BROADCAST VIA FACEBOOK LIVE ONLY       SITE: CITY OF HIAWASSEE
NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC

The City of Hiawassee January 2021 City Council meeting will begin at 6PM in the Council Chambers 

HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
January 5, 2021

1. Call to order
   • Invocation – Amy Barrett
   • Pledge of Allegiance 
   • Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements 
   • Approve the Agenda as distributed 
2. Old Business
   • USDA Loan Pay-off completed $1,025,000 Loan at 4.375% INT, $850K paid in interest still had 18 years left on loan, saved us over $500,000 in interest
3. New Business 
   • Approval of the Elections and Qualifying Fees resolution
   • Consent Agenda
     • Minutes from the December 1^st, 2020 City Council Meeting
     • August Financials

4. Executive Session
5. Adjournment

HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES  
January 5, 2021

The City of Hiawassee January 2021 City Council meeting was called to order at 6PM on January 5^th in the Council Chambers by Mayor Liz Ordiales. The meeting was broadcast over FaceBook Live and was not open to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Present in addition to the Mayor were Council members Anne Mitchell, Patsy Owens, and Amy Barrett.  Council members Nancy Noblet and Jay Chastain joined via telephone as they are both recovering from COVID-19.  Staff present were Economic Development Director Denise McKay and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick.

The Invocation was given by Council member Amy Barrett and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  There were no guests.

In her announcements, Mayor Ordiales informed the Council that the City’s oldest veteran, Bud Johnson passed away on January 1^st.  He was a great man and will be missed.  The Christmas lights on the Square will be removed tomorrow.  In the GMA conference call this morning, Dr. Amber Schmidtke, Director of the Center for Disease Control, and Dr. Carlos del Rio, Chairperson of Global Health and Infectious Diseases at Emory Hospital, gave some sobering statistics on the state of the pandemic in Georgia.  COVID testing in the state is lagging behind other states, our positive test results are rising rapidly and are higher than they were in April. Rural counties are hardest hit.  We are currently the 10^th in the nation for positive cases and poor outcomes.  The vaccine development has been effective, but distribution has not. Locally in Towns County we have had 62 new cases in the last week – a 22% increase.  Our positivity rate is 17.8 which is the highest ever (target is 5).  We are considered a continuing hot spot.  Union General is at full capacity in ICU and floors.  They are asking us to adhere to the Governor’s guidelines – limiting gatherings in bars and restaurants keeping 6-foot separation. Council member Jay Chastain, who contracted COVID-19 on December 3^rd and is still recovering, said he doesn’t think people realized how very serious this disease is.

Motion to approve the agenda as distributed was made by Council member Patsy Owens, seconded by Council member Amy Barrett with all in favor.

In Old Business, Mayor Ordiales informed the Council that another USDA Loan was paid off. The $1,025,000 Loan at 4.375% INT, and $850K had been paid in interest.  There was still had 18 years left on loan, which saved the City over $500,000 in interest.

In New Business the motion to approve the Elections and Qualifying Fees resolution was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Anne Mitchell with all in favor.

Motion to approve the consent agenda, which consists of the minutes from the December 1^st, 2020 City Council Meeting and the August Financials was made by Council member Nancy Noblet, seconded by Council member Anne Mitchell with all in favor.

There was no need for executive session.

Motion to adjourn was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Patsy Owens with all in favor.  Meeting adjourned at 6:11pm.