Service Delivery Strategy Still an Issue in Rabun County

One issue surrounding the county and Clayton city government, is which government can deliver services to which area in the county. County administrator Darrin Giles says that the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission has helped with writing the Service Delivery Strategy, and the service that is causing the most concerns is water and sewer.

Water and Sewer lines, and who has control of the service area has been a concern for some time now. Giles tells us that the problem area in south of Clayton, in the Lakemont-Wiley Connector area. That area has caused issues, because the county and City of Clayton both claim that the lines belong to them.

“The (County) Water and Sewer authority’s argument is that the main line coming from the plant at Lake Rabun is theirs, and that the city of Clayton has tapped this line, to serve without an agreement.” Giles says.

Giles also mentions the argument that the city has given.

“The city of Clayton’s argument is that the water in the pipe is theirs… and that they tapped it because the water in the pipe is theirs.”

While no set date has been announced as to when a solution needs to be reached, Giles says that Friday is the day that an agreement needs to be made, in order to avoid more issues.

“We need to find some middle ground and move on.” Giles says, “Basically, if we become a non-qualified government, then any loan, permit, or grant for any city within the county, they are not able to go after it. It doesn’t just affect the city of Clayton and the county, it affects all the cities.”

If an agreement is not reached by Friday, the government will become non-qualified. But there is no length of time to become qualified again. For example, if both parties come to an agreement on Wednesday, the government will no longer be considered non-qualified.