Glenn Newsome May Be New Councilman

It won’t be official until January, but it’s as certain as can be that Glenn Newsome will become the new member of the Monticello City Council.

Mr. Newsome, a long-time Monticello resident who retired earlier this year as executive director of the Georgia Student Finance Commission, would be appointed to fill the seat being vacated by Adam McGinnis, who is moving to a new home outside the city limits. For that reason, he did not seek re-election in the municipal election that was scheduled Nov. 4.

No one sought Mr. McGinnis’ seat, and Mayor Susan Holmes and the four other council members were unopposed; consequently no election was required. When the mayor and four council members take office in January for four-year terms there will be a vacancy.
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The mayor noted at Tuesday’s council meeting that the council has the option of filling a vacancy either by appointment or by calling a special election. In the past the council has called special elections to fill several vacancies, but since no one qualified for the November election it might be appropriate in this case to appoint, she said.

Without taking official action, the mayor and three of the four returning council members made it clear that they favored appointing Mr. Newsome to fill the post. Mayor Holmes said she had discussed the idea with Mr. Newsome and he had told her that he would be “honored and humbled” to accept appointment.

Council members Otis Clark, Scott Sauls and Brian Standifer spoke highly of Mr. Newsome and his interest and qualifications to serve on the council. Mr. McGin-nis said he had discussed the matter informally with Mr. Newsome and “would be honored to have him replace me.”

Mr. Clark made a motion to send a letter to Mr. Newsome inviting him to participate in the remaining council meetings this year and provide him with all the information normally provided members.

Councilwoman Jacqueline Smith asked if it was necessary to have a vote to send such a letter. Told that it wasn’t necessary she said that, unlike some of the others, she had not discussed the appointment with Mr. Newsome. Though she did not oppose the appointment, she abstained from the vote to send the invitation; it thus passed 4-0.

Utility Cut-offs
Council members adopted a “policies and procedures” document regarding utility services that has been reviewed and refined over the past several meetings. The policies reflect no significant change in current practices, but are designed to stipulate precisely how delinquencies will be handled, without exception.

Bills normally mailed on the last working day each month are due not later than the 15th and become delinquent on the 16th with the 18th being the cut-off date. All dates are extended to account for weekends or holidays.

Reconnection fees are $30 for each service—water, electricity and gas—and must be paid before service can be restored. An additional $25 fee applies to after-hours reconnections.

The policies set out exceptions that apply when cutting off heating could cause hardship in cold weather or when there is illness in a household. In such cases customers must make formal arrangements, as specified, to pay past due charges.

Questions regarding the city’s $8,000 a month payments to the Georgia Public Web, discussed at some length at the council’s September meeting, came up again. (In The News report of that meeting the amount was incorrectly stated as $800 a month.) When the normally routine action of approving payables came up at Tuesday’s meeting, Mr. McGinnis asked if that payment could be delayed until the city’s obligation is further researched.

Mayor Holmes and city manager Walter Smith said the city was contractually obligated to make the payments, though it wasn’t clear how long the city must continue to pay. Mr. Clark noted that the city could be brought into court if it didn’t make payments on time, and ” we don’t want to get a reputation of not paying our bills.”

Mr. McGinnis retorted that he was more interested that payments for local obligations be timely.
The city is a member and user of the Georgia Public Web as a member of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, which created the enterprise to provide commercial Internet services. It is expected to eventually be a profitable venture. Council unanimously included making that payment along with all others due.

History of Integration
In the Monticello History segment of the meeting, Juanita Thompson described the launching of the first Head Start program in Jasper County schools, which she directed. It was, she noted, the first integration in schools here.

She went on to describe the initial integration at Washington Park, accomplished, she said proudly, under direction of her husband, Andrew Thompson who was principal then and who was in the audience. She read letters written at the time by both white and black sixth grade students describing their initial fears and subsequent satisfaction.

She left a scrapbook of letters from students and a photo display before concluding to a hearty round of applause.

Council members also heard from David Dammann, owner of the Four Seasons Italian Restaurant who said high utility bills are making it difficult for small businesses to survive in Monticello. He made several suggestions about ways to improve the business climate and attract both businesses and customers.

At the suggestion of Councilwoman Smith, members agreed that it would be appropriate to name the city’s water plant for the late Eddie F. Braswell, a long time council member. Mr. Smith, the city manager, is to follow up.

Mr. Clark and the mayor reported briefly on a meeting they and other city, county and school officials and with Harold Linnenkohl, recently appointed commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation and transportation board member Sam Wellborn.

They said Mr. Linnenkohl had said he was trying to get construction on the Monticello perimeter road project moved up from the currently scheduled 2008 to, possibly, 2005.

In other action the mayor and council:
•Were told of progress on several projects and programs in the regular monthly report by Mr. Smith.

•Approved requests for the Monticello High School homecoming parade on Oct. 16 and the Deer Festival parade and use of the Square on Nov. 8.

•Postponed discussion of the Jasper County Comprehensive Plan to be updated in conjunction with the county Board of Commissioners.

•Were invited to attend and participate in the city-county softball game at 5:30 p.m. next Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the recreation complex.