which the city has already begun with temporary layoffs and reduced hours for employees.

Stewart also says that delaying capital outlay and spending only what is necessary are steps the city should take for the foreseeable future.

“There is reserves, cash reserves,” Stewart also explained of overcoming the city’s revenue shortfall. Policy according to Stewart is to have 25 percent of budget in reserves. This translates into $700,000 in city reserves and an additional $945,000 in the water fund.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will also be reimbursing state and local government entities for spending directly related to Covid-19.

The City of Blue Ridge hopes to be reimbursed $26,000 for materials purchased such as hand sanitizer and laptops for telework The city is also seeking reimbursement for legal expenses related to Covid-19 and hazard pay for city police.

Like many other government entities, the City of Blue Ridge is awaiting financial reports for May and June to see if the economy will have a swift recovery.

McCaysville Mayor tests positive for Covid-19

Community, News
Fannin County, Blue Ridge, Georgia Department of Public Health, DPH, Coronavirus, Covid-19, Confirmed, First Case

McCaysville, Ga. – The City of McCaysville released an official statement this morning, April 2, informing the public that Mayor Thomas Seabolt has tested positive for Covid-19.

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Mayor Thomas Seabolt

The statement said that Seabolt is self quarantining at home for the next 14 days and when last spoken to he sounded “healthy and was in good spirits”. Seabolt has notified everyone that he has been in contact with so that they can take appropriate steps.

Seabolt is reported to be doing well and is able to work from home.

Also of concern is McCaysville Chief of Police Michael Earley. Earley had been in the same room with Seabolt several times over the past week. Proper social distancing protocols were followed by Earley and Seabolt during these meetings.

At this time Earley has not been tested. He is self quarantining until he can be tested and cleared of any possible infection.

In the statement released by the city reassurance is given to citizens that “the Chief is continuing to do his duties from home, and the McCaysville Police Department’s chain of command remains intact”.

FYN will follow this developing story and bring you further details as they become available to the public.

The City of McCaysville Declared a Public Health Emergency on March 24, 2020. You can read about this declaration by clicking the link : McCaysville Declares Public Health Emergency 

As of April 1, 2020, The Georgia Department of Health was reporting 4,748 positive cases of Covid-19 in the state. Of these cases 1,013 remain hospitalized. Fannin County was reported to have six positive cases at this time.

Opinion: How Should Blue Ridge Proceed?

Opinion

Written By : Logan Fitts

Athens, GA
Atlanta, GA

These are two cities in Georgia that see an influx in people from all over. These are cities that we see a lot of visitors come from. These are the cities that I travel to often. These are also the cities that have went under quarantine since COVID-19 has hit the state.

Since this initial post, Murphy NC has went on full lock-down and curfew in light of discovering that visitors were sick with the virus. Mind you, Murphy is only 20 miles from Blue Ridge.

I want to make a few remarks.

First, I have talked to quite a few city leaders and asked questions:
What can we do? What’s the plan? Can you close the downtown district? Can we limit or begin to dwindle the amount of foot traffic coming into our city and county, as this is a hot destination for Spring Break? I’ve asked many times: “So, what can be done?”

These are the answers thus far:
I’ve had one city leader tell me that they have no control, I’ve had a leader tell me that it is illegal to tell downtown business owners to close their doors, I’ve had one tell me that the Governor has given discretion to each county/city to make decisions up to this point about protocol, and this leader told me that they don’t feel like downtown needs to close at this time, but restaurants should do curbside pickups.

I’ve even had another concerned citizen of Blue Ridge tell me that their answer they’ve received from our very own Speaker Ralston is that at this point, it is up to our leaders in the area to make decisions at the discretion of the charter. Understandable — not verified.***

I ended up feeling even more lost. Who’s telling the truth? Does anyone know what protocol is? This is an unprecedented situation.

Second,
I’ve watched town like a hawk. Groceries stores have been covered up, go figure. Rentals are packed, so we have out of town visitors buying groceries, we have second home owners buying groceries (some being my past clients), we have full time locals buying groceries — all understandable and we all know that going to these places you must practice caution and there are ways to keep your space to protect your health. And I have to note, grocery stores are having to evolve with the situation and look out for clientele. They’re having to close early to sanitize. They’re changing hours. They’re recognizing the situation at hand.

