HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION AGENDA/MINUTES
October 28th, 2019
The October Work Session Meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall Upstairs Training Room
- Call to order
- Invocation – Nancy Noblet
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements
- Old Business
- Mayor’s Report
- Issuing Authority Ordinance 2ndReading 11- 5- 2019
- New Business
- Holiday/Meeting Schedule for 2020
- Air Med Contract Renewal for 2020, same price $4900
- Consent Agenda for November 5th
- August Financials
- October 1st City Council Meeting minutes
- October 28th Work Session Minutes
- Police Report
- Economic Development Report
- Appalachian Gateway Community
- Broadband Ready - BRMEMC
- Executive Session
- Adjournment
HIAWASSEE WORK SESSIONMINUTES
The OctoberWork Session Meeting wascalled to order by Mayor Liz Ordiales on October 28th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hallin the Upstairs TrainingRoom.
Present were Council members Patsy Owens, Nancy Noblet, Kris Berrong, and Anne Mitchell. Council member Amy Barrett arrived at 6:10pm. Staff members present were Billing Clerk Marta Izquierdo, Police Chief Paul Smith and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick. Also present was City Attorney Thomas Mitchell.
The invocation was given by Council member Nancy Noblet and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The Mayor introduced the new billing clerk, Marta Izquierdo and welcomed back Vince Cooper and Roberta Chereck.
In her report, Mayor Liz shared that the City has received additional grant dollars for the WWTP project and that we are paying off another loan. Loan debt will be $3,389,520.73. As of October 31st, we have paid off $1,252,549.25 in loans. We have been approved for the Mural project ($5000 grant) which will be on the side of the old $2 store which is now the Archery shop. GMRC has published the unemployment rates. Towns County is at 4% - Union is at 2.5% and White is at 2.2%. Rate is quite good when you consider our demographics (predominantly retired). In a study by Charlie Hayslett, Towns County ranks #42 in the state (of 159 counties), Union is #24. Sewer Expansion project continues. The blower building has been razed at the Wastewater Treatment Plant which will save the City $1,700 monthly in electric billing. ( Council member Amy Barrett arrives ) The sewer map project is complete. Map is available for all to use at City Hall. The state has declared us in a Level 1 drought. Please be cautious of water use. All departments are doing their part in the trash pickup campaign. Manny Carrion graciously ground the stump on the Square near the AT sign. We have 20 “Squarecrows” and voting continues. The Pickleball tournament brought over 300 participants from as far away as Iowa and California – hotels and restaurants were full! Halloween at the Courthouse has been changed to Friday November 1st due to the 100% chance of rain on Thursday; however, the haunted Old Rock Jail will only be open on Thursday as the “Ghouls” have other commitments on Friday.Light up Hiawassee will be December 7th at 4:30pm, volunteers needed for Square decorations the weekend of 11-21-19. Census update – the Mayor had a sample of the census form-only 9 questions. Young Harris is putting together a youth ensemble for interested students between the ages of 12 and 18. The Mayor gave the Rotary Club an End Polio Day proclamation declaring 10-24-19 End Polio Day.
Joe Ruf of CASA expressed thanks to Mayor Liz for giving the invocation at the Dancing with the Stars event. Harry Baugh won the Mirror Ball trophy and has challenged other mayors to participate in the event.
In the old business, the second reading and adoption of the Local Issuing Authority Ordinance will be on the Council meeting on November 5th. Callie Moore wrote to congratulate the City for introducing this ordinance. It was the number one suggestion of the Hiawassee Watershed Coalition for the City to improve the quality of the lake in 2007.
Also on the agenda for November 5th will be the renewal of the Air Med Care contact (same cost as last year $4,900.).
In New Business, Mayor Liz presented the Council with a draft meeting and holiday schedule for the City for 2020 and brought attention to the May Work Session date (changed to Tuesday due to the Memorial Day holiday) and the December Work Session (There will not be a Work Session in December). Request for approval will be on the November 5thagenda. She also presented the August financials and noted that the City continues to improve financially. The Financials, the minutes of the October 1st meeting and the minutes of this meeting (October 28th) will be on the consent agenda.
In the Police report, Chief Smith informed the Council that Sgt. James had executed a traffic stop two weeks ago, which resulted in finding drugs including heroin and cocaine.
Chief Smith introduced Ed Able, dog trainer with PAWS who has gifted the City of Hiawassee Police Department with Buddy, a drug dog in training. The goal of PAWS is to provide for smaller police department without the financial resources to get a trained drug dog. The cost to train a dog is approx. $15,000. Ed gave an overview of PAWS which, in addition to training dogs for law enforcement, also trains service dogs for disabled veterans and children with disabilities. Ed then introduced Buddy, with his handler, Sgt. Tracy James, who demonstratedhis training by locating drugs which were planted in the training room.
In the Economic Development report Herb Bruce, president of the DDA, have a report on the development of the fledgling DDA. Its goal is to implement the strategic plan developed by the City with the assistance of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The DDA is governed by the state. The DDA and the City Council are scheduled to go to training in January 2020. Volunteers are needed for an as yet undetermined signature event to begin fund raising for the Authority.
The City of Hiawassee has been selected as an Appalachian Gateway Community and there will be a workshop next week.
Economic Development Director, Denise McKay has been working with Blue Ridge Mountain EMC to make the City broadband ready. At this time only 12% of the City is not on high speed fiber optics.
In other comments, a suggestion was made to put trash cans on Main Street and Mayor Liz will research the possibility of doing so.
Council member Amy Barrett made the motion to go into executive session to discuss possible litigation and real estate purchase. Motion was seconded by Council member Anne Mitchell with all in favor. The Council entered executive session at 6:47pm.
Motion to exit executive session was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Nancy Noblet with all in favor.
Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Council member Kris Berrong, seconded by Council member Patsy Owens with all in favor. Meeting adjourned at 7:25pm
Note: Individuals with disabilities who require certain accommodations in order to participate in this meeting 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.