Mayor and Council met for a Work Session December1, 2008 at the Courthouse with Mayor Wayne Bullard presiding.

Mayor Wayne Bullard, Councils: Mayor Pro Tem Adams, Terry Benjamin, Ralph Clendenin, Bruce Cain, City Manager Jonathan Sumner, Police Chief Terry Davis, Fire Chief Dwight Bennett, Director Donnie Warren, Director Chris Stevens, City Clerk Belinda Chappell, Downtown Coordinator Emily Newkirk.

SPEAKER: City Engineer Ronny Dudley with Stevenson & Palmer Engineering.

Mayor Bullard asked if there were any questions concerning the minutes. There were no questions concerning the minutes.

Mayor Bullard asked if there were any questions concerning the bills. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned with the bill of repairing the garbage truck. City Manager Sumner stated that with the budget amendments, the repair costs for the garbage truck would not exceed FY2007 totals.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council that all the legal requirements had been met per the code regarding the FY2008 budget. Sumner stated that no citizens had come in to City Hall to examine the budget amendments. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned if the Proprietary Fund was reimbursed from the General Fund for FY2007. Sumner stated there was a small amount that still needed to be repaid, which could be amended for in the FY2009 budget. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned if the City of Valdosta was repaid for the check that was sent in error to the City of Hahira. Sumner stated the Senior Finance Clerk was still in the process of verifying the exact amount that needed to be repaid. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned with the garbage collection amendments. Sumner responded that the increase was due to the rising costs of the economy that included the increase in gas prices.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council that Chairman Ken Sherrill was unable to attend the meeting at this time.

City Engineer Ronny Dudley stated to Mayor and Council that in the past when the City had heavy rains there were problems with the pump station overflowing on Highway 122 East. Mr. Dudley stated a bid package was put together for the manhole rehab work that the City had requested. City Manager Sumner stated he was concerned with the total cost for the project. Dudley responded that the total cost for the project would be $41,691 dollars.

City Engineer Ronny Dudley stated to Mayor and Council that DOT was taking a different approach this year with the grant requests. Dudley stated each City would send in a separate application for each project that needed grant funding. Dudley stated these projects would be scored and based on the score given the highest scoring projects would be funded first. Dudley stated that each City and County was eligible for up to $750,000 dollars of grant money. Dudley stated that the City could submit up to eight applications. City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council that in the retreat meeting in July the Hall Street project was at the top of the Council’s priority list to be repaired and it was up to Council as to what projects were to be submitted for the State Aid Grant money. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned on what needed to be decided on to get the State Aid Grant. Mayor Bullard responded that the two projects needed to be decided on before the applications could be submitted to DOT.

City Engineer Ronny Dudley stated to Mayor and Council that he was concerned with the issue of the sludge build up in the wastewater pond. Dudley stated instead of dredging the pond, which would cost around $200,000 dollars, the City should consider purchasing an enzyme material that would reduce the amount of sludge build up in the wastewater pond and cost around $3500 dollars compared to the $200,000 dollars for dredging the pond to reduce the sludge build up. City Manager Sumner stated the wastewater pond had not been dredged since the year 1992 and the pond had about 17 years of sludge build up that needed to be removed.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council the Employment Incentive Program Grant required the selection of an engineer for economic development infrastructure activity within the Hahira Gateway Project. Sumner stated the proposals would be received by Thursday night’s Council Meeting for Council to review and to decide on the engineer who would conduct the Preliminary Engineering Report included in the grant and the design for the overall project.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council that he had spoken with the Safe Routes to Schools Grant coordinator in Atlanta and stated there was potential for a Hahira project. Sumner stated this grant was for the purpose of safety improvements in or around schools. Sumner stated with Council approval, the City of Hahira would go ahead and submit an application for this grant.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council the meeting and holiday schedule was an annual occurrence and that there were no dates that needed to be shifted. The only exception was the Council Meeting in October, which needed to be shifted to October the 8^th to avoid the Honey Bee Festival; and the Council Meeting in January was moved to January the 8^th due to the first Thursday is on New Years Day. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned about the employees having to work a half a day on Christmas Eve. Sumner responded that this was written in the personnel policy and it was the discretion of the Mayor if changes needed to be made.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council this was a similar Ordinance that was voted upon in June for the Cable Franchise Ordinance. Sumner stated this Ordinance was for the purpose of continuing to collect franchise taxes from the telephone company.

City Manager Sumner requested Council postpone consideration of this Ordinance until further study could be performed.

