Road impact fees will be on the agenda at a special meeting next Tuesday of the Sumter County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners will meet to enact a seven-day extension of the COVID-19 state of emergency and to discuss other issues during a workshop.
The impact fees, one of more than a half dozen discussion topics suggested by Commissioner Oren Miller, were a major issue contributing to outrage last year over a 25 percent Sumter County property tax rate increase.
At that time, county officials said the cost of building and improving roads was a driving force behind the increase. Opponents said The Villages Developer should pay higher road impact fees to cover the costs.
The tax hike spurred three candidates to challenge and defeat three commissioners who voted for the increase in this year’s elections.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold suggested that commissioners begin their discussion on the impact fees.
“Some of these items I already have information to bring forward to the board for review,” he said.
Miller also said commissioners should discuss fire and EMS impact fees.
He said they should talk about Reverse One Sumter, a proposed referendum that would change election of commissioners by voters in their districts instead of at-large.
Miller also renewed the call for a no-kill animal shelter, an issue he and his wife, Angie Fox, pursued for three years with county officials.
He said meetings should be moved to 7 p.m. from 5 p.m. to allow more people to attend. He said workshops should be held on the first and third Tuesdays.
