Commissioners discuss planning options

By Lisa Majors-Duff

Chairman Stacy Buchanan, who was elected to a second term on the board in November, spent a significant portion of the meeting presenting his ideas for county planning. Instead of using the county's 16-member planning board, Buchanan suggested specialized task forces be called upon to address individual issues as they emerge.

"I think we would be better off to develop a special task force to deal with something like a subdivision ordinance, for example," Buchanan said. "That way we could call on people who have expertise in an area to deal with a specific issue."

Community members with a desire to serve in this capacity would be asked to submit their names and areas of expertise to the county's planning department, Buchanan said. When an issue of concern comes up, about five names could be called upon to serve on a committee to research the topic. The planning board as it stands now would not be needed, he said.

Buchanan made his comments after presenting board members with a hefty notebook containing county ordinances and a review of the Smart Growth initiative, which included strategies for accomplishing the identified Smart Growth goals. He asked that board members review the information and be prepared at next week's meeting to discuss dates for a special meeting to more thoroughly discuss planning options.

In addition to forming task forces, Buchanan said the board also has the option of hiring consultants to address planning issues. Some $20,000, which had been set aside to hire a professional planner, remains unspent in this year's budget, he said.

"Experts are fine, but we need average citizens to bring it back down to earth," Commissioner Roberta Crawford said.

"We would ask the group to open (their discussions) to the community," Buchanan said. "Communication is key. Rumors in a small town like this can kill something before it gets started." In other issues discussed Tuesday, Buchanan consulted county attorney Paul Holt about options available for amending the staggered terms resolution approved by county voters in November. The two highest vote-getter would be elected to four-year terms, while the next two would receive two-year terms. What happens, Buchanan asked, if the second and third highest vote-getters tie?

"(The resolution) can be amended," Holt said.

Buchanan, who suggested the first to have filed for office be given the four-year term, again asked board members to offer their ideas for addressing the issue next week. Commissioner Crawford, who apparently did not see the need to wait, suggested a coin toss determine the winner.

Buchanan also told the board that "word had been sent to Macon County" that Jackson County leaders are interested in hosting a meeting to discuss the joint solid waste agreement. That meeting is tentatively planned for January, he said.

Buchanan reported briefly on a meeting he'd attended that afternoon on the future of the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority. That board's chairman, Mickey Luker, also reported on the meeting, saying that he was pleased the lines of communication had been opened between TWSA and the county. (For more on this, see related story Page 1A.)

Board members are expected to discuss options for the future of both its auditing contract and banking services at their next meeting. The county's current auditing contract with Crisp, Hughes and Evans is in its eighth year, while it does a majority of its banking with Wachovia, county Manager Ken Westmoreland reported. Westmoreland also relayed the fact that Ashley Co.'s $190,000 revolving loan had been paid in full, as was requested by the board after Ashley's parent company, DeMoulin, announced the business would be closing this month.

Since 11 new vehicles approved in this year's budget will not be needed in the building inspections office and the health department, Westmoreland requested that some $85,000 be redirected to four different vehicles needed by the maintenance and grounds departments. The figure stays within the budgeted $395,000, he said.

The county manager also asked that some $18,000 of the $25,000 budgeted for improvements at the old Canada School, where a community park is planned, be transferred to address soil erosion problems being experienced at the site adjacent to the fire department building.

With this week's meeting dedicated to discussing issues, action on agenda items is expected at the board's next meeting Tuesday, Dec. 17. That session gets under way at 6 p.m. at the Justice Center.

Back to Archive: 12/12/02.