Clarkesville nixes annexation of county aquatic center

CLARKESVILLE - The Clarkesville City Council has denied an annexation request from Habersham County for the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center.<br /> <br /> Tabled in July because two councilmembers were absent, the issue was placed on Monday night's council meeting agenda.<br /> <br /> Though Councilmember Leigh Johnston was absent, other councilmembers said they were prepared to vote on the annexation request.<br /> <br /> All councilmembers present voted to deny the annexation request from Habersham County.<br /> <br /> The request would have allowed Clarkesville to consolidate its city and county/state/federal voting precincts to one location - the aquatic center.<br /> <br /> But city officials say it would have saved the county $6,000 per year on its water bill for the aquatic center, something they feel doesn't benefit city taxpayers.<br /> <br /> At the conclusion of Monday night's meeting, Mayor Terry Greene elaborated on the council decision.<br /> <br /> "The council decided not to approve that annexation because of a couple of reasons, one being that the cost of elections would be the same - regardless of whether we did them here [at city hall] or there [the aquatic center]," Greene said. <br /> <br /> "And there would be a significant loss of water revenue by annexing that property in, so it just made no sense to do that," Greene said. "It would cost the citizens of Clarkesville more money to annex that property and no benefit on the elections."

http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/8/277909