Edison sees another city official resign during public hearing

EDISON — A public hearing on Edison’s increasing property tax rate was cut short 20 minutes before the scheduled end time Monday evening and ended in City Councilman Jack Johnson’s resignation.

About 30 concerned Edison residents crowded into the city hall to oppose a 10-point increase on the city’s millage rate. This increase to a 29-mil rate is part of the city’s financial recovery plan, which was introduced by City Attorney Tommy Coleman and approved by Mayor Pro Tem Billy Timpson and council members at a Sept. 11 City Council meeting.

The resolution is an effort for the city, which is more than a half-million dollars in debt, to make a full financial recovery. It includes an increase in solid waste fees and potential increase in water rates, gas and sewer fees as well.

Council members Tamara Shedrick, Jane Ingram, former councilman Jack Johnson, City Clerk Demetric Jackson and Timpson were all present to hear from public commenters. Many of the comments on the increase were angry, others defeated. The citizens posed questions that were mostly met with blank faces from city officials or simply a “We don’t know.”

At one point, Johnson reminded the public that the city officials are Edison residents, too.

“I pray to God we won’t have to raise taxes,” Johnson told the crowd. “It may have to take place, but we hope it won’t take place. I’m not able to pay any taxes either, so I feel for you all, too.”

The city is in a battle because it believed in the work Tami Fincher, the former city clerk who failed to file a legally required audit for five years, and former Mayor Lane Reeves were doing, Johnson said, adding that city leadership is trying to work together to find a solution.

A 29-mil rate would place Edison as the city with the highest millage rate in the state, according to 2022 documents from the Georgia Department of Revenue. Edison is in Calhoun County, which in 2022 was recognized as a rural county with a population under 50,000 and poverty in excess of 10% by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

Calhoun hasn’t raised taxes in four years; in fact, the millage rate has gone down, Conner Collins, a Calhoun County commissioner said.

Edison resident Cheryl Timpson was the first to address the council. She pointed out that not only would property owners face a massive jump in taxes, but renters in Edison could probably expect to see raised monthly rents.

Troy Timpson asked city officials what they would do when Edison residents couldn’t pay the new tax rates.

“People are not going to be able to pay,” he said. “And if they can’t pay, it’s not going to help you. It’s not going to help the city. It’s not going to help the people you are hurting, and that’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re hurting the people.”

Both Cheryl and Troy Timpson have stepped up to help their community, hosting a fundraiser for the volunteer fire department on Sept. 9 to raise money for truck repairs — repairs that the fire department feared the city could not afford.

Janice General also said Monday during the hearing that she is opposed to the tax increase.

“You’re going to be paying more taxes than your land is probably worth,” she said. “Most of us can’t even afford probably half an acre, but if you got that, then you want to hold onto it.”

City taxes will be more than county taxes now, she said.

General said she’s concerned for Edison’s senior residents, especially those that live alone.

“Elderly people that are living by themselves — it’ll be a shame for somebody to take their house that they have worked hard for and are trying to keep up with a social security check,” she said.

There has to be another route the city can take, General said, or a way for the taxes not to be increased as much.

“I’m sure if it took … years to get in this kind of debt, let’s not try to get out of it in a couple of months,” she said. “It’s like asking me to pay for my credit card bill for … a bill you ran up. Now, I’m mad.”

Lisa Lewis, an Edison resident and owner of Albany’s Mellow Mushroom restaurant, asked the mayor pro tem and council members how they plan to prepare a budget when they are unclear on what the city’s true expenses are.

“We’re on the millage rate,” Timpson replied.

That comment was met with protests from the public.

“It’s all relative,” one member from the public shouted.

Everyone is sitting there, looking dumbfounded, and we are asking questions and not getting an answer, General said. Multiple members from the public called for town hall meetings with open communication flow between city officials and residents.

Councilwoman Ingram accused the public of not being involved in city matters before this crisis came to light. She maintains that the council members and mayor pro tem were not aware of how the city was handling its finances. Her voice was drowned out by angry responses from the public.

“We trusted you all,” General said. “We voted you all in to take care of that.”

Soon, multiple members of the audience began calling on the council members to resign. That led Timpson to adjourn the meeting, cutting it short 20 minutes before 7 p.m. — the planned end time.

At the very end, Johnson stood up and announced his resignation as people prepared to leave. He thanked them for coming out.

“I am a citizen of Edison, and I care too much about Edison to see Edison’s downfall, and I am a part of it, but I’ve done my best,” he said. “So tonight … I just resigned. I don’t need this.”

His exit from the city hall was met with thanks, hand shakes and pats on the back from residents. He’s the third city official to resign amid the financial crisis following former City Clerk Tami Fincher and former Mayor Reeves Lane, who held his position for more than 30 years.

File Photo: Lucille Lannigan[email protected]