It started with a comment at a work session and ended with a bunch of visitors at the regular meeting of the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners.
Item 10 on the work session’s new business agenda Wednesday morning, July 13, was, “Discussion and possible action on suspending River Outfitters License.”
“OK, this is going to be an interesting one,” said Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris.
Complaints were lodged with Paris including pictures and videos concerning the river takeout area owned and managed by the county off Mulkey Road.
He wrote an email to both outfitters.
“The gist of that email was basically that I’m tired of the fight, and I don’t plan to keep fighting it,” he said. “They either do what they are supposed to do, or my position would be we suspend their license, and if they still don’t do what they are supposed to do, we just revoke their license.”
Since he wrote the email, Paris said he has visited the takeout area several times and there have been no problems.
“The impression that I have is that they have kind of cleaned up their act,” he said.
He left the item on the agenda to officially notify the outfitters.
Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson said she agreed with his sentiment. She said it was on the outfitters to follow the rules.
She did note the county had not been able to have a deputy at the takeout because of personnel shortages.
Paris said a lot of his time has been spent dealing with issues at the takeout area.
“So, I’m just using this as an opportunity just to officially say that as far as I am concerned, you can follow the rules or you can shut the doors,” he said.
Outfitters are supposed to keep track of how many people use their services and pay the county a $1 fee. The money is used to maintain the takeout area.
Paris said one outfitter dropped a box of forms at the county office and said they were not going to count them.
“That will never happen again, ever,” he said.
At the regular meeting the next evening, the outfitters and supporters showed up to the meeting.
Paris summed up his position again.
“It is as simple as this, obey the rules, make sure your customers obey the rules, and nobody is going to stop anything,” he said. “I don’t want it shut down. I want people to come to Gilmer County and have a good time.”
Tripp Janssen of Cartecay River Experience asked commissioners why there is always a threat to their business. He said one home owner at the takeout area is responsible for the majority of the complaints.
Another man who identified himself as a homeowner agreed when speaking later.
Paris said with pictures and videos of people blocking driveways and being rude to a homeowner it did not matter, the rules were still being broken.
Janssen said there were two sides to every story.
He proposed working with the board and offered to pay half the salary for some sort of guard to be at the takeout on weekends.
Paris said this was a step in the right direction, and the board would consider the proposal.
Max Frady said he was skeptical at first, but the ‘no coolers’ rule has improved the trash on the river tenfold. He said it is a struggle to keep everyone in line, but the outfitters work hard to make customers aware of the signs.
“We want everybody to have a good time,” he said.
Paris said if everything continues as it has the last two weeks, the outfitters will not hear anything from him.
Other business
Commissioners were told the engineering is done for the proposed pool construction at the civic center. They voted to bid the project as soon as the documents are ready.
Commissioners awarded the bid for HVAC replacement at the courthouse to QT Contracting doing business as Powers Heating and Air for $785,777. The vote was unanimous.