TOWN OF TALLULAH FALLS
STATE OF GEORGIA
WORK SESSION
April 4, 2019
MINUTES
The work session for April 4, 2019 of the Town Council of Tallulah Falls, Georgia was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Mayor Dobbs.
PRESENT: Mayor Teri Dobbs
Councilperson Deb Goatcher Councilperson Larry Hamilton
Councilperson Mary Beth Hughes
Councilperson Carol Nelms
Town Clerk Linda Lapeyrouse
Police Chief Tonya Elrod
Water Operator Bill Goatcher
OTHERS PRESENT: Bill Powell, Georgia Rural Water Association
See attached sign-in sheet
Mayor Dobbs welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Mayor Dobbs asked for a motion to approve the agenda. The motion was made by Councilperson Nelms, seconded by Councilperson Hughes and unanimously approved.
Mayor Dobbs introduced Bill Powell from the Georgia Rural Water Association. Mr. Powell explained the difference in a water audit and a business plan. Water audits track unaccounted water or water lost and unbilled. A business plan makes sure a utility runs like a business. Mr. Powell has prepared a Water Business Plan for the Town of Tallulah Falls which assesses the management component of the water system and the financial component for running the water system. Mr. Powell has met with Bill Goatcher, Mayor Dobbs, Councilperson Hamilton and consultant Willard Ferguson in preparing the plan.
Mr. Powell then reviewed the Business Plan with the community and answered questions. A proposed rate structure to get the Town to an anticipated break-even point was presented using an annual budget of $64,000. With the proposed rate structure, the average household that uses 2,400 gallons in a month would pay $43.90 instead of the $23.00 or $30.00 they are currently paying (depending on whether they are on the mountain or in the main part of town). The proposed minimum bill would be $31.00 and would be billed in incremental steps based on total usage. All residential households would be billed using the same rate structure. The park’s usage is equivalent to approximately 50 households and would be billed on an ERU basis.
The Mayor and Council want to educate the public and hear from the community. The General Fund has been subsidizing the Water Fund over the last six years by $48,000 – $58,000. This means that taxpayers who are not water customers are helping to fund the water system. Although everyone receives the benefit of fire protection, there are many places where fire hydrants aren’t usable, or water lines are undersized. ISO ratings are also 9 in some areas of the town. In order to pursue any grants or loans to improve the system, the Town’s water system will have to be self-supporting.
Mayor Dobbs stated that no vote will be considered until June. A public hearing to receive comments from the community will be held on May 9, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. in place of the normal work session.
Mayor Dobbs thanked Mr. Powell for his work on the Business Plan, including his numerous meetings with the Town and his driving back and forth from Brunswick, GA at no cost to the community.
A motion to adjourn was made by Councilperson Nelms. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Goatcher and unanimously approved.
The work session adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
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Teri Dobbs, Mayor
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Linda Lapeyrouse, Clerk