HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION AGENDA
January 28^th, 2019

The January Work Session Meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall Upstairs Training Room

1. Call to order
   • Invocation – Nancy Noblet
   • Pledge of Allegiance 
   • Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements
   • Motion to Adopt Final Agenda as Distributed.

2. Old Business
   • Year in Review-Mayor’s Report
   • Sign Ordinance – 1^stReading

3. Police Department Report 
4. Economic Development Report
5. New Business
   • Ordinance of 1 Reading approval if unanimous consent
   • Adoption of the 2019-2024 Strategic Plan Resolution

HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION

Minutes
January 28th, 2019

The JanuaryWork Session Meeting wascalled to order at 6:00p.m. in theCity Hall Upstairs Training Room by Mayor Liz Ordiales.

Present, in addition to Mayor Ordiales, were Council members Patsy Owens, Nancy Noblet, Amy Barrett, Kris Berrong and Anne Mitchell.  Also present were Police Chief Paul Smith, City Attorney Thomas Mitchell, and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick.

The Invocation was given by Nancy Noblet and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  

The Mayor acknowledged Sally Varao’s passing, a great advocate of our community, with a moment of silence.

The Mayor introduced Hannah Minshew, a 12 year old 7th graderat Eastgate Academy School, who gave an impassioned speech about school shootings.

At the request of the city council members, Mayor Ordiales indicated that the council would like to hear all opinions and statements from the public and asked that people speak one at a time so all can be heard.

Motion to adopt final agenda as distributed was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Kris Berrong with all in favor.

Mayor Ordiales presented the City of Hiawassee 2018 Year in Review highlighting the accomplishments the City has realized including decreased loans (specifically higher interest loans), decreased number of bank accounts, implemented processes (including employee random drug testing, utility billing, business licensing, WTP management, work orders, purchase orders, receipting), right-sized the staff, renegotiated contracts, encouraged employee training, implemented Serv-Line Insurance, purged old documentation resulting in 41 boxes of colored Pendaflex folders.  We became a City of Ethics and a PlanFirst community and received many grants (GA Council for the Arts, DOT-LMIG, ARC Strategic plan, GMA Safety grant,Appalachian Regional Commission Sewer Improvement grant, WTP grant) totaling over $1 million.  Completed the Stage on the square, repaired the Square, installed a low drip system, plantings, upgraded City Hall flooring, Mayors Park, Lloyds’ Landing clean up, paved Tater Ridge, Police got a new vehicle, completed Municode project (Ordinances are published and searchable on the web), introduced Flicks on the Square, and got the turn signal at McDonald’s.

Going forward, need to improve equipment, need a tractor (using a 30 year old one now), trucks are high mileage and are in need of being replaced (one died on the way from Sewer plant to City Hall and had to be towed), we have a new GPS and will locate all meters, valves, etc. in the system.   We have a capital improvement project to replace a police vehicle each year.  We have an inventory of Water supplies and will start the WTP upgrade project this year.  There is a group in NC that is reviewing our water costs and will tell us what the water should cost and when that data is received, Mayor Ordiales will present it to the Council for recommendation of water increase. We have bypassed Road Runner lift station.  Sewer plant expansion is scheduled to be done by October, Water and Sewer mapping is in progress.  Many “inactive” meters have been found to be active and meters that have been tamper and we are addressing those.  We will also begin to implement our Strategic Plan.

In the Mayor’s report, the Sewer Plant improvement bids were opened and the bids ranged from $1.3 Million to $1.8 million, and the lowest bidder was selected after reviewing the companies, work and ratings.SOL Constructionfrom Atlanta and will use local contractors whenever possible.

Trash is being picked up weekly by all the Water department personnel.  Monday mornings they pick up trash on Main St, Bell St and Bell Creek Rd.  Hope to engage the business in a few weeks. Household trash is also being left at Lloyd’s Landing and Mayor’s Park.

