BROADCAST VIA FACEBOOK LIVE SITE: CITY OF HIAWASSEE
OPEN TO PUBLIC – September 1, 2026, 6pm
Hiawassee City Hall 50 River Street Council Chambers
COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
- Call to Order
- Invocation –Scott Benton Pledge of Allegiance
- Approval agenda as distributed
- Consent Agenda
- Minutes of August 4, 2026, Council Meeting
- Minutes of August 24, 2026, Work Session Meeting
2.3. Payment of the PBC Loan from SPLOST ($29,691.87)
- Motion to approve the Aclarian and MuniBilling Contracts
- Motion to approve the 120Water Contract renewal
- Motion to approve the SPLOST Agreement and authorize the Mayor to sign documents
- Motion to approve the Canupp Way Easement
- Motion to appoint Hali Caldwell to the DDA Board.
- Executive session
- Adjournment
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 1, 6 PM
The City of Hiawassee September City Council meeting was called to order at 6:00pm on September 1, 2026, in Council Chambers by Mayor Jay Chastain, Jr. The meeting was open to the public and broadcast over Facebook Live.
Present, in addition to the Mayor, were Council members, Nancy Noblet, Jonathan Wilson, Andrea Bell Jeff Scott and Scott Benton. Staff present were Economic Development Director Lily Ponitz, Deputy City Clerk Sheryl Branson and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick.
The Invocation was given by Council member Scott Benton and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
The agenda was amended to add #8 -Motion to approve Jennifer Marshall as the Trustee to the Mountain Regional Library for the City Representative and #9-Motion to approve the GMA medical insurance renewal and #10 – Joe Rothwell Comprehensive Plan.
Motion to approve the amended agenda was made by Council member Scott Benton and seconded by Council member Nancy Noblet with all in favor.
Motion to approve the Consent Agenda which consisted of the minutes of August 4, 2026, Council Meeting, minutes of August 24, 2026, Work Session Meeting, the June 2026 Financials and the payment of the PBC Loan from SPLOST ($29,691.87), a motion was made by Council member Andrea Bell and seconded by Council member Jeff Scott, with all in favor.
Motion to approve the Aclarian and MuniBilling contracts was first made by Scott Benton and seconded by Nancy Noblet with all in favor.
Motion to approve the 120Water contract renewal was made by Council member Nancy Noblet and seconded by Jeff Scott, with all in favor.
Motion to approve the SPLOST Agreement and authorize the Mayor to sign documents was made by made by Council member Andera Bell and seconded by Council member Jeff Scott, with all in favor.
Motion to approve the Canupp Way Easement was made by Council member Nancy Noblet and seconded by Council member Jeff Scott, with all in favor.
Motion to approve the appointment Hali Caldwell to the DDA Board was made by Council member Andrea Bell and seconded by Jeff Scott, with all in favor.
Motion to approve Jennifer Marshall as the Trustee to the Mountain Regional Library as the City Representative was first made by Scott Benton and seconded by Jonathan Wilson, with all in favor.
Motion to approve the renewal of the GMA medical insurance was first made by Nancy Noblet and seconded by Jeff Scott with all in favor.
Motion to authorize the Mayor to sign Comprehensive Plan documents going to DCA was first made by Nancy Noblet and seconded by Jonathan Wilson, with all in favor.
Joe Rothwell from the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission provided a Comprehensive Plan update. There has been strong public engagement thus far. One meeting had 30+ people attending and there were three stakeholder committee meetings.
There have been 296 responses to the two surveys which included 240 from Hiawassee citizens. The responses included 107 full-time residents of Hiawassee.
Once everything has been completed the plan documents will be sent to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for them to review. The adoption of the Comprehensive Plan deadline is October 30, 2026, to maintain Qualified Local Government (QLG) status for economic development.
The plan’s updates include the city’s vision statement, needs and opportunities, character area mapping, and short-term work program for 2027-2031.
There being no need for executive session, motion to adjourn was made by Council member Jeff Scott and seconded by Council member Jonathan Wilson, with all in favor. Meeting adjourned at 6:07pm.