Other business
• The board heard a report on the county's fiscal year 2011 budget. Interim Finance Director Lisa Johnsa told commissioners revenue collections were under budget, which could lead to a tough budget year for fiscal year 2012.
• Commissioners also approved the design for this year's tax bill, which will include two coupons to submit tax payments in two installments that will be due in October and December.
• Commissioner Craig Lutz appointed Tommy Sandoval to the Parks and Leisure Services Board.
Melissa Weinman
An attempt to change the plan for the baseball fields at Cool Springs Park failed following a spat at the Hall County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday evening.
Commissioner Craig Lutz proposed an amendment to the commission's previous vote that would reduce the facilities available at the fields.
Lutz wanted commissioners to reconsider a scaled back option for the fields, which would not include bathroom facilities, irrigation or other amenities that would add operational costs to the facilities.
Chairman Tom Oliver immediately refuted the motion.
"We've already voted for Cool Springs, and now we're going to come back and revisit it? We're telling this community that what we vote and what we say doesn't hold merit because we're going to change it?" Oliver said.
Lutz asked the chairman to maintain Roberts Rules of Order and get another commissioner to second his motion before discussing the matter.
"I'm just going to amend the previous motion," Lutz said, maintaining that he did not wish to reverse the vote.
"I wanted to give the kids their ball fields but take out the things that were going to cost the taxpayers in the longrun."
"You want to change the park that is not even in your district?" Oliver said.
Oliver asked Interim Hall County Attorney O.V. Brantley about the legality of bringing the matter back before the board.
Brantley told commissioners Lutz could bring up the amendment as long as another commissioner agreed to offer a second.
But she said Oliver is the parliamentarian and can choose whether to accept the motion.
"I'm not accepting this motion. Next," Oliver said, putting an end to the debate.
The board voted 3-2 at its Feb. 24 meeting to build competition baseball fields on the Cool Springs Park property for an estimated cost of $1.57 million.
The discussion came at the request of Commissioner Billy Powell, who asked the commissioners to at least consider building the much-needed ballfields after they voted to halt work on the park, which was to include a playground, skate park and walking trails.