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Gwinnett County, Georgia

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Budget Y
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Meetings Y
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Elected Officials Y
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Administrative Officials Y
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Permits, zoning Y
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Audits Y
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Contracts Y
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Lobbying P
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Public records Y
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Local taxes Y
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County websites
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Transparency grading process

Gwinnett County is one of 159 counties in Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818. As of the census in 2000, the population of the county was 588,448. Its county seat is Lawrenceville.

[edit] Evaluation of website

Main article: Evaluation of Georgia county websites

This website was most recently evaluated Feb. 6, 2012.

[edit] The good

  • Budgets are posted.[1]
  • Commission meeting agendas, minutes, and videos are posted.[2]
  • Contact information for the Commissioners is provided.[3]
  • Contact information for the Administrators is also provided.[4]
  • Building permit and zoning information is provided.[5]
  • Audits and other financial reports are available.[6]
  • A list of the bids and contracts is available.[7]
  • Property tax information is available.[8]
  • Information on how to make a public records request is available. [9]
  • Campaign disclosure reports of elected officials are available. [10]

[edit] The bad

[edit] Budget

In 2011, the County Commissioners board faced an $18 million budget deficit. The budget totaling $1.3 billion is comprised of $977.5 million in operating funds and $337.3 million in capital project funds. The operating budget is 3.2 percent less than the 2010 revised budget while the capital budget is 39.1 percent less than the 2010 plan. In total, the County’s 2011 budget is $248 million less than fiscal year 2010, representing an overall 16 percent reduction.

According to the county press release: "The budget includes voluntary departmental reductions of $5.7 million, plus $2.3 million in further service reductions. These reductions include a 15 percent reduction to libraries and a 50 percent reduction in subsidies to external agencies, excluding the Coalition for Health and Human Services, which was funded at its 2010 levels. The only increases are due to state and federal mandates."


[edit] Stimulus

Federal stimulus money provided more than $120 million in 2009 for Gwinnett County projects. Major projects include the McGinnis Ferry Road extension, the State Route 324 bridge over I-85, traffic management systems on Buford Highway and Sugarloaf Parkway, a senior services center, the No Business Creek Tunnel, a methane gas-to-energy generator, and a grease receiving facility. [11]

[edit] Public Employees

[edit] Elected Officials

The Board of Commissioners sets direction and formulates policies for the county government, adopts the budget, authorizes expenditures, and approves or disapproves specific actions, such as rezoning of private property. Each of the four districts are single-member and voters in each choose one district commissioner. The full-time Commission Chairman is elected countywide. Terms are for four years, but staggered so the chairman and two commissioners are elected during one election cycle and two years later the other two commissioners are elected.[12]

District Name Party First Elected Salary
ChairmanCharlotte J. NashRepublicanSpecial Election, 2011unknown
District 1 CommissionerShirley LasseterRepublican2008unknown
District 2 CommissionerLynette Howard Republican2010unknown
District 3 CommissionerMike BeaudreauRepublican2004unknown
District 4 CommissionerJohn HeardRepublican2010unknown

[edit] Administrative Officials

District Name Appointed Salary
County AdministratorGlenn StephensSeptember 2009$253,600[13]
Deputy County Administrator/CFOAaron J. BovosDecember 2010unknown
County ClerkDiane Kempunknownunknown
Deputy County ClerkMarie Kempunknownunknown

[edit] Salaries

Main article: Georgia state government salary

[edit] Pensions

Main article: Georgia public pensions

Gwinnett County requires mandatory participation in the County Defined Contribution (DC) Pension Plan. Participation is optional in the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan (contribute 2.5% of pay to receive a 1.0% additional County contribution to the DC Pension Plan).

For the County Defined Contribution Plan:

  • Employee Contribution: Employee selects contribution level from three options: 2.5%, 5.0%, or 7.5% of pay
  • County Contribution: County contributes 7.0% of pay to the DC Pension Plan

The county's retirement plans are administered by the Retirement Plans Management Committee (the "RPMC"). The purpose of the RPMC is to manage and invest the assets of the (1) defined benefit plan; (2) defined contribution plan; (3) deferred compensation plan; and (4) the OPEB trust; each in accordance with the provisions of its plan and trust agreement. [14]

[edit] Lobbying

Main article: Georgia taxpayer-funded lobbying

Gwinnett County participates in the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). The ACCG engages in lobbying the Georgia state legislature.[15]. The ACCG is a member of the National Association of Counties, a national taxpayer-funded lobbying organization.

According to OpenSecrets.org, Gwinnett County spent $10,000 on a lobbying contract with McKenna, Long & Aldridge in 2011.[16] OpenSecrets.org reports that Gwinnett County lobbied the federal government on the following issues in 2011: FY11 appropriations of interest to city and county governments including appropriations bills for DOT, Justice, Homeland Security, Energy, Transportation-HUD; potential grant funding for county governments in FY 12 Obama budget proposal.

[edit] Transparency & public records

Gwinnett County BOC chairman Charlotte Nash delivered a state of the county address in May 2011, affirming her administration's goal of making the county government more transparent.[17] Chairman Nash included posting business and news on the county's website, continuing to use e-mail to send out news and alerts to subscribers, and seeking additional ways to provide information and getting feedback from the citizens as priorities, in addition to more transparent ethics and land acquisition processes.


[edit] Taxes

From "Property Tax Facts" published by the Gwinnett County Commissioner:[18] "The ad valorem tax, more commonly called the property tax, is the primary source of revenue for local governments in Georgia. Ad valorem means “according to value,” and property is taxed based on its assessed value. The millage rate is a determining factor in the calculation of your taxes. A mill is 1/10 of $.01 or $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. Millage rates are set by the authorities of each taxing jurisdiction: the County Board of Commissioners, the County Board of Education, the state and cities. The amount of these taxes is based on the assessed value of the property multiplied by the millage rate. The Tax Commissioner’s Office is the billing and collection entity for the County and plays no part in determining the amounts of any taxes or fees."

[edit] External links

[edit] References

http://sunshinestandard.org
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  1. ↑ Budgets
  2. ↑ Meetings, Meeting Videos
  3. ↑ Commissioners
  4. ↑ Departments
  5. ↑ Building permits, Zoning
  6. ↑ Audits
  7. ↑ Contracts
  8. ↑ Taxes
  9. ↑ Open Records Request
  10. ↑ Campaign Disclosure Reports
  11. ↑ Gwinnett County Stimulus Funds page
  12. ↑ Board of Commissioner
  13. ↑ Atlanta Unfiltered
  14. ↑ Retirement Plans Information
  15. ↑ ACCG Legislative Advocacy Information
  16. ↑ Gwinnett County Lobbying 2011
  17. ↑ Snellville Patch, Nash Delivers State of County Address
  18. ↑ Property Tax Facts PDF
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