The Bradley County Commission on Monday voted 7-6 against a proposed 10-cent property tax increase to fund new construction at Lake Forest Middle School.
The commission also voted to examine the possibility of providing county pickup service for stray animals.
During the Animal Control Committee meeting which preceded the regular commission meeting, Commissioner Thomas Crye said it is becoming increasingly evident that the county is going to have to address the issue of stray animals and, in all likelihood, begin providing pickup service, though that is not an obligated county responsibility.
He said the options available to the commission were to either reach an agreement with Cleveland city to provide these services for the county, provide additional funding to the SPCA, or assign the role to law enforcement.
He also made the point that in any case the sheriff’s department should begin to issue citations for non-compliance with the leash laws.
According to Commissioner Crye, the county received 558 calls in the last year regarding animal control issues, while Cleveland received 1,312.
Commissioner Dan Rawls said that one of his first priorities is to limit the expansion of government and that in his opinion the county has no business being involved with this issue.
He also suggested that if the county were to move ahead with providing this pickup service that it should begin work on the most fiscally responsible option.
However, in the commission meeting afterward, Vice Chairman Jeff Yarber expressed the opinion that it had been foolish to abandon the animal control contract Bradley previously had with Cleveland in years before. He then suggested a resolution to explore pickup options be modified to include a formal request to Cleveland city that would be sent first in order to discuss a possible joint solution.
This was approved unanimously after Commissioner Rawls said that previous attempts at negotiation with Cleveland had been unsuccessful and that the original contract with the city had been excessively expensive for the county.
The proposed property tax increase for the LFMS replacement was rejected after a lengthy discussion and comments from multiple commissioners about whether the increased revenue was needed, and if it was needed, when the tax should be implemented.
One of those in support of the increase, Commissioner Bill Winters said, “None of us at this table set out to do taxes, but this would allow us to say ‘yes’ more than we say no.”
He also said, “I’m going to lose this vote, I understand that, but the person who’s really going to lose is the sixth grader going to Lake Forest. We are responsible to take care of the people we represent.”
Concerns about the campus condition have been voiced to the commission several times in the past few months, mostly related to persistent water damage and other maintenance issues.
However, several members of the commission articulated their opinions that the proposed tax increase was unnecessary until next year, if necessary even then, and that no real benefits would be seen from that increased revenue until that time.
Commissioner Charlotte Peak said, “Nobody is going to benefit or not this year from an increase. There’s no reason to burden taxpayers now.”
Commissioner Rawls was in agreement with Commissioner Peak and said that their responsibility was to the taxpayers. He also said that whenever the County Commission deviates from its long-term plan for funding projects that mistakes are made and problems arise.
The vote tabled discussion for now, but also allows the issue to be revisited next Monday, if and when a commissioner brings the issue back. Commissioners Winters and Crye both said they expect to bring up the tax increase next week.
The commission also voted to begin taking action concerning what some have deemed an inappropriate usage of the county crest by local firefighters in an ad they ran in the Cleveland Daily Banner on June 7.
Commissioner Rawls has previously stated that he found the unauthorized usage of the crest by a group of citizens to be a real problem and suggested that official policies regarding its usage be re-examined to determine the best course of action in such situation. The resolution was passed unanimously.