HIAWASSEE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AND WORK SESSION AGENDA
January 27^th, 2020

The City of Hiawassee City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall Upstairs Training Room to discuss and vote on SPLOST and Fluoride Resolution.  The Monthly City Council Work Session will follow immediately.

1. Special Called Meeting
   • Call to order
   • Invocation
   • Pledge of Allegiance
   • SPLOST Referendum
   • Fluoride Resolution correction

(Close Special Called meeting and enter Work Session)

2. Call to order
3. Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements 
4. Year in Review
5. Old Business
   • Mayor’s Report
   • DDA Weible Resignation – Therrel Appointment
   • Joint Development Authority (County, Young Harris, Hiawassee) 
6. New Business
   • 2020 Budget Policy Resolution 
   • New Landscape Contract 
   • Planning Board assignment to replace Kris Berrong
   • New Mayor Pro-Tem assignment 
   • Blight Resolutions for Paris buildings
   • Consent Agenda
     • Minutes from December 3^rdCity Council Meeting 
     • Minutes from the January 7^thCity Council Meeting
     • Minutes from January 27^thWork Session
     • October, November Financials 

7. Police Report
8. Economic Development Report
   • Denise Update
9. Executive Session
10. Adjournment

HIAWASSEE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AND WORK SESSION MINUTES
January 27^th, 2020

The City of Hiawassee City Council held a Special Called Meeting at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall Upstairs Training Room. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Liz Ordiales.  

Present in addition to the Mayor were Council members Anne Mitchell, Amy Barrett, Jay Chastain, Patsy Owens, and Nancy Noblet.  Staff present were Police Chief Paul Smith and City Clerk, Bonnie Kendrick.  Also present was City Attorney Thomas Mitchell.

The Invocation was given by Councilmember Anne Mitchell and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor Ordiales explained that Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw’s recent decision to put the SPLOST referendum to the voters in May 2020, necessitates the City acting on the Resolution to participate in the SPLOST and declare where the funds will be allocated.  Sole Commissioner Bradshaw requires the enacted Resolution and intergovernmental agreement signed before January 29^th in order to meet the deadlines for advertising, etc. to get it on the ballot in May.  If we do not, we will forfeit the potential funds.  Mayor Ordiales also advised the council of a change in the wording of the intergovernmental agreement which Attorney Mitchell read.  The wording changes allow for the Cities to continue to receive 18% (9% to each city) of the collected SPLOST funds even if the amount is over the projected $1,080,000.  The proposal breaks out the spending to $600K in Economic Development, $200K in Parks and Recreation, $200K in Roads and Streets, and $80K in the Police.

Motion to approve the SPLOST resolution and an intergovernmental agreement was made by Councilmember Jay Chastain, seconded by Councilmember Anne Mitchell with all in favor.

The Fluoride Resolution is a correction in wording on the original because Tonya Nichols is no longer the Elections Superintendent for Towns County.  The resolution replaces her name with Rachel Edwards who is now the Towns County Elections Superintendent.

Motion to approve the revised Fluoride Resolution was made by Councilmember Amy Barrett, seconded by Councilmember Patsy Owens, with all in favor.

Motion to adjourn the Special Called meeting was made by Councilmember Anne Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Jay Chastain with all in favor.  Meeting adjourned at 6:16 pm

Council entered the Work session.  Mayor Ordiales recognized Pat Malone and Scott Newton.

Mayor Ordiales presented Blythe Smith, our student representative from the BRMEMC with a plaque. Blythe thanked the many people who provided the opportunity and those who were with the students in Washington, DC.

The Mayor presented her Year in Review which included updates on the City’s finances, property acquisition, expansion and permits for the Water Treatment Plant and the Wastewater Treatment Plant, Economic development work, employee training, infrastructure and DOT work and Police Officer Buddy.