I’ve also watched Downtown Blue Ridge. I’ve driven the streets. I’ve watched hundreds of pedestrians go up and down throughout the week. I find myself getting irritated when I go through, but remind myself that they’re on vacation. They feel anonymous. There’s less of a sense of responsibility when it’s not your home, and I get it to a certain point. But I also know that we have people coming here because it is quiet and removed and it feels safer. I know of friends of mine that are from this area that have traveled to Florida to take advantage of the break to attempt to vacation and use the Coronavirus to their advantage and find great deals on lodging, shopping, dining, etc (they know my stance on their travels). Many of the places they’re at in Florida are closing commercial activity, which leads me to my next point.

At this point, with little to no safeguards on the biggest red flag in the area, Blue Ridge is not a safe area to be in should this virus run rampant. A few things to note: downtown has two public restrooms equipped with hand dryers (recommended not to be used by many articles I’ve read). Downtown’s business owners, as I’ve learned in my time, don’t particularly want shoppers using their facilities. I also know there’s a huge shortage in sanitary equipment in the area and at a certain point, individual stores can’t provide each shopper or diner sanitizer, soap, wipes, etc. (Maybe they have stocks in what I’ve mentioned and can keep up in the cleaning and sanitizing of patrons, but I doubt it). Most stores in the downtown area are not more than 1500 square feet (total rough estimate). Allow enough people in the store at the right moment, one person sneezes and doesn’t know they have the virus, the whole store can be contaminated without even knowing it. Our county and the surrounding counties’ hospitals and medical campuses are not ready for a virus like this. Bottom line.

Third,
I want to say this to all of my fellow business owners, self-employers, service staff, to my friends, family, and clients: I am by no means trying to come off harsh. I am SO sorry that this is unfolding. I would love to support, and will continue to support small businesses throughout the town.

But I say that to say this. I know people will come and go throughout the coming weeks. I know that we can’t stop them, nor do I think we should. BUT, I certainly think that there has to be dialogue. There has to be a plan. There has to be answers to MANY concerned citizens’ questions other than the simple answer “we have a plan.” That’s one of the joys of small town America, right? We all know what’s going on. 😉 AND I ask, I don’t know what anyone else’s stance is, for this to be something done on and off Facebook. Let the elders know. Let the people who don’t use social media know. Keep everyone informed.

Finally,
I want to conclude my persistence on this matter. While many bigger cities and counties are erring on the side of caution but not stringency for retail, for dessert houses, cafes, for gyms, or even offices until there’s a confirmed case in the area, Blue Ridge is different. These bigger cities have a stronger infrastructure. They have bigger hospitals, more staff, more equipment, they’re better prepared. This is not to belittle our hospital workers, nurses, pharmacists, sanitary personnel, etc., but to state what’s been the consensus from my friends and family in those fields and across the globe. These cities might have the safeguards to wait until they dreadfully find out that they have a confirmed case. Unfortunately, I think Blue Ridge has to be more proactive.

In terms of solutions, here are my thoughts.
I know it’s almost impossible to ask any business to close to foot traffic. I know it’s difficult on the owners, the staff, the patrons. I know that leaders don’t want to harm businesses. They don’t want to be the ones to make that call, if they can. Understandable. Who would want to make that call? So maybe not go there at this point. Maybe monitor the area. How many patrons are in each store? Maybe provide sanitizing stations throughout the area (this could’ve been done a long time ago when we first saw the virus hit Georgia). Maybe post signs warning people what already should be instilled in their brains: STAY HOME. Or “Caution: this is a high risk area should a pedestrian have COVID-19.” per CDC, President Trump, the whole 9.

So I resolute to this: city & county leaders, where are we with this? What is your answer to the big problem that seems to be (UNDERSTANDABLY) avoided? Can we count on you to make decisions for the well-being of the majority? We need leaders.

I don’t have all of the answers; I may not have any answers.

But I have a lot of concerns. And I have a lot of love for my hometown and my people.

Stay strong.

 

 

**Editor’s Note** This opinion was originally written and shared via Facebook. You can read the original post by clicking here : Logan Fitts Original Post

Mayor Donna Whitener also responded via the City of Blue Ridge Facebook page. You can read the official response by clicking here: City of Blue Ridge Response 

UPDATE 3/24/20 : Fannin County Closings and Postponements

Community, News

Blue Ridge, Ga. – (Updated 3/24/20 2:41 p.m.) Following Governor Brian Kemp’s announcement of the first death in Georgia from Covid-19 on Thursday, March 12, 2020, many Fannin County businesses and agencies are opting to close doors or limit hours to the public. 

