County

Commission to get first crack at budget Thursday

Thursday at 5 p.m., the Fayette County Commission will conduct its first workshop meeting on the 2013-2014 budget proposed by County Manager Steve Rapson.

The meeting will be at the county’s Stonewall government complex in downtown Fayetteville.

No property tax increase is planned and the budget is projected to add $728,964 to the county’s reserve fund by the end of the year, providing $33.48 million in reserve and rainy day funds. Read More»

Federal judge orders district voting in Fayette

Fayette County is about to get district voting for all five seats on both the Fayette County Commission and the Fayette County Board of Education.

County Commission Chairman Steve Brown, while expressing his astonishment that the federal judge brushed past a significant legal hurdle to find for the plaintiffs, said Tuesday afternoon that an appeal is not certain. Read More»

Fayette's stormwater problems not that bad, Chase says

Fayette County’s stormwater problems are neither that urgent nor that extensive, says retired biologist Dennis Chase, an occasional Citizen columnist and outspoken advocate for environmental issues.

That caution has been added to the conversation surrounding Fayette County’s proposed stormwater SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) that could face voter scrutiny in November.

Chase says the project needs have been significantly overstated. Read More»

Fayette: No tax increase

Fayette County’s proposed 2013-2014 budget will avoid a property tax increase and also will be balanced due to a host of personnel cuts across county departments.

The county has eliminated 32 full-time positions, shrinking the government force to 706 full-time and 13.3 part-time employees. At the same time, the budget has made room for a new information systems analyst for information technology along with an assistant water plant manager as required by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, officials said. Read More»

Refunds for stinky water? No, says Chairman Brown

As Fayette County’s odorous tap water problem has extended into its second week, Read More»

Coweta administrator honored for service

Coweta County Administrator Theron Gay was recently awarded the 2013 Jerry R. Griffin Excellence in Public Service Award by the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia. Pictured, from left, are ACCG Executive Director Ross King, Theron Gay and Walton County Commission Chairman and ACCG 1st Vice President Kevin Little. Photo/Special.

Longtime Coweta County Administrator Theron Gay has been named as the recipient of the 2013 Jerry R. Griffin Excellence in Public Service Award by the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). The award is given to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the citizens of Georgia through public service in county government.

Gay received the award during the recent 2013 ACCG conference in Savannah. Read More»

Coweta schools facing $14M state funding cut

$2.8M decrease expected in property tax revenue

The Coweta County Board of Education is beginning its considerations for the 2013-2014 budget that begins in July. On the horizon are increasing costs and decreasing revenues that could lead to budget reductions of millions of dollars. Read More»

Officials: Water may be smelly, but it’s safe

Fayette County Water System officials reported Tuesday that complaints from residents in north and central Peachtree City about a peculiar odor and taste in their drinking water is not cause for alarm. The problem is being resolved and the water is safe to drink, officials said.

Complaints from area residents began late last week, but Water System Director Tony Parrott said May 7 the “musky” odor in the water is no reason for alarm. Read More»

Veteran Brooks attorney named to vacant magistrate’s post

A Brooks attorney who has been practicing law for 42 years has been selected as Fayette County’s new magistrate judge.

Loyd Hall Black Jr. was appointed to the post by Fayette County Chief Superior Court Judge Christopher Edwards. Black will fill the position left vacant when newly-elected magistrate Jason B. Thompson was appointed to be the county’s newest State Court judge.

One of the most significant duties of a magistrate judge is to rule on arrest warrant petitions filed by both law enforcement and the general public, along with the authority to set bond for a criminal defendant. Read More»

County wants ‘plan B’ to accommodate illegal, undersized lots

The Fayette County Planning Commission is being asked to revisit a different way of helping residents who were unaware their parcels do not conform to zoning regulations and are technically illegal.

In most cases, such parcels are in the agriculture residential zoning category, which requires a minimum lot size of five acres. The non-conforming parcels typically are smaller than five acres, thereby putting them in conflict with the requirement of the zoning ordinance. As such, the landowners are finding they are unable to sell their property when the time comes. Read More»