BROADCAST VIA FACEBOOK LIVE SITE: CITY OF HIAWASSEE
OPEN TO PUBLIC – COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Monday December 5th, 2023 6 PM
HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
- Call to order
1.1 Invocation – Amy Barrett
1.2 Pledge of Allegiance
1.3 Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements
1.4 Approve the Agenda as distributed
2. Old Business
3. Consent Agenda:
3.1 Minutes from November 7th, 2023, City Council Meeting
3.2 Minutes from November 13th Special Called Meeting
3.3 Minutes from November 21st Special Called Meeting
3.4 Minutes from October 5th DDA/City Council Retreat
3.5 Minutes from Work Session November 27th, 2023
3.6 June, July, August Financials
4. Consideration of Charter Changes thru Home Rule for removal of officer
5. Consideration of Charter Changes thru Home Rule for Attendance qualifications
6. First Reading of ordinance providing procedures for removal of an officer
7. Ratification of contact with Georgia Mountain Regional Commission for Grant Administration for Paris Business Center
8. Ratification of contact with Georgia Mountain Regional Commission for Grant Administration for Board Walk
9. Council appointment of Ethic Board member to Larry Sorgen to complete term of Jonathan Wilson
10. Approval of correction to ROTH IRA contributions missed to City employee
11. Approval of new Employee Insurance plan in include Northeast Ga Medical facilities
12. Approval of Flock Camera for 5 years, $2,500 per camera, per year
13. Approval to authorize BRMEMC Street light LED replacement
14. Approval of Alcohol License for HIR GastroPub
15. Approval of paving work for 2023 GDOT-LMIG to Brian Hogsed - $31,800
16. Swearing in of Larry Sorgen as new Ethics Committee board member
17. Consideration of possible intergovernmental agreement with Young Harris for Economic Development services.
18. Executive Session
19. Adjournment
HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
12/05/2023 6 PM
The City of Hiawassee December City Council meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm on December 5th, 2023 in the City Hall Council Chambers by Mayor Liz Ordiales. The meeting was open to the public and was broadcast over FaceBook live.
Present in addition to the Mayor were Council members Anne Mitchell, Patsy Owens (arrived at 6:13 pm), Nancy Noblet, Amy Barrett and Jay Chastain. Staff present were Economic Development Director Denise McKay and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick. City Attorney Thomas Mitchell attended by telephone.
The Invocation was given by Council member Amy Barrett and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Ordiales welcomed guests and commented on the beauty of the Square decorated for the holidays and thanked her sister, Ligia Gonzalez and Tyler Osborn and all the volunteers for their efforts.
Mayor Liz stated that the agenda would need to be amended because, before we can vote on Larry Sorgen to replace Jonathan Wilson on the Ethics Committee, we must accept Mr. Wilson's resignation. She mentioned that this resignation should have occurred in August when Mr. Wilson qualified to run for the City Council seat. She also stated the that Workers Compensation contract had arrived Friday and that it would be put on the agenda for the January 7th, 2024 meeting for approval because it will need to be paid by the end of January. That document will be distributed to Council in the next week. Additionally Council member Anne Mitchell has requested time on the agenda to speak. Motion to approve the agenda as amended was made by Council member Jay Chastain seconded by Council Member Anne Mitchell with all present in favor.
There was no old business.
In new business, motion to approve the Consent Agenda, which includes the Minutes from November 7th, 2023, City Council Meeting, Minutes from November 13th Special Called Meeting, Minutes from November 21st Special Called Meeting, and Minutes from October 5th DDA/City Council Retreat was made by Council member Anne Mitchell seconded by Council Member Amy Barrett with all present in favor. Minutes from Work Session November 27th, 2023 was tabled for a correction on the LMIG dates and the June, July, and August Financials were also tabled.
Motion to approve the Charter Changes through Home Rule for removal of officer was made by Council member Amy Barrett seconded by Council Member Nancy Noblet with all present in favor. There will be a public hearing for that item on January 9th, 2024 at 6pm prior to the January Council meeting.
The consideration of Charter Changes thru Home Rule for Attendance qualifications was deleted as City Attorney Thomas Mitchell stated that the attendance requirement could not be done through Home Rule but would need legislative action.
The first reading of ordinance providing procedures for removal of an officer was made by Council member Nancy Noblet seconded by Council Member Amy Barrett with all present in favor.
