'New Tone' Possible in Services Dispute Talks

A July 7 meeting will be the first time that Suwanee and other Gwinnett cities meet with new County Commission Chair Charlotte Nash as a group about the unresolved Service Delivery Strategy dispute. The topic is on the executive session agenda at the Intergovernmental Meeting of the Gwinnett Municipal Association. 

“I think there’s a new tone,” said Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson, who has been the lead in negotiations with the county about the dispute, which has gotten more attention since municipalities were unable to renew some contracts at the beginning of the year.  “There was, to some degree, a distrust before,” he added.

The dispute stems from the roughly 150,000 city residents who pay for county services that they do not receive. The Service Delivery Strategy law, enacted in the late '90s, is intended to prevent double taxation. It is updated every 10 years through an intergovernmental agreement.

Negotiations have been going on for over three years and have landed the parties in court. 

Since Jan. 1, the county and city police forces have not been able to use radar to catch speeders in their tracks. Revenue from speeding violations is down 75 percent in the city of Norcross versus the same period last year.

Revenue from fines is down in Suwanee, too.

Johnson is hopeful because Nash has experience in both city and county government. “She is a fresh set of eyes, but she has the benefit of vast experience,” he said.

No lawyers will be present at the meeting, according to Johnson, and a firm resolution is not expected. Instead, the group hopes to clear the air and begin crafting an answer that all parties can agree on.

“This is one of those necessary steps,” Johnson said. “She wants to hear from everyone and fully understand their concerns.”