Chiefland Commissioner Urges Board to Increase Impact Fees on New RV Resorts; Raising Property Taxes; Ratifying Police Union Raises & Other City of Chiefland Business
By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
In one of her final meetings as a Chiefland City Commissioner, Teresa Barron drew the ire of recreational vehicle resort owner Hal Lyons Monday night when she suggested raising impact fees on his resort and one other.
Barron has consistently voted against the development of Southern Leisure RV Resort and Strawberry Fields RV Resort. She believes the city overlooked the potential impacts that the RV resorts could have on the city.
She was the only commissioner Monday night to vote against approving a zoning map change and a Comprehensive Plan amendment for Southern Leisure.
The man who defeated Barron in the city election last week is Tim West, a newcomer to city politics and manager of Strawberry Fields. He will take office in early September.
Lyons, owner of Strawberry Fields, said Barron may have overlooked the economic benefits of RV resorts when she talked about raising impact fees to add more money to the city treasury.
“When you’re considering all those things, you might consider the economic benefits that might arise from RV parks,” he said. “It’s not all negative, but I can tell you the negative side; it can also be a hell of a deal breaker. I for one would do that.”
The hundreds of temporary residents who would use the two RV resorts annually will patronize local restaurants, gas stations and retail stores. Barron estimated 440 RV’ers would come with Phase 1 of one resort.
City Manager Mary Ellzey, responding to Barron’s request, said she would bring the city’s regulations dealing with RV resorts to the city’s next regular commission meeting.
RAISING PROPERTY TAXES
In other business, commissioners held a workshop after their regular budget meeting to discuss the city’s proposed $2.7 million budget that will take effect on Oct. 1
The budget includes a one mill property tax increase to 7.9075 mills. The old millage for the year ending on September 30 generated $878,608. The proposed millage will raise $1,015,848 in property tax funding.
That’s a $137,240 increase. The budget can be balanced with the increased revenues from the millage hike.The millage increase wasn’t discussed in the budget workshop. It has been discussed in previous workshops and regular commission meetings. When Spotlight asked Mayor Betty Walker to confirm the city was raising property taxes by a mill, she joked and said the millage wasn’t being raised at this time.
Asked for clarification, Walker quipped that the city is indeed raising taxes by one mill, but not right now. The public hearing where the tax increase will likely be adopted will take place in September. Several commissioners laughed at her tax increase humor.
RATIFYING POLICE UNION RAISES, TAKE HOME VEHICLE POLICY
Commissioners voted unanimously to ratify the 2017-20 Chiefland police union contract that gives officers a pay increase and allows them to drive patrol cars home at night if they live in Levy County. The cars can’t be driven outside Levy County.
The contract gives dispatchers an additional $1,500 annually, rank and file police officers and corporals additional $2,500 annually, and sergeants an additional $3,000 annually.
Police Chief Scott Anderson isn’t taking a pay increase. Ellzey isn’t part of the police department, but she isn’t taking a pay increase either.
BYRNE GRANT
The board gave the city police department permission to move forward with applying for a $30,000 federal Byrne Grant. The police department can purchase equipment with the grant that it normally can’t afford. A decision hasn’t been made on how to spend the money. One possibility is a recorder to capture radio transmissions between patrol cars and dispatchers.
FIREHOUSE SUBS AWARDS $30,000 GRANT
Fire Chief James Harris said the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has awarded Chiefland one set of Hurst extrication tools including cutter, spreader, ram and accessories valued at $30,813.The city’s Belinda Wilkerson wrote the grant multiple times with the hope of securing the money. This time the grant was awarded.
Extrication equipment is used to free accident victims from their vehicles. Fire Chief James Harris said Firehouse Subs, a restaurant sandwich company, will make a direct purchase of the extrication equipment and give it to the city.
Harris said the battery operated extrication equipment will allow firefighters to set up faster without hoses and cut the victims loose quicker. The new extrication equipment can cut through the metal of all cars. “This will greatly enhance lifesaving at the scene,” Harris said. “This will cut all metals. We’re fortunate to get it.”
ANNEXATION COMMITTEE
Commissioner Rollin Hudson agreed to serve on the city’s now dormant annexation committee after it is revived. He wants to explore the possibility of annexing some vacant land. He is interested only in voluntary annexation.
The old annexation committee was mothballed when there was no more use for its services. The late Mayor Teal Pomeroy, who died in a diving accident on the Suwannee River, was one of the annexation committee members.
Hudson said he will try to find people willing to serve on the committee. He didn’t say where the vacant land was located that he felt has potential for annexation.
City of Chiefland Regular Meeting August 13, 2018
Posted August 13, 2018
