Council OK’s Electric, Gas Expenditures
The Monticello City Council voted unanimously to fund more than $47,000 in improvements to the city’s electric and gas departments during the November regular meeting held last week.
The agenda was overseen by Roger Harrison in his debut meeting since assuming the role of city manager in October. Mr. Harrison said that he had only placed the most needed items on the agenda for council review in an effort to curtail any unnecessary spending.
Electric Department manager Michael Boykin was on hand to present council with his deemed needs for his department. He urged for the repair of the city’s small bucket truck, a 2011 F550, now in need of a turbocharger replacement valued at $2,889. With light repairs and the holiday season approaching requiring placement of holiday decor, the manager said the truck would be needed.
Mr. Boykin went on to brief the council on the state of the electrical line trimming throughout the city. Noting that a comprehensive trimming of lines has been put off for three years, he urged that it not be postponed any longer because doing so could likely cost much more than the $20,000 budgeted for the project. He said for the past few years trimming had only been completed on the most troublesome spots in the city but with cold weather season approaching again and ice storms becoming more frequent, a complete trim was needed and advised.
The city manager agreed that the trimming was necessary and would be monies well spent.
Mayor Bryan Standifer noted that the funds had been placed in this year’s budget thereby not stretching the city’s finances.
Mayor Pro Tem Stone Workman said that just because the money was budgeted doesn’t mean it is there and reminded fellow council members that with the loss of a major stream of revenue, referring to Georgia Pacific, the city should be most careful about expenditures.
The Mayor Pro Tem, council members David Wease, Jenny Murphy, and Larry Thurman voted to approve the electric department requests. Cynthia Miller was not present.
Ronnie Stovall, gas department manager, requested that council approve some $4,000 for a public awareness campaign through the Jasper County Fire Department which would include outfitting gas lines with calibration kits throughout the city.
In questioning the expenditure, Mr. Workman asked, “if we give $4,000 to the fire department in the county, then why are we funding the county if it’s not in our service delivery interest?”
Mr. Stovall said that the state mandates at least $5,000 be spent toward public awareness each year and that it benefits the city’s gas department to work with the fire department which likely could respond to a gas emergency quicker than city personnel.
Mr. Wease said that approving it would meet most of the state mandate with the year coming to a close.
Mr. Workman said that he would vote for it but did not agree with it.
Mr. Stovall also presented the council with a purchase order bill for $11,000 from C & H Pipeline for repairs and maintenance already completed on the gas lines in an effort to avoid fines and penalties.
The vote was also unanimous to approve the gas expenditures.
