Council Votes On LOST, Hears about Police, New City Shop

The Monticello City Council voted to split the two percent of its Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds to be divided equally between the Jasper County Library, economic development, and recreation with each entity receiving 1/3 of the allotted two percent or 1/3 of the anticipated $18,000.

This decision was made after the Board of Commissioners voted to give their entire two percent solely to the library. Now the two groups will have to come together and compromise on a number.

Mayor Bryan Standifer brought up the lost monies and told what the BOC had decided to do with their portion.

Councilman Larry Thurman agreed with the BOC and made an initial motion to give the entire two percent to the library. Councilman Cornell Williams seconded the motion, and then it was discussed at length.

Coucilwoman Katherine Alexander asked to see some actual numbers and figures before she made a decision, wanting to know if the fouor percent was enough to keep the library open full time and had questions about the libraries budget and their “wish list.”

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She commented that she knew that the library needed help, but also that she had personal experience with the recreation department and that it was not properly equipped either for all of the sports it offers. She said that she was also all for any economic benefits that the city could get as economic development was instrumental in the city’s future.

Mayor Pro-tem Bobby Jacobs presented the council with a lot of figures as to the decrease in funds through at least the year 2016 and explained that what they did today was going to impact the future councils and that the money and actual numbers needed to be a deciding factor.

Councilman Randy Strozier also commented that he was “all for the library, but I don’t think that it should get the entire two percent.”

Mayor Pro-tem Jacobs then presented the new motion of dividing the two percent equally between the three entities discussed and it passed with a 3-2 vote with Councilmen Thurman and Williams voting no.

The LOST negotiations have gone on for almost a year now, and were to be settled by the end of 2012. However, it did not happen. The two entities finally agreed on a split identical to the past 10 years—67 percent for the county, 30 percent for Monticello and three percent for Shady Dale.

The caveat was that two percent from Monticello and two percent from Jasper County was to go into a special fund for items such as the library, recreation, economic development, chamber of commerce, etc. The two entities are at odds on how that money should be spent.

City Manager Tim Sweezey informed the council of some good news for the city saying that the city had received $145,260 from MEAG’s power project settlement and that the city had only budgeted getting about $60,000 of that money, therefore the city has an excess of about $85,000.

There was much discussion from the council about what to do with the unexpected income with the city manager recommending a new city shop that will house the electric, gas, and streets departments, which Mr. Sweezey said could be built for $96,000.

This shop was proposed as a want during last year’s budget sessions with the benefits being a centralized location for the departments, which would aid in more employee and equipment accountability, more security, and free up the three current properties which all have mediocre working conditions currently.

During the discussion Coucilman Strozier pointed out that a police car or cars were on the top of the wish list, but that we didn’t have any yet. He also was in favor of using some of the excess funds for the shop, but questioned the police car issue.

Mayor Pro-tem Jacobs requested using the money to pay down some of the city’s debt as to help with the decrease in income in the future.

Councilman Thurman noted that the number for the shop last year was in the $60,000 range and wanted to know what the increase in cost would be as they had discussed doing much of the work in house.

After all of the discussion, Mayor Standifer asked that Mr. Sweezey come back to the council with actual numbers for the shop to better make a decision.

Mr. Sweezey also told the council that he and Police Chief Bobby Norris had come to an agreement that the city needed an investigator and that the previous recommendation of a patrolman/investigator (which would split their time between the two) would not work as originally planned.

Mr. Sweezey told the council that he would get a job description to them as to the investigator position which would entail more duties such as working on grants and on community relations with entities such as the schools. He also said “the officer would not be classified as a patrolman but I don’t believe that there are 40 hours of investigative work being done.”

Mr. Sweezey also informed the council that he and the crews were working to move the city forward and were implementing some new technologies such as a fraud machine at City Hall, and updating the city website which will map the city limit lines, water, gas and sewer lines and more to allow the city endless possibilities. He said that there would be a positioning system to see where the crews were by a green dot on the map, and they would use the technology to find the exact line in need of repair.

He also said that the city is converting to LED lighting that will provide longevity and less maintenance costs in the long run. Mr. Sweezey said that he put up the first one just outside of the city building and that the life expectancy is about 10 years.

During the citizen comments, the council heard from Roberta Anderson about the Council Chambers not being set up for a Get Ahead House function that was held on Saturday. She said that although she followed the proper procedures, nothing was set up for her when she came to set up around 9 p.m. Friday.

Ms. Anderson was upset with the city manager and the city clerk. Ms. Anderson heard that she was a liability, but being a city employee (she is the current part-time police investigator) the city was not liable. She then stated that she “didn’t appreciate being harassed.” Which opened up another controversial topic amongst herself and the council.

Mayor Pro-tem Jacobs informed Ms. Anderson that her being questioned about her case load was not intended as “harassment” but to inform the council of what direction to go when hiring the next investigator.

She had previously presented the council with her case load that appeared to have only four cases on it. Ms. Anderson repeatedly said that she “works for Chief Norris and they should go to him.” Mr. Jacobs informed Ms. Anderson that he went through the city manager, who then went to the chief and this report was what was produced.

Ms. Anderson told the council in heated closing discussion that she looked into cases and had solved one identity fraud case recently and that other officers in the department also had cases.

While Ms. Anderson was present Councilwoman Alexander asked about the GAH buses and how many the program had.

Ms. Anderson informed Mrs. Alexander that the city owned one of the transportation vans. Ms. Alexander then asked about the seat belts on the van, as she received a complaint that the students were seen not in seat belts, and warned that anyone under 18 had to be properly buckled by law. She encouraged Ms. Anderson to look into the issue, as it would be first on the maintenance list to get the van seat belts repaired.

Steve Edwards, representative for Advanced Disposal for Monticello’s region, told the council that he would be instrumental in helping with the City Wide Clean-up day now set for April 20 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., where residents can bring bulk items such as box springs, mattresses, chairs, tables, cabinets and household appliances.

He encourages citizens to bring a canned food donation for the Jasper County Food Bank. The clean up day is in conjunction with Advanced going green campaign and occurs around Earth Day, the Recycle Georgia program and Georgia Cities Week.

Toward the end of the meeting Councilman Strozier talked to the council about the “mess” on the courthouse steps, and how he had numerous complaints of trash being left there from people sitting on the steps evenings and weekends.

He asked that the city manager look into additional trash cans to be placed near there, and Mayor Standifer mentioned having the loitering and the curfew laws addressed.