Politics & Government
Prepaid Wireless Customers to Pay 911 Fees
The Georgia Department of Revenue will begin collecting the 75 cent surcharge for prepaid phones and minute cards on Jan. 1, 2012 and start dispersing funds to Oconee County on Oct. 1, 2012.
What: July Regular Meeting
Where: Commission Chambers, second floor of
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What you need to know:
1. An ordinance imposing a 911 surcharge on prepaid wireless services was approved. ADDITION (July. 14) The ordinance was based on HB 256 passed earlier this year by the Georgia General Assembly. An additional 75 cent charge will be added to all prepaid cellular devices and prepaid minute cards, and the funds will go towards supporting the local 911 Call Center. The Georgia Department of Revenue will begin fee collection on Jan. 1, 2012 and start distributing funds back to the county on Oct. 1, 2012. Chairman Melvin Davis noted that the 911 Call Center will still continue to run at a significant deficit after the ordinance is instated. County Attorney Daniel Haygood said he will be notifying all Oconee County cities to adopt the provision to begin relegating these funds. Wireless customers who receive monthly bills already pay similar fees.
Find out what's happening in Oconeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
2. Special Exception Variance Request No. 6064 by Christopher Demsky was denied. Demsky, located on Pleasant Hill Road and Pleasant Court, wished to make an exception to the front yard building setback required for an accessory building to construct a shed for additional storage. Krista Gridley, Planner at the Oconee County Planning Department, demonstrated that the current plan meets standards required for a special acceptance variance request. However, Commissioners voted against the measure after Demsky’s neighbor, Ron Clark, protested that the building does not meet county setback requirement and expressed concern that the atypical building would reduce property value within the neighborhood.
3. The Board made the following appointments:
Cultural Affairs and Tourism Committee: Steve Nedza and Scott Norris
Land Use and Transportation Committee: Diane Border, Maria Caudill, Courtney Gail, Bill Tollner, Flynn Warren
Planning Commission: Chuck Steen, Bill Yarbrough
Recreational Affairs Committee: Terri Ash, Mark Collins, Leslie Hunsinger
Applicants had been interviewed at the .
4. Items on the consent agenda, including the renewal of the Fiscal Year 2012 Property and Liability Insurance and the amendments and revisions to the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, were approved.
What’s next: Commissioners will hold an agenda-setting meeting on July 26.