Downtown Development Coordinator Emily Grace Newkirk stated to Mayor and Council that the Hotel-Motel tax purpose was to promote tourism within the City of Hahira. Mrs. Newkirk stated that currently, the City of Hahira did not have a Hotel-Motel Tax Ordinance in place. Mrs. Newkirk stated the Conference Center in Valdosta was currently receiving the Hotel-Motel tax from Hahira, which was promoting Valdosta’s tourism. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned if this Ordinance was approved, would this help Hahira’s Third Thursday as well as other events within the City. Mrs. Newkirk responded this would promote the City of Hahira tourism events. Newkirk stated the funds had to be spent on tourism events. Newkirk stated currently the tax being sent to the Conference Center was five percent, and Newkirk proposed keeping the five percent hotel-motel tax rate. Newkirk stated the City of Hahira could expect to receive around $3000 dollars a year from the Hotel-Motel Tax if the Ordinance was approved. Councilman Benjamin stated he was concerned why the City of Hahira wasn’t receiving this tax money already. Mrs. Newkirk responded the Ordinance had to be established and passed before the City of Hahira could start receiving the tax.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council a letter that detailed a proposed agreement with Frogtown Winery. Sumner stated this letter of intent included the investment of extending water and sewer utilities to the property in exchange for the investment of the Winery construction. Sumner stated this letter would protect the City of Hahira from expending assets without development assurances. Sumner stated if Council found the letter of intent satisfactory, the City would submit the letter to Craig Kritzer for review and wait on his response. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned if the City was going to run infrastructure down to the Winery. Sumner responded the City was not going any further until an agreement of construction with the Winery was reached.

City Manager Sumner reviewed with Mayor and Council the proposals that were submitted to the City of Hahira for Solid Waste Pickup. Sumner stated this issue was visited in the year 2006, but the City of Hahira chose to continue the solid waste pickup for their customers. Sumner stated the Mayor had proposed the issue of solid waste pickup be revisited this year. Sumner stated he had received proposals from Griffin Solid Waste and from Milo Sanitation. Sumner stated the third submitter from 2006 was Violia, but that for this proposal, Violia needed more time to submit their bid for the solid waste pickup. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned about the age of the City’s garbage truck. Director Warren responded the truck was about eight years old and the City would probably get a couple more years out of it. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated the City was already spending too much money on repairing the truck and having to keep purchasing new tires was getting to expensive for the City. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated it was in the City’s best interest to outsource the garbage pickup.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council this was a dinner every year when Council would have the opportunity to visit with other Government officials. Sumner stated there was a limited number of seats at the table and needed a response from Council on who would be attending the dinner. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned on the cost of the dinner, and who would be attending. Sumner responded that the City had purchased a table in the past that would seat ten people, and that Council and Staff could attend if Council chose to exclude spouses. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned about how the City was going to pay for this dinner. Sumner responded there was budgeted money in the Proprietary fund for the dinner.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council that this was something the City had always budgeted for and contributed to in the past. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned with how much money the City contributed to Moody. Sumner responded the City contributed $1000 dollars each year and that it was money well spent. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned if the contribution was a budgeted item. Sumner responded the $1000 dollar contribution was in the FY2008 budget.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council this was an amendment that was created to the City’s zoning ordinance. Sumner stated the amendment read: signs that had been abandoned shall be removed and charged to the owner’s expense with written notification and needed to be taken care of within thirty days of notice. Sumner stated the owner of the sign was legally bound to pay the fine of the abandoned sign. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned if this amendment was pertaining to the existing signs within the City. Sumner responded the amendment did include the existing signs within the City limits.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council he would like to try a different approach this year applying for the CDBG Grant. Sumner stated there was a need for a Senior Citizen Center in Hahira and would like Council’s opinion on the matter. Councilman Cain stated he was concerned about the location of the center. Sumner responded the center would have to be within the City limits of Hahira. Sumner stated he thought the City of Hahira had a large enough senior citizen population to apply for the grant. Council agreed to commission the South Georgia RDC to work on the project.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council the City’s Finance Clerk prepared the Christmas Bonuses and Excess Sick leave. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned if the checks would need to be printed to hand out at the Employee Christmas Party. Sumner responded the checks would be given to employees at the party.

Chief Davis stated to Mayor and Council the Mayor’s Motorcade would be on December 11, 2008. Davis stated everyone was invited to attend the Motorcade with the City of Hahira and the City would be taking donations that were collected throughout the City over to Southwestern State Hospital for their consumers.

Chief Bennett stated to Mayor and Council this was a budgeted item to reimburse the volunteer firefighters for their out of pocket training costs they pay for throughout the year for training classes required.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council it was time to renew all the contracts for services to Hahira. Sumner stated Mrs. Petitjean handled all the special events throughout the City of Hahira and continued to do a great job with the events.

Chief Davis stated to Mayor and Council that Ms. Freeman handled the probation services for the City of Hahira and continued to bring in revenue to the City for these services and it was time for renewal of her contract.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council the City’s tech service was handled by Robert Mellott, and it was time for the renewal of his contract for these services.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M.

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Mayor, Wayne Bullard

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City Clerk, Belinda Chappell