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OPEN TO PUBLIC –City Hall Training Room Upstairs

HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION AGENDA
June 27th, 2022 6 PM

1. Call to order

1.1            Invocation – Amy Barrett
1.2            Pledge of Allegiance
1.3            Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements
1.4            Approve the Agenda as distributed

2. Old Business

2.1            Mayors Report

3. New Business

3.1            Consent Agenda – 
                  June 7^th  City Council Meeting Minutes
                  June 27^th  Work Session Minutes  

4. Training Classes – Budget 
5. Accountant Search Update
6. Wage Study – GMRC 
7. Police Report
8. Economic Development Report
9. Executive Session
10. Adjournment

HIAWASSEE WORK SESSION MINUTES June 27th, 2022 6 PM

The June Work Session of the City Council was called to order by Mayor Liz Ordiales on June 27^th, 2022 at 6:00 pm.  Present in addition to the Mayor were Council members Anne Mitchell, Amy Barrett, Patsy Owens, Nancy Noblet and Jay Chastain. Staff present were Economic Development Director Denise McKay, Police Chief Paul Smith, and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick.  City Attorney Thomas Mitchell was also present.

The invocation was given by Council member Amy Barrett and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  

Mayor Ordiales welcomed guests and announced that the Dual Reading – 1 Meeting Ordinance will need to be redone because it did not run in the paper three weeks in a row.   We will do the first read again at the July Council meeting next week.

Motion to approve the agenda as amended was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Jay Chastain, with all in favor.

In the Mayors report, Mayor Liz is just back from the GMA conference in Savannah, and it was HOT!  111 degrees.  The earthquake destroyed the ferry landing area, so there was only one ferry running and the wait was about 1 hour.   She attended classes on Grant Opportunities for Parks and Recreation and Tourism.  She will update the Council later as she just arrived back from the conference at 5 pm.  The Wall – tribute to those lost in wars was at the Rec center and was an awe-inspiring thing to see.  Duplicating Products have notified us of a 15% price increase – this will affect the General Fund.  Clint Royce completed the 5-year EPD inspection with no deficiencies except a fence down (a tree had fallen on it).  Trash pickup at parks is significant, but the good news is the parks are being used.  Court Clerk Sheryl Branson just completed her MRAC (Municipal Revenue Administration Certificate).  This program covered the different revenues that cities collect and there was also a customer service section.  This Friday is the July First Friday event on the Square, July 1^st. The Towns County Library will have their Summer Series Block Party.  We will close of the back of the Square and Chief Paul Smith will be there with a police car – there will also be a fire truck and an ambulance that will be hands on for the children. The event is from 10 – 2 on Wednesday June 29^th.  The Towns County Civic Association held it’s annual meeting and Mayor Liz Ordiales, Economic Development Director Denise McKay and Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw presented what is happening in the City and County.  There was also a presentation on Cryptocurrency Mining – what it is, how it works, and the issues associated with it.  The Daffodil Project at Lloyds Landing headed up by Council member Anne Mitchell was progressing and asked Council member Mitchell to update the Council on the project.  9 volunteers attended the meeting.  The project is a tribute to the 1 ½ million children who perished during the holocaust.  There will be approximately 1000 daffodil bulbs planted.

The Consent Agenda, which will consist of the June 7^th City Council Meeting Minutes and the June 27^th Work Session Minutes, will be voted on next week at the Council meeting.  

Mayor Ordiales presented Council member Nancy Noblet with her Certificate of Recognition and Council member Amy Barrett with her Certificate of Achievement from the Georgia Municipal Association. Congratulations on your accomplishments Amy and Nancy!  Also, in training news, there will be classes available at the Brasstown Valley Resort on September 22^nd and 23^rd.  Each council member is allotted $1000.00/fiscal year.

Council member Nancy Noblet updated the Council on the accountant search.  Four RFPs were received, and the committee is scheduled to interview two candidates tomorrow. 

Mayor Liz updated the Council on the progress of the Wage Scale study.  The Georgia Mountain Regional Commission will do the study and she is hopeful that we will have the new scale in place in August when reviews and cost of living increases are normally given.

The GRMC Monthly Meeting will be held at the Towns County Senior Center on Thursday evening (June 30^th).

In the Police report, Chief Smith said it had been a quiet month for the department.  Officer Murray is in training for financial crimes such as fake credit cards being used at businesses or exploitation of the elderly).  He also mentioned that there is an update coming for the reporting software that he is very excited about.

In the Economic Development Report, Director Denise McKay displayed the new logo for the Downtown Development Authority and said they are working on a marketing campaign.  They have adopted a budget, which she reviewed and said that they will be looking for sponsorship for the Night Market next year due to the expense of it.  The Shook House is slated to bring in approximately $4,000 although there is not a tenant yet.  She reviewed the potential grants the DDA will be working to receive.  Any that they do not receive will require reworking the budget.  The DDA has published an RFP for a Public Art Plan and will be soliciting public input.  Grants are more likely to be received if there is a plan already in place.  The DDA will be applying for 501©3 status for the Paris Business Center.  The ribbon cutting has taken place at Schmear and Abide has not yet scheduled their ribbon cutting.  The DDA participated in the Made In Georgia event this past weekend and had a lot of interest in what they are doing.  Approximately 500 people on Saturday and 300 people on Sunday visited the booth.  First Friday is this week on July 1^st and for the first time we will have Axe Throwing.  Local food venders will include chicken, BBQ, nachos, Cubans, VFW will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, ice cream and funnel cakes.  GAS will be providing the music.  Director McKay also showed maps which indicate the growth that has happened in Towns County/Hiawassee over the past 48 years.  There has been 19% growth in Towns County between 2010 and 2020.  She advised that we plan for what we want to see because growth is coming, and we should protect what we have here.  We need quality and smart growth.

Motion to enter executive session to discuss pending litigation and personnel matters was made by Council member Nancy Noblet, seconded by Council member Jay Chastain with all in favor.

Motion to exit executive session was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Nancy Noblet with all in favor.  There being no other business, motion to adjourn was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Patsy Owens with all in favor.  Meeting adjourned at 7:35pm