WC BOCC abolishes Sunny Hills MSBU Advisory Board

CHIPLEY – The Washington County Board of County Commissioners has abolished the Sunny Hills Municipal Service Benefits Unit Advisory Board. Action was taken at the BOCC’s regular meeting Thursday afternoon.

Commissioner Ronnie Finch made the motion to abolish the advisory board. The MSBU itself cannot be abolished until its debts are completely paid.

“The MSBU has served well for many years,” Finch said. The commissioner praised the $2 million loan for the extensive road paving done in Sunny Hills as, “the best deal the county ever had.” Finch said the MSBU board, however, had outlived its usefulness and made his motion to disband the committee. The County would begin paying off the various debts held by the MSBU, including a $94,000 loan by the fire department.

The BOCC also approved taking the $31,000 in fire department money given to Sunny Hills and applying it toward completion of the community center. Construction has stalled due to lack of funds, and the BOCC also approved advertising the sale of all 354 parcels owned by the County in Sunny Hills at a minimum of $10,000 a parcel. Bidders can bid on any number of lots.

Finch suggested monies raised be used toward completion of the community center and to give raises to County employees.

County Attorney Gerald Holley will review the action to ensure it is legal.

Earlier in the meeting Sunny Hills Civic Association President Karen Schoen said, “the needs of the community are not being addressed,” and that the advisory board was not doing what it was in place for. Schoen said a recent survey found that the two biggest concerns of residents were fire protection and concerns about the assessment.

“They are stuck on looking for antiquated equipment,” Schoen said.

Advisory Board Chairman Vernon Anderson said that people have had an opportunity to comment on the budget since the preliminary budget was released in June. The budget due by Sept. 1 includes a five percent increase in the assessment from last year and a five percent increase for this year.

Anderson said the MSBU is paying for the fire department’s tricks, insurance and utilities. “We have doing nothing but pay off debts incurred by others,” Anderson said. He said some vehicles would not be paid off until 20012-13.

County Administrator Pete Herbert said the Sunny Hills fire department gets .5 mills in tax revenue like other departments. “I don’t know how we could fund more,” Herbert said.

The budget submitted by the fire department board of directors was for $139,925, with an estimated income of $67,200 and a deficit of $71,725.

SHVFD Board Chairman Earl Stewart described the proposed fire department budget as “a bare bones budget that will provide at least a minimum of guaranteed service to the citizens and properties within our fire district.”