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JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION NOVEMBER 5, 2007 8:30 A.M. The purpose of this meeting was to prepare agenda for regular meeting. Those present were as follows: William Rabun, Chairman, Johnny Davis, Vice-Chairman, Tommy New, Member, Sidney Norton, Member, Gonice Davis, Member, Mickey Moses, Co Attorney, Paul Bryan, Co. Administrator, and Mary Lamb, Co. Clerk. Chairman Rabun called meeting to order. Commissioner Johnny Davis opened meeting with prayer. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to adopt agenda. Commissioner New seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to appoint Evette McBride to Recreation Board and place on consent agenda. Commissioner New seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Gonice Davis made a motion to authorize Chairman and Administrator to negotiate price per hour for census liaison and reviewer and place on consent agenda. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Paul Bryan stated several citizens have asked him about exempting seniors from school ad valorem taxes. He reported that the County Commissioners do not made that decision. Commissioner New made a motion to contract with Traylor Business Services for personal property verification of business taxpayers and place on consent agenda. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Gonice Davis made a motion to contract with Moreland Altobelli to test leachate and place on consent agenda. Disposition of surplus property was discussed. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to contract with Gov. Deals to dispose of surplus property and place on consent agenda. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to include old junk cars in scrap metal bid and place on consent agenda. Commissioner New seconded with unanimous approval. Purchase of a dirt pan for roads was discussed. The cost of a new pan is $311,000.00. After discussion, Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to table the purchase of a new pan. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Gonice Davis made a motion to purchase van for Recreation Dept and place on consent agenda. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded with unanimous approval. A scrap tire storage facility was discussed. Commissioner Gonice Davis made a motion to table until another bid is received and place on regular agenda for Tuesday night. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Paul Bryan gave a report. Commissioner New made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Johnnie Davis seconded with unanimous approval. William Rabun, Chairman Johnny Davis, Vice-Chairman Gonice Davis, Member Sidney Norton, Member H. G. Thomas New, Member JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING ---PAGE BREAK--- NOVEMBER 12, 2007 7:00 P.M. This was the regular meeting for the month of November. Those present were as follows: William Rabun, Chairman, Johnny Davis, Vice-Chairman, Gonice Davis, Member, Sidney Norton, Member, Tommy New, Member, Mickey Moses, Co. Attorney, Paul Bryan, Co. Administrator, and Mary Lamb, Co. Clerk. Chairman Rabun called meeting to order and opened meeting with prayer. Commissioner Norton made a motion to adopt agenda. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner New made a motion to adopt minutes. Commissioner Norton seconded with unanimous approval. Committee reports were given. The following items were on the consent agenda: Appoint Evette McBride to Recreation Board, Budget Amendments, Chairman & Administrator Negotiate Pay Rate Census Liaison and Reviewer, Contract Traylor Business Service, Contract Moreland Altobelli / Testing Leatchate, Disposition Surplus Property, Scrap Metal Include Old Cars, Resolution Authorizing Application 5311 Vans, Purchase Van Recreation Department. Commissioner New made a motion to approve items on consent agenda. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Norton presented the names of Myron Hadden, Lamar Holley and Charles Prescott to be submitted to the Hospital Authority for their selection to fill the expired term of Myron Hadden. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to approve the names submitted by Commissioner Norton. Commissioner New seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner New made a motion to transfer Communication Box Truck to City of Stapleton. Commissioner Johnny Davis amended motion to add all liability and upkeep on the unit will be the responsibility of the City of Stapleton. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Gonice Davis made a motion to accept bid for concrete slab & walls for scrap tire storage facility from McKinney Concrete Service Co. Commissioner Norton seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner New made a motion to request bids for county wide reevaluation of real property. Commissioner Johnny Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Chairman Rabun made the following comments regarding Tax Assessors Office. Without any reflection on any staff member or board member of the office of the Tax Assessor, we are all aware that we have been penalized $66,735 by the Georgia Revenue Department because board of assessors had established valuations to agriculture property that were not uniform and equalized. The Board of Commissioners is responsible for the payment of this penalty, the financial support of this office and appoints the Board of Tax Assessors. As a result of our appeal the penalty has been delayed and we have received a draft Consent Order. The Consent Order appears to have many requirements that I believe will require us to hire additional staff. If the conditions of the Consent Order are not met, then additional penalties may be imposed by the State, some on a daily basis. Upon careful consideration and reflection, I do not believe it would be prudent to sign the Consent Order at this time. I believe that all issues and concerns need to be addressed first. That being said, it is my suggestion that we adopt a resolution to request a peer review of the office of the Tax Assessor. We should request that the Department of Revenue appoint a Performance Review to make a thorough and complete investigation of the office with respect to all actions of the board and appraisal staff regarding technical competency of appraisal technique and compliance with state law regulations. After the review we will ask that we be provided with their findings and recommendations. I do not believe we need to agree to something without identifying the issues first. We have been informed by the Department of Revenue that if we continue to positively identify and address our issues by having a peer review and follow all their recommendations, if we conduct a countywide reevaluation of real property, and sign a contract to evaluate personal property for commercial accounts (which we did tonight), we could delay making a decision on the consent order until after the first of the year. A that time we should have the results of the peer review. This is why I am suggesting that we request a peer review and not sign the consent order at the present time. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion not to sign consent order. Commissioner New seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner Johnny Davis made a motion to sign Resolution Requesting a Performance Review of the Jefferson County Board of Tax Assessors. Commissioner Gonice Davis seconded with unanimous approval. Commissioner New made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Norton seconded with unanimous approval. William Rabun, Chairman Johnny Davis, Vice-Chairman ---PAGE BREAK--- Sidney Norton, Member H. G. Thomas New, Member Gonice Davis, member