Monticello City Council s3

MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL AGENDA SEPT 11, 2007

7:25 PM PUBLIC HEARING ON DDA RECOMMENDATION FOR LOCAL RLF LOAN FOR BUSINESS AT 397 FUNDERBURG DRIVE

Mayor Holmes called the meeting to order with the following Council Members present: Mayor Pro-Tem Russell Gross, Councilor Glenn Newsome, Bryan Standifer and Jackie Smith. Also present was Attorney, Roy R. Kelly III, City Manager, Hugh King and City Clerk, Belinda Whirley.

Terry Hopkins appeared before Council to request for local RLF loan proceeds for a business at 397 Funderburg Drive.

Citizens present were: Sage Edwards, William Gibson, and Lottie Norris.

There was no opposition to the request.

7:30 PM REGULAR MEETING

Mayor Holmes called the meeting to order with the following Council Members present: Mayor Pro-Tem Russell Gross, Councilor Glenn Newsome, Bryan Standifer and Jackie Smith. Also present was Attorney, Roy R. Kelly III, City Manager, Hugh King and City Clerk, Belinda Whirley.

INVOCATION

Reverend Gibson gave the invocation.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mayor Pro-Tem Russell Gross led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

AGENDA APPROVAL

Mayor Holmes requested that an item for Quit Claim Deed for Jasper Memorial Hospital be added as item 11a and that item 16 MEAG Peaking & Reserve Requirements be moved up as item 12b.

Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Russell Gross to approve the agenda as amended. All were in favor.

MINUTES

Councilor Newsome made a motion seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Russell Gross to approve the minutes of the August 14th & August 30th meetings. All were in favor.

1 PAYABLES

Councilor Newsome made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the payables as presented. All were in favor.

FINANCIAL REPORT

Finance Director, Belinda Whirley gave the Financial Report for the month ending July 31, 2007. Councilor Newsome made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the report as presented. All were in favor.

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Mr. King’s monthly report included an update on the city resources which included informing meeting participants about the Level IV outdoor irrigation ban.

Currently the reservoir is about five feet and two inches below normal levels. Water is being pumped four hours a day from Popes Branch into the reservoir which adds approximately 50,000 gallons daily. Popes Branch is also used to prime the water plant with Lowery Branch dry.

The city manager also informed council that the process of condemning the building at 819 Funderburg Drive was continuing. The next step requires the building inspector to evaluate the building.

CITIZEN’S INPUT

Ms. Lottie Norris appealed to council for a review of the monthly electric bills at Morgan’s Hair Salon. She said the facility is only operational two days per week for eight days total per month and doesn’t understand why the bills have ranged from $200 to $500 over the past months.

Mr. William Gibson provided an artistic commemoration to the September 11, 2001 tragedy.

OLD BUSINESS

DISCUSSION OF FINANCIAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

Tabled due to staff working on audit.

QUIT CLAIM DEED FOR JASPER MEMORIAL HOSPTIAL

Councilor Smith made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the request for a quit claim deed of city property at 972 College Street to Jasper Memorial Hospital. All were in favor.

2 NEW BUSINESS

NOTICE OF AWARD ON WATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE PROJECT

Rehab Construction submitted the lowest bid, $1,275,825, of four companies vying for the job. However, with the city’s budget range is $1.1-$1.2 million for the project. Engineer Marty Boyd of Carter & Sloope requested last month that he be allowed to negotiate the amount with the low bidder. All the other bids received exceeded $1.325 million.

Mr. Boyd reported that he had completed negotiations with Rehab Construction and that the original bid had been reduced to $1,223,984 with two deductions possible totaling approximately $54,000.

Although the negotiated amount was still not within the targeted range, Mr. Boyd felt confident about the new bid amount and said that the amount would probably not be reduced further without sacrificing some integrity of the project.

Council Standifer made a motion seconded by Councilor Smith to award the bid to Rehab Construction. All were in favor.

MEAG PEAKING AND RESERVE REQUIREMENTS

City resources was the main topic of the evening as council members were presented information about power supply options from Municipal Electric Association of Georgia (MEAG) Power representatives Stuart Jones and Mike Jackson.

Mr. Jackson displayed a power point presentation about peaking power supplement supply program through MEAG. He said that the program would aid the city on summer days much like those 100 degree plus days last month.

Participation in the program would require council to endorse a contract with MEAG much like the Plant Vogtle contract that has already been endorsed.

Mayor pro tem Gross and Councilor Smith inquired as to how the power peak program would differ from the Plant Vogtle program that the city is currently enrolled in.

Mr. Jones requested that he be allowed to give a side-by-side presentation on both power resource programs in an effort to clarify any questions. Council requested that Mr. Jackson be in attendance at the next regularly scheduled meeting in October.

RESOLUTION FOR APPROVAL OF WATER/SEWER DRAWDOWN

City Manager, Hugh King made a request for Council to approve a draw down of Water Sewer Funds to Caret & Sloope for partial design of Water Plant upgrade in the amount of $19,950.00.

3 Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Councilor Newsome to approve the request. All were in favor.

DDA RECOMMENDATION FOR LOCAL RLF LOAN FOR BUSINESS AT 397 FUNDERGURG DRIVE

Mayor Pro-Tem Gross made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the request of RLF Funds for business at 397 Funderburg Drive. All were in favor.

BHT/DDA REPORT

Sage Edwards, Better Hometown and Downtown Development Director provided an update of current events and made a request for appointment of Rodney Perry and Bryan Standifer to the BHT Board of Directors.

Ms. Edwards commented that the Jasper County Commission contributed $5,000 to the upcoming Bicentennial celebration and unveiled the Bicentennial log.

In other business, Edwards informed Council that the Better Hometown is partnering with the Historical Foundation to complete an artistic rendition of Monticello sites.

In addition, the Annual Hot Air Balloon & Jazz Fest is planned for Friday, Sept. 28.

RESOLUTION CLOSING CERTAIN BANK ACCOUNTS

Financial Director, Belinda Whirley made a request for certain bank accounts to be closed.

Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Gross to approve the Resolution to close certain accounts. All were in favor.

COUNCIL COMMENTS

Mayor Pro Tem Gross sought to place an appointee to the council in the absence of former Council Member Scott Sauls. Mr. Gross said he didn’t want a partial council making any major decisions prior to the election.

With elections less than three months away, Mr. King didn’t foresee any major issues coming before council. Also Mayor Holmes, who typically does not vote, said that she could vote if necessary. Following that discussion Mr. Gross withdrew action to seek an appointment to the council.

ADJOURNMENT

Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Councilor Newsome to adjourn at 8:50 PM. All were in favor.