A plan to nearly double the fee for collecting dry trash and yard debris in the unincorporated area has failed again after a vote Friday by the Chatham County Commission.
Commissioners voted 4-4 on a motion to raise the solid waste fee for dry trash from $43 to $85 per year for single-family residences.
The tie vote means the measure failed, but the issue will likely come up again at the next meeting when all commissioners are present, said Chairman Al Scott.
Commissioners Helen Stone, Patrick Farrell, Lori Brady and Dean Kicklighter voted against the measure. Commissioner Priscilla Thomas was absent during voting.
For years, the dry trash matter has come before the commission, which has more than three times declined to raise the fee.
Initially, commissioners were scheduled to vote on one motion to raise the fee for dry trash, along with increases to water and sewer rates and recreation fees.
But as a sign of just how contentious the matter remains, commissioners voted beforehand to separate the dry trash fee vote from the other fee increases, which were approved in a separate 6-2 vote. Brady and Kicklighter voted against those increases.
The atmosphere in the commission meeting room evolved into the surreal when Kicklighter gave a lengthy and passion-filled speech against the dry trash fee hike and then made a motion to deny the increase, before withdrawing the motion.
Then Commissioner Tony Center called for a vote to table the issue. After the 4-4 tie, Kicklighter called for another vote to approve raising the fee, which ultimately failed.
Those in the room, including other commissioners, scratched their heads in confusion.
“I’m getting an Excedrin headache,” said County Manager Russ Abolt.
Those who opposed the dry trash fee hike argued that unincorporated area customers in the Special Service District who pay the fees are already burdened with paying taxes county-wide on top of taxes for the district. Farrell, in prepared remarks, again called for the special tax district to be dissolved.
In his speech, Kicklighter suggested the fee increase is simply a covert attempt to fund police expenditures, which he said is where most SSD revenues go.
“This will do nothing but further subsidize crime fighting in the city of Savannah at the expense of the unincorporated area,” Kicklighter said.
But Abolt and others on the side of the increase said dry trash service has a self-supporting fee that needs to reflect costs related to providing services for subscribers.
Commissioners also voted 8-0 in favor of raising health insurance premiums for county employees and requiring them to have worked a minimum of 10 years to be eligible for benefits in retirement.
Michael Savidakis, construction manager with the Arizona-based Hunt Construction Group, gave commissioners an update on local business participation in the county’s jail expansion project. He reported that local participation is about 71.5 percent, which translates to an estimated $50 million awarded to businesses based in the county.
He also said the majority of the project’s work is now in the renovation phase of the existing jail.
However, Commissioner Yusuf Shabazz, who has worked as a civil engineer, questioned Savidakis about allegations that some local sub-contractors on the project have not been treated fairly.
Savidakis said six to 10 surety bonds have been issued to cover missteps by sub-contractors and assured that sub-contractors are getting paid after a few commissioners raised concerns.
MORE ON CHATHAM COUNTY COMMISSION
In other business before the county commission:
• Commissioners approved Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council grants for $193,264 to the Savannah-Chatham County Drug Court, $41,664 to the Chatham County DUI Court, $61,261 to the Chatham-Savannah Mental Health Court and $69,363 to the Chatham-Savannah Veterans Treatment Court.
• Chatham Youth Commission graduates were recognized, including Alexis Parker, Briana Polite, Nia Dawson, Lydia Peay, Briana Adams, Wynter Benyard, Emily Bermudez, Marcus Brown, Shakira Bush, Jared Grant, Mikelyn Green, Claire Hammond, Greg Mortimer and Tyhira Williams.
• Chatham Apprentice Program graduates were recognized, including Micheal Brown, Sammie Scott, Jason Brown, Abdul Al-Hamid, Roger Walker, Rakem Washington, Shamar Ashley, Antione Wilson, Horace Walker, Anthony Moultrie, Nathaniel Steplight, Timothy Mitchell, Alma Woodhouse, Adrianne Brownfield, Brittinie Dehar, Paul Santos, Shaun Barnes and Stanley Baldwin.