Commissioners approve FY2022 budget
Business, Community August 25, 2021
Lumpkin, Ga.- At the special call meeting on August 24, the County Commissioners approved the budget for the fiscal year 2022. They also agreed upon the millage rate and the Yahoola Creek Lighting project.
The commissioners unanimously accepted the fiscal year budget that Finance Director Abby Branan prepared. The budget was first presented to the commissioners on July 1.
The second page of the budget.
The budget was made available to the public online on July 28. There was a public hearing held on August 10 so the taxpayers of Lumpkin County could express any concerns they had with the budget proposal.
The 2021 budget was a total of 22,811,720 when it was adopted on September 15, 2020. The new budget total for 2022 is 24,486,037 when it was proposed for adoption on August 3. Giving a 1,674,317 increase between this year’s budget and next.
For more information on the proposal that was approved visit https://www.lumpkincounty.gov/Search?searchPhrase=2022%20budget&pageNumber=1&perPage=10&departmentId=-1
2021 Millage Rate
Additionally, the 2021 millage rate was set for the entire county. This included the incorporated city of Dahlonega, and unincorporated Lumpkin County, Lumpkin County School District, The Lumpkin County Reservior Tax District, and the Lumpkin County Planning Tax District.
The Lumpkin County School Board met on Monday, August 23 to approve their portion of the millage. They later submitted it to the county commissioners. The rate they voted for was a rollback rate and it was 15.560.
The millage rate the school board voted to accept.
The millage rate for Dahlonega is 11.556. Lumpkin County has a millage rate of 09.389. The Lumpkin County Reservior Tax District has a millage rate of 00.244. Lastly, the Lumpkin County Planning Tax District has a millage rate of 00.406.
Lumpkin County Tax Digest and Five Year History of Levy is available on the county website: https://www.lumpkincounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=159
The millage rate will now be sent to the Georgia Department of Revenue for final approval.
Yahoola Creek Lighting Project
The last thing commissioners approved was the Yahoola Creek Lighting project for Yahoola Creek Park. The board was originally going to vote on this at the meeting on August 17. The vote was delayed to give staff time to look into another option for paying for the project.
The commissioners voted to accept the first proposal that was offered by Georgia Power. This proposal is for a one-time upfront cost of $159,000.00. Followed by a monthly rate of $2,203.86. They discussed this option at their work session on August 3. For more information on that discussion visit https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2021/08/04/commissioners-consider-donation-of-antique-tractor/
Commissioners Consider Donation of Antique Tractor
Community, Outdoors August 4, 2021
Lumpkin, Ga.- The commissioners consider the donation/loan of an antique tractor from a local citizen for the beautification of the government building through a display at the work session on August 3.
The commissioners in addition were given options to consider for partnering with Georgia Power for the Yahoola Creek Park lighting project and as well as a request of the GMRC for assistance with trail development at Yahoola Creek Reservoir. Additionally, Yahoola Creek Pickleball gave a presentation to the commissioners at the meeting.
Mr. Jeff Underwood has proposed the donation or loan of four antique tractors in his possession for the lobby of the government building at 99 Courthouse Hill, Dahlonega, Ga. Underwood proposed that the donated tractors could be rotated out every six months to a year however the board saw fit.
He would maintain the insurance on the tractors so the county would not be held liable for any damage. Also, he is responsible for putting up some form of barrier to keep children off the machine. Underwood would place the tractor on a Saturday so as not to disturb any ongoing work. The proposal will be voted on in the regular meeting on August 17.
“I think it would be something neat to do for the county to have something kinda local to this area, like the old safe down there, stuff like that down there can be neat. Everybody in Lumpkin county comes through this building at least once a year,” stated Commissioner Rhett Stringer District 3.
Special Projects Director Ashley Peck brought to the board options for a partnership with Georgia Power for the lighting project at Yahoola Creek Park. Georiga Power made two offers to staff for the board to consider.
The first offer is a one-time upfront cost of $159,000.00 and then a monthly cost of $2,203.86. The second offer is no upfront cost and a monthly fee of $4,485.00.
Either option includes the monthly maintenance and power fees. The maintenance fee will not change but the power is subject to change with usage. These were summer estimates so it is not expected to become much higher through usage.
“There would be a difference because the monthly fee wouldn’t reduce once the 159 was paid so 20 years from now you’re paying double. If you’re paying four thousand a month from now on they will get their money back in six years but we will continue to give them more,” explained Chairman Chris Dockery.
Currently, staff has been working on improving the trail system around Yahoola Creek Reservoir. With the help of volunteers, they have been able to add two hundred new feet of the trail but they are requesting the assistance of the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission to hire a professional trail builder to assist with completing the work.
The work that still needs to be complete is the construction of new trails, the restoration of existing trails, and the development and rehabilitation of trailhead facilities.
If the commissioners choose to move forward with the request it would be next year before they could possibly get the reward by which time it is believed the volunteers will have 40% of the work completed. They currently have 20% completed just through the volunteers.
Lastly, Sally Trapnell presented a request to the board for six new pickleball courts. Trapnell informed the board of the financial benefits of adding the courts along with the cost information she found for the courts to be installed.
Two Yahoola Creek Pickleballers supporting Sally Trapnell
Trapnell has already made the same request of the City but at this time has no commitments to move forward from them. For more information on the presentation made to the City Council visit, https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2021/07/20/council-approves-resolution-to-place-package-sales-on-ballot/
“Your timing is great because this is something the staff has already started looking at as far as the possibility of additional courts,” committed Dockery.
The new County Manager Alan Ours was in attendance for his first commissioner’s meeting with Lumpkin County. He replaces Stan Kelley in the role. Ours started this new position Monday, August 2. For more information about Ours visit https://www.lumpkincounty.gov/182/County-Manager
Yahoola Creek Reservoir hybrid plan; Lumpkin BOC work session
Community, Lifestyle, News November 18, 2020
Big ideas are floating around in Lumpkin County. The Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners met to discuss the master plan of the Yahoola Creek Reservoir on Nov. 17.
The work session provided a chance for commissioners, council members and other attendees to discuss the master plan and future tourist attraction for the county.
Rebecca Mincey, executive director of Development Authority of Lumpkin County, led the meeting at 4 p.m. The master plan for the reservoir was to put their natural resources and trails around them to use.
The plan includes several tourist-like attractions: ziplining, lodging, camping, hiking, fishing, canoe/kayaking and more.
The design of the master plan was laid out by a firm called Lōse Design. According to their website, Lōse Design is dedicated and “do not settle for “off the shelf” design solutions.” Mincey said the team that aided to their vision have engineers, environmentalists, designers and more that considered all factors to make their project possible.
Chairman Chris Dockery said the goal of laying out each specificity of the master plan was to be done in phases. Dockery added that there are several considerations that are acknowledged within the process.
“It’s important to realize this is strategic planning,” Dockery said. “We’re just trying to synchronize those efforts and make sure everybody in the community is aware and we’re all pulling in the same direction.”
Dahlonega Mayor Sam Norton said the plan they have is a “wonderful legacy” to carry on throughout the years to come.
“[This project] is a great vision on how to get more out of it than just the trails,” Norton said. “This is phase development, so it is going to be efforts after we’re probably gone. This legacy will continue.”
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