HAHIRA CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
MARCH 01, 2010
6:30 P.M.
COURTHOUSE

Mayor and Council met for a Work Session March 01, 2010 at the Courthouse with Mayor Wayne Bullard presiding.　

PRESENT:

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, City Clerk Belinda Chappell.

REVIEW/CORRECTION OF MINUTES:

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

REVIEW OF BILLS/ BUDGET OVERAGES:

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

DISCUSSIONS:

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council that the resolution was a re-submission of the tax credit project that was presented to Council last year. Sumner stated the developers had held a public hearing, advertised in the newspaper, and contacted the adjacent residents in the proposed site area of the apartments. Sumner stated several members of McClain and Brown Construction were attending the meeting to answer any questions Council may have. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated Council was told everything was the same in the resolution from last year, but there were several changes she was concerned with. Adams stated in the Public Hearing there were changes from 64 units to a 72 unit apartment complex, as well as, the name of the apartments was changed from Quail Rise Hahira to Gateway Pines Apartments. Adams stated she was concerned with where to turn in the public comment forms that citizens had filled out in regards to the apartments. City Manager Sumner stated the public comment forms were required to be submitted with the submittal for tax credits, and those would need to be turned in to McClain and Brown Construction to send in with the submittal for tax credits. Mayor Pro Tem Adams also stated last year there was discussion of a three story apartment building and that Hahira could not support a three story building due to the Fire Department not having a ladder truck. Houston Brown with McClain and Brown Construction, stated that was just an idea that was being considered, and that it was no longer an option for the apartment buildings. Houston Brown with McClain and Brown Construction stated to Mayor and Council the name change that was made was something that was discussed between the land owner and the developers and it was agreed to rename the apartments Gateway Pines Apartments. Brown stated the number of units for the apartments was determined by the Department of Community Affairs. Mayor Pro Tem Adams asked Brown who completed the market study for the Hahira area. Brown responded the market survey that Council had in their packets was done last year and the market survey for this year had not been completed as of that date. Brown stated while performing the market survey, the demand for apartments in the survey area was taken into consideration and calculation. Brown stated when the survey was completed for 2010; Council would receive all of the information that would be submitted with the application for tax credits to DCA, in regards to the apartments.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council this was an item that had been discussed in the last two meetings. Sumner stated a meeting was held at City Hall to discuss the DDA with the downtown business owners. Sumner stated a lengthy explanation was presented to the business owners explaining the Downtown Development Authority. Sumner stated he explained to the business owners that Council would be responsible for anything that the DDA had in motion. Sumner also stated that Mayor Pro Tem Adams and Councilman Benjamin were in attendance at the meeting to discuss the DDA. Sumner stated he would entertain any questions Council may have. Mayor Pro Tem Adams stated City Manager Sumner done a great job explaining the DDA to the downtown business owners but she felt the feedback from the business owners was negative feedback and that they were not very interested in having a DDA. Adams stated she had taken the DDA course that was offered to Councilmember’s through GMA and learned that if members of the DDA were not enthusiastic and willing to work to keep the DDA, that it would not be a good decision to have one activated. Councilman Clendenin stated he had spoken to several business owners and the majority was not interested in having a DDA in Hahira. Councilman Benjamin stated the feeling he got from the business owners during the meeting was that the DDA was not fully understood by the business owners and that they did not know all they needed to know about the DDA to feel educated enough to activate one in Hahira. City Manager Sumner stated the ending goal of having a DDA was that future businesses would want to come to Hahira and they would be able to have financing at a competitive interest rate to start their business, which in turn would be an incentive for a lender to come around and provide the developer with matching capital for the start of the business. Adams suggested having another meeting to help business owners understand the DDA better. Sumner suggested inviting a representative from GMA and having another meeting to help educate the business owners on the DDA.

City Manager Sumner stated to Mayor and Council that the CDBG required a resolution of support indicating any financial contributions from the City. Sumner stated the maximum financial contribution the City of Hahira would give was $10,000 dollars for the CDBG project which would be a SPLOST eligible project. Sumner stated the area of town that was discussed was the West Quadrant of town, which was in need of some infrastructure repairs. Sumner described the different areas of town that would be included in the CDBG project. Sumner stated the conflict of interest provision stated that nobody has any immediate family members or lives within the targeted area of the project. Sumner stated he had certified that there was no conflict of interest for the project to be submitted. Councilman Clendenin stated he was concerned if any of the storm drainage was seeping into the sewer pipes and holding ponds. Director Warren stated if there was any seepage, it was due to the fact that the terracotta pipes were so old and cracked over the years. Sumner stated he, Director Warren and Councilman Benjamin would canvas the neighborhoods in the targeted area to survey the residents on any sewer problems they may be having or have had in the past, as well as take pictures of the targeted area, and submit that with the CDBG application.

DEPARTMENT REQUESTS:

Chief Bennett stated to Mayor and Council he would like to attend the Spring Conference at St. Simons Island from April 11 through 14, 2010 to continue his executive management re-certification hours. Bennett stated the cost of the conference would be $200 dollars for registration plus meals and lodging and it was a budgeted item. Bennett also stated to Mayor and Council he was interested in enrolling in the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officers Program. Bennett stated he would need a letter of recommendation from the Mayor to be able to enroll in the program. Bennett stated that a very select few was offered to enroll in the program and that he had a very good chance of getting into the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officers Program. Bennett explained the program would take place in Maryland and would be a 2 week course.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 7:30 P.M.

________________________

Mayor, Wayne Bullard

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City Clerk, Belinda Chappell

HAHIRA CITY COUNCIL
COUNCIL MEETING
MARCH 04, 2010
7:30 P.M.
COURTHOUSE

PRESENT:

REVIEW/CORRECTION OF MINUTES:

REVIEW OF BILLS/ BUDGET OVERAGES:

DISCUSSIONS:

DEPARTMENT REQUESTS:

REPORTS:

Mayor Bullard asked for a motion to adjourn. Councilman Benjamin made a motion, seconded by Councilman Clendenin, vote was unanimous.