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NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC

HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION AGENDA
February 22^nd,  2021 6PM

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
   • City Council Retreat rescheduled to May 15^th
   • Mayors Report
3. New Business
   • Barrett & Associates Insurance presentation
   • Business License Ordinance Change – Dates only
   • Discussion of Water Department Building - $50,000 total- Budgeted expense
   • Discussion of Police Car Purchase - Budgeted 17,000, Sale of Charger to offset difference
   • Discussion of Generator at State Farm Lift Station – Budgeted $20,000, price $48,000
   • Discussion on City Hall Repairs/Square lights/Paint – Budgeted $60,000 for projects
   • Renewal of EPD Monitoring Contract – EMI $21,173 
   • Consent Agenda
     • Minutes from the January 26^thWork Session Minutes 
     • February 2^ndCity Council Meeting Minutes 
     • February 22^ndWork Session Minutes 
     • September Financials – Not received to date

4. Police Report
5. Economic Development Update
6. Executive Session
7. Adjournment

HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION MINUTES
February 22^nd,  2021 6PM

The City of Hiawassee February Work Session was called to order at 6PM on February 22, 2021 in the City Hall upstairs training room 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, Nancy Noblet, and Amy Barrett.  Council member Jay Chastain joined by telephone. Staff present were Economic Development Director Denise McKay, Police Chief Paul Smith and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick. City Attorney Thomas Mitchell also attended via telephone.

The Invocation was given by Council member Amy Barrett and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  Mayor Ordiales welcomed Tim Barrett of Barrett Insurance Company.  

Mayor Ordiales asked to change the order of the agenda to give Tim Barrett the floor first and allow him to leave the meeting.

Council member Amy Barrett recused herself since the presentation could be seen as a conflict of interest. Tim Barrett of Barrett & Associates Insurance presented the Council with the quotes for insurance rates for the coming year.  Our current Chamber of Commerce plan came in slightly higher than last year by .47% for approximately $5.00/ person increase, however there have been some increased benefits (prescription benefits tier one and two were lowered).  Tim gets quotes from all the companies that currently write insurance for municipalities to be certain we are getting the best possible insurance at the best price.  Renewal will be on the agenda next week.  Council member Amy Barrett returns to the training room.

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

In Old Business, the City Council retreat has been rescheduled to May 15th as the Council requested.  It will be in Clayton and we will have a presentation from the Clayton DDA and the mayor.

In her report, Mayor Ordiales updated the Council regarding COVID-19 statistics (total cases 972, and 37 deaths in Towns County, the Department of Public Health is now reporting the number of vaccines administered- 3623 so far 2701 first dose and 922 second dose).  Even with vaccination, you can still become infected and spread the virus so PLEASE continue to wear your mask, wash your hands and walk away.  Although there is some interest in opening the Council Meetings up to the public again, but because we are not able to accommodate social distancing, we will continue to hold meetings on FaceBook Live for a while longer. City Hall is still closed to the public, but if you need to conduct business you can call to make and appointment or ring the doorbell and we will come assist you.  The Mayor also advised the Council that the post office is having some difficulty keeping up with the volume of mail, we had a group of checks delivered to two weeks late which triggered late fees on the accounts.  These were mostly the result of third party (bill payer) checks.  There is an option to have your water bill drafted from your account and it comes out on the due date and you are never late.  Set up takes a few days, application is on the website, we can mail it to you, or you can pick one up at City Hall.  Stopping it for any reason takes minutes with a call to City Hall and speaking to Marta, the Utility Billing Clerk. This option eliminates late charges, envelopes, stamps, driving to City Hall, manual processing of the payment and is free.  The Mayor reported that there were 29 on the high usage report and 10 were leaks that were referred to ServLine for claims.  She unveiled the photos of the Water Treatment Plant pond clean out project.  

Also, in her report, the Mayor presented the need for a new building for the Water Department. When it rains, the current building floods.  It is a budgeted expense (budget is $50,000 but she feels she may be able to get it down to approx. $47,000 including the concrete floor, the building, and the inside items such as commercial pressure washer, bathroom, offices).  The lift station at State Farm currently has no generator and Janet Allen has agree to allow the City to put one on her property to service that lift station.  It also is a budgeted expense; however, the budget is $20,000, but the generator will cost $43,747.  We will need to take the rest out of the operating fund.  The fund is healthy enough to accommodate this.  The roof of City Hall is leaking into the network room and is in desperate need of repair and this also is a budgeted expense.  Currently there are trash cans in the room to collect the water.  New light poles for the City Square are also on the agenda – two poles came down last year.

