Blue Ridge Council members addressed, during a meeting Tuesday, December 8, claims of a $40,000 investigation on Mayor Donna Whitener’s domicile in 2015.
Councilman Mike Panter addressed the issue during discussion explaining that he does not want to “go down the same path” as the previous council and spend $40,000 on investigating the claims.
“You know that wasn’t for the domicile, right?” Councilman Nathan Fitts said. “That was a comprehensive study, and you got two council members sitting here that was a part of it. You got two more sitting out there that was a part of it.”
Councilwoman Rhonda Haight read the contract of the investigation, which says, “City of Blue Ridge appointed Jarrard & Davis to undertake a review of the City of Blue Ridge’s policies and practices with respect to governmental operations to identify areas where the city is not or may not be complying with pertinent local or state law, identify any elected officials that are acting in a manor inconsistent with pertinent local or state law, and to otherwise make recommendations regarding the improvement of the city operations.”
Haight added that the company endorsed the need for a city manager or administrator in order to efficiently run the city.
Fitts pointed out that Whitener was the tie-breaking vote on allowing living spaces in commercially-zoned facilities.
This was also noted in the investigation’s report saying, “The mayor cast a tie-breaking vote changing the city’s zoning code to allow apartment or loft homes above retail spaces. Arguably, the mayor should have recused herself from the vote. ... Having the appearance of impropriety is not illegal, per say, though a conflicted vote on a zoning matter may render the approved zoning void.”
The zoning vote applied to C-1 and C-2 properties, Haight said, and Whitener claimed her property in question was zoned C-0 at the time.
“I’d just like to say, and again, being very transparent, not only do I know she didn’t live there, ’cause I lived with her for about two years up there, so did Ms. (Robbie) Cornelius who’s a council member as well. She lived there at the same time,” Fitts said.
Cornelius did not comment on the accusation.
Haight added that the council did not pursue investigating Whitener’s residence at that time while they could have.
“That’s the whole truth,” Haight said ending the discussion.
Giving an update on the park, Haight said the city is correcting the drainage problem at the downtown playground and have spent $1,800 on new pipes.
This portion of the project should’ve been complete by the end of the week.
Mulch can be brought in for $5,800, she said.
Sidewalk repairs on West First Street were tabled.
Planning, Zoning and Project Manager Jeff Stewart presented the project and provided two quotes.
A quote from Jim Mashburn, however, struck controversy as Haight claimed, that when last used, Mashburn provided the city with less-than-satisfactory work.
The work includes sidewalk repairs that resulted in backfilling from another contractor.
Fitts suggested having a conversation with Mashburn.
“He said that was in his contract to fix that,” Stewart said. “He still has part of the wall to fix up there ... East First Street. He said he would pour it to the sidewalk.”
Bids on the project were rejected, and repairs were tabled in order to address any issues.
During discussion, Fitts suggested contracting out water taps as the employee who currently completes the task is retiring soon.
He explained that the Fannin County Water Authority does this and saves money.
Panter noted that $76,000 has been received this year through the CARES Act, which is being used for hazard pay; $55,000 was given from the State of Georgia as a result of the state’s error on SPLOST; $100,000 of delinquent taxes was written off, but over $165,000 was received from last year and earlier.
Fi. Fa. letters have been sent out, he said.
Additionally, $16,700 of delinquent business licenses have been paid.
“We’ve got a grip on all of that right now,” Panter said.
Of businesses that are not physically present in the city, but still do business in it, provided $109,000 for the city.
Local option sales tax is $32,000 ahead of last year, Panter said.