Gilmer County commissioners authorized the purchase of a fire truck as part of a loaded calendar of items.
A split vote was taken to purchase the truck with Post Commissioner Hubert Parker voting against the acquisition.
The discussion ranged over a special called meeting Jan. 2, a work session on Jan. 10 and a regular meeting where the vote was taken on Jan. 11.
“We have quite an aging fleet,” said Gilmer County Fire Chief Daniel Kauffman.
He told commissioners the average age of the fleet is 17 years.
A sticking point on the purchase of the truck was it being bought as a ‘demo’ or used truck instead of being bought through a bidding process.
Battalion Chief Jason Bryant said the advantages of buying this truck were the department would not have to wait 24 to 30 months and between $70,000 to $100,000 would be saved.
He said the truck would cost $585,000 and would be ready February or March.
“We will be under budget,” he said.
Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris endorsed the purchase, saying taxpayers should see it as a good thing since the department was able to take delivery sooner and under budget.
Post Commissioner John Marshall was initially skeptical of the no-bid process. He relented in the end.
“It’s a seller’s market,” he said. “I am going to go along with it.”
Parker’s opposition stemmed from circumventing the bidding process. He said even though it was legally justifiable, he was not sure it was the right thing to do.
Revenue Recovery
Commissioners voted to sign a contract with a company called Revenue Recovery, an offshoot of the Gilmer County ambulance services current billing service, for debt collection.
They were told by Chief Kauffman and his team there were “hundreds of thousand of dollars” in outstanding debts for ambulance transports by the county.
Commissioners voiced concerns about going after citizens who were having trouble paying or who were indigent. They also questioned why insurance companies did not pay directly.
The board was told the department would exercise discretion in their collections and would work with people who needed help paying.
A main target, Kauffman and his team said, was Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield customers were reimbursed for ambulance services directly but did not pay their bill.
Revenue Recovery will charge 28 percent of the recovered amount for their services.
LMIG money
Commissioners decided the counties request for Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) from the state next year will be aimed at replacing a bridge on Bucktown Road near Tickanetley Road.
Paris said LMIG money usually comes in around $1 million which will line up with estimates to replace the bridge.
Qualifying fees
Commissioners approved qualifying fees for county offices, which by law are percentages of the pay.
It will cost candidates $1,897 to run for superior court clerk, probate judge or tax commissioner.
Running for sheriff will cost $2,318. Filing for magistrate will cost $1,935.
Filing for the office of coroner is $1,075.
Entering the race for Gilmer County chair is set at $2,550, while filing for the post commissioner seats will be $459.
Board of education seats filing fees will be $144.
Other business
﹣ Paris told the board the pool has finally passed a leak test. The next step is for the pool to be drained and a coating applied, which requires a day of 40 degree weather.
﹣ A crypto mining moratorium proposed by Paris died for lack of a second.
﹣ Possible protocols for the upcoming town hall about a proposed rec center were discussed, including the provision that commissioners do not respond to speakers, but let everyone their voice and setting a time limit for each speaker.