TIFTON, Ga. — In a letter to the county, the City of Tifton has outlined plans to cancel the interlocal agreement between the city and county concerning water and wastewater services.

This decision to cancel the inter-local agreement between the city and county was discussed at Monday’s Tift County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The termination of the agreement would go into effect March 19, 2018.

County attorney Tony Rowell advised to board to approach the cancellation “in a way that doesn’t otherwise interrupt service for citizens.”

The letter states that the City of Tifton is “obligated to continue servicing both City and County current water and sewer customers” until an updated delivery agreement is decided on.

The letter states that the city’s water service would be extended to county customers “unless otherwise directed.”

The letter goes on to state the need for the city and county to divide assets purchased with enterprise and/or SPLOST funds pertaining to water and wastewater services, as well as money in the joint enterprise fund.

Board members authorized Rowell and county manager Jim Carter to “initiate and advance service delivery negotiations” with the city, including “any and all outstanding issues with fire, roads, water and sewer.”

T-SPLOST

The Tift County Board of Commissioners continued discussing T-SPLOST Monday evening.

For the region-wide T-SPLOST to be put on the ballot, the majority of the region’s 18 counties would have to pass resolutions supporting it.

“As of tonight, seven counties were in favor,” said Carter.

The seven counties who have passed resolutions so far are: Atkinson, Ben Hill, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Echols and Irwin counties.

To get a regional T-SPLOST on the ballot, 10 of the 18 counties in the region would have to send letters of resolution by April.

With Carter expecting at least 10 counties in the region to pass letters of support, he advised the board to hold off on voting themselves.

“My recommendation is we don’t have to do anything until April,” said Carter. “Let’s take a wait and see approach.

“It could end up on the ballot whether this board passes a resolution or not.”

Unlike normal SPLOST funds, which must be spent on capital improvements, T-SPLOST funds can be used in other budget areas, according to Carter.

“I haven’t seen a complete list of what would be allowed,” said Carter. “It allows for more flexibility. There’s more leeway for counties to manage it than previously allowed.”

Road projects

The board approved the Reames and Son Construction $1,736,339 bid for upcoming paving projects. County staff have recommended resurfacing the following: JR Wynn (2.2 miles); Bellflower (2.5 miles); Walker Mt. Olive (2.7 miles); Ty Ty Sparks, south section (4.5 miles); and patching a few areas on Brighton Road, Old Ocilla Road and Ferry Lake Road.

There were two other bidders for the project:; Reeves Construction ($1,816,534); The Scruggs Company ($1,997,361).

A little more than $1 million of the project will come from SPLOST funds and $654,698 will comes from Georgia Department of Transportation.

Alcohol license

Commission members denied a beer and wine license for Mukesh Parmar, owner of the EZ Trip Convenience Store in Belltown.

The Tift County Sheriff’s Office recommended the commission deny the license due to a past incident where Parmar sold alcohol to a minor.

“I sold beer to an underage person by mistake,” Parmar told commission members March 7 at their workshop meeting. “I didn’t see his ID. I won’t do it again.”

“After we talked about it, I called and talked to the sheriff about the application,” said Robert Setters. “Sheriff had some serious reservations about the application. He expounded on two or three different parts. Based on my conversation with the sheriff, I’m going to make a motion we deny.”

The county commission also:

• approved a beer and wine license for Ravi Thakkar, owner of Chula General Store.

• appointed Alice Holiday Archie to serve on the Tift County Board of Health as advocate for needy, underprivileged or elderly persons.

• renewed Alapaha River Coon Club’s property lease agreement at 3390 Chula Brookfield Road and 3392 Chula Brookfield Road.