Clarkesville and Cornelia are catching a break on animal control costs this year thanks to a newly negotiated agreement with the county.
The agreement is based on a new funding formula that takes into account how much each municipality in Habersham contributes to the county tax digest. As a result of that formula, Clarkesville and Cornelia are slated to get animal control services provided this year at no additional cost.
Habersham implemented the formula after Baldwin voiced its concerns over the cost of animal control services.
No more ‘double taxation’
Baldwin leaders claimed their residents were being “double taxed” because they pay city and county taxes. They argued a portion of those county tax dollars should be applied to help cover the cost of animal control services.
Habersham County Finance Director Tim Sims says the county discussed the matter with Baldwin at great length and had preliminary discussions with the other cities in Habersham. Those discussions began late last spring. The county distributed the intergovernmental agreements in December.
Because the formula is based on how much a municipality contributes to the overall county digest, the county considers that Clarkesville and Cornelia have, effectively, already paid for the service. Other municipalities will pay significantly less this year than in the past, with the exception of Alto. Their fee increased by $214.66.
Alto and Baldwin are unique given that a portion of their property owners are in Banks County and do not contribute to the Habersham County digest. However, the IGA stipulates that Habersham County will service the corporate limits of both cities, including the Banks County side. Banks County does not offer animal control.
Under the new formula, Baldwin’s animal control fee went from $30,531 to $18,455. Mt. Airy will save nearly $5,000 on its animal control costs, and Demorest’s fee was reduced by nearly $3,600.
The Clarkesville City Council approved its new animal control intergovernmental agreement (IGA) at its meeting on January 8. Alto and Cornelia approved their agreements the following day.
Baldwin, Demorest, and Mt. Airy have yet to approve their IGAs.
According to Habersham County Finance Manager Tim Sims, “There will be no impact to Animal Control Services based upon the new formula. It is just a more fair way of calculating the fees.” He adds, “The only reduction of service that would occur is if the remaining cities choose not to approve the IGA thus [that] would stop us from performing those duties in those city limits.”
