HIAWASSEE PUBLIC HEARING ON MILLAGE RATE FOR 2019
September 23rd 2019 6 PM

  1. Discussion of proposed Millage Rate 
  2. Acceptance of 2019 Millage rate

 

HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION AGENDA
September 23rd, 2019

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

  1. Call to order
    • Invocation – Amy Barrett
    • Pledge of Allegiance 
    • Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements 
  1. Old Business
    • Mayor’s Report
    • Telecommunications ROW Ordinance (UNITY) – 2nd reading prior to October 
    • Small Cell Ordinance – 2ndreading at 10-1-19 City Council Meeting 
  2. New Business
    • Issuing Authority Ordinance 
    • DDA By-Laws
    • Transition of Server Hardware – Unsupported after December 2019 - $8,000
    • Purchase of Water Department Dump Truck not to exceed budgeted $45,000
    • Consent Agenda for October 1st 
      • July Financials
      • September 3rdCity Council Meeting minutes
      • September 23rdWork Session Minutes
  1. Police Report
  2. Economic Development Report
    • DDA Meeting
  3. Executive Session
  4. Adjournment

HIAWASSEE MEETING MINUTES

The public hearing on millage rate for 2019 was held on September 23rd, 2019 at 6PM at City Hall.

In attendance was Mayor Liz Ordiales, Council members Anne Mitchell, Kris Berrong, Amy Barrett, Nancy Noblet and Patsy Owens, and City Attorney Thomas Mitchell.  Staff in attendance were Police Chief Paul Smith and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick.

Mayor Liz Ordiales opened the meeting and presented the 5-year tax digest.  The Mayor proposed rolling back the tax rate to 2.095 from last year’s rate of 2.170.  She then opened the floor for comments and questions. Motion to accept the millage rate as presented was made by Council member Nancy Noblet, seconded by Council member Anne Mitchell with all in favor.  Millage rate will be set at 2.095.

Mayor Ordiales then opened the September 23rd, 2019 Work Session at 6:07pm.  Council member Amy Barrett gave the invocation which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor Liz welcomed all attendees.

In Old Business, the Mayor presented her report which included a recaps of the 911 tribute which was well attended, an update of the sewer plant expansion project, the roof systems for the lift stations, Hayesville water rates, the sidewalks going in at City Hall, the shred day event (7k lbs. shredded), the Affair on the Square (20 vendors are already signed up for next year), Scarecrows will invade the Square again this year (please vote for your favorite), the 2020 census, EPD Water Audit (rated 81 – state average is 70), Water Treatment plant hours and expansion.

Also, in Old Business, the Telecommunications ROW Ordinance (UNITI) and the Small Cell ordinance will have second readings at the October 1st City council meeting.

In New Business, Mayor Liz presented the Issuing Authority Ordinance (1st reading October 1st, 2019), which will allow our Building Inspector, Randy Day, to be our issuing authority relative to Soil and Erosion environment impact.  Currently we must wait for EPD to cite offences, but this ordinance will allow Randy to inspect and to cite any violations.  The EPD mandates the amount, but the fines would go to the City.  Randy is already licensed as he is also the building inspector for the City of Blairsville.  This additional responsibility for Randy costs the City $1000.00/year.

Mayor Liz also presented the draft DDA by-laws which will be voted on at the next DDA meeting.  The DDA board has had 2 meetings and have elected officers.

The City of Hiawassee server is reaching end of life (scheduled to be unsupported after December 2019 and will need to be replaced.  Our IT firm has indicated that the cost to replace the hardware and operating system, install the system, and transfer all files will be approximately $8000.00.   The Mayor will ask for Council approval for this expense at the October 1st, Council meeting.

Also, at the October 1st Council meeting, the Mayor will ask for Council approval to replace the 18-year-old dump truck (not to exceed $45,000.00).  The truck is approximately 18 years old and is breaking down frequently

The consent agenda for the October 1st Council meeting will consist of the July Financials and the minutes of the September 3rdCouncil meeting and the September 23rd Work Session.

In the Police report, Chief Paul Smith advised the Council that Officer Aaron Deyton had arrested a motorcyclist after discovering methamphetamines, a firearm and $8,000 in cash.  Based on the arrest, the Drug Task Force was able to obtain a search warrant for the home and seized ½ lb. of meth (street value of $11,000), 23 guns, $32,000 in cash as well as drug objects. Because it was related the HPD traffic stop, Hiawassee will receive a portion of the seizure proceeds.

Chief Smith also presented the Council with the newest member of the HPD team.  Buddy is a 1 ½ year old yellow lab donated by Ed Able of PAWS.  His handle is Sergeant Tracy James.  Typical cost of a trained drug dog is approx. $15,000.  Buddy is alerting on 3 of 4 drugs he needs to be certified as a drug dog.

In the Economic Development Report, the first ribbon cutting was at Times Past Creations with Nina and Hank.  Times Past Creations has gifts and crafts and several vendors have space in the store. Caitlyn Ayers described the operation and encouraged everyone to go and check it out. The next ribbon cutting will be at Long Arm Quilts on October 5th at 10:00am.  Long Arm Quilts is in the Tater Ridge shopping plaza, next to the mattress store. There was discussion about the spaces vacated by Sav-a-Lot and Fred’s closings and what might go in the stores.  At this time, no businesses have shown interest in the spaces.  The spaces are large and difficult to rent and sub-dividing them is not usually an option.

Motion to go into executive session to discuss real estate acquisition and potential litigation was made by Council member Anne Mitchell, seconded by Council member Amy Barrett, with all in favor.  Entered executive session at 6:40pm.

Motion to exit executive session was made by Council member Nancy Noblet, seconded by Council member Amy Barrett, with all in favor.  Exited executive session at 7:38pm.

Motion to adjourn meeting was made by Council Member Patsy Owens, seconded by Council member Kris Berrong with all in favor.  Meeting adjourned at 7:38pm.

Special accommodations Information

Note: Individuals with disabilities who require certain accommodations in order to participate in meetings or questions regarding accessibility are required to contact City Hall at 706-896-2202.  The City will strive to make reasonable accommodations for those individuals.