Monticello Council Approves Funding

In what turned out to be a productive and harmonious regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening, the Monticello City Council voted unanimously to approve $50,000 for tree trimming and pole inspection along city electric lines. $110,000 had been budgeted for this project, however due to the weather effecting the growth of trees and limbs, the amount of necessary trimming has been reduced. A contractor for this project will be selected with bids taken by the Electric Cities of Georgia.

Also unanimously approved was a budget amendment to transfer $16,000 from the Council reserve fund to the Get Ahead House budget for utilities in accordance with an agreement reached with the Get Ahead House board of directors last month.

Based on the advice of City Engineer Robert Jordan the Council unanimously approved the low bid of $218,269, which was under the reserve set for the particular phase of the sewer project, from Insitufoam Technologies, Inc., for the “cured in place pipe” to go inside the old sewer lines.

A draw down of $198,611 was unanimously approved from the city’s MEAG Competitive Trust Account to pay for budgeted lease payments and capital items what will be coming due soon. As of June 30 the city had a balance of $415,858 in this account, and their last draw down was $50,000 in January. The projected balance in this account at the end of this year is $568,069, however it is expected other draw downs will occur prior to then. This fund will expire in its entirety in approximately seven and one-half years.
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Also, a list of portions of streets including Paul, Sands, Southern, Smith, Funderburg, Oak, Banks, Magnolia, Fred Smith, Five Points, Tinsley and Tower was presented to the Council for resurfacing funded through the DOT Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant program. Council members were asked to vote for three of these streets by August 15, after which DOT would decide which of the three was in the greatest need.

In addition, the Council unanimously approved the SPLOST intergovernmental agreement which was prepared by Jasper County and included $400,000 for the city water system, $200,000 for the city sewer system, $250,000 for the city sidewalk program and $100,000 for the hospital, all of which is contingent upon the SPLOST passing in the upcoming election in November.

Presentations before the Council were as follows:

•Downtown Development Authority Chairman Dave Dammann reported there are four vacancies on the Square and that the detour caused by work on Hwy 83 was hurting business. Mr. Dammann also reported, there are still three vacancies on the authority’s board, that a four year lease has been signed with the Thrift Shop, that all former vendors have been paid and that loan payments are all current. He also reported the Four Seasons Restaurant will close the end of September, but will reopen immediately as a new restaurant which will be open six days a week.

•Bonnie Walsh, Housing Authority Director made a plea before the Council for help in keeping unauthorized people from loitering and gathering in Sanders Heights, which is a federally owned project. Mayor Glenn Newsome suggested a notice be posted in the newspaper to warn trespassers. Monticello Police Chief Bobby Norris stated he would contact the all the residents and advise them of the rules and how to deal with trespassers. A video camera was also suggested.

•City Manager Bob Schwartz reported that an auditor was currently working on an audit of the city. He also presented a proposal to reduce one of the city’s debts by reissuing bonds on the city government building at a better interest rate. Mayor Newsome requested the finance committee to study the issue.

•Chief Norris reported that fines and fees collected in July came to a total of $5,741, that his department issued 47 citations and responded to 406 calls for service. He also announced an arrest had been made in the recent shooting incident in the city, and that he was working closely with the GBI to solve the armed robbery case in the parking lot of Monticello Family Foods.

Other actions taken by the Council include the following:
•A discussion on biometric time clocks resulted in discovering a computer network was necessary to use them. The consensus was to table the time clock project until computer issues could be resolved.

•Revised copies of the city’s personnel policy were distributed to the Council members for perusal prior to the next regular meeting in September.

•The purchase of six picnic tables for West View Pare was unanimously approved.

•Mayor Newsome instructed the park committee to study the cost of a park maintenance program.