MAYOR TOM REED
Highlights Reel for Chattahoochee Hills
Here in Chatt Hills, the summer season is getting off to a great start. There are so many positive things going on this month that I thought I’d do a quick “highlights reel.” One of the most important items is the passage of our 2021/22 fiscal year budget—lots of good news there. When I became mayor, the City was on the verge of running out of cash; a huge level of debt burdened our limited resources. Since then, we’ve made huge improvements to the budget, and we may proudly say we now run a surplus every year! While municipal governmental accounting really doesn’t occasion surpluses in Chattahoochee Hills (we budget to a “zero balance” every year), Robbie and I budget very conservatively—we are pessimistic about both revenues and expenses—so revenues come in higher than expected. And because of our diligent staff, expenses come in lower, creating a surplus every year (which, now that we’ve paid off our debts, we plow back into road maintenance). We’ve managed to keep our millage rates flat, and lower than most towns around us, but we have been able to increase revenues in part by applying for everything we can as a City. In addition to LOST (Local Option Sales Tax), we now also get TSPLOST (a transportation focused LOST that goes straight to road maintenance), and we’ve also successfully applied for and are receiving our local Hotel Motel taxes, State Conservation Funds, and a variety of other grants and funds. In addition, this year we’ll receive over $500,000 from the Federal Government’s Relief Funds, which will offset other spending, allowing us to move those funds to more road maintenance. With so many miles of road to maintain, which is one of our biggest budget concerns, expect to see a lot of roadwork this year as a result! Another highlight: we are in the process of adopting a Unified Development Code—a single document that incorporates the Subdivision, Zoning, and other related ordinances into a much easier to use single document; 2
no need top flip back and forth between several separate documents to figure out how to apply our zoning. This will make it easier to enforce the 70% permanent protection baked into our zoning—the reason we became a city— ensuring that future generations will be able to enjoy the access to nature, beautiful countryside, and country lifestyles we now take for granted, and which we’ve sworn to protect! Huge thanks to our consultants at TSW, Woody and Caleb; to City Planner Mike Morton, who lives and breathes our Zoning; and to the Planning Commission and City Council for all the work that’s gone into getting this done. Our currently ongoing Comprehensive Plan Update both supports and informs this process; thanks to Kerri from the Atlanta Regional Commission for her help in facilitating that important process, the Comp Plan stakeholder group for their important work, and to all the citizens who have participated. Fulton County has been working hard for us recently. I have been working with them for a couple of years to get Senior programming at City Hall (the process was delayed by COVID unfortunately but is actively moving forward again!). A big thank you to Councilperson Searle, who has joined the meetings and is applying her considerable energy to advancing the project. Expect to see new programming soon! And to close, let’s give a quick shout-out to our City Council. Ruby Foster is on fire! Her community engagement is really starting to take root; the recent picnic at City Hall was a blast, and I can’t wait for future events that she and her helpers are planning! Councilperson Searle’s Barn Quilt Trail continues to impress; with all the varied and gorgeous barn quilts displayed around the City, it’s cool that people are now coming here specifically to see them! With so many great things happening here in beautiful Chatt Hills, we have lots to celebrate. Here’s to a Happy 4th of July and a fantastic summer! Be well and be safe. Mayor Tom Reed
CHATT HILLS NEWS - JULY 2021 - SUBSCRIBE TO CHATT HILLS NEWS
