Council Conducts Business Meeting
The full panel of Monticello City Council members convened in their regular business meeting Tuesday evening approving several agenda items while tabling others.
Council approved the fiscal year 2025 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 2018 & 2024 budget approval which are required per audit instructions. However, the fiscal year 2025 debt service budget which pertains to the monies that a local government needs to pay the interest and principal on its outstanding debt was tabled until November. Also, tabled was the approval of the 2024 budget amendments as it was unclear from the city manager LaThaydra Sands what the final numbers would look like. Mrs. Sands reported that all departments came in under budget.
Council approved the purchase of six transformers for the electric department at $7,596; purchased four solar powered traffic calming devices for $15,812 from SPLOST funds; fencing of the Gulf Plant was approved for $9,550; and the Pearson Creek generator for $17,271 to complete repairs.
Council members voted to approve the 911 Authority restructure. The county voted Monday to reduce the authority to a seven member board which would include one city representative. The vote to approve was 3-0.
Roberta Anderson, director of the Get Ahead House, presented on Red Ribbon Week planned for October 23-31. The week is dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of drugs in America. She was requesting usage of the square during that week to conduct activities with the GAH youth and noted that she had tried to contact the Chamber of Commerce to discuss her plans.
To that end, the council approved a Georgia Read Day proclamation which aims to improve reading skills amongst all age groups and overall literacy. Also, members adopted a portion of the GMA benefit system as part of the restatement process.
The council discussed a counter-offer to the business seeking to inhabit the old Dexter Axle building. The agreement includes the new business being responsible for the cost of purchasing and installing the transformer with the city declining to accept the cost of a new transformer if an expansion is needed.
The Short Street property bid was awarded to the initial bidder
Hannah Moore was approved as the new appointee to the Historic Preservation Commission.
Additional action tabled included the Star Lodge lien, electric department budgeted equipment, and gas department equipment purchases.
Citizen Comments were heard from Wanda Cummings who appreciated the quick response to the recent power outage in the city. She also questioned what was going on with the two lots at the corner of Post Road and College Street.
Sheila Pounds thanked the council for the placement of the park benches in the park though she was not completely pleased with where they were situated. She asked about tree limb trimmings in parts of the city that needed it and wanted to know what was going on with the Old Washington Park School’s upkeep.
