March 7, 2009

Well there you go. I must hit the correct buttons to upload my blogs. Here is what I have said over the last two weeks.

February 27, 2009

I must say I enjoy the dialog I have with the citizens about what is going on in Flowery Branch, Hall County, Georgia, and in America. I enjoy the emails, the phone calls, and the face-to-face conversations. Please keep it up. The one thing I must comment on are those who comment on how I structure my sentences. Please get over the fact that I am not a writer or an English teacher and that my writing ability is not perfect. If I were a writer, then comment away.

March 4, 2009

Well we did not have quorum for our council meeting today, and that takes 4 members. Councilman Lutz and myself both work and it appears our jobs dictated our absence as well as the Mayor was not feeling well. This is why we should have our meetings at night to ensure we can have a functioning government. Here are the minutes from 2008 and 2009. Remember in November of 2009, you can change the meeting times by replacing the three who voted against changing the time to the evening or anyone they support. All three of their seats are up for the elections this year.

I have a new acronym: TGIEY – Thank God It’s Election Year

March 5, 2009

I thought this was a country of freedoms. We are free to do what we please so long as it does not deprive someone of life, liberty, or property. So the great Georgia legislator, once again, took it upon themselves to not allow grown legal adults to purchase alcohol on Sundays. I really like Governor Perdue’s excuse – people need to plan better. Does that mean the state needs to plan better to ensure the homeowners of this state get the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant every year?

I guess I need to ensure my blogs get on the site to ensure I keep you all informed of the goings on in Flowery Branch.

January 12, 2009

Well, the sewer issue is until later on in the year and I will be at there to help us all get a more reasonable rate, but for now I would like you to read the official adopted minutes from the meeting where there was a 3-2 vote to give away our leverage to negotiate the sewer rates. Here is the article for you to read again

Now onto our last council meeting we had last week. To refresh your memory, you can read about the meeting here.

There was another 3-2 vote about who would sit on the TADAC (Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee). The committee’s main purpose is to decide who and how much TAD money will be given to. This means a developer or business owner may get up to 15% of the cost of their project to redevelop areas to increase the building or properties value – thus leading to increase of taxes collected based on it’s new value. This is a great idea.

The committee will consist of three Flowery Branch elected officials, the city planner and manager, the county administrator and the Hall County Chairman or a representative. Where Craig and I have a problem is if we have so many 3-2 splits on important topics – why are all three of them on this committee? I guess it is a powerful committee that gets to dole out funding. I also guess that may be why my proposal of myself, the Mayor and one of them made sense as well as help keep some balance.

I guess they are flexing their muscles again.

January 7, 2009

I was told when I first took office that I needed to take the first year and settle into the position and not be too vocal on the issues. Well I did just that. I was only vocal on every issue that was not in the best interests of every Flowery Branch resident.

Well, I would like to inform everybody that I got settled in and now that I am as well as after today’s meeting – I bet there are some who are not so happy the honeymoon period is over.

You can read here how the first meeting of the sophomore year of Craig Lutz and myself went. I personally think it well except the fact the majority of the council is so out of touch with the citizens of Flowery Branch. Last year at our first council meeting Craig and I attempted to change the council meeting to the evening and you can read the official minutes of Flowery Branch to see what we said and that is was voted down 3-2.

Well today, after some passionate discussion from Craig and I, they voted 3-2 against changing the times of the meetings. The interesting part is we asked for one meeting in the morning, as they are now, and one in the evening following the public hearing, that by law we must have. This was what is called a compromise and would allow the citizens to come and see their government at work. When the official minutes are adopted, you can read our motions and see we tried to put you first.

As usual, the majority flexed there muscle and did not look out for the people.

I will have to tell you about the other portions of the article tomorrow.

Also do not forget about the commissioner’s meeting tomorrow at 5:00 pm at the Georgia Mountains Center in Gainesville. I am hearing a lot, but will wait to comment after the vote. See you all there.

By the way, all three of the city councilmember’s, who continue to vote no on evening meetings, their seats are up for election in November of 2009. I hope the voters use the ballot box and let them know what they think.

I know how I will vote!!!!!!!!

