Lake Santeetlah – The town council approved an annual budget for the new fiscal year that starts July 1, a spending plan that retains funding for zoning in the community, doesn’t raise taxes and keeps water rates the same.
The council approved the budget on a 3-2 vote, a frequent split with Mayor Connie Gross, Vice Mayor Ralph Mitchell and Finance Officer Tina Emerson in the majority, and members Diana Simon and Jim Hager in the minority.
The central, most contentious issue in the budget – one that drew more than 80 property owners to a budget workshop held via Zoom in May – was whether the town should continue to have zoning control building and development in the town.
An overwhelming majority of property owners have expressed support for continued zoning, but Emerson has argued that the town can’t afford a properly qualified zoning administrator on its payroll.
During the May public hearing, some residents suggested that the town contract out for zoning administration case by case, and the proposal gained enough traction to get $6,000 included in the final budget. Although Simon and Hager could proclaim that as a win, there were enough smaller issues for them to vote against the budget, anyway.
The June 9 council meeting started typically for Town of Lake Santeetlah meetings, with someone calling for someone to resign or be removed from office. This time it was resident Jack Gross, husband of the mayor, calling for Simon to step down as chairman of the town’s Tourism Development Authority over an allegation of conflict of interest.
Next, the council opened the only bid for a Polaris Ranger that the town had declared surplus. The town advertised for bids one week longer than required, but still received just one bid – from Jack Gross, for the minimum bid of $9,000. Disposition of the utility vehicle had been its own minor town controversy, with some council members arguing – unsuccessfully – that relatives of council members should not be permitted to bid.
Hanging over the entire council is a filing with the Graham County Board of Elections contesting votes from the November 2021 election that put Gross, Mitchell and Emerson in office. That issue remains unresolved.
All that would seem to set the stage for another contentious discussion about the budget, but that’s not what happened. Although there were some questions about various parts of the budget, the discussions were civil and the vote, though split, was unremarkable.
“Thank you, Tina. I think we have an approved budget,” Mayor Gross said following the vote.
While zoning remains in force, the town’s Tourism Development Authority was left unfunded. Simon reported that the TDA has $28,797 in the bank and work is continuing to refurbish the town’s main entrance. But bed taxes will no longer be collected and once TDA’s fund balance is exhausted, there won’t be any more funds coming in.
The town council’s next meet will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14 via Zoom. A link to the Zoom meeting will be posted on the town’s website, townoflakesanteetlah.org, by the week of the meeting.