Banks County Sheriff Charles Chapman said on Monday he has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to look into complaints he has received about the Banks County Board of Commissioners reducing water bills for some county residents.
“Due to complaints to me on the actions of the Banks County Commissioners involving the reduction of some of the water bills without authority, I have consulted with the GBI and requested that they look into the matter to determine if a crime has been committed and if so I have requested them to investigate,” he said.
Six Banks Countians had their water bills reduced even though the issue never was voted on or brought before the full five-member board of commission.
An Open Records Request from The Banks County News revealed that $4,168 in water fees had been removed. Documents from the water department note that two of the adjustments were made at the request of board of commission chairman Milton Dalton. The documents show that the other four adjustments were made “per commissioners” but doesn’t specify which commissioner.
Four of the overdue water bills date to July 2009, while two are from February 2010. The four from 2009 were for Carole F. Rylee, Gillsville. The two for February of this year were for Blake Thomas and Harold Watkins.
Water and sewer is an enterprise fund not tax payers money !If Georgia power(samething enterprise fund) reduces your neighbors bill because of an error( and it's happened) is Chapman going to call the GBI ?
Pull your collective heads out your backsides starting with main street news and do some research !
Elected officials need to be careful when they anger the voters because their dirty laundry is then exposed and everyone knows what has been going on under the table.
It's an enterprise fund meaning it survives on water and sewer fees NOT tax money.
It's out of bounds of all those other rules , do a little digging in Georgia law and you just might find out that adjusting water bills is not going to get them in trouble !
Didn't see anyone report the reason given such as faulty meter reading or possibly a blow out that the county water system caused which could lead to a valid correction.
To the Hall county poster,Gainsville water makes adjustments on bills all the time and it's a municipal system so what's your point ?
Tricia your Sheriff is only doing this because the BOC told him to park his cars at the county line and he's mad BUT we didn't see that story online...a little bias by Buffington and Angela Gary.