December 11, 2008

The council meeting yesterday was a big disappointment and the majority of the council voted in such a way that currently 500 or so residents and an additional 1500 or so future residents of Flowery Branch, particularly those who live in Sterling on the Lake, will probably have to pay higher sewer rates by double or more.

Here are a couple of articles about yesterday’s council meeting in the Gainesville Times and Access North Ga.

I will blog on this over the next several days due to the complexity of this issue and the fact there are several portions to break down.

I will say this is a bad decision for Flowery Branch.

October 16, 2008

LOCAL

Yesterdays council meeting was a bit more exciting than most.  If you read the articles, here and here, they do not express all that was said – especially what I had to say about the city’s largest water and sewer user coming before the council to ask for a decrease in their rates.

 

As reported in the news, Tree Top Apartments was requesting a lower rate on their water and sewer rates because they had not expected an increase as high as they received.  There are several points I brought up that you all need to know.

 

First.  The increase to the water and sewer was increased by 20% and that was per the bond agreement between the financial institution and the city.

 

Second. What does it cost the city, in total costs, variable and fixed, per thousand gallons to provide water and sewer to each customer?

 

Here are some numbers:

·        Flowery Branch’s fixed and variable costs to provide 1000 gallons of water to a customer are $7.36.

·        Flowery Branch’s fixed and variable costs to treat 1000 gallons of sewer for a customer is $9.11.

·        Flowery Branch receives $5.53 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside commercial, outside commercial, new outside residential, and new inside residential customers, and receives $4.42 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside residential customers because they have lived inside the city limits prior to June of 2000.

·        Flowery Branch receives $6.64 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside commercial, $8.85 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s outside commercial, $6.64 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s new inside residential customers, and receives $4.98 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside residential customers because they have lived inside the city limits prior to June of 2000.

• Once you get into the tier rates, it gets even more complicated.

 

Third.  Was there not a time Tree Park apartment’s water meter was broken and their bill was significantly lower than it should have been? The answer is yes and I have the figures.  The amount the city lost is quit significant.

 

Forth. What is in this new resolution to prevent another master meter user or any user from coming before this council and asking for a change to fit their needs?  I was told no one could, but anyone can ask or do anything they want if they also feel the rates are discriminatory or unfair.

 

Fifth.  Why are there different rates, even for mater meters, because of a June 2000 time?  That means neighbors, based on the purchase date of their properties, pay different water and sewer rates.  Here are Gainesville’s water and sewer rates.  They seem much fairer.

 

As I stated in the June 18, 2008 minutes, I feel that it is unfair to have inconsistent rates and that residents are being discriminated against depending on their length of residency in the city, and I stand behind that statement.

 

I asked why are we here today lowering the rates of one customer when we should be evening out the rates of all the customers who are equivalent to each other based on their location either inside or outside the city limits based on geography – not the time when they bought their property.  Could that fix the problem and allow the city to put money into a contingency fund to repair our aging pipes in the ground?

 

I am not upset at Tree Park Apartments.  They made a business decision for their business.  I am disappointed in the members of the council who voted to approve the lower rates for Tree Park Apartments.  We should have set the rate even for all who work and live inside the city limits and that would have brought the rates for Tree Park Apartments down.

September 17, 2008

LOCAL

 

Today the council voted 3-2 to leave the millage rate at 2.837.  I wanted to lower it and the majority of the council did not.

 

As the saying goes, there are two guarantees in life – death and taxes.  I, as your elected official, cannot control one of these, but I can have an influence on the other – taxes.  I cannot lower or eliminate all your taxes, but will do my best to lower what I can – your city property taxes.

 

As it appeared with the information presented before the council, there is estimated 18% city property tax projected increase compared to what was estimated in the FY09 budget a few months back. 

 

To be fair, this does not mean the taxpayers will see over an 18% increase in property taxes.  This means that the property values in the city have increased as a whole over 18% and much of this in new commercial, retail, and residential construction increasing the value of raw land.

 

To give a bigger picture, the FY06 property taxes increased 38.07% and FY07 property taxes increased

50.54% year over year.  Those are staggering numbers.

 

The purpose of a millage rate is to fund the rest of the budget that is needed to cover the expenses of the

city and through the years, this has been a tool of governments to generate more revenue.

