COVINGTON, Ga. — County commissioners narrowly voted to tell Tax Commissioner Marcus Jordan they opposed his plan for charging an additional fee to do property tax collections for cities in Newton County.
The board voted 3-2 on Tuesday, Aug. 3, to object to the additional fee.
Jordan recently sent the city governments intergovernmental agreements that state he wants $3.50 rather than the $2.50 charge that past tax commissioners imposed — to serve as their property tax collector.
The agreement indicated the Board of Commissioners was requesting the fees which brought an outcry from city officials, County Manager Lloyd Kerr said.
“Their impression is the county is attempting to collect an additional dollar from them,” Kerr said.
Kerr and County Attorney Megan Martin said city officials in Oxford and Covington had asked them why the county was asking for the money. The tax commissioner is actually receiving the fees, Martin said.
She told commissioners Kerr asked her to draft the resolution stating the Board of Commissioners’ opposition to the extra $1.
“We’re not saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on what Tax Commissioner Jordan can do,” she said.
“He can set fees,” Martin said. “This is more of a piece of ‘propaganda’ that comes from the board saying we don’t support charging our cities any more.”
Jordan admitted he could make the agreements with city governments unilaterally because he is one of four county officers the state constitution allows to operate mostly independently from the county governing body.
“I’d be hard-pressed to break the law for my mother, much less anyone else,” Jordan said.
He said a county commission vote to oppose the $1 fee would give him “cover” if a taxpayer asked him why he was not collecting the extra money from cities.
Commissioners Stan Edwards, Demond Mason and Ronnie Cowan voted for it and commissioners Alana Sanders and J.C. Henderson voted against it.
Cities often contract with the Tax Commissioner’s office to do collections because of the cost savings.
In other action Tuesday, the Newton County Board of Commissioners:
• Approved a resolution authorizing hunting and trapping of coyotes by E. Pat Campbell and Bobby Bates at least 100 yards from residences on county-owned tracts totaling 211 acres on Lower River Road.and 424 acres on Forest Tower Road.
• Approved a resolution approving 2022 budget appropriations to “Entities conferring substantial benefits to citizens of Newton County.”
The entities include McIntosh ECD Council. Newton County Community Partnership, Nelson Heights Community Center, Newton County Board of Health, Washington Street Community Center, Newton County Library System, View Point Health, Newton County Industrial Development Authority, Newton County DFACS, Alcovy CASA, and Highway 278 Community Improvement District.
• Approved a Legal Services Agreement for an indigent defense contractor for Newton County Juvenile Court totaling $41,250 with funding already in the Juvenile Court budget.
• Approved change orders totaling $19,572 for Barnsley Construction’s expansion of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office facility on Alcovy Road. The changes bring the total contract price to $3.4 million but will complete the project, officials said.
Funding is from SPLOST and the county’s Capital Fund.
• Approved awarding Bagwell Fence a $132,533 contract to replace guardrails along bridges on Henderson Mill Road, Mt. Tabor Road and Hazelbrand Road and along Crowell Road and Jack Neely Road. Funding is from the 2017 SPLOST.
• Approved a contract with Sunbelt Construction for Design Build Services at Washington Street Community Center and Cousins Center for $45.750. With funding from SPLOST and the Capital Fund.
• Approved contract with Lose Design for design services for Yellow River Trail system for $29,500 with funding from SPLOST.
• Approved purchase of right of way and easements for Snapping Shoals Creek Bridge Replacement Project on Brown Bridge Road for $19,600. Funding is coming from federal funds and 2017 SPLOST.
• Approved contracts with Southeastern Psychological Associates, View Point Health and Advantage Behavioral Health Systems to provide treatment services for participants in Newton County Superior Court’s Resource Court programs.
Funding will come from the state Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
• Approved a Tax Assessors Office request for refund for erroneous street light fees paid by LeeAnn Makowski in the amount of $172.88 per tax year of 2018, 2019 and 2020.
• Approved a resolution to abandon a portion of FFA Camp Road.
Also at the Tuesday meeting:
• Chairman Marcello Banes presented Covington resident Keelyn Harper with an award and commended her for “outstanding citizenship” in rescuing an entrapped and injured motorist from a burning vehicle that had wrecked on the side of County Road 213 on June 10.
• LaTonja Hamp, executive assistant to Banes, introduced The Bicentennial 200 Awards Committee, explained its purpose and announced plans for upcoming events.
• County Manager Lloyd Kerr presented Exemplary Service Awards to county Animal Services director Cynthia Wieman and staff member Katelyn Bigley for their work to help remove a potentially rabid bat from a residence.
