Minutes of Hahira Council Meetings for June , 2009
HAHIRA CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
JUNE 01, 2009
6:30 P.M.
COURTHOUSE
Mayor and Council met for a Work Session June 01, 2009 at the Courthouse with Mayor Wayne Bullard presiding.
PRESENT:
Mayor Wayne Bullard, Councils: Mayor Pro Tem Adams, Terry Benjamin, Ralph Clendenin, Bruce Cain, Police Chief Terry Davis, Fire Chief Dwight Bennett, City Clerk Belinda Chappell.
ABSENT: City Manager Jonathan Sumner, Director Donnie Warren
REVIEW/CORRECTION OF MINUTES:
A.) May 04, 2009 Work Session
B.) May 07, 2009 Council Meeting
Mayor Bullard asked if there were any questions concerning the minutes. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned with the May 07, 2009 Council meeting minutes. Adams stated that she had thanked the Mayor, Council, and City Manager for getting the manhole rehab project started and completed and this was not stated in the minutes. Mayor Bullard stated the project had not been completed at the time and this was the reason it was not stated in the May 07, 2009 Council minutes.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
A.) Text Amendment to Zoning Ordinance for Multi-Family Housing (Anne-Marie Wolfe)
Mayor Bullard stated Mrs. Wolfe was unable to attend the meeting and this item could be discussed further on Thursday night at the Council meeting.
REVIEW OF BILLS/BUDGET OVERAGES:
Mayor Bullard asked if there were any questions concerning the bills. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she had several questions concerning the bills, but she would wait until the City Manager returned from vacation to discuss the issue with the bills.
DISCUSSIONS:
A.) Update on Signs Around Exit 29 (Chief Davis)
Chief Davis stated to Mayor and Council the signs would have already been taken down but Mr. Williams’s wife was ill and he felt it was best to give the family some time. Davis stated that Mrs. Williams had since passed away and that he had sent a certified letter with pictures to Mr. Williams to have the sign removed.
B.) Unlawful Dispense of Animal Waste on Private Property – Possible Text Amendment to Code (Mayor Pro Tem Adams)
Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she had several complaints from citizens about dogs dispensing their waste in other citizen’s yards. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned on how the City would be able to enforce a law on this issue. Chief Davis stated the only way to enforce the law would be to summons the victim to Court to testify against the dog owner. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated that most citizens would not be willing to testify against their neighbor. Chief Davis stated the act would have to happen in the presence of an officer or would have to have a witness to the act to be able to prosecute the defendant. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated with this text amendment the citizens would at least have the option to prosecute the dog owner if they chose to do so.
DEPARTMENT REQUEST:
A.) FEMA Cost Recovery for Recent Disaster (Chief Bennett)
Chief Bennett stated to Mayor and Council that during the recent storms that came through the City of Hahira, there was a significant amount of excess labor and equipment cost accrued. Bennett stated that the recovery cost was around $4000 dollars to be reimbursed back to the City of Hahira through FEMA. Bennett stated the City could not be reimbursed for time that was used as comp time and not paid time. Bennett stated the only thing pending was a resolution signed by the Mayor and then the document could be submitted to FEMA for the reimbursement.
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 7:00 P.M.
________________________
Mayor, Wayne Bullard
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City Clerk, Belinda Chappell
CITY OF HAHIRA
COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 04, 2009
7:30 P.M.
COURTHOUSE
Mayor and Council met for a Council Meeting June 04, 2009 at the Courthouse with Mayor Wayne Bullard presiding.
PRESENT: Mayor Wayne Bullard, Councils: Mayor Pro Tem Adams, Terry Benjamin, Bruce Cain, Ralph Clendenin, Police Chief Terry Davis, Fire Chief Dwight Bennett, Director Donnie Warren, City Attorney Rob Plumb, City Clerk Belinda Chappell.
ABSENT: City Manager Jonathan Sumner
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Wayne Bullard
ESTABLISH QUORUM: Mayor Wayne Bullard
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Wayne Bullard
INVOCATION: Councilman Terry Benjamin
REVIEW/CORRECTION OF MINUTES:
A.) May 04, 2009 Work Session
B.) May 07, 2009 Council Meeting
Mayor Bullard asked if there were any questions concerning the minutes. There were no questions concerning the minutes. Mayor Bullard asked for a motion. Councilman Clendenin made a motion, seconded by Councilman Cain, vote was unanimous.
REVIEW OF BILLS/BUDGET OVERAGES:
Mayor Bullard asked if there were any questions concerning the bills. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she had several questions concerning the bills but she would discuss the questions with the City Manager when he returned from vacation. Mayor Bullard asked for a motion to pay the bills. Mayor Pro Tem Adams made a motion, seconded by Councilman Benjamin, vote was unanimous.
