MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
MARCH 9, 2004
7:25 PM Public Hearing (Zoning – McGinnis Persons and 16)
Adam McGinnis, Steve Currie and Allen McGinnis spoke in favor of the rezoning. Calvin Wade and Carole Norris spoke against. Mr. Mathis, Zoning Administrator reported to Mayor and Council that the Zoning Commission voted unanimously against the rezoning request.
7:25 PM Public Hearing (Annexation – R. Kittrell)
Attorney Kelly reported to Mayor and Council that all necessary paperwork had been done for the process of annexation. Robert Jordan told Mayor and Council about the property. 101 Acres. Zoning is R-40 which is 1 acre minimum. Plans are for 1-3 acre tracts.
7:30 PM Regular Meeting
Mayor Pro Tem Clark called the meeting to order with the following Council Members present: Councilor Newsome, Councilor Sauls and Councilor Standifer.
Mr. Mathis led the Invocation.
Councilor Newsome made a motion, seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the Agenda as presented. All were in favor.
Councilor Standifer made a motion, seconded by Councilor Sauls to approve the Minutes for February 10, 2004 and February 23, 2004. All were in favor.
Councilor Standifer made a motion, seconded by Councilor Sauls to approve the payables. All were in favor.
Monticello History – none
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Hwy 212 W Traffic Meeting Report- City Manager Walter Smith reported that Mayor Holmes and County Commission Chairman Russell Bennett met with DOT Commissioner Harold Linnecohl last week regarding the traffic issue on Hwy 212. They reported that he was very attentive to the need and had put it on his list to do. Deputies are working when available. Campus Police are available at the Public School entrances and PD is working at the intersection of 212 & 16 at Circle K. Mr. Newsome thanked the City Manager for his work on this project.
Councilor Newsome made a motion, seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the Annexation Request for Dr. R. Kittrell for 101 Acres on Hwy 83N. All were in favor.
NEW BUSINESS
Rezoning Request – McGinnis (Persons and 16) – Councilor Standifer made a motion to approve the rezoning for Allen McGinnis at Persons and 16. No second. Mayor Pro Tem Clark made a motion, seconded by Councilor Newsome to approve the recommendation of the Zoning Commission and disapprove the zoning request. All were in favor except Mr. Standifer voted against.
Councilor Newsome made a motion, seconded by Councilor Sauls to name Carole Norris to the Zoning Commission to fill a vacancy. All were in favor.
Delinquent Inactive Utility Accounts Update: Susan Roper reported that the inactive Delinquent Billing Report consists of names of utility customers who currently do not have service with the City. They have either moved or been cut off and not paid to reconnect. Most have moved to another location. The current total due on the list is approximately $200,000. We are trying to sanitize the list so that we can implement procedures to collect. 294 letters (1/3) were mailed on February 24, 2004. More letters should go out mid March (1/3) and end of March (1/3). $686.12 has been collected. $13,646.60 identified as errors. $1,222.55 deceased and $273.41 under $10.
Councilor Standifer made a motion, seconded by Councilor Sauls to approve Glenn Newsome, Otis Clark and Walter Smith as authorized signatures for the Municipal Competitive Trust Resolution. All were in favor.
Councilor Newsome made a motion, seconded by Councilor Sauls to approve the Water and Sewer Bond Ordinance Upgrade as presented. All were in favor.
Citizens Input
Adam McGinnis – Greene Street - stated a lot of decisions made lately. A policy not to vote on new business. Has that changed? Mayor Pro Tem reported that we make every attempt to wait. He asked if Mayor Pro Tem could vote in Mayors capacity. Attorney Kelly explained yes. Mr. McGinnis stated that we are still going backwards. Council could have waited a month to vote. How many did research on this issue. You should get out of good old boy politics. Be more proactive. This is another set back for the City. Issues like this will come up more and more. Mr. McGinnis requested that the City not fund the trip to Savannah. No need to go unless you put into effect what you learn.
Tye Howe – 231 Maddux Street – I am a small business owner and a concerned citizen. Experience in Michigan and Florida. Want to extend services to the City. Anything I can do to help. This is a wonderful community. Love it all. Makes my family happy. Let me help during this time of change. I attended a water meeting at Alcovy Shores and helped answer some questions. City has made some mistakes, but move on. Make stands and decisions to move on. A lot of strength to draw from in the City . We should work together to provide more service. Let me help to manage. Help Walter. Already offered help to Susan R. Outsourcing work load, mete readers, repairs. Break the chain of audit and easier to manage.
Martha Pompey – 568 Eatonton Street – All of you will be mad at me before I finish. I am a former employee. You should not have laid off the ones you did. They did not make mistakes. It is not fair. Top management made the mistakes. The ones laid off did not create the problem. Should not have had to pay for that. Punishing lower people. Not the way to do it. Should not fund the trip to Savannah.
Bernice Thomas – 43 Julius Drive – I have lived in Monticello all my life. My question is about high utilities. Why so high? I work 12 hour job. Home less than 8 hours a day. Utilities are higher than mortgage. I try to pay. Other citizens are more important. Citizens feel low when not treated the same. Mr. Smith offered Ms. Thomas an energy audit. Mayor Pro Tem Clark stated that all are charged the same utility rates.
City Manager’s Report – attached.
Council Comments
Councilor Standifer – None
Councilor Sauls – What is the procedure for Utility Cut off. Walter Smith reported he would get with City Clerk and get with you this week.
Councilor Newsome – Thanked citizens. Good to have citizen input. Use all the help we can get. We have over $200,000 in delinquent accounts. Serious problem for us. We are proceeding. Not much response yet. Continuing letters. After 30 days negotiate with a collection agency to collect. I think we must use common sense. We currently have no policy for non-registering meters and unbilled usage. We need a policy in place. Please look this one over and provide comments for next meeting.
Mayor Pro Tem Clark asked if we could get feelers out to collection agencies to see about a bid and initiate next month. There should never be a reason for City of Monticello meters to not be read for any long period of months. Meter reader job to read every meter every month. Will hold everyone responsible if this happens again.
Councilor Sauls made a motion, seconded by Councilor Newsome to go into executive session to discuss personnel. All were in favor.
Councilor Standifer made a motion, seconded by Councilor Sauls to return to regular session. All were in favor.
Councilor Standifer made a motion, seconded by Councilor Newsome to approve the actions (listed below) of the City Manager for the Restructuring and Reorganization to reduce man power and costs of the City of Monticello.
Combine Electric and Grounds
Reduce grounds by 4 positions
Superintendent
Leaf & Limb Driver
Leaf & Limb Collector
Maintenance Worker
Move 1 Electric position to Maintenance
Reduce Water/Sewer/Gas 1 position
Meter Reader
**Second Meter Reader moved to Electric
Reduce Police Department by 5 positions
2 Communications
1 Secretary
1 Corporal
1 Patrolman
Reduce Admin by 3 positions
Part time Custodian
Administrative Clerk
Receptionist
**Better Home Town Director moved back to City Hall with extra duties.
All were in favor.
Meeting adjourned 9:05PM.