BROADCAST VIA FACEBOOK LIVE SITE: CITY OF HIAWASSEE
OPEN TO PUBLIC
March 5th, 2024 6 PM
City of Hiawassee Council Chambers
HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
1. Call to order
1.1 Invocation – Nancy Noblet
1.2 Pledge of Allegiance
1.3 Mayor’s Introductions of Guests and Announcements
1.4 Approve the Agenda as distributed
2. Approval of Consent Agenda:
2.1 Minutes from February 6th City Council Meeting
2.2 Minutes from February 26th Work Session
2.3 Minutes of the DDA/City Council Retreat January 30th, 2024
3. Approval of Lawn Service Contract to HLG Services for $20,020
4. Approval of contribution to Save Lake Chatuge of $20,000 from SPLOST-Parks and Recreation
5. Approval of Budget resolution for excess funds after completion of SPLOST cycle
6. Approval for DDA to retain the $42,166.74 paid to the City from ARC grant for grant administration and architectural work in 2022-2023.
7. Approval of $1,750 for facilitation fee for the May City Council/DDA meeting
8. Acceptance of resignation of Efren Lopez and Monica McKenna
9. Executive Session
10. Adjournment
HIAWASSEE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
The City of Hiawassee March City Council meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm on March 5th, 2024, in Council Chambers by Mayor Liz Ordiales. The meeting was open to the public and broadcast over FaceBook Live.
Present in addition to the Mayor were Council members Jonathan Wilson, Patsy Owens, Nancy Noblet, Amy Barrett, and Jay Chastain. Staff present were Economic Development Director Denise McKay and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick
Mayor Ordiales welcomed several members of the Downtown Development Authority as well as the Golden Girls.
The Invocation was given by Council member Noblet and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Ordiales stated that the agenda would need to be amended. Line item 8 would need to add her as also resigning from the DDA and add, as Line item 8a, the appointments of two board members from the list of three candidates that were interviewed by the DDA – Sandi Bradshaw, Steven Harper and Paul Smith - and add a member of the Council to replace the Mayor. Motion to approve the agenda as amended was made by Council member Noblet, seconded by Council member Owens with all in favor.
Motion to approve the consent agenda, which consisted of the minutes from February 6th City Council Meeting, the minutes from February 26th Work Session, and the minutes of the DDA/City Council Retreat on January 30th, 2024, was made by Council member Barrett, seconded by Council member Owens with all in favor. It was noted that corrections were made to the February 26th Work Session minutes to note that Council member Noblet was not in attendance at the meeting and also that the Mayor had advised the Council that the owner of HLG Services - the recommended candidate for the lawn care contract (lowest bid after another company retracted their bid) was her brother-in-law, Hector Gonzalez.
Motion to award the Lawn Service Contract to HLG Services for $20,020 was made by Council member Chastain, seconded by Council member Noblet with all in favor.
Motion to approve the contribution to Save Lake Chatuge of $20,000 from SPLOST-Parks and Recreation was made by Council member Wilson, seconded by Council member Chastain with all in favor.
Motion to approve the Budget resolution to use excess funds after completion of SPLOST cycle to pay down the principle on the loan for the Paris Business Center was made by Council member Chastain, seconded by Council member Noblet with all in favor.
Motion to allow the DDA to retain $42,166.74, which was paid by the City for grant administration and architectural work in 2022-2023 and will be part of the first ARC grant draw, was made by Council member Chastain, seconded by Council member Barrett with all in favor.
Motion to approve $1,750 for facilitation fee for the May City Council/DDA meeting was made by Council member Chastain, seconded by Council member Barrett with all in favor.
Motion to accept the resignations of Efren Lopez, Monica McKenna and Mayor Ordiales from the DDA was made by Council member Barrett, seconded by Council member Wilson with all in favor.
Council member Noblet nominated Council member Barrett to the DDA board to replace Mayor Ordiales and the motion was seconded by Council member Wilson with all in favor.
Council member Owens made a motion to appoint Sandi Bradshaw to complete the term of Efren Lopez which expires in August of 2025. The motion failed for lack of a second. Council member Barrett made a motion to appoint Paul Smith to complete Mr. Lopez’s term. The motion was seconded by Council member Chastain. Also voting in favor were Council members Noblet and Wilson. Council member Owens was opposed.
Council member Chastain made a motion to appoint Steven Harper to complete the term of Ms. McKenna which expires in August of 2027. Council member Noblet seconded the motion. Also voting in favor were Council members Barrett and Wilson. Council member Owens was opposed.
There being no need for executive session, motion to adjourn was made by Council member Barrett, seconded by Council member Noblet with all in favor. Meeting adjourned at 6:09pm.