The Gainesville Times details pissed-off Flowery Branch residents who might have higher water/sewer rates soon:
Residents protested in late 2008 after a proposed fee schedule would have doubled sewer rates for residents in the Sterling on the Lake, Village at Deaton Creek and Reunion communities. The change would have meant going from a flat rate to one based on usage at $9.87 per 100 cubic feet.
In January, the commission voted to maintain the current rate structure of $42 per month through the end of 2009
The residents in these communities are the ONLY ones on the new South Hall system. This increase would only affect these residents. Simply put, these folks have to pay for the increased infrastructure that benefits them- and them alone.
Flowery Branch Councilman Chris Fetterman says this on his blog:
For all the citizens of Flowery Branch and South Hall County who are on the Hall County Sewer – well – your County Commissioner Bobby Banks has screwed you. He has allowed a rate structure to be presented that will increase your sewer rates to a point that is not even close to being inline with surrounding communities. That is irresponsible and I hope you all are prepared to show up and speak out when the commissioners vote on this.
Again, please note, the rate increase only affects the most exclusive neighborhoods in south Hall- Sterling on the Lake, Village at Deaton Creek and Reunion communities. Again, they are getting increased service, so it seems fitting that they should pay for the infrastructure needed to provide it.
The options are:
- Keep these elite Flowery Branch subdivisions from paying the increased rate and jeopardize the financial health of Hall’s water system.
- Make these subdivisions pay for the increased service.
- Distribute the cost among all south Hall residents- although they are not connected to the Hall system.
Hall Commissioner Bobby Banks has voted for the increase for these three communities, and Fetterman warns:
Well Bobby…Remember, it is election year and you need a good deed to tell the voters.
I guess you have an uphill battle winning over your constituent’s trust in the future.
How about this, Fetterman? Why don’t you move your neighborhoods to the Flowery Branch system and the problem would be solved?
Oh, you don’t wanna pay the taxes to do that either? Big surprise.
Resident Phyllis Mercer had the money quote:
“At some point they need to figure out a way that more than 1,800 (residents) pay for this,” Mercer said.
True. But Fetterman seems to advocate either not paying at all…or get all of south Hall to pay for the increased service that he so richly enjoys.
December 14, 2009 at 2:20 pm
The Flowery Branch City Council is controlled by residents within the rather posh and exclusive communities.
It was a sweetheart deal to build the extra sewage and water lines for the developer. Now the developer is gone. So goes the sweetheart deal.
I like Bobby Banks and respect him. He should make the users pay for what they use. If the users don’t like the bill, let them move. No one forced them to buy a million dollar home in Flowery Branch. And no one is putting a gun to the heads to buy clean water.
December 14, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Oh where do I begin?
I guess I will start with your first statement on your blog that you are misinformed on,
“The residents in these communities (Sterling on the Lake, Village at Deaton Creek and Reunion) are the ONLY ones on the new South Hall system. This increase would only affect these residents. Simply put, these folks have to pay for the increased infrastructure that benefits them- and them alone”.
So I guess that will be all that the Hall County sewer system will support and there will not be any other business or homes put on the system and the $46 million plus Hall County paid for the plant and putting infrastructure in the ground, along side the Braselton system that flows in opposite direction I might add, makes sense to you. $46 million / 1800 homes is – well you are so smart figure out the debt per home on that.
The second ignorant quote, and I take this personal, is,
“Why don’t you move your neighborhoods to the Flowery Branch system and the problem would be solved”?
Well you stepped into it. If your lazy butt would research instead of open your mouth and spill out lies, here are the facts:
· Per HB 489, it did belong to Flowery Branch, prior to the Flowery Branch December10, 2008 council meeting, when the majority of our soon to be former majority, gave away Sterling on the Lake from the Flowery Branch sewer district to Hall County – well that answers your above question.
But there is more:
· Page 1 – the Mayor requests the Spout Springs Reclamation Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) be removed and two council members object.
· Pages 2 – 5 myself and Councilman Lutz debate with the majority of the council, during the meeting to keep Sterling on th Lake in our district.
· Pages 8 – 10 there are several motions to postpone the vote and more pleas to the majority of the council to protect the citizens of Flowery Branch who live in Sterling on the Lake as well as all in South Hall County.
Well I guess as usual you kind of feel – well – STUPID. You have made comments without the facts. I cannot understand how you have a blog that you are unable to tell the truth with.
One can only assume you are a fan of socialized medicine, higher taxes, ending the War on Terror without victory, and “press 2 for spanish”.
Sir, I can only say you are not even in my class for debate. I would love to meet you on The Martha Zeller show and debate whatever you would like, but as you are with your blog, you would not show your true identity.
As I tell all my friends and constituates, I am here to serve you and I will not hold back what I have to say and if you vote me out when I run again, I will leave quitely. Well, thus far it appears they like me and if for your information, I am up for reelection in 2 years. That gives you time to prepare.
One last thing. If I start using Latin – you are in big trouble. Is that close enough to Spanish?
December 14, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I guees your site will not allow others to put links, but here is the link to the December 10, 2008 meeting where Councilman Lutz and myself tried to prevent Hall County from taking over part of Flowery Branch.s sewer district. http://www.flowerybranchga.org/include/citycouncil/2008/12-10-08cm2.pdf
December 14, 2009 at 10:11 pm
[...] Leave a Comment Councilman Fetterman responds in the comments where we took him to task over his role in increased sewer rates in Flowery Branch. His full explanation is reprinted [...]