HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 

July 7^th, 2020

The July 2020 City Council Meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. in council chambers
Closed to the public… Broadcast Via Facebook Live, City of Hiawassee Facebook Site

1. Call to order
   • Invocation – Anne Mitchell
   • Pledge of Allegiance 
   • Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements
   • Motion to Adopt Final Agenda as Distributed
2. Old Business
3. New Business
4. Motions/Approvals
   • Consent Agenda
     • Minutes from June 2^ndCity Council Meeting 
     • Minutes from June 27^thWork Session
     • City Council Retreat March 2020
     • April Financials 

5. Adoption of the fluoride referendum results certification resolution 
6. Appointment of Steven Harper to the Downtown Development Authority
7. GEFA Loan deferment documents 
8. Approval of Truck Purchase for Water Dept for $35,595
9. Approval of Contract for Lloyd’s Landing Kayak Ramp to Technology International for $25,893 from SPLOST fund

10. Approval for Chief Smith to open an account at South State Bank for drug seizure cash.Signature authorization to be Chief Paul Smith and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick
11. Executive Session
12. Motion to Adjourn

HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
July 7^th, 2020

The July 7^th, 2020 City Council Meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. in council chambers by Mayor Liz Ordiales. The meeting was broadcast via Facebook Live due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Present in addition to the Mayor were Council members Anne Mitchell, Amy Barrett, Jay Chastain, and Nancy Noblet.  Councilmember Patsy Owens joined by telephone. Staff present were Economic Development Director Denise McKay and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick. 

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

The Mayor announced that Ronnie Stroud had suffered an accident and was transported to Chattanooga with a serious head injury and that Rachel Noblet, Ernest Noblet’s sister, and long-time employee of Noblet's 5 &10, had passed away today.

Also in the Mayor’s announcements, the entrance and exit to Lloyd’s Landing are complete although the heavy equipment is still being removed.  Stop signs and Do Not Enter signs are being provided by GDOT and will be installed this week.  The crosswalk at the hospital is in progress.  For many years, the hospital has been asking for the crosswalk as protection to citizens attempting to cross the highway from the hospital – last year there was a serious pedestrian/motor vehicle accident there.  The expectation was a crosswalk like at the Post Office, however, GDOT had upgraded its design policy on June 8^th, 2020 to include a “two-phase” pedestrian crossing, which includes the median.  The City requested the crosswalk, but the GDOT has absolute say over the design because it crosses a federal highway.  There has been a lot of concern over the ability to make a left turn from the hospital’s emergency department parking lot and GDOT will come and assess that situation.  While there appears to be adequate room to turn left from the ED parking lot, several people have expressed concern over the ability of an ambulance or fire truck making that left turn.  There was also concern and frustration over the work being done on the week of the 4^th of July.  Because of the rainy spring, we have had and the scheduling of the company doing the work, it happened this week.  The cost of the crosswalk is being shared between the City, the hospital, and GDOT.  The City is using leftover SPLOST funds ($10,000), the hospital is contributing $10,000 and GDOT is providing the rest (Approx $60,000). Weather permitting, it should be completed in the next two weeks.

In the COVID – 19 update, Dr. Toomey of the Georgia Department of Public Health said that although cases are increasing, deaths are not increasing as rapidly – this is due to better ways of managing the illness.  Towns County was at 38 last Monday and this afternoon is at 58, but still only 1 death.

The motion to adopt the final agenda as distributed was made by Councilmember Amy Barrett, seconded by Councilmember Jay Chastain with all in favor.

The was no new or old business.

The motion to approved the consent agenda which consisted of the meeting minutes of the June 2^nd Council meeting, the June 27the Work Session, and the March City Council retreat and the April financials, was made by Councilmember Anne Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Amy Barrett with all in favor.

The motion to approve the fluoride referendum results certification resolution was made by Councilmember Nancy Noblet, seconded by Councilmember Patsy Owens with all in favor.

The Mayor advised the Council of her desire to appoint Steven Harper to the Downtown Development Authority at the request of Economic Development Director Denise McKay.  Mr. Harper is a retired Florida attorney who has been assisting Director McKay with the business plan for the DDA, plans for the incubator, the grant application for the Paris Buildings projects, and the sound system at the City Square.

The motion to approve the GEFA loan interest deferrals and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute those documents was made by Councilmember Anne Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Jay Chastain with all in favor.

The motion to approve the purchase of a truck for the water department for $35,595.00 was made by Councilmember Nancy Noblet, seconded by Councilmember Jay Chastain with all in favor.

The motion to award the contract for Lloyd’s Landing Kayak Ramp to Technology International for $25,893 from previous SPLOST funds was made by Councilmember Amy Barrett, seconded by Councilmember Anne Mitchell with all in favor.

The motion to approve the opening of an account for drug seizure cash at South State Bank by Chief Paul Smith (signature authorization - Chief Paul Smith and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick) was made by Councilmember Jay Chastain, seconded by Councilmember Nancy Noblet with all in favor.

Motion to enter executive session to discuss potential litigation was made by Councilmember Anne Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Amy Barrett with all in favor.

Motion to exit executive session was made by Councilmember Nancy Noblet, seconded by Councilmember Amy Barrett with all in favor.

Motion to adjourn was made by Councilmember Anne Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Nancy Noblet with all in favor. Meeting Adjourned at 7:20 pm