PUBLIC HEARING:
A.) Text Amendment to Zoning Ordinance for Multi-Family Housing (Anne-Marie Wolfe)
Mrs. Anne-Marie Wolfe, with the Valdosta Planning and Zoning Commission stated to Mayor and Council a presentation of the text amendment to the zoning ordinance for multi-family housing. Mrs. Wolfe stated the planning commission recommended approval of the text amendment with one minor change. Mrs. Wolfe stated the minor change that needed to be added was in the parking section of the text amendment, Section 9-3.4 (B) Parking areas shall be screened from view of abutting public streets by buildings or by an evergreen hedge, solid fence, or wall not less than 4ft in height. Mrs. Wolfe stated this was the only minor change that she would recommend adding to the text amendment that was approved by the planning commission. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she was concerned with Section 9-3.2, which stated: Multi- family developments may not abut a single-family residential zoning district on more than 75% of the boundary of the site. Mrs. Wolfe responded this section stated that if the development abutted up to 75% of a single-family residential site it was acceptable, but if it abutted more than 75% up to a single-family residential site or zoned property, the multi-family zoning would not be allowed in that area. Councilman Benjamin stated he was concerned if this would apply to properties that were already zoned for multi-family. Mrs. Wolfe stated this would not apply to property that was previously zoned for multi-family unless there had been no permits pulled on the property for development, if not this text amendment would apply. Mayor Bullard asked if there was anyone wishing to speak in favor of the ordinance. There was no one wishing to speak in favor. Mayor Bullard asked if there was anyone wishing to speak against the ordinance. There was no one wishing to speak against. Mayor Bullard asked for a motion. Mayor Pro Tem Adams made a motion to approve the text amendment with the recommended change in the Parking Section 9-3.4, seconded by Councilman Clendenin, vote was unanimous.
B.) Text Amendment for Unlawful Dispense of Animal Waste on Private Property (Mayor Pro Tem Adams)
Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated there had been several complaints from citizens about animals dispensing waste in their yards. Mayor Pro Tem Adams read the ordinance to amend the City of Hahira animal code. Councilman Cain stated he would like the City Attorneys opinion on the animal code amendment. City Attorney Rob Plumb stated he had read the amendment to the animal code and everything was in order. Mayor Bullard asked if there were any questions, there were none. Mayor Bullard asked if there was anyone wishing to speak against the ordinance, there was no one wishing to speak against. Mayor Bullard asked if there was anyone wishing to speak in favor of the ordinance, there was no one wishing to speak in favor. Mayor Bullard asked for a motion. Mayor Pro Tem Adams made a motion to approve the text amendment for unlawful dispense of animal waste on private property, seconded by Councilman Cain, vote was unanimous.
CITIZENS TO BE HEARD:
There were no citizens to be heard.
DISCUSSIONS:
A.) Removed
B.) Moved to Public Hearing
DEPARTMENT REQUESTS:
A.) FEMA Cost Recovery for Recent Disaster (Chief Bennett)
Chief Bennett stated to Mayor and Council that during the recent storms that came through the City of Hahira, there was a significant amount of excess labor and equipment cost accrued by the Fire Department, Police Department and Public Works Department. Bennett stated that the recovery cost was around $4000 dollars and the City of Hahira would recoup around 75% of that total through FEMA. Bennett stated the City should receive the reimbursement about the end of July 2009. Bennett stated the City could not be reimbursed for time that was used as comp time and not paid time. Bennett stated the only thing pending was a resolution signed by the Mayor and then the document could be submitted to GEMA for the reimbursement. Mayor Bullard asked for a motion to pass the resolution. Councilman Cain made a motion, seconded by Councilman Benjamin, vote was unanimous.
Mayor Bullard stated at the time, he would like to thank Mr. Fred Weatherington for supplying and cooking the food for the Memorial Day Service at the Courthouse each year. Mayor Bullard stated it was greatly appreciated. Mayor Bullard also stated he would like to thank the Boy Scouts for attending the meeting.
REPORTS:
Councilman Clendenin stated he would like to thank Mayor Pro Tem Adams for all the hard work she put in on the amendments of the two text amendments. Clendenin stated the City was looking good in spite of all the rain it’s seen.
Councilman Cain stated he would like to thank Mayor Pro Tem Adams on all the hard work and time she put in involving the text amendments. Cain thanked Chief Bennett on the hard work he put in on working with FEMA on the cost recovery for the recent disasters. Cain thanked Director Warren and Chief Davis for continuing to do a great job.
Councilman Benjamin stated he would like to thank everyone for attending the meeting especially the Boy Scouts. Benjamin thanked all the departments for continuing to do a great job for the City. Benjamin thanked Chief Bennett for getting the recovery money started with FEMA. Benjamin thanked the Mayor for getting the money together to pull off the teacher’s luncheon once again this year. Benjamin stated the luncheon turned out great and the Mayor did a great job.
Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated she would like to thank Mayor Bullard for a job well done. Adams thanked her fellow Council members for their help on the text amendments. Adams thanked the citizens for voicing their opinions to the Mayor and Council; with voicing their opinions, their opinions were heard. Adams thanked the Boy Scouts for attending the meeting as well as the leaders of the Scouts. Adams thanked Chief Davis and Director Warren for their hard work on keeping the City safe and beautiful. Adams thanked Chief Bennett for his hard work on recovering the disaster funds.
Mayor Bullard thanked the Council for their hard work. Mayor thanked all the department heads for their hard work and everyone who helped out with the teacher’s luncheon in making it a success.
There being no further business to discuss. Mayor Bullard asked for a motion to adjourn. Councilman Clendenin made a motion, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Adams, vote was unanimous.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:00 P.M.
______________________
Mayor, Wayne Bullard
______________________
City Clerk, Belinda Chappell