FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County is set to open a $140 million administration building, but a state law prohibits county commissioners from voting and conducting official business outside the county seat, which is the city of Cumming.
The building is located along Freedom Parkway, just over two miles north of the Cumming city limits. It houses 17 departments with about 350 employees and was built in response to the county’s explosive growth.
“The building that we built and moved into in 1996, we’ve outgrown it – fast,” said Forsyth County manager David McKee.
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Channel 2’s Bryan Mims learned that the county had already purchased the 40-acre site just off Georgia 400 when officials learned of the law, which dates back to the 1800s.
“That never even crossed anybody’s mind,” he said. “Perhaps it should have. That ship has sailed, if you will.”
Still, he said, there were options available.
For one, the county could get the property annexed by Cumming. He and the county attorney offered an intergovernmental agreement that would pay $7 million to the city for transportation projects in exchange for annexation.
But in their meeting Monday night, county commissioners voted to request annexation without the funding agreement. Commissioners said there was no legitimate reason for the city to object to the annexation and the county should not have to pay. One commissioner likened it to extortion.
On Tuesday night, Cumming City Council voted unanimously to reject the annexation.
“You’re the ones trying to get us to bail you out,” said Mayor Troy Brumbalow. “So the answer is not no, it’s hell no.”
Brumbalow said the city never asked or demanded anything from Forsyth County. “There’s no way we’re extorting them when they’re the ones making the offer.”
“We feel that we are in the right place,” said Forsyth County Commission Chairman Alfred John. He stressed that the new building is needed for employees and services, not commissioners.
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For now, commissioners will hold its four monthly meetings – two regular meetings and two work sessions – at the old county building, which sits right across from Cumming City Hall.
The county will still own the building, which will be occupied by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.
“I will continue to work on a spirit of cooperation between myself and the mayor and see if it will yield results, and right now I think things are a little bit tense, so let’s let the dust settle a little bit,” he said.
Georgia’s County Association says there are three other counties with administration buildings outside the county seat, but their commissioners vote and conduct official business inside city limits.
McKee said the new building was greatly needed and will benefit the county for decades to come.
“I’m very excited about the ability to become a more efficient government in our operations,” he said.
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