Discussion over protocol for collecting taxes brought heat from Blue Ridge City Councilman Nathan Fitts during a workshop meeting Tuesday, July 7.
“Mayor, asking you, what have you done? What have you told them (city management) to do?” Fitts said after asking how it is possible for businesses to be operating within the city without a license or paying their taxes.
Mayor Donna Whitener said that they have cut businesses’ water off in the past, but Utilities Director Rebecca Harkins said she has never done that; however, the city is allowed to cut a businesses water off if they haven’t paid their taxes, per city ordinance.
“It’s all their responsibility, including yours (Whitener’s). It’s not them. Y’all all should’ve been collecting it,” Fitts said. “Well, it’s not pointing fingers at them, you know, this has been your (Whitener’s) department.”
Councilman Mike Panter explained that about 101 businesses are currently operating without a license out of 149 businesses in the city.
A city ordinance amendment, to update it, was expected during a regular Tuesday, July 14, meeting.
City officials cleared up confusion about the cash policy, which came up after an allegation that former Councilman Ken Gaddis had tried to pay an outstanding bill. He first tried to pay by phone using a card, then by cash in-person and both payments were refused.
Harkins said that employees have been discouraging the use of cash payments, but no one had been turned away.
Finance Director Alicia Stewart explained that their system had not been set up to take card payments for taxes unless it was done online.
Since, that issue has been resolved.
During a discussion on the speed limit on Church Street, Assistant Police Chief Mike Presswood informed that the city cannot enforce the speed limit on that road.
“We can’t enforce it (speed limit). We can’t run radar or nothing on those streets. They’ve not ever been surveyed for that,” Presswood said. “We can run east and west. We can’t run north and south.”
Police Chief Johnny Scearce added that, despite that fact, they still have probable cause to stop vehicles that appear to be going at an excessive speed.
All official decisions concerning the items discussed at the workshop were held until the regular Tuesday, July 14 meeting.