Swainsboro City Council held their regular monthly meeting Monday, July 10, at 6 p.m. Following the Prayer of Invocation that was provided by Councilperson John Parker and the Pledge of Allegiance, that was recited by all, Council unanimously approved the minutes from the June 5, 2023, meeting.
Before the meeting commenced, Mayor Bennett gave an update on the Community in Action Building Committee that is overseeing the plat drawings for the Gumlog gym project. He explained that City Architect, Kevin Palmer, will soon be providing them with a rough draft of blueprints and once those are received, the Committee can meet with him and discuss any changes for the final version.
Old Business:
Council approved the resolution for the elevated tank project. This project was presented at the June 5 meeting with the concerns of updating the city water tower that is located on Old Nunez Road. GIFA, who is overseeing the project, later recommended to council
to wait until Swainsboro’s city water rates are raised so that the city can generate more revenue for this project. Mayor Bennett explained that GIFA told him the city needs to raise $257,000 and that they recommend that the city wait until May 2024 to put a new bid on this project. He further added that GIFA only looked into the city’s 2021 budget and not the budget from 2022 which included a $204,000 loan that was paid off during that time. This $204,000 could keep the city from having to spend a full $257,000 to fund this project. City Administrator Middlebrooks added that Turnipseed bid out this project and that a resolution needs to be passed by council members contingent with GIFA passing the loan. Councilperson Sconyers made the first motion and was seconded by Councilperson Davis. The vote passed unanimously. For more information on this project please visit https://emanuelcountylive.com/stories/clearwater-solutions-receives-the-gold-award-during-june-city-council-meeting,56209 and see the first item of Old Business from the June City Council meeting.
New Business:
Council unanimously approved the purchase bid of a freightliner knuckle boom truck from Solid Waste Applied Technologies (SWAT) at the price of $211,000. This purchase will be made through SPLOST.
Council considered the bid for new vehicles for various city departments. Councilmembers motioned for the approval for the City Attorney to review the leases between both Daniels Chevrolet and Enterprise before making a final decision. Councilperson Parker motioned to pass this decision and Councilperson Davis seconded with all other votes being unanimous. In executive session it was decided that both leases will be split between the GMC municipal contract.
What’s to become of Harmon Park? That’s the question Ms. Shari Watt with Keep Emanuel Beautiful had as she presented council with a detailed presentation on Harmon Park. She explained that the Park does need some updating and maintenance in different areas but requested that the city listen to citizen input before making any extreme changes to the park per “rumors”, that have begun to swirl since the county has earned grant money for the parks and recreation department. She presented Council with a list of questions to put an end to the rumors. She explained that she, along with the taxpayers and concerned citizens of the community who love and enjoy Harmon Park, want to know what is happening and if they will get to voice their opinions, wants, and concerns, before the city and county decide on what is to be done with the grant money for the park. Mayor Bennett explained that after the County received the grant money, they were originally going to take over Harmon Park but decided to use that money for the Recreation Department. Then the city began negotiating with them and the county entertained the idea of redoing the tennis courts and establishing a pickle ball court with some of the funds. These negotiations are not final, but Mayor Bennett shared that the city will receive an intergovernmental agreement from the county for review by the end of September or early October. Keep Emanuel Beautiful requested that once this contract is complete, that the city establish a committee of citizen input for any and all decisions made. Mayor Bennett informed them that once the intergovernmental agreement is final, they will have that conversation again.
4. Council heard from a concerned citizen regarding a business on Main Street. She requested that the game room located in the small shopping center at 301 South Main Street not be reopened. The concerned citizen explained that the business has a history of violating codes and was the same place that her son was shot and killed at due to lack of precautional safety measures and security. She further explained that alcohol has been illegally sold at the establishment since it was recently opened. The current owner approached council to defend that argument and stated that she has a business license as well as a game room license and no one was ever selling alcohol within the establishment since she has owned it. According to her, the only time the business has been used since being under her ownership was for her aunt’s birthday party in which invited attendees brought their own alcohol to drink and no alcohol was served or sold by the establishment itself. City Attorney, Levis, referred both the complainant and the defendant to the court system.
5. Council unanimously passed the amendment to raise the city probation fees from $40 per hour to $45 per hour. Councilperson Parker made the first motion with Councilperson Stafford seconding. The vote passed 6-0.
8. Appalachian Mountain Tax Collection Specialists presented council with a presentation on the benefits of collecting delinquent property taxes within the city and how they can assist the city in receiving these overdue taxes from citizens who are failing to make these payments. AMTCS explained that every city needs to increase their revenue and many times this is done through the collection of delinquent property tax. The ultimate goal is to make sure that everyone’s taxes are paid without having to force delinquent individuals to sell their belongings at auction. Council is entertaining the idea of hiring Appalachian Mountain Tax Collection Specialists and will make a final decision and vote after reading their contract. If this vote passes, citizens who are failing to make payments should expect to receive a letter or a phone call from Appalachian Mountain.
9. Council unanimously passed the liquor license for Bradly Hooks for the upcoming steak and sushi restaurant that will be located in Walmart Plaza. Councilperson Parker made the first motion and Sconyers seconded. The vote passed 6-0. The liquor license will be advertised in the Forest Blade in the next few weeks.
10. Council voted to hire Tyler English as a new full-time firefighter for the city of Swainsboro, upon Fire Chief Mike Strobridge’s request. Stafford made the first motion and Sconyers seconded. The vote passed unanimously.
11. Council then heard from the Fire Chief once again with the request to purchase a new fire truck. City Council will make a final vote once the City Attorney reads over the contract agreement.
12. City and Building Inspector, Bruce Kirby, approached council to give an update on the preliminary subdivision plat plan from Planning and Zoning for the Mayor’s upcoming subdivision that will be located on North Main Street. The subdivision has 56 lots, all of which are R3 residential (meaning they are three houses per acre) and meet the current requirements and specifications for designing the final plat for approval. The final plat will be presented for review at a later date.
13. Chris Morton with Clearwater Solutions approached council with the request for them to consider the purchase of a new aerator motor. He explained that their current motor is damaged beyond repair. Council voted to purchase a new aerator motor using SPLOST funds for the price of $11,123. Parker made the first motion with Stafford seconding. The vote passed 6-0.
14. Council considered a resolution for the establishment of fees for streamlining wireless
facilities and antennas. City Attorney Levis explained that while discussing with City Administrator Middlebrooks, it was determined that the city doesn’t have any fees for the application process, etc., so they submitted two resolutions for the City Councils review. One resolution provides the maximum allowable rates under Georgia law and also includes an escalation clause of a 2.5% annual increase beginning January 1st of each year. Levis further explained that the city lost a minimum of $1,000 on the application process and recommended that Council approves this clause for this reason. Councilperson Davis made the first vote with Councilperson Quarterman seconding. The vote passed unanimously.
15. Council considered the adoption of a three-week paid paternity leave for both mothers and fathers who are city employees. In executive session, councilmembers approved this adoption with it beginning July 11, 2023.
16. Council approved the consideration of the sale of excess property by auction. This motion was made by Davis and seconded by Parker. The vote passed unanimous.
Consent Agenda:
Council approved to raise the pay of the City Attorney’s monthly bill. Davis motioned and Parker seconded. The vote passed 6-0.
Councilperson Davis motioned to amend the agenda for Clearwater representative, Chris Morton, who requested that the city purchase a new ice machine for city employees. This motion was unanimously approved by councilmembers and the ice machine will be located at the City Works Department.