In old business, the Mayor presented her report which included the crosswalk at the Chatuge Hospital, storm drain repair on the Square, storm damage, leaks, sewer damage, Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion update, New Water/Sewer billing system update, Paris Buildings update, and Mayor Liz was voted Official of the year by the Appalachian Regional Commission.  Next month, we will have Rushton and associates come and present the audit, Candace Lee will update the Council on how the Towns County Chamber of Commerce spends the money we give them and an update on the dump truck.

Judith Weible resigned from the DDA due to a work schedule conflict and, because the DDA training was taking place on January 13 -14, Mayor Ordiales emailed each Council member to gain approval for appointing Alec Therrel to take her place.  Approval was granted and Alec attended the training with the rest of the DDA members in Madison, GA.  The DDA was given a tour of the City of Madison by the Madison City Planner, Monica Callahan.    Councilmember Anne Michell also attended the DDA training and was very impressed with the city and what they have accomplished.

Also, in old business, the Joint Development Authority (County, Young Harris, Hiawassee) Resolution will be on the agenda.  We signed last month, but Young Harris was not ready to enter into the agreement.  They have since agreed to the JDA, so we will ask for Council approval again.

In New Business, Mayor Ordiales distributed the 2020 Budget Policy Resolution.  This resolution must be reviewed and passed by the Council each year.  It is the first step in the budget process. 

The Landscape Contract has expired and Mayor Ordiales has given the Council the Request for Proposal for a new 2-year lawn service contract.  Approval to submit for the RFPs will be on the agenda next week.

Former Councilmember Kris Berrong was the Council representative to the Planning Board.  Assignment to replace him will be requested at the February 4^th meeting.

Because this is the beginning of the term, a new Mayor Pro-Tem must be assigned.  Councilmember Anne Mitchell has been the Mayor Pro-Tem since August of 2017.

Also, on the agenda for the February 4^th meeting will be the Blight Resolutions for Paris buildings.  These resolutions will allow the City to apply for Community Development Block Grants and Rural Development Block Grants to help with rehabbing the buildings.

The Consent Agenda for the February 4^th meeting will be the approval of the Minutes of the December 3^rd and January 7^th City Council meetings and the minutes of the January 27^th Special Called meeting and the January 27^th Work session.  In addition, it will include the approval of the October and November Financial statements which were shared. 

In the Police Report, Chief Smith presented the Council with his “Year in Review”.  In 2019 the Police department logged 218 Incidents, 94 accidents, file 47 reports, two domestic incidents, and 3 juvenile incidents.  They wrote 681 tickets, 426 written warnings, made 113 arrests (29 misdemeanor drug, 20 felony drug, 63 other misdemeanors, and 1 other felony.  The Police department purchased a Vector quad vehicle to add to the Police fleet. In addition, they were gifted with two police cars and 6 LIDAR detectors.  They also have two new officers this year; Officer Aaron Deyton and Officer Buddy, our K9 officer (Sergeant Tracy James is Buddy’s handler).  Buddy and Sergeant James have been certified with two different organizations for drug detection.  Buddy had his first drug arrest this past month.  He alerted to a car that the police otherwise would not have been able to search.

The Economic Development Report was given by Mayor Ordiales as Economic Development Director Denise McKay is having surgery this week. Mayor Ordiales posted the buildings on Facebook and asked for input on what the citizens would like to see in the buildings.  There was Great participation and the overwhelming majority would like a Farm to Table type restaurant, the second was a coffee shop/ice cream shop/bakery open all day and third was a retail/gift shop.  Parking was mention as an issue, however, there is adequate parking on the Square which is only a ½ block from the buildings.

Motion to go into executive session to discuss potential litigation and property acquisition was made by Councilmember Jay Chastain, seconded by Councilmember Patsy Owens with all in favor.  Council entered executive session at 7:15 pm

Motion to exit executive session was made by Councilmember Nancy Noblet, seconded by Councilmember Jay Chastain with all in favor.  Council exited the executive session at 8:22 pm.

Motion to adjourn was made by Councilmember Jay Chastain, seconded by Councilmember Patsy Owens with all in favor.  Meeting adjourned at 8:22pm.