The hopes of Local, State and National agencies is to slow the spread of the Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) by raising public awareness and limiting public contact with those infected.

The following Fannin County businesses, agencies, and events have been cancelled or postponed in an effort to help “flatten the curve” of the Coronavirus outbreak. A list of Community Resources is also provided at the bottom.

 

GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES

  • Blue Ridge City Hall – CLOSED, all business can be conducted at drive-thru. Lobby will remain open for advance voting ONLY through March 20.
  • Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association (The Art Center) – CANCELLED all youth based programs March 16-31, all BRMAA sponsored artist guild meetings CANCELLED March 16 – 31, all classes and workshops CANCELLED or POSTPONED March 16 – 31, artist reception for Artist in Residence scheduled for April 3 POSTPONED to April 24, 23rd Annual Writer’s Conference scheduled for April 3-4 POSTPONED
  • Blue Ridge City Park and Children’s Playground – CLOSED March 18 – until further notice
  • City of Blue Ridge – CANCEL or POSTPONE all events inside city limits until further notice
  • City of McCaysville City Hall – Building CLOSED to public, all business can be conducted at drive-thru
  • City of McCaysville Municipal Court – CANCELLED March 19 date, court date will be rescheduled
  • Fannin County Boys and Girls Club – CLOSED March 16 -27
  • Fannin County Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (Blue Ridge and McCaysville) – CLOSED March 20 – until further notice
  • Fannin County Courthouse – LIMITED ACCESS beyond guard line. Citizens will call departments from security check point for access. March 19 – until further notice
  • Fannin County Library – CLOSED March 17 – 21
  • Fannin County Schools – CLOSED March 16 – 31
  • Fannin County Recreation Department – CLOSED March 14 – 29
  • Georgia Department of Corrections has suspended inmate visitation statewide.
  • Georgia Supreme Court has declared a statewide emergency to halt all non-essential court business
  • Magistrate Court Hearings – Suspended for 30 days
  • Probate Court Hearings – Suspended for 30 days
  • Superior Court Hearings – Suspended for 30 days
  • Trial Jurors chosen for March 23 – Suspended, Do Not Report

 

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

  • City of Morganton City Council Meeting (March 17) – CANCELLED
  • Fannin County Board of Commissioners (March 24) – CANCELLED

 

MEDICAL SERVICES

  • Chatuge Regional Hopital – LOCKDOWN March 17 – until further notice. All doors will be locked and remain locked EXCEPT for main entry. NO VISITATIONS.
  • Fannin Regional Hospital – NO VISITATIONS March 18 – until further notice. All patients will be screened upon entry and asked to wear a mask if they have fever, respiratory, or other flu-like symptoms. Exceptions to visitation guidelines will be made for end-of-life situations or other special patient needs.
  • Union General Hospital – LOCKDOWN March 17 – until further notice. All doors will be locked and remain locked EXCEPT for main entry. NO VISITATIONS.

 

EVENTS

  • Blue Ridge After Hours at INOLA – CANCELLED
  • Bowls of Hope Fundraiser (March 28) – CANCELLED
  • Good Samaritans of Fannin County 5th Sunday Community Brunch – CANCELLED
  • Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge BINGO (March 19) – CANCELLED
  • Leadership Fannin Health Care Program (March 19) – POSTPONED
  • St. Patrick’s Day Parade (March 14) – CANCELLED
  • Taste of Blue Ridge – Humane Society of Blue Ridge (April 18) – CANCELLED
  • Trout Fest and the Back the Brookies Bash – POSTPONED

 

RESTAURANTS

  • Angelina’s Deli – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Black Sheep Restaurant – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Blue Jeans Pizza – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Blue Ridge Mountain Barbeque – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Burra Burra on the River – CLOSED
  • Cantaberry – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Carroll’s Barbeque – TAKE OUT AND CURB SERVICE ONLY
  • Cucina Rustica – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Das Kaffee Haus – CLOSED
  • Dairy Queen Grill and Chill – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • El Rio Mexican Restaurant – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Habanero’s Fresh Tex Mex – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Hansen’s Grill – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Harvest On Main – CLOSED
  • Katz’s New York Deli – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • La Pizzeria at Cucina Rustica – TAKE OUT AND OUTSIDE SEATING
  • Masseria – Kitchen & Bar – TAKE OUT AND OUTSIDE SEATING
  • Mercier Orchards – Downtown Blue Ridge – CLOSED
  • Mystic Mountain Pizza – CLOSED
  • Ocoee River Cafe – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Okinawa Steak and Sushi – East Ellijay – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Papa’s Pizza ToGo Blue Ridge – CLOSED
  • Pat’s Kountry Kitchen – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • Rod’s Rockin Rolls – TAKE OUT VIA DRIVE-UP WINDOW
  • Rum Cake Lady Cuban Food Cafe – McCaysville Location – CLOSED
  • Blue Ridge Rum Cake Lady Cuban Food Cafe – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • South of North – CLOSED
  • Southern Charm – CLOSED
  • Taste of Amish & General Store – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • The Blue Coyote – CLOSED
  • The Copper Grill – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • The Sweet Shoppe of the South – TAKE OUT ONLY
  • The Village Restaurant – CLOSED
  • Tin Loong & The Dragon Tail Lounge – CLOSED
  • Yellowbird Coffee Shop – CLOSED
  • Zaxby’s – TAKE OUT ONLY

