Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

706-896-2202 · Email City Hall

Towns County, Georgia

HIAWASSEE COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA/MINUTES December 29th, 2025 6pm

BROADCAST VIA FACEBOOK LIVE       SITE: CITY OF HIAWASSEE
OPEN TO PUBLIC – December 29th, 2025 6pm

 Hiawassee City Hall 50 River Street Upstairs Training Room
COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA

  1. Call to Order 

1.1.   Invocation –Nancy Noblet
1.2.   Pledge of Allegiance
1.3.   Approval agenda as distributed

  1. Consent Agenda

2.1.   Minutes of December 1, 2025 Council Meeting
2.2.   Minutes of December 29, 2025 Work Session
2.3.   October 2025 financials
2.4.   Payment of PBC Loan from SPLOST ($26,522.56)

  1. Mayor’s Report
  1. Swearing in of new Council members – Andrea Bell and Jeff Scott
  1. Council representative to DDA – Amy’s replacement
  1. Selection of Mayor Pro Tem
  1. Workers Compensation premium
  1. Shook House Proceeds Allocation
  1. Van lease with DDA
  1. SPLOST Referendum projects list
  1. Department Head Report – Paul Smith
  1. Public Comment
  1. Executive session
  1. Adjournment

HIAWASSEE COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES December 29th, 2025 6pm

The Hiawassee City Council met for December Work Session in the Upstairs Training Room at City Hall on December 29th, 2025, at 6:00PM. The meeting was open to the public and broadcast over FaceBook Live.  The meeting was called to order by Mayor Jay Chastain. Present, in addition to the Mayor were Council members Amy Barrett, Scott Benton, Nancy Noblet, and Patsy Owens.  Council member Jonathan Wilson attended via telephone.  Staff present were Police Chief Paul Smith, Officer Jose Carvajal, Water Superintendent Carl Grizzle, Water Department Operator Ryan Osborn, Deputy Billing Clerk Daphne Hampton, Economic Development Director Lily Ponitz, Deputy City Clerk Sheryl Branson and City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick.  City Attorney Thomas Mitchell was also present.

The Invocation was given by Council member Nancy Noblet and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor Chastain stated that the agenda needed to be amended to include 2.5 the alcohol license for Mama’s Concierge.  

Motion to approve the agenda as amended was made by Council member Patsy Owens and seconded by Council member Nancy Noblet.  Council member Scott Benton was also in favor.  Council member Amy Barrett recused herself because Mama’s Concierge is her employer.

The Consent Agenda will be on the agenda for vote next week and will consist of the minutes of December 2, 2025 Council Meeting, the minutes of December 29, 2025 Work Session, the October 2025 financials, the payment of PBC Loan from SPLOST ($26,522.56) and the alcohol license for Mama’s Concierge.

In his report, Mayor Chastain first welcomed incoming Council member Andrea Bell – she briefly introduced herself – (incoming Council member Jeff Scott was not in attendance). Deputy City Clerk Sheryl Branson celebrated a special birthday this month.  Mayor Chastain then updated the Council on the ongoing tank maintenance, status of the Bel Aire tanks, informed the Council that the Lead Service Line inventory is complete, updated the Council on the sewer leak and repairs at City Hall (thank you Commissioner Bradshaw for the help from the inmates), the Grave Affair to benefit the restoration of the Berrong Oakley House, was a great success (thank you to the Historical Society), Christmas Party (thank  you Council member Nancy Noblet for organizing), Christmas Parade (thank you to staff, Council members and families that helped and participated). 

Mayor Chastain presented City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick the Certificate of Achievement for attaining her Master Municipal Clerk with the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and he presented Council members Amy Barrett and Patsy Owens each with a plaque of appreciation for their years of service on the Council.  This was met with a standing ovation from the audience. In addition, he presented Council member Amy Barrett with the Certificate of Distinction from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government which represents 204 hours of training in municipal government and also the Certificate of Completion of the Municipal Revenue 6-week course.  Council member Barrett thanked the community for allowing her to serve and she thanked her family for their support.

The new Council members – Andrea Bell and Jeff Scott – will be sworn in next week.

With Council member Amy Barrett leaving, it will be necessary to assign a new Council representative to the DDA next week.

As stated in our Charter, a Mayor Pro Tem needs to be selected after each election.  This will also be on the agenda next week.

The Workers Compensation premium invoice ($26,423.00) has been received and will need to be approved next week.

City Attorney Thomas Mitchell advised the Council that the Shook House Proceeds will require a budget amendment to allocate the expenditures.

The Hikeawassee van lease with the DDA will need to be discussed and approved.  The Council will also need to approve the purchase of the van.  It was decided that the Council would meet on Wednesday December 31st at noon to approve the van purchase and lease agreement.

Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw will put the SPLOST referendum before the voters next fall and the Council will need to decide on the projects that they would like to present to the voters.

Police Chief Paul Smith gave the Police report including updates on the Shop with a Hero – taking 24 students to shop for Christmas (each was given $200.00 and also shoes and a jacket), fundraiser and training evens with the Sheriff’s department, the tasers have arrived and the officers will be certified in the next month, and a DUI pursuit  in the county culminated in the vehicle ramming Officer Jose Carvajal’s cruiser near Mayors Park.

In the Public Comment section, former Council member Anne Mitchell asked about the new Council members.  She stated that she had not heard about either of them, where they came from and how they found us.  Attorney Mitchell explained that, since they qualified unopposed, there was not an election.  Incoming Council member Andrea Bell gave Ms. Mitchell a brief overview of her background and qualifications.

Council member Nancy Noblet thanked Council members Barrett and Owens for working for the City and acknowledged the deep relationships that they have forged through the years working together.

Motion to enter executive session to discuss purchase, disposal of, or lease of property was made by Council member Amy Barrett, seconded by Council member Nancy Noblet with all present in favor.

Motion to exit executive session was made by Council member Amy Barrett seconded by Council member Patsy Owens with all present in favor.

Motion to adjourn was made by Council member Nancy Noblet seconded by Council member Amy Barrett with all present in favor.  Meeting was adjourned at 6:48pm.