Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

Glynn County Board of Commissioners

4:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 9, 2005

Third Floor Conference Room

W. Harold Pate Courthouse Annex

Brunswick, Georgia

 

Present:

                        Committee Members:  H. Lynn, U. Keller, T. Thaw

Other Commissioners: 

Staff:  F. Dees, A. Hunter, P. McNicoll, Y. Phillips, B. Rowell, S. Schaeffner,  C. Stewart,  W. Worley

Press:   K. Laing, M. Permar

Others:   Mr. & Mrs. Oberlin, Ms. Seral Walton, Mr. Robert Griffin

 

1.      Consider approval of the Consent Agenda.

 

a)      Approve the July 26, 2005 Finance Committee Minutes.  (P. McNicoll)

 

b)      Deny a request from Mr. Curtis Schwarzrock that $699.80 paid in penalties and interest on his 2003 property taxes be refunded.  (F. Dees)

 

c)      Deny a request from Mr. E. Lanier Carson that $2,229.90 paid in penalties and interest on his 2001 property taxes be refunded.  (F. Dees)

 

d)      Deny a request from Ms. Page B. Oberlin that $779.97 paid in penalties and interest on her 2003 property taxes be refunded.  (F. Dees)

 

e)      Deny a request from Ms. Willie Bell that $35.34 paid in penalties and interest on her mobile home taxes for 2002, 2003, and 2004 be refunded.  (F. Dees)

 

f)        Approve a request from Mr. Edward Canady that $2,500.00 paid for a tax deed on parcel #04-00210 foe tax years 1996-1999 be refunded.  (F. Dees)

 

g)      Declare the unusable items listed on the attached page as surplus and approve the sale of these items in the best interest of the County.  (D. Chunn)

 

h)      Approve the real property corrections to the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Digests as recommended by the Board of Assessors and/or the Chief Appraiser at their July 21, 2005 meeting.  (S. Schaeffer)

 

The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Lynn passed unanimously.  Commissioner Keller had not yet arrived.

 

Recommend approval of the Consent Agenda with the exception of items d and f which will be pulled for discussion.  (Vote:   2-0-0)

 

1(f)  The following motion made by Commissioner Thaw and seconded by Commissioner Lynn passed unanimously.

 

Recommend approval of a request from Mr. Edward Canady that $2,500.00 paid for a tax deed on parcel #04-00210 for tax years 1996-1999 be refunded subject to the County receiving a quit claim deed from Mr. Canady.  (Vote 2-0-0)

 

1(d)  Ms. Page B. Oberlin stated that she had never received a tax bill because it was not forwarded to her by the previous owner.  She stated that she had filed for homestead exemption in 2003 and 2004 and was never told that there was a bill outstanding.  Mr. Florence Dees, Tax Commissioner stated that Ms. Oberlin should have been notified of the outstanding 2003 taxes and therefore he penalties and interest should be refunded.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously.

 

Recommend approval of a request from Ms. Page B. Oberlin that $779.97 paid in penalties and interest on her 2003 property taxes be refunded.

 

2.      Consider a request from Ms. Seral Walton that a portion of her 2004 property taxes be refunded.  (F. Dees & S. Schaeffner)

 

Mr. Robert Griffin spoke for Ms. Seral Walton regarding her request for a refund.  He stated that the 2004 tax bill increased by 800% over the prior year.  He stated that she had filed a timely appeal and that he went to the Property Appraisal office and talked to the Chief Appraiser about her appeal.  Mr. Griffin stated that the property was zoned CP but was assessed as R12.  Commissioner Thaw questioned whether the Commissioners had the power to make any changes in the property values or tax bill.  Mr. Florence Dees, Tax Commissioner, stated that a bill was created from the property value and the amount on the bill is due.  Mr. Steve Schaeffner, Chief Appraiser, stated that the property owner filed an appeal, a small adjustment was made, there was no further response from the property owner, and the appeal expired in September, 2004.  Mr. Schaeffner stated that there were no appeal rights for 2005.  Ms. Dees informed the Committee that Ms. Walton can file for a value change on January 1, 2006 and that would create the appeal process for the year 2006.  Mr. Griffin again stated that there was an error in the property assessment.  Mr. Griffin mentioned that the property was mostly wetlands and Commissioner Thaw requested that he give Mr. Schaeffner a copy of the wetlands survey.   The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously.

 

Recommend deferral of this item to a later Finance Committee meeting.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

 

3.      Consider approving the FY 2005-06 MPO PL contract between the County and GDOT, and that the Community Development Director be authorized to execute the contract.  (Y. Phillips)

 

Mr. York Phillips, Community Development Planning Manager, stated that this was one of two contracts with DOT that are executed each year.  The following motion made by Commissioner Keller and seconded by Commissioner Thaw passed unanimously.

 

Recommend approving the FY 2005-06 MPO PL contract between the County and GDOT, and that the Community Development Director be authorized to execute the contract.  (Vote:   3-0-0)

 

4.      Request that Chairman Lynn identify the Finance Committee items which should be included as consent items in the Commission’s Meeting Agenda.

 

Chairman Lynn requested that all items except item #2 be placed on the consent agenda.  Item #2 is deferred until a later Finance Committee meeting.