(Sept. 8, 2023) -- The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners got its first look at the proposed fiscal year budget.

A public hearing will be held Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. with adoption expected on Oct. 3 during the regular meeting at 6 p.m. All meetings are held in Cherokee Hall at the Cherokee County Administration Building, unless otherwise noted.

The overall budget is proposed at $396 million, up from $375 million. The overall budget includes operating funds at $288 million and capital funds at $107 million. The operating fund, also known as the general fund, is funded by mainly by property taxes, motor vehicle taxes (TAVT), Insurance Premium Tax, licenses and permits, and other items. The capital funds budget is funded by Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and impact fees.

Nearly 80 percent of the total proposed increase in the general fund is due to inmate medical costs ($2.7 million), court appointed attorney costs ($659,000), computer equipment ($280,000), vehicle maintenance ($255,000), maintenance for the Motorola system for public safety ($232,000) and general supplies ($181,000).

The proposed budget accounts for using $7.3 million from general fund reserves, forecasted to leave $56.6 million at the end of the fiscal year. The proposed fire fund budget accounts for using $410,250 in fire fund reserves, leaving about $10.1 million in the reserve fund at the end of the fiscal year.

Cherokee County’s fiscal year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

The Board of Commissioners also:

• Issued a proclamation in celebration of the 236th birthday of the U.S. Constitution.
• Proclaimed September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Cherokee County.
• Set the Board of Commissioners’ meeting dates for 2024. The meetings will be held on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. District 2 Commissioner Richard Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter. The vote was 5-0.
• Approved, 5-0, the minutes from the Aug. 15 work session, executive session and regular meeting. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale.
• Held a public hearing to consider the transmittal of the 2023 Capital Improvement Element/Community Work Program Annual Report, which is part of the county’s impact fee program, to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for review. No one spoke. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion to approve transmitting the plan, which was seconded by District 1 Commissioner Steve West. The vote was 5-0.
• Held a public hearing regarding the abandonment of an unnamed street off West Putnam Ferry Road. The road was platted but never built. No one spoke. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion to abandon the street, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The vote was 5-0.
• Held a public hearing regarding abandonment of a permanent easement for slopes along a parcel along Woodstock Parkway. The purpose of the easement was for the construction of Woodstock Parkway and is no longer needed. No one spoke. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion to abandon the permanent easement, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The vote was 5-0.
• Denied, 5-0, a modification to a zoning condition from a 2004 zoning case. The applicant is seeking to remove a 50-foot exterior zoning buffer. The case was tabled from the Aug. 15 meeting, as Commissioner Carter sought to find a solution that appealed to the applicant and the adjacent neighbors. Commissioner Carter said he could not support the modification, which was an after-the-fact request. The property owner already had encroached on the buffer, removing trees inside the fence line. Commissioner Carter indicated he did not want to penalize the property owner for what a previous property owner did in removing trees outside the fence line. Commissioner Carter made a motion to deny the modification request, to require the applicant to add plantings to the buffer as indicated by the county arborist and to instruct the zoning manager to notify the applicant’s homeowners’ association ensuring they are aware of the platted buffer. Commissioner West seconded the motion.
• Tabled, 5-0, Barry and Dawn Scott’s request to appeal the decision of the zoning manager regarding a business license application for Dallas North Lawn Sprinklers, Inc. at 11397 Bells Ferry Road. Staff received updates to the proposed agreement from the applicant over the weekend before the meeting and believed the changes needed legal review before board adoption. Commissioner Carter made the motion to table the case until Sept. 19, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, Theodore Rowe’s request to rezone 26.6 acres from R-80 (Estate Residential) to General Agriculture, as well as a variance to reduce the 75-foot building setback to 0 feet for an open-air arena area. This is a private horse farm. No commercial equestrian activities can take place, no lighting or external sounds systems, and existing structures cannot be altered. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, Neighborhood Commercial zoning on a 7-94-acre portion of an approximately 20-acre parcel owned by the estate of Ovalene H. Cagle at 301 Lower Union Hill Road, based on recommendations from the Planning Commission. The applicant was seeking a rezoning from General Agriculture to General Commercial, as well as a concurrent variance to allow an existing telecommunications tower to not be setback from property lines a distance equal to the height of the tower. The Board of Commissioners followed the Planning Commission’s recommendation to rezone the property to Neighborhood Commercial with conditions that no buildings shall be constructed within the fall radius of the adjacent cell phone tower as shown on the submitted site plan and the applicant shall place a restriction on any deed of conveyance of the applicant’s remaining Agriculturally zoned property that only residential land use shall be allowed on that property. The vote also included approval of the concurrent variance. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the consent agenda, which included: final acceptance of all public rights of way, roadways and appurtenant drainage structures in the East Ridge subdivision; an update to the Sheriff’s Office and Magistrate Court Warrant System in the amount of $20,000; amendment one to the Holbrook Campground Road at Midway Road Intersection Improvement Design Services Agreement with Practical Design Partners LLC to add roadway design for a right-turn lane extension on Bells Ferry Road at Towne Lake Parkway in the amount of $14,770; calling for a public hearing on Oct. 3 related to proposed amendments to the alcohol ordinance; and calling for a public hearing on Oct. 3 to receive comments regarding proposed amendments to Chapter 42 of the Code of Ordinances related to Recreation and Parks. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. An item on the published consent agenda regarding an agreement between CATS and the Cherokee County School District was removed as part of the motion.
• Approved, 5-0, an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Waleska for installation of a water line on Rampley Trail. The County as plans to improve Rampley Trail in the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024. The city of Waleska would like to install a 3-inch PVC water line to service the residences along the roadway and including it in conjunction with the road project allows it to be completed in a timely manner. The IGA defines the responsibilities, which include the City reimbursing the county an estimated $147,000 related to the installation of the City’s water line. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, an intergovernmental real estate agreement with the city of Canton to transfer the ownership of the former Tippens Elementary School parcel to the city of Canton in exchange for the City executing a Removal of Protective Covenant on the 4.4-acre Bluffs Parkway parcel. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 5-0, reimbursement to the city of Canton for relocation of an 8-inch water main in conflict with the Technology Ridge Parkway-Phase I project in the total amount of $141,836. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the fourth amendment to the agreement with VHB, Inc. for the Heard Road Extension/Technology Ridge Parkway project to complete final roadway design, environmental permitting and coordination for Phase IV and V of the project in the amount of $152,500. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the FY2025 application to GDOT in the amount of $526,000 for operating assistance and $301,420 for capital costs associated with the CATS 5311 Rural Transportation Program. The County’s obligation is $263,000 for operations and $30,142 for the purchase of two buses and equipment. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, purchasing microtransit software from Ecolane USA, Inc. for CATS in the amount of $487,058. The total cost is over five years. Year one is $234,822 and includes implementation, training and the first year of services. The Federal Transit Authority pays for 80 percent of the cost, and the county pays for 20 percent. Years 2-5 are $62,809 annually and the cost is split evenly between the county and FTA. The microtransit service will operate similarly to the private rideshare company models, providing better service and shorter wait times for Demand Response. Once fully implemented, microtransit will replace Demand Response. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, purchasing two salt spreaders from Interstate Truck Equipment, Inc. for Public Works in the amount of $61,900. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, purchasing veterinary diagnostic analyzers for the Animal Shelter from IDEXX Laboratories using Animal Shelter donation funds in the amount of $49,312.87. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, purchasing Wayfinder Software from Genium, Inc. for the Clerk of Courts in the amount of $36,859. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.