County Attorney to review defendant’s requested settlement

The Oconee County Attorney, Tom Martin, is not the lawyer who brought suit on behalf of the county alleging back taxes owed by the owner of an airplane that was stored at the airport. However, Martin officially entered the squabble this afternoon when he agreed to review a new proposed agreement from Hangar III and the other defendants that was passed out to the council members only moments before the start of this afternoon’s special meeting. Like Tuesday, the council debated whether its proper to pursue the payment of back taxes from the owners of an airplane, nearly 15 years after a previous county council approved an agreement which the defendants claim exempts them from what now amounts to a $315 thousand bill from the county. And the agreement reached a vote. After questions were raised about whether the council may legally forgive taxes and whether signing the agreement could legally agree to extend the defendants’ lease of a hangar at the airport, the council voted the agreement down 1-3-1. McCall voted yes. Cain, Thrift and Dexter voted no, and Cammick abstained. Today’s outcome disappointed McCall. He expressed the fear that if the county goes to trial, the taxpayers will take “a royal hosing.” But Dexter repeated his concerns from Tuesday night that, by waiving taxes it believes are owed, the council be wrong ethically, morally, and legally. Dexter said he wants the dispute settled in court.