Kingsland Tables Permit Ordinance Again

Burns Tells Council Paperwork Filed To Begin Collecting Dollar General Sales Tax

  • KINGSLAND TABLES BUILDING PERMIT - The Kingsland City Council approved Mayor Samantha Johnson’s recommendation to table a proposed building permit ordinance to give new Kingsland City Attorney Tristian Bransetter-Thomas (left) to review it.
    KINGSLAND TABLES BUILDING PERMIT - The Kingsland City Council approved Mayor Samantha Johnson’s recommendation to table a proposed building permit ordinance to give new Kingsland City Attorney Tristian Bransetter-Thomas (left) to review it.

    KINGSLAND - Mayor Samantha Johnson and the Kingsland City Council are tabling the proposed building permit ordinance until the new city attorney, Tristian Bransetter-Thomas, can review it.

    Meanwhile, council member Linda Burns told the city council that Kingsland should begin collecting sales tax from the Dollar General store in January now that some missing paperwork has been submitted to officially incorporate the store it into the city limits.

    There was another crowd gathered inside Kingsland City Hall for last Thursday for the city council’s regular monthly meeting, but not quiet as large as the one for the Aug. 13 special meeting. Overall, the proceedings were not as contentious as the special meeting when the proposed building permit ordinance was first introduced.

    Johnson started the meeting by immediately introducing Bransetter-Thomas as the new city attorney. She replaces former city attorney Thomas Burns, who resigned on Aug. 14 the day after the special council meeting.  Bransetter-Thomas, who is from Jacksonville, said she is part of The Chosen Law Firm.

    After introducing her, Johnson immediately told the city council that she wanted to table the building permit ordinance to let Bransetter-Thomas review it. There was no opposition and it was tabled again.

    The proposed ordinance would require Kingsland residents to get building permits for projects ranging from new residential or commercial construction to room additions, building storage sheds and more.

    The first reading of the ordinance was approved by a 3-2 vote with Johnson casting the deciding vote. The council vote was split after the first reading  with council members Burns and Suny Blair voting for it and Lee Penister and Keither Spencer voting against it. 

    Ordinances require three readings before they can become official law. Last Thursday’s meeting would have been the second reading.

    Dollar General Sales Tax

    Last October, the Kingsland City Council formally approved Ordinance 2025-4 that …