County Sets Calendar Dates for State-Mandated Compliance by Cities

Douglas County, through its Board of Commissioners, is charged with providing Countywide services, including within the cities, in numerous categories, including the Court system and Court services (Superior, State, Magistrate, Probate, Juvenile, Clerk of Superior Court, District Attorney, indigent defense/Public Defender), law enforcement, jail operations, Coroner, E911, emergency medical services, health department, senior services, libraries, roads and bridges, street lights, transportation/traffic control, public transportation, public housing, elections/voter registration, solid waste disposal, stormwater management, parks and recreation, and agricultural extension services.

Fire services (excluding emergency medical services) and animal control are services for which cities are responsible by State statute, and which are required to be funded from local city taxes and insurance premium taxes levied and paid to cities. Cities may provide these services in one of three ways: (1) providing the service themselves by use of these tax revenues; (2) contracting with the county to provide the services and providing adequate funding from these tax revenues; or (3) contracting with a third party to provide the services with funding from these tax revenues.

In 2012, the City of Austell collected $327,000 in insurance premium taxes; the City of Douglasville collected $1,542,180 in insurance premium taxes; and the City of Villa Rica collected $695,289 in insurance premium taxes.  The Cities of Austell and Villa Rica have not paid any funds to Douglas County for fire services or animal control for the portion of their cities that lie in Douglas County. The City of Douglasville has not paid any funds to Douglas County for fire services (approximate 2014 budget = $8.8 million), and pays $40,000 a year for animal control (approximate 2014 budget = $877,697).

By law, counties, including Douglas, cannot provide fire services and animal control in any city without a written agreement for these services. The current agreements between Douglas County and the Cities of Austell, Douglasville, and Villa Rica expire in February 2014.

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners adopted a Resolution during its Dec. 17, regularly scheduled meeting announcing that, as of Jan. 1, 2015, Douglas County will no longer provide fire and animal control services within the City limits of Austell, Douglasville, and Villa Rica without a written contract wherein the Cities agree to pay for their proportionate share of the cost of providing fire and animal control services based on their population share (2010 Census figures).

This Resolution gives the Cities over a year to determine how they intend to meet their State-mandated legal obligation to provide fire services and animal control for their residents. Douglas County is very willing and able to continue these services past Jan. 1, 2015, but only with a written agreement with proportionate funding. Douglas County is requiring notification from the Cities on or before July 1, 2014, on the Cities’ chosen option so that appropriate arrangements can be made during the final six months of 2014.

This action was taken because Douglas County can no longer subsidize these services which are legally the responsibility of the Cities. Douglas County will provide the services that it is legally required to provide.  Citizens of Douglas County need to expect that their tax payments will not subsidize services that are legally required to be paid by others. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners expects that the 2014 millage rate and 2015 budget processes will have clearer focus and direction since decisions by the Cities will be made known before these considerations.

A copy of the Resolution will be provided to the Mayor and Council of the Cities of Austell, Douglasville, and Villa Rica.