To the Editor:

First, let me say the following are my personal thoughts and opinions. I am speaking for myself and not on behalf of the Butts County Board of Commissioners (BOC).

During the October 19, 2009 Butts County (BOC) meeting, Mr. Hodges made a recommendation for the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to consider an impact fee "credit" for commercial and industrial development. A "credit" is a value representing the positive economic benefit to Butts County, used to offset the impact fee up to the full amount imposed by our Impact Fee Ordinance.

The (IDA) recommended a "fee waiver" instead of fee "credit" for Industrial/Manufacturing and removed commercial. I questioned this exclusion. Impact fees are necessary. My intent has never been to waive the impact fee for commercial developments in general, but give them an incentive to consider Butts County as a location if they qualify for the "fee credit". Commercial development is not limited to strip shopping centers. "This is thinking outside of the box" with a conservative approach. It protects the interests of the county by evaluating a business' economic benefit. It shows businesses we are willing to work with them. Some developments have little upfront costs to a county.

I know demographics and traffic are pre-requisites for commercial development. But, if we are competing for a business with another county that has the same conditions, an impact fee credit could give us an edge and win the business. In the revised ordinance, Industrial/Manufacturing developments can enjoy an impact fee waiver. Commercial developments may receive consideration on a case-by-case basis.

In the February 17 edition of the Jackson Progress Argus, columnist Bill Mauldin unleashed his tirade on commercial development impact fees. I am in agreement with Mr. Mauldin regarding the purpose of impact fees and the potential cost to a county for many commercial developments. However, I hope the previous paragraphs better explain my thinking regarding an impact fee "credit" versus an impact fee "waiver". I am in disagreement with the statement regarding backroom deals with commercial developers. All action by the BOC is taken in an open meeting and requires at least three commissioners voting together to pass or fail. No single commissioner can take action by his decision.

In the February 17 and January 27 column, Mr. Mauldin paints a pretty dismal picture of your county government. Mr. Mauldin wrote, " There appears to be a lack of original thought at the county level. There's no innovation, no sense of urgency. It's beginning to look like the county commission doesn't have a clue." Whether these statements are driven by public perception or political expediency, I am not sure. We should all "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, identifies the principles of empathetic communication. Habit #5 is "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." It is the first step in the process of seeking Win/Win solutions. Cooperative relationships are critical to the success of Butts County. We have a choice to be part of the solution or part of the problem. We should strive to work together for the betterment of Butts County and take every opportunity to present our county in a positive light. From the cleanliness of our county to the words we use about our county, we should consider the opportunity as a job resume'. Would we want something we say or write to reflect negatively on our county and deter business opportunities that would improve our quality of life for generations to come?

In my opinion, all commissioners are approachable and working hard to address the economic impact . We are looking for new ways to generate revenue and cut expenses. In the budget process for this fiscal year, we cut approximately 4.8 million in expenditures. We are networking and seeking best practices of other counties. We would like for citizens to understand the facts of what's happening in local government. The BOC meetings are open to the public. We have a regularly scheduled meeting on the second Monday each month, and called meetings as advertised on the sign in front of the county administration building. We, the commissioners, work for you the citizens of Butts County. If you have questions concerning county government, ask us.

I leave you with three of the major challenges we face as a county:

First is apathy. Many people think their vote will not make a difference. This couldn't be further from the truth. Be an educated and informed voter! Every vote counts, and every eligible voter should seize the opportunity for their voice to be heard at the local, state and national level.

Secondly, revenue shortfalls have hit us hard, primarily those generated from declining sales tax. The 1% sales tax revenue returned to Butts County for the month of June 2007 was $451,570.17, June 2008 was $287,252.63 and June 2009 was $205,014.87. The most recent report for November 2009 shows this 1% sales tax revenue at $269,538.60. We need approximately $365,000.00 per month to make the annual bond payment.

Lastly, we have lived beyond our means as a county in past years. According to the 2009 Georgia County Government Yearbook, the 2006 figures for Butts County ranked us 16 out of 159 counties with the most long-term debt per capita at $1,009.89. We must work together to bring new jobs and business to our county. We must work with determination and focus to retire debt.

Several years ago, I had a coach that instilled in me the value of teamwork. He said, " We win as a team…and we lose as a team." If we work together we can accomplish much. I want us to win as a team for Butts County's sake now and for our children and their children in years to come… what about you?

Roger D. McDaniel
Jackson