(Lawrenceville, Ga., Feb. 12, 2010) - Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister issued the following statement concerning the service delivery negotiations between Gwinnett County and the cities:

"I have been made aware that on Feb. 10, 2010, Judge Barrett sent a letter to counsel for all parties in the Service Delivery Strategy, or SDS, dispute that sanctions should not be imposed on the County and its municipalities until Feb. 28, 2010, consistent with the position taken by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Further, the attorneys for the cities have filed a motion seeking to withdraw their Motion for Contempt against Commissioner Michael Beatty of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

"As I have consistently stated, it made no sense for Mr. Welch, the attorney for the cities, to file a motion seeking to hold the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs in contempt for not imposing these sanctions on the residents of Gwinnett County, both the 80 percent who live outside of cities and the 20 percent that live within cities, as such sanctions could only, if implemented earlier, potentially jeopardize more grants to our County and Cities.

"This action was unnecessary as Judge Barrett has entered a strict scheduling order which insures that the parties are moving quickly in settlement preparations and discussions, as well as preparing for a trial of this case very soon, as a pretrial is scheduled for March 19.

"The County is preparing a counter offer to the cities that is based on the best interests of all of our citizens, and I look forward to discussing this proposal in the very near future with Mayor Johnson, without attorneys present, to bring this matter to an acceptable resolution."