Motion to ratify the contact with Georgia Mountain Regional Commission for Grant Administration of the Paris Business Center was made by Council member Amy Barrett and seconded by Council Member Anne Mitchell. Council member Jay Chastain read a prepared statement and indicated the sentiment was shared by Council members Noblet and Barrett: “I am agreeing to these contracts only to protect the City for receipt of grants money, but I don’t approve of how the City has got here. I don’t agree with all the pieces of the project. We were backed into a corner to approve the loan as a result of actions of others and not approved by Council. I’m doing this under duress.” Attorney Mitchell addressed both the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission’s grant administration contracts. Mr. Mitchell stated that GMRC was experienced in grant administration and would be assisting the City along with DCA (Department of Community Affairs) with the Paris Business Center. Mr. Mitchell stated that he reviewed the grant application and reference to this contract to manage the projects was stated a minimum of 3 times. With regard to the Boardwalk, Mr. Mitchell stated while had not reviewed the documents, it was his understanding that this contract was structured the same way and advised ratifying the contract. (Council member Patsy Owens arrived at 6:13pm.). Vote to approve was unanimous.
Motion to ratify the contact with Georgia Mountain Regional Commission for Grant Administration for Board Walk was made by Council member Anne Mitchell and seconded by Council Member Patsy Owens. Council member Amy Barrett stated the same quote as the previous motion applied here for the same Council members - (“I am agreeing to these contracts only to protect the City for receipt of grants money, but I don’t approve of how the City has got here. I don’t agree with all the pieces of the project. We were backed into a corner to approve the loan as a result of actions of others and not approved by Council. I’m doing this under duress.”). Vote to approve was unanimous.
Motion to accept the resignation of Jonathan Wilson from the Ethics Committee was made by Council member Jay Chastain seconded by Council Member Nancy Noblet with all in favor.
Motion to approve the Council appointment of Ethic Board member to Larry Sorgen to complete term of Jonathan Wilson (through the end of May 2024) was made by Council member Nancy Noblet seconded by Council Member Anne Mitchell with all in favor.
Motion to approve the correction to ROTH IRA contributions missed to City employee was made by Council member Nancy Noblet seconded by Council Member Amy Barrett with all present in favor.
Motion to approve the new Employee Insurance plan to include Northeast Ga Medical facilities was made by Council member Patsy Owens seconded by Council Member Anne Mitchell with all in favor. Mayor Liz provided the Council with a breakdown of the insurance quotes. The plan she is suggesting the City use requires an additional $85/month/employee and will be effective Jan 1, 2024. Council member Amy Barrett stated that since her husband, Timothy Barrett, is no longer assisting with employee insurance needs upon his request, she is now able to vote on insurance issues. Council member Barrett had contacted the insurance broker the City is now working with, to verify whether there would be a 4th quarter “look back” (4th quarter deductible carry-over) and there is not. She asked that the employees be aware since this change is off our normal cycle – employee insurance had been renewing each year in April. She agreed the change was good as it locked in the price now.
Motion to approve the Flock Camera for 5 years, $2,500 per camera, per year was made by Council member Nancy Noblet seconded by Council Member Jay Chastain with all in favor.
Motion to approve the BRMEMC Street light LED replacement was made by Council member Nancy Noblet seconded by Council Member Jay Chastain with all in favor. Authorization was granted for Clerk Bonnie Kendrick to continue signing the street light replacement documents as they are submitted by BRMEMC.
Approval of Alcohol License for HIR GastroPub was made by Council member Patsy Owens seconded by Council Member Nancy Noblet with all in favor
Approval of paving work for 2024 GDOT-LMIG to Brian Hogsed (lowest bid at $31,800) was made by Council member Patsy Owens seconded by Council Member Anne Mitchell with all in favor. The paving will be on Hiawassee Estates Drive, Longview Dr (3 places), and at River Street and Main Street.
City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick swore in Mr. Larry Sorgen as new Ethics Committee board member to complete the term of Jonathan Wilson (through May 2024).
Consideration of possible intergovernmental agreement with Young Harris for Economic Development services was tabled as Mayor Liz had not heard back from Mayor Gibby of Young Harris.
Council member Anne Mitchell made a few comments alluding to the difficulties of the past year, publicly thanked Mayor Liz for moving the City forward, correcting payroll with the help of the Carl Vinson Institute, and stated that we all make mistakes along the way, and she didn’t feel it was right that Mayor Liz was criticized so publicly. She thanked Mayor Liz for eight years of hard work. Council member Mitchell also thanked Denise McKay for her hard work of the past 5 years and said she was grateful to work with such remarkable women. Mayor Liz stated she was grateful for Council member Mitchell as well and presented her with gifts for your service to the City and Community for the past 8 years.
Grace Howard spoke about her sister, Council member Mitchell, about her life and the incredible impact she has had on the community from being the first director of the Towns County Chamber of Commerce, work with the Georgia Mountain Fair and the Hamilton Gardens, the support of the Appalachian trail and hikers, board of education, the watershed coalition, and City Council, with the purpose of always making Hiawassee a better place.
There being no need for an executive session, the motion to adjourn was made by Council member Nancy Noblet seconded by Council Member Anne Mitchell with all present in favor. Meeting adjourned at 6:37pm. Refreshments were served in honor of Council member Anne Mitchell’s last Council meeting.