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Ben Hill County approves 50% split of LOST with City of Fitzgerald, authorizes filing
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Summary
Ben Hill County commissioners voted 3–0 Dec. 21 to split Local Option Sales Tax proceeds 50%–50% with the City of Fitzgerald for 10 years beginning Jan. 1, 2023; the County listed intergovernmental agreements on property use and a $90,000 annual E‑911 payment by the city.
Ben Hill County commissioners voted 3–0 on Dec. 21, 2022, to approve a resolution dividing Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) proceeds evenly with the City of Fitzgerald for 10 years beginning Jan. 1, 2023, and authorized the chairman to file the Certificate of Distribution.
County Manager Michael Dinnerman told the board he had discussed the distribution with the City administrator and said the original proposal had been a 55/45 split, but “after further discussion; it was agreed upon Ben Hill County shall receive 50% of the LOST proceeds for ten years, beginning on January 1, 2023 and the City of Fitzgerald shall receive the remaining 50% of LOST proceeds.” He also said the city will enter into an intergovernmental agreement and/or letter of intent ensuring that properties used for joint services will not be charged for use by Ben Hill County or joint city‑county departments and that those departments would be entitled to proceeds if such properties are sold.
Dinnerman said the City of Fitzgerald will also enter an intergovernmental agreement with Ben Hill County for the county to provide non‑emergent E‑911 services to city residents in exchange for $90,000 annually. The minutes note that “the execution and submittal of the LOST Certificate of Distribution is not conditioned upon the execution of the aforementioned agreements or letter of intent.”
Chairman Steve Taylor read the distribution resolution aloud. Commissioner Bennie Calloway moved to approve the Local Option Sales Tax Resolution, authorize the chairman to execute it, and file the Certification of Distribution; Vice‑Chair Hope Harmon seconded the motion. The motion passed with Commissioners Bennie Calloway, Hope Harmon and Chairman Steve Taylor voting for the motion. The minutes list Commissioner Daniel Cowan and Commissioner John Mooney as absent for the vote. (The meeting minutes contain an internal inconsistency that also lists John Mooney among those present earlier in the same paragraph.)
The meeting was then adjourned and the minutes were signed by Chairman Steve Taylor and County Clerk Donna R. Prather.