TVA and DNR have agreed to 11 buoys on the lake near Lloyds Landing: 6 by the kayak ramp and children’s play area and 5 around the intake at the Water Treatment Plant.  We will need to purchase them, but they will assist with the installation of them.  13 Alarm agents need to be replaced before October $(1,224.00/each) in order for them to be 5G compliant. Clint Royce and Carl Grizzle will do the installs. It is a $15,000 - $16,000 investment and the company will provide us with 6 months of free monitoring.

This Saturday, February 27th, is the VIP premiere of the movie Arrow Head produced and directed by Bill Rahn (Summer Rahn’s Dad) in the Towns and Union County areas.   Come out and meet the cast and crew at 6, movie showing at 7. 

Council member Anne Mitchell has attended the advanced DDA training.  The intricacies between the workings (and intersections) of the DDA and the City are complicated, complex, and not easily understood.  She was glad she took the class and is better versed in those workings. 

Mayor Ordiales would like to update the Business License Ordinance to align the due dates so there is less overlap with property tax dues dates.  This year the “late” date for business licensing was January 15th and the property tax due date was January 20th.  Next year, the property tax due date will be January 15th (to coincide with the Towns County date) and she would like to consider making the due date December 15th, “late” date January 1st and subject to closure on January 31st.  It was also suggested that the fees be removed from the ordinance and allow for updating them by resolution although no fee change is anticipated.

Further discussion was requested by the Mayor to assist with any concerns regarding the items covered in the Mayor’s Report.  The Water Department building is a budget expense as stated in the Mayors report.  Budget is $50,000, however, current projections based on preliminary review should come in around $47,000.  Concrete, building, and contents are included in that price.

Police auctioned two vehicles (2015 Charger $9000 and 2010 Corolla $3,500) and sold the Crown Vic ($800).  Budget for a Police vehicle is $17,000.  Jackie Jones has an Interceptor for $22,900.  Safety grant will provide some of the lights needed to outfit the vehicle for duty.

Lift station at State Farm currently doesn’t have a generator.  Janet Allen has graciously allowed us to put one there as well as a security light for the alley.   The budget for this generator is $20,000, however the cost will be $48,000.  The extra will need to be taken from the operating fund – which is healthy enough to do this.  This lift station is a critical point in the system and having a generator would alleviate issues we have when there is a power failure, and the lift station ceases to function.  The request for this approval will be on the agenda for the March Council meeting.

There are several repairs that are needed at City Hall.  The roof has been leaking for some time into the network room.  Currently we have a series of trashcans/buckets to catch the water.  This is the first priority repair.  Two light posts on the Square came down this year and the Mayor would like to replace all the light poles.  Three quotes have been received.  The cost will be approximately $11,600 to replace all the lights/posts.  The third priority is the exterior of City Hall.  This will require pressure washing, repairing the cracks in the building, then painting the building and trim.  The budget for these three is $60,000. 

Items in question were recapped an no additional discussion or concerns were brought forth by the council. 

The EPD monitoring contract is due for renewal.  EMI has kept their price the same as last year at $21,173.  Mayor Ordiales reached out to Callie Moore, of Mountain True, and found that the cost is in line with other vendors for the service.  Ms. Moore also stated that there are not many vendors who do the required monitoring and reporting.  This will also be on the March agenda for approval.

The Consent Agenda for the March Council meeting will include the minutes from the January 26th Work Session Minutes, the February 2nd City Council Meeting Minutes, and the February 22nd Work Session Minutes. The September Financialswere distributed to the Council earlier today and will not be on the consent agenda until the April City Council meeting.

In the Police Report, Chief Smith was asked who would get the new car.  The Chief, for the first time, will be driving the newest vehicle.

In the Economic Development Update, Director Denise McKay reported that she has reached out to the vendors who participated in the First Fridays last fall to see if they were interested in participating in the First Fridays from May – October (5 -9pm).  There will be a discount if the vendor books all the dates in advance.  She has several booths already reserved and is taking new registrations now.  There are two new donation tubes (thanks again to Doug Chambers of Finish Line Auto for painting them) one for Mayors Park and one for Lloyds Landing.  Council member Patsy Owens asked about the new business on Bel Aire Drive, which was previously the blind shop.  Ms. McKay indicated it was a CNC shop.

Council member Anne Mitchell asked about the potholes at the beginning of Bel Aire Dr.  Mayor Ordiales indicated it was where valves are located, and it is the City’s responsibility.  She will see what can be done to address the situation.  Council member Amy Barrett asked the Mayor if it was possible to use some of the SPLOST or LMIG money we have received to repair the streets.  The LMIG money is not sufficient to keep the roads in good condition as it is only calculated on mileage, not traffic.

Ms. McKay invited the Council to attend a ribbon-cutting for Mountain Creek Quilting at 586 Bell Creek Road on March 5th at 10am.  The shop will be a fabric store and she will offer quilting classes.

There was no Executive Session.

Motion to adjourn was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Nancy Noblet with all in favor.  Meeting adjourned at 6:45pm.