City to Charge County for Utilities

The Monticello City Council Tuesday agreed to begin charging Jasper County for electricity and gas used at Fire Station #3 in Monticello.

The local cities and county recently completed negotiations and agreed upon Service Delivery Strategy, and the county agreed that fire was its responsibility. Therefore, Mayor Pro-tem Stone Workman, who opposed the SDS agreement that was adopted, said it is the county’s place to pay for utilities. He said EMC and Georgia Power are not providing electricity for free to the other fire stations, and wondered why this one would be any different.

After some discussion, and the agreement to leave water alone, city council voted 4-1 to begin charging the county in January. Councilman David Wease opposed the action. There was also talk of turning the phone bill over to the county, but no action was taken as it is considered an administrative matter.

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City Council heard from Pam Mayer who announced that she had hired her replacement for the Chamber of Commerce directorship, and now would be concentrating only on the city in her role as Downtown Development Director. She said there had been a lot of interest lately on properties in the city, particularly on and around the Square.

She also told Council that Monticello was featured in a recent edition of the Connector magazine. In addition, she mentioned the Rural Zone designation that the city has received which will give incentives to people purchasing buildings and opening businesses downtown.

She invited Mayor and Council to take part in the Light Up Monticello parade and celebration this Saturday, and said she’d like them to be in the parade, but if they preferred, she will be happy as long as she sees them there.

The parade begins at 4 p.m., and there will be the Monticello Civic Club pancake breakfast; the Get Ahead House will be selling hot dogs, and the Extension service will offer coffee and hot chocolate. People are invited to come to town early and shop, and stay for the parade.

Council heard from Stephanie Puckett about a problem with run-off on Venture Court. She also expressed concern about no employees directing traffic around their working area.

City Manager Roger Harrison said that the Park to Park project that has lingered too long, will be completed within four months. The project will provide sidewalk access from Funderburg Park to West View Park. Also, Mr. Harrison said he had located the bricks that citizens and others had purchased about eight years ago when the city started a memory brick program. He has made arrangements to have the bricks installed around the monument on the Square before Christmas.

In other action at Tuesday’s meeting, council:

• Approved the 2019 meeting dates as well as the 2019 holidays.

• Agreed to pay bills from Richard Hartley for audit services, for $8,135, and Hewitt Utility Economic Services some $2,925.

• Learned Advanced Disposal is increasing its price slightly.

• Approved the 2019 beer, wine and liquor licenses for Reese Hall, Hide-away Package Store, McMichael’s Package Store, and El Giro Mexican Restaurant.

Council also learned the main operating account has been changed so it can earn interest. It should earn close to $20,000 in a year.

At the end of the meeting, council went into closed session to discuss personnel.