Gwinnett County Files for ADR in Negotiations With Cities

Gwinnett County has filed for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the two-year old service delivery strategy negotiations with the 15 cities within its borders.

The current 10-year strategy, as set forth in state legislation that became effective in 1999, expired Feb. 28. Missing that deadline with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs places Gwinnett and each of its cities in an “unqualified status.” Unqualified status could result in sanctions including the loss of state administered financial assistance, grants, loans or permits.

The legislative intent behind the service delivery law is to “minimize inefficiencies resulting from duplication of services and competition between local governments and to provide a mechanism to resolve disputes over local government service delivery, funding equity and land use.” Gwinnett County has a responsibility to provide every one of its nearly 800,000 citizens with services at a fair cost, including the 20 percent of the population that resides within city limits.

City governments, by contrast, are responsible solely to city residents, about 160,000 people collectively. Disagreement remains between the County and the cities about the level of service the County provides to city residents and how much should be paid for those services.

Because the groups have failed to reach an agreement after two years, the County now seeks an objective arbitrator to help end the dispute and bring an equitable funding solution for all Gwinnett citizens.

The petition for ADR also asks a judge to issue an order to suspend all sanctions for unqualified status throughout the alternative dispute resolution process.