Council Squabbles at Meeting Tuesday

Members of the Monticello City Council Tuesday evening got into some heated discussions during a meeting at which little action was taken.

Councilman Randy Strozier suggested the city do away with the PCA—Power Cost Adjustment on utility bills. The PCA is a factor the city uses to collect enough money to offset the rising cost of electricity.

Eliminating the PCA under the current budget would cost the city about $700,000. Mr. Strozier did not offer a solution to offset that loss and maintain a balanced budget for the city. He did suggest that property taxes could be increased to raise the revenue. “We pay property taxes once a year, but we have to pay the utility bill every month.”

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Councilwoman Katherine Alexander said, :”Before we start throwing proposals out there, let’s have solutions. $700,000 is raised by the PCA,” she said. “We would triple property taxes.” She went onto say that if the city is trying to attract business, raising taxes is not how to do it. She also said, “We can get rid of PCA, but we have to reset the rates.”

Councilwoman Alexander said,”when the cost of electricy goes up 30 percent, we have to write a check.” She reminded fellow council members that in the recent audit report the CPA said not to take on any more debt. “We have no reserve; we’re not prepared to handle it,” she aid. She agreed that the city needs to make changes, but encouraged everyone to think of the ramifications of any change.

After much debate, Mayor Bryan Standifer said the finance committee would meet before the next meeting and look at the options.

Councilman Strozier suggested having a town hall meeting so everyone can be included. The mayor suggested the council should have a good understanding of the situation before a town hall meeting is held.

Councilman Cornell Williams said every day people, are moving out of the city. He said the citizens are suffering. He said there is no way a person’s light bill needs to be $800 to $900. He said a lot of people are on a fixed income. There are a lot of older people, and their light bill is higher than their rent.

Councilwoman Alexander said she did not disagree that bills are high. But, “I can’t see bankrupting the city,” she said. “We are responsible for making a budget work. If we bankrupt the city the federal government would come in and take over….Do you think they’d care?”

She went on to say that everyone on the council needs to be at the finance meeting. She also said, “it’s not fair to say cut it, and have no suggestions for improvement.”

Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Jacobs said, “We faced a little worse situation last year when we cut the police department.” HE said it’s a lot easier to say we need to do this or that than it is to do it. He said every cause has an effect, and that council members need to be ready for the effect if they want change.

A couple of times Mayor Standifer had to stop people from speaking as discussions became heated. He said that it is important to understand the financial implications of any actions. He said, “I implore the council to understand its financial responsibility.”

At the end of the meeting, Juanita Davis addressed the council and reiterated what Mr. Jacobs said about actions having consequences.

She said the council was notorious for its “knee-jerk” reaction to problems, and urged council members to go home and pray about the decision they have to make. She said they should focus on bringing in industry. She said, “all we’re doing is complaining,” and urged council to find solutions. She criticized the city council, saying members can’t work together. She also reminded council members that their constituents have to determine where to spend their little bit of money—utility bill, medicine or food.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mrs. Davis, who runs the food bank, reviewed the success of the food bank and the need for it.

She asked for a council person to be on the board of directors for the community food bank. She asked the council to consider something similar to EMC’s Operation Round-up, whereby citizens’ bills would be “rounded-up” to the nearest dollar and the change go to the food bank. She told of programs available that not only will help feed the hungry, but ways the food bank can provide more resources such as refurbishing homes, doing job training, and more.

Police Chief Bobby Norris talked briefly to the council about his need for full-time officers. After some discussion, that issue was referred to the finance committee, which has the same members as the public safety committee. The mayor, mayor pro-tem, and council members Alexander and Strozier are on that committee.

In other action at Tuesday’s meeting, council:

•Voted 3-2 to approve the audit engagement letter for Herring CPA Group. Councilmen Strozier and Williams cast the dissenting vote, but offered no discussion about the agenda item.

•Voted 3-2 not to paint arrows on Southern Street to reflect right and left turn lanes.That item also elicited no discussion.

•Voted unanimously to skip the GMA convention this year, because there is not money to send anyone.

•Heard a report from City Manger Bob Schwartz about a problem at the Retreat when the city electric department hooked up a transformer to the wrong voltage causing many problems at the Retreat. He said Electric Cities of Georgia is doing an incident report, and personnel action will be taken.

The council meeting was well-attended with the meeting room more than half-full by the time everyone wandered in.

Councilman Strozier got up several times during discussion, and at one time stopped and talked with Jacqueline Smith then exited the room and apparently talked with Rev. Jimmy Horton who had previously exited the room. He returned to the room and whispered to the mayor and city clerk. That discussion was not shared with those present.