At a meeting where commissioners dealt with several issues, the board locked in an asphalt paving contract for 2022.
Colditz Trucking Inc. was awarded a bid of $2,975,177 for paving all or portions of Legion Road, Flat Branch Road, Roberts Ridge Road, Turniptown Road and Mulkey Road.
Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris said the board suffered sticker shock when the bids were initially opened.
“We hadn’t anticipated it being that high,” he said.
Originally, commissioners has set aside $1.5 million for asphalt paving.
At the work session, Post Commissioner Hubert Parker asked for estimates for what revenues were last year since the county is waiting on an audit report.
“I feel like I am playing with half a deck here,” he said.
Commissioners used some American Recovery Plan Act of 2021 to pay some wages for emergency personnel in last year’s budget. Parker said some of the money should be available in excess revenue.
Paris suggested paying for the bridge replacements for Rock Creek Road with ARPA funds as well, instead of the $1.5 million set aside for paving.
At the regular meeting, Paris said they estimated they would have enough in revenue which carried over from 2021 to execute the asphalt contract.
Paris pointed out some other roads would be paved by the county road department with tar and chip instead of asphalt.
Buckhorn POA
Gilmer commissioners agreed to let a decade long agreement with Buckhorn POA, located near Whitepath golf course, for a small park at the entrance to the area expire.
The POA had leased the park for $10 a month, Paris said.
Commissioners had two reasons for letting the agreement expire, he said. First, the golf course needs to relocate a tee box on the park grounds.
Second, some visitors and golfers who stopped at the park were being told to leave by members of the POA.
“It left a bad taste,” Paris said.
When the agreement expires in July, the park will be run and maintained by the county.
“It really shouldn’t affect (the POA) for what they use it for,” he said. “They can still use it, they just can’t tell other people they can’t use it.”
Lodging tax
Commissioners passed the final reading of the hotel and motel lodging tax.
Due to some ambiguous language, the tax will go into effect on Aug. 1 instead of July 1.
With the vote, Gilmer’s hotel/motel tax, or short-term lodging tax, will move from 5 percent to 8 percent.
As far as most guests are concerned, it should be an extra $8 to $9 on their bill, Paris said previously. A 3 percent increase on a $300 expenditure is $9.
Estimating the county’s revenue, using the 8 percent lodging tax and with the chamber percentage dropping to 45 percent, Gilmer County would receive an estimated $1.6 million, Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jennifer Grimmer said at a January meeting. Roughly $500,000 would go toward tourism product development.
“The chamber will not benefit in any way from this increase and in fact will have less tax income and more restrictions, which the chamber feels is fair and timely given the increase of short-term rentals in Gilmer County,” said Grimmer at the January meeting. “To be clear, the chamber is not asking for increased funding. The chamber supports getting a far less percentage of the lodging tax and is happy to work with the county on those details going forward.”