The Spalding County Board of Commissioners voted to pay a state fine and approve Griffin-Spalding County Hospital Authority expenditures at its meeting Monday night.

One issue discussed at the meeting was a fine of $50,973 levied by the Georgia Department of Revenue. The state claimed that the ratio of appraised value to sale value used to compute property taxes was 38.84 percent rather than the state-mandated 40 percent. Spalding County is not alone in this — 47 counties in the state have this problem.

Board of Commissioners Vice Chairwoman Gwen Flowers-Taylor asked if the county could appeal the judgment. She also questioned if a legitimate wrong had been committed or if the state was just trying to grab money.

Spalding County Chief Appraiser Tim Whalen said the situation resulted from “flipping” — buying houses and then selling them quickly at a higher price.

“These type sales got on the digest,” Whalen said.

However, the taxes collected were based on lower values.

Commissioner Eddie Freeman said the fine represents a double hit from the state, on top of the end of the Homeowners’ Tax Relief Grant.

Whalen said the county has three years to pay the fine and the coming property revaluation will correct the disparity.

Freeman moved to approve, saying the longer the county waits, the higher the fine will ultimately be due to late fees. Commissioner Dave Phillips seconded.

The commissioners voted 4-0 to approve (Chairman Eddie Goss was absent).

The board also voted to approve the Hospital Authority’s distribution of funds for its 2009 projects.

“This is our annual approval,” County Manager William Wilson Jr. said. “We have to give (it) so the Hospital Authority can give those funds.”

According to the agenda, the Hospital Authority is providing $25,000 to the Board of Health for flu shots, $25,000 for children’s dental care, $150,000 for adult dental care and $200,000 for the medical clinic.

The Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the measure.

Wilson also updated the commissioners on the status of two county workers injured in recent road accidents. Jimmy Baldwin is back at work after being accidentally backed into by an onlooker. Ray Golden, struck by a vehicle while working on Carver Road, is still recovering at home.