 

It is the responsibility of the council to be good stewards of the taxpayers money and when we can find a

way to give back some of their money – we should do so.  It concerns me when there is extra money

available, what will happen to those collected taxes? 

 

 

Please read the articles here, here, here, and here about my thoughts on taxes.

 

September 4, 2008

LOCAL

 

Yesterday’s council meeting I floated the idea to roll back the Flowery Branch millage rate from 2.837 to 2.637 to no avail. 

 

In the FY08 budget the amount of real property taxes raised were nearly 25% higher and in the proposed FY09 the amount of real property taxes now expected compared to the budgeted amount is about 17% higher.  By lowering our millage rate from 2.837 to 2.637 I wanted to give back about 7% of the taxpayer’s money.

 

We are a rapid growth community and I am aware it will take money to run the city and the city will need to upgrade pipes, roads, equipment, and many other areas will need attention through the years, but as households need to do when income levels go down, governments must do to – tighten their belts.

 

I am a pro-low tax; anti-tax kind of person and this is your city and your tax money which we, the city council, must spend wisely.

 

Here are a couple of articles here and here.

August 21, 2008

LOCAL

 

Yesterday we had another productive council meeting along with another 3-2 split.

 

There was the first reading of Ordinance 379 – Hotel Motel Tax was approved 5 – 0 as well as Ordinance 380 – Municipal Court Penalties, which we increased some of them, Ordinance 348–8 – Text Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, and we gave out a couple of beer and liquor licensees, approved some of the changes to the comprehensive plan, and changed the water/sewer reconnection fees and security deposit.

 

The two things that stood out were how we are going to handle those people who did not pay their utility bills and have left the burden to the rest of the tax payers to pay by, in a round about way, funding the delinquency from the general fund.

 

The main topic was Ordinance 376 – Creation of Local Historic Historic Boundaries.  The vote was 3 – 2 and you can read about all this in this article and this article.

 

My argument is simple:

 

As I have already stated, I think most actions by a legislative body, such as the creation of ordinances, resolutions, codes, bills and acts, that become law, which people must follow, start of with the best intentions and through time become translated and twisted to fit the needs of government.

 

I have read The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the Georgia Historic Preservation Act of

1980 and it always talks about preservation.

 

At both public hearings there were a number of citizens, property owners, and business owners who spoke on ordinance 376.  There was overwhelming opposition on the issue of the creation of this historic district as well as no where in the National or Georgia Preservation Acts could I find any support to allow a government to create a historic district based on the premise of this historic district.  After reading our current and proposed chapters 8, 9, 10, and 11 it appears Ordinance 376 is a redevelopment ordinance.

 

I fully support the current projects coming to downtown and have heard people from both parties that the city planning department has been wonderful to work with during the planning stages of the project.

 

We already have an extensive zoning code, Ordinance 348, which has already had a number of amendments, which shows our ability to work with citizens, businesses, and developers to build aesthetically beautiful buildings.  Stonebridge Village is an example of our planning department controlling the aesthetics of new developments and shows how the planning department is willing to work with developers.

 

I have said before and I will say again, Ordinance 376 is a clear case of government gone wild. The National Historic Preservation and Georgia Historic Preservation Acts started with good intensions and, through the years, have become property rights issues. 

 

And as every other community in this great nation, they all have a great history, but not everything is historic.

July 16, 2008

LOCAL

First I would like to congratulate all those who won their respective races yesterday and wish the best of luck to those who have a run-off.  I do know how hard one must work to win a campaign.

 

Now onto Flowery Branch business.  I have been quiet on how I was going to vote on Ordinance 376, which will create a new historic district in Flowery Branch.  I already knew how I was going to vote based on my own personal beliefs on the matter.  I am a firm believer in individual property rights and I believe that, through the years since the creation of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, governments have translated a well-intentioned act to fit their needs.  Here is the article in the Gainesville Times.

 

I am having trouble with the link, but here is my comments I read today at the meeting.

 

I think most actions by a legislative body, such as the creation of ordinances, resolutions, codes, bills and acts, that become law, which people must follow, start of with the best intentions and through time become translated and twisted to fit the needs of government.

 

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 states;

 

“ . . .the historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people”. 