 

BUSINESSES

  • Aska Lodge Bed & Breakfast – CLOSED March 18 – April 2
  • Blue Ridge Cellars – CLOSED March 22 – April 4th
  • Blue Ridge Community Theater – CLOSED March 17 – 31, for a full list of cancelled or postponed events please visit the BRCT Facebook page
  • Blue Ridge Framing Company – BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
  • Blue Ridge Scenic Railway – CLOSED March 16 – 31
  • Copperhill Brewery – CLOSED March 18 – March 31, will fill to go orders Mon. – Sat. 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Doggie Dips and Doos Grooming – CLOSED March 14 – 30
  • The Folk Apothic – CLOSED March 14 until further notice, online store still OPEN
  • Grump Old Men Brewing – TAPROOM CLOSED March 17 (@ 5p.m.) – March 31, will remain OPEN for carryout beer and merchandise purchases
  • Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel – CLOSED March 18 – April 1
  • Jumping Mouse Beads – CLOSED March 22 – April 1
  • Mailbox Co. – CLOSED, will accept overnight/express packages in bin located outside, pick up for these items will be on weekdays only
  • Mercier Orchards (Downtown and Farm) – CLOSED March 16 – until further notice
  • Mountain Thyme Bath & Body – CLOSED March 16 – 20, will reassess on March 21
  • Qinti – CLOSED March 19 – until further notice
  • Tri-State EMC – LOBBY CLOSED March 19 – until further notice, business can be conducted at drive-thru
  • Walmart – Effective March 19, store hours limited, OPEN 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, From March 24 – April 28 Walmart will host an hour-long senior shopping event every Tuesday for customers aged 60 and older (6 a.m. – 7 a.m.)
  • The Wellness Institute of North Georgia – CANCELLED all events until March 28

 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

  • The Fannin County School System, along with several area organizations, will be delivering meals to area locations across the county for those students in need. You can visit their website www.fannin.k12.ga.us for updated information.
  • El Rio Mexican Restaurant is offering free kids meals (off the kids menu) to all shool age children Mon. – Fri.
  • Fannin’s Helping Hands is offering a number of services, including delivery to the elderly members of the community. You can find out how to utilize these resources or sign up to volunteer by visiting their Facebook page or following this link : Fannin’s Helping Hands
  • Carroll’s Barbeque is offering a hot meal for school aged children in need (during restaurant hours). Also accepting food donations to be distributed to the community.
  • Twisted Tomato offering two slices of cheese or pepperoni pizza to school aged children and the elderly, Mon. – Fri. 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Burra Burra on the River is offering a slider burger and snack size fry to school aged children and the elderly, Mon. – Fri. 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Southern Drug Company offering same day delivery of food and medicine to customers during regular business hours
  • Bumblebee’s Cafe is offering free pancakes for children until school is able to resume.
  • Blue Ridge Pharmacy will deliver essential over the counter products, as well as prescription medications, to senior citizens. This delivery service is free. You can call 706-632-2244.
  • Fannin County Family Connections drive thru for food boxes will be open during regular pantry hours Mon. – Thur. 10a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE COVID-19

If you think you may have contracted SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 please call your primary healthcare provider first. Your doctor will advise you as to whether you need to come in for testing. Do visit an Emergency Room if you feel that you have life threatening symptoms. It is advised to call hospitals or doctor’s offices ahead of time to let them know that you are on your way. This allows time for staff to prepare for your arrival and minimize the possibility of contact with patients in high risk categories.

 

If you have a business, event, or resource that needs to be added to the list please email [email protected]

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