County Commissioners adopt $29.9 million 2020 budget

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – County commissioners had another full slate of agenda items to deal with during Thursday’s voting session. The 2020 budget, a vape shop ordinance and legal representation generated most of the discussion.

The Board approved a 2020 general fund budget of $29,903,653, an increase of $1,787,867 or 10.48 percent over last year.

The largest expenditure will be for Sheriff’s Office which will receive $8,346,363 or 28 percent of the general fund budget, an increase of 10.43 percent over this year. The next largest expenditure will be for Public Safety which will receive$5,560,482, followed by general government operations at $5,464,061.

The new budget conforms to the reduced millage rate of 8.089.

A month ago, the commissioners considered shutting down the county’s vape shops. But after a series of meetings between shop owners, elected officials and county staff, the Board decided to move forward with a new ordinance that will regulate the businesses.

Commissioners approved an additional $150,000 in funding for the firm of Jarrard & Davis for legal services this year. The firm was retained last December and $370,779 was encumbered for legal fees. Since that time, the county has paid the firm $359,652.32. The money will have to be moved from Fund Balance.

There were two zoning requests to be considered. In the first, the Board denied a request to rezone property on Price Road from Commercial Planned Community Development to Commercial Highway Business for the purpose of constructing a boat and RV storage facility.

In the other, commissioners approved a series of stipulations for property on Dawson Forest Road, first zoned in 1999. The stipulations included a requirement that the residential component be a minimum area of 20 contiguous acres; 50 percent of the project must consist of commercial, office, public, restaurant or other similar use; the property can be developed up to a maximum density of six units per acre up to a maximum of 100 units; open or natural space required shall be no less than 30 percent of the development.

In other business, the Board approved:

A request by Kare for Kids to use the county facility parking lots during the Mountain Moonshine Festival;

An intergovernmental agreement between Dawson County and the Development Authority of Dawson County;

Scheduling a public hearing for Special Event Business License Ordinance revision.

During the 4 p.m. work session, commissioners were reminded the legal services contract with Jarrard and Davis will expire Dec. 31. The Board must decide whether to renew the contract with that firm or hire in-house attorney.

Commissioner Julie Hughes-Nix raised concerns about the cost of legal services during the last year.

“The service has been first class,” she noted. “And you pay for first class. “I’m troubled by the it and I have had citizens tell me they are troubled by it too. By this year’s end, we will have spent $500,000.”

The legal services contract has a $250,000 cap, but that does not include litigation costs.

“Really more than $250,000 will be spent,” Commissioner Sharon Fausett said. “We would be remiss if we were not concerned about that amount of money.”

Angela Davis said, “What is carved out is litigation. We can’t control that. We have no way of knowing who is going to sue (the county) or who you may decide to sue.”

 

 

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