 

 And the Georgia Historic Preservation Act of 1980 states;

 

“The General Assembly finds that the historical, cultural, and aesthetic heritage of this state is among its most valued and important assets and that the preservation of this heritage is essential to the promotion of the health, prosperity, and general welfare of the people.”

 

As I read the entire National Historic Preservation Act and the Georgia Historic Preservation Act, I read about the preservation of historic property with “few remaining examples of past architectural style”, or

“the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest”.

 

But nowhere could I find where it stated where a government should create a historic district, allow people to tear down the buildings, and have something built back that has a historic feel.  All I found was how we are supposed to “preserve” historic property.  Yet in Chapter 8, Historic Preservation in the Flowery Branch Comprehensive Plan states, “Flowery Branch should prepare a comprehensive master plan for the redevelopment of Old Town that includes the existing historic resources in downtown as a foundation of the planning process”. I never read the word redevelopment in either the National Historic Preservation Act or the Georgia Historic Preservation Act.

 

We already have an extensive zoning code, Ordinance 378, which has already had a number of amendments, which shows our ability to work with citizens, businesses, and developers to build aesthetically beautiful buildings.  Look at the Stonebridge Village, and the new homes at 5506 and 5510 Chestnut Street, as well as the remodeling at 5502 Chestnut Street.  All these were built or remodeled in the past year under the guidance of our zoning code and planning department and they are not in any kind of historic district and they all are aesthetically beautiful.

 

Flowery Branch already has the Flowery Branch Commercial Historic District, which was added in 1985 and consists of 20 acres and 12 building on Main Street and Railroad Avenue with a registration number 85001932.  Looking at these buildings one could say – yes, they look and feel historic and need to be preserved.

 

Ordinance 376 is a clear case of government gone wild. The National Historic Preservation and Georgia Historic Preservation Acts started with good intensions and, through the years, have become property rights issues. 

 

And as every other community in this great nation, they all have a great history, but not everything is historic.

July 2, 2008

LOCAL

In today’s meeting we annexed in a piece of property on the corner of Spout Springs Road and Hog Mountain where a Walgreens will be built as well as a few out parcel units.

 

I would first like to commend the staff and the council on balancing the Solid Waste Fund, however, I am at odds with how we got to this point to add a $1.00 service fee to balance the fund. 

 

The prior council, during the October 3, 2007 council meeting, on page 5 you will see how the council voted on adding a $1.92 charge per customer per month to pay for new 96 gallon trash cans, at no extra cost to the customer.  During that time, the service fee was $11.00 per month per customer, as it is still today, but the city was paying Red Oak only $8.50 per customer per month for and estimated excess revenue of $57,500. Per the minutes, the excess revenue was supposed to cut to $32,092.  Well, it did not cut the excess revenue to $32,092.  The estimate we were given less than a year later was $17,500 for the FY09 Budget. 

 

What happened?  All I know is there were only a few residents in Flowery Branch who needed new trash cans, while the majority still had relatively new ones. Now a $1.00 service fee, that I might add does cover certain expenses incurred to run an enterprise fund, must be added to once again balance the Solid Waste Fund.  A figure of somewhere in the area of $32,000 is needed to pay for the yard debris service that the city will pick-up, and I agree with that, but shame on those council members, from the previous council, who voted to mismanage your city budget dollars and now we have to play catch-up to balance the Solid Waste Fund.

 

That is why the vote was 3-2.  Craig Lutz and I voted no.

 

STATE

I applaud the State of Georgia to allow the, law-abiding citizens of Georgia, to carry concealed weapons in more places to defend themselves and their families from predators.

 

In the same breath, I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the “bass ackwards” city of Atlanta is fighting the law as it pertains to the Atlanta Airport.  You can read the crazy thought and comments form some of the city officials here.  Remember this is the same city whose last mayor is in prison and lied that he had a drinking problem to get early release.  God I love the ATL – always a good laugh.

 

If Obama gets in and he gets to put three new justices on the United States Supreme Court – bye bye Second Amendment.

 

FEDERAL

My only comment is.  When will the people of this country, Democrat and Republican, kick in the doors of their U.S. elected officials and say, “Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less”.  Please sign-up now.