Budget, Tax, Bonds, Parks, Land, Water, Waste, 911 @ LCC 2018-06-25

A

busy morning’s agenda

starts with approving

a new annual budget
and related

hotel and motel taxes
.
Plus a
Contract with Valdosta Continuing Land Bank Authority.

Parks and Rec is negotiating a $3 million loan from Ameris Bank for improvements to Freedom Park and wants

the county to guarantee its 1.25 mil tax base
.

Utilities wants

about $20,000 for impellers and wear rings
for the pumps in the

Francis Lake Lift Station
and about $275,000 to improve the

Land Application Site (LAS)
, where they spray sewer waste onto a field
which they then rent out for hay production (the county does not have a wastewater treatment plant).
See also WWALS blog post.

The mysterious

out-of-state apartment bonds

actually get an explanation this time:

The Board of Commissioners is requested to adopt the attached
revised Resolution approving the issuance of bonds by a Wisconsin
Public Finance Authority. A portion of the proceeds of the bonds
will be used for a project located on Old Statenville Road. The
project is a 204-unit multi-family affordable housing development
known as Brittany Woods & Park Chase Apartments.


1110 and 1150 Old Statenville Road, Map


1150 Old Statenville Road, Parcel 0159D 014,

The reason for this revised Resolution is

that the borrower
determined to finance all of a multi-state project with tax-exempt
bonds. This necessitated a new TEFRA hearing and Resolution of the
Board of Commissioners.

The requested Resolution provides the Board of Commissioners’
approval of the Authority’s issuance of the bonds is for the sole
purpose of complying with certain requirements including federal tax
requirements and that in no event shall the Board of Commissioners’
approval constitute an obligation on the part of the Board of
Commissioners or Lowndes County.

But what’s TEFRA?

Glossary of Municipal Securities Terms
, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB):

TEFRA

Acronym for “Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act”
of 1982. As a pre-condition for the exclusion from gross income for
federal income tax purposes of interest on all qualified private
activity bonds, TEFRA requires, among other things, that the issue
be approved (a “TEFRA approval”) either by an elected
official or body of elected officials of the applicable governmental
entity after a public hearing (a “TEFRA hearing”)
following reasonable public notice (a “TEFRA notice”) or
by voter referendum of such governmental entity.

So the county is facilitating a tax break for a private developer.
Who is this developer, and why are they getting this favor?

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2018, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2018, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order

  2. Invocation

  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

  4. Minutes for Approval

    1. Work Session- June 11, 2018

    2. Regular Session- June 12, 2018
  5. For Consideration

    1. Adoption of Fiscal Year 2019 Budget

      Board’s Pleasure

      Documents:Adoption of Fiscal Year 2019 Budget.pdf

    2. Hotel/Motel Tax FY 2019 County Budget

      1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to sign the attached County Budget Plan

      Documents:Hotel Motel Tax FY 2019 County Budget.pdf

    3. Lowndes County 911 Additions and Alterations: New Consoles for the 911 Dispatchers

      Approval of console purchase

      Documents:Lowndes County 911 Additions and Alterations.pdf

    4. Wisconsin Public Finance Authority Bond Issue

      Approval of Resolution 

      Documents:Wisconsin Public Finance Authority Bond Issue.pdf

    5. Contract with Parks and Recreation Authority

      Approval of contract

      Documents:Contract with Parks and Recreation Authority.pdf

    6. Contract with Valdosta Continuing Land Bank Authority

      Approval of contract

      Documents:Contract with Valdosta Continuing Land Bank Authority.pdf

    7. Francis Lake Lift Station Repair

       Approval of purchase/repair

      Documents:Francis Lake Lift Station Repair.pdf

  6. Bid

    1. LAS Storage Pond Improvements

      Award the contract

      Documents:LAS Storage Pond Improvements.pdf

  7. Reports – County Manager

  8. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address

  9. Adjournment

-jsq

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