GAINESVILLE - The rift between the Hall County Commission and the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce which became glaringly evident during the recent lot-size controversy is apparently growing. <br>
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The chamber has asked for the commission's continued support of the chamber's Economic Development Council (EDC) - including monetary support, but commission vice chairman Roger Cole, for one, does not like the direction in which the chamber is moving.<br>
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Commission Chairman Gary Gibbs said a finance department analysis of the tax digest showed that over the last five years shows 64 percent has been residential, compared to 26 percent commercial and industrial business.<br>
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"We need somebody on staff that is focusing on economic development, working with the chamber and Economic Development Council, but also being possibly on the payrole of the county," Gibbs said.<br>
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Chamber chairman Dick Valentine recently implored his board of directors to show its support of the chamber's economic development endeavors by contacting members of the commission.<br>
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"We've had a highly successful public-private partnership with the municipalities and the county here in funding EDC," Valentine said. "We've been highly successful in bringing new companies, new tax base into this county and the city."<br>
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But Valentine acknowledged that the chamber may be fighting a losing battle.<br>
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"I think for most of us we already know that the county is going to take a different direction," he added. "They've given us very strong indications that they are going to do something different."<br>
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Gibbs said the $100,000 is earmarked for economic development, but it's not earmarked for any one thing.<br>
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"It does not and is not tied to any avenue of expenditure. We may use it internally. We may use part of it internally and part of it through the chamber and the Economic Development Council," Gibbs said.
