Action Agenda

Board of Commissioners

Special Called Meeting

  January 14 , 2009

 7:00 P.M.

                                   

The Board of Commissioners of Fayette County, Georgia, met for a Special Called Meeting on Wednesday, January 14, 2009, at  7:00 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room of the Fayette County Administrative Complex, 140 Stonewall Avenue, Fayetteville, Georgia.

 

            Commissioners Present:                 Jack Smith, Chairman

                                                                        Herb Frady, Vice-Chairman

                                                                        Robert Horgan

                                                                        Eric Maxwell

 

            Commissioner Absent:                     Lee Hearn                                          

 

            Staff Present:                                    Jack Krakeel, County Administrator

                                                                        Scott Bennett, County Attorney

                                                                        Carol Chandler, Executive Assistant

                                                                        Karen Morley, Chief Deputy Clerk                                         

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7:01:48 PM     

Chairman Smith called the special called public hearing to order.

 

7:02:13 PM                             

A.         DISCUSSION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM (TITLE III, SECTION 2301 OF THE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT OF 2008 HERA):

 

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PETE FRISINA GAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION REGARDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM. 


 

7:10:55 PM                                                                                                                 

PUBLIC COMMENT:

JACK BOWDON: Jack Bowdon of The Heritage Bank felt this was an opportunity for the County to assist people and sell the 100 plus homes in Fayette County.  He felt there was no down side to the County to apply for the grant.  He pointed out that part of the money would be used for financial counseling for the qualified applicants.

 

7:16:07 PM                 

VANESSA FLEISCH: Vanessa Fleisch, realtor, asked for the County not to take advantage of this money.  She felt the free market was currently taking care of the problem.  She felt this assistance was rewarding bad behavior which was what got this Country in this current mess. 

 

7:17:25 PM     

JOHN THOMPSON: John Thompson questioned the short notice given to the public for this special called meeting and felt this was the reason for the small number of citizens in attendance.  He said there needed to be a mechanism in place to hold the people accountable as a result of the money they would receive.  He felt the Board had not had enough time to investigate this grant especially with the deadline of tomorrow for the submission of the application.

 

Chairman Smith interjected that the qualifications for the loan would be handled through the mortgage institutions and not through the County itself.  He said the County would have no role in this process other than to manage the money.  He noted that this was a grant program and not a loan program. 

Commissioner Frady pointed out that in September of 2010 any unused money goes back to the State.

 

Chairman Smith said it was possible that the County could apply for the grant, be approved and then the County decide that it did not want to participate.  He pointed out that the hearing was advertised to the public five days prior to tonight.  He also noted that the County staff had just become aware of this grant and this was the earliest and the latest date that the Board could have this hearing. 

 

7:24:14 PM     

LISA RICE: Lisa Rice remarked that this program would be of great benefit to her and her family.  She also felt it would help a lot of current Fayette County residents get into homes that they otherwise could not afford.

 

7:25:04 PM     

PAT SOPP: Pat Sopp, realtor, questioned the administration of this program.  She questioned if this would involve only local banks or would there be a lottery for the 100 applicants.  She asked how people would be selected and who would be eligible for the grant.

 

Chairman Smith interjected that there were actually Federal guidelines to the grant and the actual selection process was yet to be decided. 

 

County Administrator Jack Krakeel noted that the Federal Government had specific regulations regarding the number of participants in this program. He pointed out that the amount of assistance was limited to $14,999. 

 

7:29:56 PM     

DERRYL ANDERSON: Derryl Anderson, a realtor as well as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for the City of Fayetteville, questioned the administration of this program.  She asked how eligible applicants would be selected.

 

Chairman Smith interjected that the County would be responsible for maintenance and custody of the funds.  He said the actual applicant process and the selection would be administered by the mortgage entities. 

 

County Administrator Jack Krakeel commented on the constrained time frame that the County was operating under.  He said the County was notified by the DCA on or about December 10th.  He said there had been multiple meetings with various City officials throughout Fayette County to discuss the viability of this program. 

 

7:34:57 PM     

LATREVELLE DUCKWORTH: LaTrevelle Duckworth, realtor, questioned the requirements for the home ownership program and the applicant’s credit rating possibly being a factor.  She asked if the foreclosed home prices were going to be adjusted so people could afford to purchase them.

 

Commissioner Frady questioned the length of time someone has to live in the home.

 

County Administrator Jack Krakeel interjected that there was a five year period tied to the money.

 

Chairman Smith noted that the price of the home was between the buyer and the seller.  He said the plan also did not address the credit worthiness of the borrow and this would be decided by the lending institution. 

 

County Administrator Jack Krakeel provided information as to how Fayette County was selected by the Department of Community Affairs for participation in this program. 

 

Chairman Smith asked if anyone else wished to speak on this issue.  Hearing none, he asked for the Board’s pleasure in this matter.

 

7:40:19 PM                 

COMMISSIONER FRADY MADE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS REGARDING THE GRANT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM.  COMMISSIONER HORGAN SECONDED THE MOTION, DISCUSSION FOLLOWED.

 

Commissioner Maxwell interjected that he shared some of the concerns expressed tonight.  He expressed concern over the overall scheme of the bailout program that the Federal Government has done.  He noted that this was one of the few times that dollars would be coming back into the County.  He said this was a straight grant program and he was in favor of submitting the application but he noted that he was not clear on the next step in the process.  

 

THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0.  COMMISSIONER HEARN WAS ABSENT.

 

7:48:52 PM     

COMMISSIONER HORGAN MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:50 P.M.  COMMISSIONER FRADY SECONDED THE MOTION.  THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0.  COMMISSIONER HEARN WAS ABSENT.   

 

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Karen Morley, Chief Deputy Clerk