Also in the Mayor’s Report, Mayor Ordiales advised the Council that the election qualifying fees have been published in the Towns County Herald.  Anne Mitchell, Kris Berrong and Nancy Noblet’s posts are up for election this year.  Qualifying fee is $45.00.  Also the excess vehicles were published for seal bid on February 8th.

The question was raised about City business owners being able to vote in City elections.  It was taken under advisement and Attorney Mitchell will research what changes would need to be made to the City Charter to allow this.  It would need to go through legislative in 2020, as it is too late to get it through this year.

VFW named Detective Brandon Barrett “First Responder of the Year”. 

Workers Compensation visit this year, were cited for a minor infraction (seat tear in a vehicle) – last year, we were non-compliant in *MANY* areas.

Mayor Ordiales was on the panel of Leadership Chatuge, feels it is an excellent program which develops leadership skills and will be suggesting Chief Smith attend the next session. The program is about 6 months long.

Towns County has been named the Number One place in Georgia to retire by USA Today.

Mayor Ordiales has just returned from Mayors Day in Atlanta and shared information about city land area/jobs/population/gross domestic product numbers and this year’s campaign title “True Colors” and she received a recognition award from the University of Georgia.

The motion to approve the first reading of the updated Sign Ordinance, to match the Towns County Sign Ordinance was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Anne Mitchell. The major change was to prohibit any additional billboard signs as the County has done and some minor changes to other types of signs. A member of the audience asked for information regarding the changes to the ordinance that would affect businesses.  She was provided with a copy of the draft ordinance by Council Member Patsy Owens.  All Council members were in favor of the approving the changes to the sign ordinance.

Chief Paul Smith gave the Police Department Year in Review Report. Last year 1142 traffic stops, an uptick at the time of the hands-free law came into effect.  The Police wrote 681 tickets, 362 written warnings, and numerous verbal warnings. They made 102 arrests; 21 misdemeanors, 16 felony drug, 70 other misdemeanor, 11 other felony. Half of the felony arrests were a direct result of a traffic stop. The police make fewer arrests than in 2017.  Drug arrests down every month – 70 fewer than last year. The Police filed 335 police reports, 205 incident reports (reports of crime), which can be a few pages to reams of paper, there were 87 accident, 48 of which occurred on private property (16 at Ingles) 36 miscellaneous reports (not accident or crime), such as suspicious person. There were 5 domestic violence reports and 2 juvenile reports (16 or younger).  

The Economic Development Report was given by Denise McKay, Economic Development Director.  Although she has been in her position for only a few short weeks, she has attended many meetings, met many community leaders and business owners, and reviewed the City’s Strategic Plan.   She had met with three business entities, one with possible relocation, one with a possible business coming to Hiawassee, and one warehouse – not all in Hiawassee, but in County or Young Harris.  She also worked on the Sign Ordinance.  She has a tapestry report/linkage report (makeup of the community) and it seems to be missing some information which she is working complete the information.  It addresses community likes and dislikes, work force is missing information. Linkage report address surplus and excess in retail sales in different categories, which will help determine what business she will need to try to attract into the area.

Denise also worked on the Strategic Plan and identified the top three priorities – the Post Office, Ingles and creative place making which is a mural program and we will have to write an ordinance specifically for murals.  

There was discussion about work force planning and keeping our children in this area after they finished high school/college.  Young Harris College is working on programs to address this.  There was also discussion about the high property values in this area.

In new business, Mayor Ordiales presented the possibility of a Home Rule Resolution that will allow for one reading of an ordinance which will result approval and adoption of the ordinance ifthe Council unanimously consents and the entirecouncil is physically present. Mr. Mitchell will correct the resolution and Bonnie Kendrick will send it out

Mayor Ordiales also suggested the Council may want to formally adoption of the 2019-2024 Strategic Planby resolution.  Mr. Mitchell will draft the resolution and Bonnie Kendrick will send it out as well.

Motion to adjourn was made by Council member Anne Mitchell, seconded by Council member Nancy Noblet with all in favor.  Meeting adjourned at 7:17pm