September 2011 Budget Hearing & Regular Meeting

The County Commission started the evening on September 13th with a budget hearing at 5:30pm. After some review, the Commission approved the millage rates that had been outlined in previous sessions and advertised on the County web site and in the local papers. The County millage rate was lowered slightly from previous years to 20.34. The Fire Tax millage rates for all individual fire districts and for the County wide fire tax district were kept the same at 1.25.

The County was presented the school board millage of 18.0 with a bond payment millage of 0.53. This represents a 5 mill or 37% increase. The County Commission has no authority over the School Board Millage rate and merely approves the millage as a matter of age old technical procedure. Some Commissioners expressed concerns over the impact of the increase on seniors who are on fixed incomes. The Commission, having no alternative, approved the Board of Education millage rate.

In the regular meeting, the Commission handles a ½ dozen agenda items. The first was the request of a transfer of an on premise beer and wine license for Blueberry Hill. The facility has changed hands but not had a lapse in service. The Commission unanimously approved the change in ownership.

There were two garbage appeals for residents that failed to receive service for part of last year. The County manager had been asked to look into the situation. The Board, after much discussion, moved to have the County manager come up with a balanced credit for both of the appeals for the number of days that they did without the service and work with the Tax Commission and the citizens to bring closure to this issue.

The group unanimously approved the cancellation of the October work session. Many of the Commissioners will be out of town for training and for the legislative update from the Governor, Presidential Candidates and legislators in Atlanta on October 3rd and 4th.

The County's group health insurance was discussed next. The County Manager has worked diligently with a new agent from Jay Smith Lanier to acquire a proposal from Blue Cross and Blue Shield to save the county $230,931 dollars. At this meeting, the former agent provided the same proposal from Blue Cross and Blue Shield with a 1% lower commission (3% instead of 4%). Where the new group had saved the County almost ¼ of a million dollars, the old agents were attempting to propose the same deal and take the business for a savings of $13,600. The Chairman recommended and the majority of the Commission agreed, that this is not the way that business should be done in Brantley County. The Commission voted 4 to 1 to use Jay Smith Lanier as the new agent doing business with Blue Cross and Blue Shield. On the same topic, the Commission voted unanimously to leave the insurance premium percentage split at 75% - 25%, with the County paying 75% of the premium and the County employee paying 25%.

The Commission also approved the annual contract for the Traylor Business Services group, who assists the Tax Assessor’s office with the evaluation of commercial property in Brantley County.

The County Manager provided an update on the Boat Ramp construction at highway 82 West and the Satilla River in Atkinson. The primary “push” slab has been poured and will have to cure for 7 days. Then it will be “pushed” into the water. Nichols Construction came to the County Manager and explained that the ramp really needed to be 10 feet longer so that there was at least 4 feet of water to float a boat at extremely low levels. The extra cost was only $600, as Nichols did it for the supplies. Next week the slab will be pushed in and the remaining slab will be poured. Over the next few weeks, the bank and area at the top of the ramp will be completed.

The County manager also updated the road paving projects, explaining that all current paving projects were completed, except Buster Walker Road, which will be completed in coming weeks. The survey and preliminary design work for the next round of roads to be worked on is being completed as time and funds are available. They will be ready should the voters approve the renewal of the SPLOST in November 2011.

The Commission had an executive session for legal matters after which they took no action.