City Of Trenton Not Opting Out Of HB 581 Exemption

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

The Feb. 10 meeting of the City of Trenton Board of Commissioners was the first meeting to be livestreamed by the city. The video is available on the “City of Trenton, Georgia” Facebook page, but the audio quality was poor.

The Trenton Police Department requested Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds to purchase a new set of tasers, but because the request and information was added to the agenda last minute, it couldn’t be voted on at this meeting.

The current tasers are nine years old and are obsolete. Sergeant Trey Williams reported that they’re single shot, aren’t rechargeable, and only reach up to 25 feet. The ones the department would like to buy are rechargeable, reach up to 45 feet, and hold ten shots. The set also comes with a virtual reality use of force training simulator.

The quote from Axon broke the cost down into a five-year payment plan, but Alex Case (mayor) noted that the current SPLOST will expire in 2027, so the city will need an option to pay off the remaining balance in case SPLOST doesn’t pass again.

Later in the meeting, during Citizens Participation, Cody Doyle asked what the price for the tasers is. (The quote was not posted on the online agenda, nor was the amount mentioned by Williams or the commissioners.) Williams reported that if paid in one payment, the set would cost $62,198.40, and if broken down by the five-year plan, each payment would be $12,439.68.

Doyle asked when this quote was received. Williams said he received it on Jan. 22. Doyle asked when it was sent to Mike Norris (police commissioner). Williams said he sent it to Norris the week before the meeting. The commission will return to this request next month.

Turning to House Bill 581, the commission agreed not to opt out of the new property tax exemption. Case noted that the county is not opting out, and Monda Wooten (street commissioner) noted that the citizens voted for the tax exemption, so she is not in favor of opting out. The other commissioners agreed.

Case noted that more exemptions could result in a higher millage rate or putting the Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST) before the voters. Wooten added, “Or we might have to cut our budget some.”

Case then updated the commission on the water issues in the Lake Hills subdivision. (See the Feb. 5 issue of the Sentinel for the full story.) He noted that the engineers are still working on identifying the problem.

Next, Case gave an update on the annexation of the 78 acres off Sells Lane where D.R. Horton plans to build a subdivision. Case said the city is working with attorneys on the annexation process and with Ladd Environmental about water and sewer infrastructure.

Case said, “They’re worried with some things at their plant with pressure,” and reiterated that the city and Dade County Water and Sewer Authority are going through the due diligence to see if this project is feasible.

He continued, “I want to clarify that our sewer system is not dying or dead. It’s just that it’s got a lot of old lines in it. We’ve made a lot of improvements inside our plant. The plant can handle [the growth], but can our pump stations? That’s what we’re doing with studies now.” He added that fixing the current problems inside Lake Hills is the first priority.

He also spoke with Dade County Schools to see if the schools can handle an influx in students. As Josh Ingle (superintendent) told the Sentinel last month, the schools have room for the growth. Case noted that the concern about how quickly the growth might come.

He said, “We’ve read everybody’s comments and all the different medias. We can regulate what level of construction things are built to code, but we cannot tell them what quality of products to put on their house, in their house.” The areas under the city’s control are footers, framing, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing.

He later added, “Quality of the work of the subs, how they put it up, and what style they put on is kind of like buying a car. You’ve got some that buy the nicest car, some that buy a good dependable, and some that buy something used.”

Case added that Walker County is enforcing energy codes, and Trenton might follow suit. This code involves things like certain amounts of insulation and insulated windows, and Case said it does increase the cost of the homes.

The city has also heard comments/concerns about the ability of the city’s inspections department to handle this large of a project. Case said, “That is a lot, but it’s not going to all happen at one time. It’s going to be over a few year period.”

Of the roads (Sells Lane and Cedar Lane), Case said, “That’s a big question for improvements for that.”

Wooten asked about facade codes, but Case said that the city has an existing requirement for businesses, but they could potentially add the requirement for residences.

Norris read the police report. In January, the Trenton Police Department answered 138 calls for service, conducted 1,041 business checks, answered two animal complaint calls, responded to three domestic disturbances, two trespassing, and ten suspicious activity calls, and worked 12 traffic crashes. From 68 traffic stops, 45 citations were issued.

Lucretia Houts (fire and utility commissioner) reported that the Trenton Fire Department answered 102 calls in January, 12 of which were fire related and 55 of which were canceled en route.

Houts and the board then recognized Dewayne Moore (utilities director) for his 37 total years with the city’s sewer department. Moore became a part-time employee with the department in 1988 while he was still in high school. The board also recognized Moore’s 30 years as a member of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals.

During her report, Wooten noted that the team is preparing for the annual city cleanup which will be at the end of March or in early April. She added that the city’s paving priorities (not in any particular order) are Poplar Street, Case Drive, Middleton Circle, and Cora Lane.

Case added that the city got about $35,000 from the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG). The city must match the grant by 30 percent from SPLOST.

Noting the joint city/county work session on Feb. 18 about the animal control facility, Case said the question comes back to how to pay for the continued operation of the facility.

During Citizens Participation, Audray Luck of Luck’s Rescue gave an update like the one she gave at this month’s Dade County Board of Commissioners meeting. The day of the city meeting (Feb. 10), Luck had already received six calls about animals. She can typically only address about an eighth of the calls she gets.

Of the 382 animals that Luck’s Rescue found homes/shelters for in 2024, 284 were surrendered by owners and 98 were strays. Luck explained that many people have difficulty affording to care for their animals.

Highlighting the importance of spay and neuter, she reported that in five years, one female dog can produce up to 360 puppies. In six years, that dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies.

One problem Luck specifically sees in the city is backyard breeders. She said, “Breeders need to be licensed with the Georgia Department of Agriculture…I’m seeing a lot of unlicensed breeders.”

Another problem is people bringing puppies from Alabama to the flea market to sell. Luck said this is illegal, but that’s not quite accurate. If the sellers have a certificate of veterinary inspection, it’s not illegal. Per the Georgia Department of Agriculture, “All pets, except fish and rodents, entering Georgia for sale, trade, or exchange for a fee or other type of compensation must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection that was issued within the previous 30 days and which records proof of the health requirements for each species.”

Luck affirmed that she’s willing to put in a lot of work with the future county/city animal control facility, and Case noted that other communities have successful facilities through partnership with teams of volunteers.