Citizens ‘no show’ at commissioner’s meeting

CHATSWORTH — Interim Murray County Sole Commissioner Tom Starnes had some good news to share on the economic development front this week at his public meeting — if only members of the public had shown up to hear it.

Following a June meeting with a new 7 p.m. time slot which almost half of the 15 candidates for sole commissioner attended, only former candidate Starnes, Finance Director Tommy Parker and two reporters showed up for the July meeting Tuesday evening.

Shrugging off the absence of citizens not running for elected office at the meetings, Starnes remarked, “Well, we had 9 a.m. meetings and changed them to 7 p.m. because people complained they couldn’t attend. I guess the next commissioner can try a lunchtime meeting.”

Starnes approved an amendment to the county’s land use ordinance designed to make it more friendly in attracting businesses that lure large numbers of people outdoors.

“This is to allow the (Land Use and Development Planning Commission) board to rule on and grant conditional use in the agriculture, neighborhood commercial and highway commercial districts for amusement parks, outdoor entertainment and/or farmers’ markets,” he said.

Starnes said he had “heard of” potential applications by a paint-ball business and also an amusement park that would include go-carts and a miniature golf course, but had no specifics.

Positive economic news

Starnes congratulated the local Chamber of Commerce including President Dinah Rowe and her staff for the county qualifying for “Work Ready” community status “when it is acknowledged by the governor.”

“We can stick another feather in Murray County’s hat as far as economic development goes,” he said.

Starnes, who along with his county manager responsibilities was tasked with being the new community and economic director by former sole commissioner David Ridley before Ridley resigned in March, shared three other reports of positive economic news. They include a 100-acre parcel of land available for possible purchase by a business or company on Highway 76 (listed on the county’s website at http://murraycountyga.org), his own contact with a company looking to relocate to the county, and a meeting with TVA officials who would like to “initiate economic development” through classes for local leaders, improving the county website and identifying potential sites in the county that could be developed.

“There’s some exciting things happening, and I’m sensing some change in the community,” Starnes shared. “I’m seeing the impact of our ‘buy local’ campaign — trends in our sales tax history indicate we’re doing a better job on that. Things are coming around, we just need to keep it going.”

New commissioner will be busy

Parker said an annual audit that was required to be turned into the state by the end of June has been delayed at the request of the director of the state audits department.

“It’s ready to go,” Parker said, “but the hospital authority’s audit has been delayed and the hospital is a major component, especially with their bond indebtedness. The director has asked us to wait, and when the hospital’s audit is ready we’ll just drop it in.”

Parker said the county’s fiscal numbers up to the end of June will not change when the audit is submitted in mid-August.

Starnes noted in regard to the tax digest that some changes in the law have put the county behind.

“With the vacancy of the sole commissioner, I have asked for a 30-day extension (from the state Department of Revenue),” he said. But Starnes pointed out the extension is tied to legislative changes, not so much to the vacancy in the commissioner’s office.

Parker elaborated on the changes.

“Prior to this year you received an assessment notice if you had bought a new home, if you had made significant changes to your home such as adding a room or a deck, something to that effect,” he said. “You would get an assessment notice, or if we did a reval(uation), which we do from time to time, you would get an assessment notice if your value changed. But the new law — and I can’t quote the (Georgia) House or Senate bill — requires that every parcel receives an assessment notice, whether there’s a change or not. And even if the change goes down, that’s an additional requirement of the new taxation law.”

Starnes believes the new commissioner, to be elected in a July 19 runoff between Bruce Reed and Greg Hogan, needs to be in office soon to get involved in the taxation process.

“In terms of setting the millage (property tax) rate for 2011, the new commissioner needs to be on board,” he said, mentioning the current property tax rate for the county is 5.8 mills. “The vacancy in the commissioner’s office is not delaying the process, but the new commissioner certainly needs to be involved. I’m not dodging my responsibility, but the person who’s elected should be involved in it rather than me setting the rate they have to live with.”

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Starnes shares positive economic news

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