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Give a lot of feedback. 00:00:01
OK. 00:00:05
All right. Good evening, everybody. 00:00:08
Welcome to the. 00:00:10
September Watkinsville City Council meeting. 00:00:12
OK. We're getting a little feedback here, So we might have to keep experimenting on that. 00:00:16
Everyone's here, so we have a quorum. Welcome. We always start with the Pledge of Allegiance. We've got students here from High 00:00:23
Shoals Column, Ferry and Rocky Branch. Is that right? So if you all could stand and help us leave the pledge, that would be great. 00:00:29
How do we start to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One nation under God, 00:00:39
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:46
It is great to have such a crowd with us tonight. Excited to have chambers full. We have 3 proclamations will do before we get 00:00:59
into the business of the meeting. The 1st is Constitution Week. And first of all, Lori Trail. Thank you to you and everyone who's 00:01:05
been involved with been involved with that from the Reverend John Andrew chapter. 00:01:11
It has been a great week. I wasn't able to be there yesterday, but it sounds like everything went great yesterday and I know 00:01:19
Sunday was a really special day. 00:01:22
At Ashford, with the children leading us throughout session and reminding us of the importance of the Constitution. 00:01:26
Ask what? I was going to read that later. 00:01:34
OK, but people can read that if they want to read about the hearing stuff. We can leave that on the screen and then I'll read it 00:01:41
later. 00:01:44
So the Constitution Week is, was is important and we're grateful to everything that you guys did. So I have a proclamation for 00:01:51
that. I'm not going to read the whole thing. I'm going to hit a couple highlights. And Lori, you're welcome to offer your remarks 00:01:57
up there as well. Constitution Week, September 17th through 23rd, 2024. The Constitution of the United States of America, the 00:02:04
guardian of our liberties, embodies the principles of limited government and Republic dedicated to rule by law. 00:02:11
September 17th, 2024 marks the 237th anniversary. 00:02:18
Of the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional Convention. It is fitting and proper to a 00:02:22
court official recognition to this magnificent document. And it's a memorable anniversary. And to the patriotic celebrations which 00:02:27
will commemorate it. I have here unto set my hand and cause the seal of Watkinsville, Georgia to be affixed on this 18th day of 00:02:33
September, the year of our award, 2024. Thank you, Lori, for what you've done. 00:02:38
We just have a certificate for the City of Watkinsville. Just saying thank you for being so supportive of our chapter and 00:02:50
participating in all of our events and for our chapter for a long time now. So I just want to say thank you. 00:02:56
Let's stand up there. 00:03:03
All right. 00:03:12
Thank you. 00:03:15
All right, next on the agenda is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. We'll have a proclamation for that. I think that's why all of 00:03:30
our. 00:03:33
Yes, Sir, here. Is that right? 00:03:37
OK. 00:03:40
Why don't y'all come up here with me? 00:03:40
You want to join me for this? Come on up here. 00:03:45
All the children, we all ready. This is a proclamation, OK? 00:03:48
Why don't y'all stand up and when? Let's look out there and show this smile of those folks, OK, All right, Ready. 00:03:56
All right, whereas childhood cancer effects 47 new children each day nationwide, a battle which impacts entire communities 00:04:03
including parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and neighbors, this disease impacts hundreds of children each year in the state 00:04:09
of Georgia, including some of Watkinsville's youngest and most courageous citizens. We're at. 00:04:15
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is recognized in September with the goal to increase awareness of childhood cancer, the need for 00:04:20
more funding and research, and to support those families in Watkinsville affected by childhood cancer in honor and in memory of 00:04:27
their children. Specifically in honor. Let's listen guys to this of childhood cancer fighter Brooks Thomas, son of Watkinsville 00:04:33
residents Ty and Elise Thomas, who bravely beat Hepboblastic. 00:04:39
OK. And which one is Brooks up here with us? 00:04:47
Brooks, where are you? 00:04:49
Brooks high five man. 00:04:51
Wow. 00:04:54
I should have read this in advance on Blonde way. These are normally just totally boilerplate. I can't believe Brooks. Man how 00:04:57
brave. That is amazing. 00:05:01
Families who have a son or daughter who are fighting for have fought active childhood cancer. 00:05:07
Often experience long term effects from the treatments that has helped them survive and need additional emotional medical care 00:05:12
long after the final treatments are completed. 00:05:16
Were to honor families walking through this journey at every step of the way to let them know that they are brave and that they 00:06:20
are not alone and witness they arrive. I've set my hand and caused the seal of the city of Watkinsville to be affixed on this 18th 00:06:26
day of September 2024. That's a lot of words kids. But what that means is y'all are really brave and we're really grateful that 00:06:31
you're here. We're going to do everything we can to fight cancer. 00:06:37
Support people who are going through it. So what I'm going to do now is we're going to stand right in the middle. And then who? I 00:06:42
think this young lady is probably my best bet to keep this safe. I'm going to hand this to you and I want you to stand right in 00:06:47
the middle of me and we're going to get a picture taken together. OK, So you all move right over there. 00:06:52
Right here y'all gather around. 00:06:59
OK. 00:07:02
And your eyes need to be able to see this camera. 00:07:04
All right, spread out a little bit more. 00:07:10
There we go. Perfect. All right, everybody now. 00:07:14
Ready. You can get the picture. Get closer city. All right. Ready 123. 00:07:24
Say cheese. 00:07:30
Now see all they were here we've got one more proclamation then we'll do a quick break and if we have some people come in late if 00:07:44
we need to get another picture, we can. But so thankful for all y'all being here tonight. It means means a ton to us to take that 00:07:50
you took your time to be here and to support support us and I'm just. 00:07:56
Brooks man, that's awesome. 00:08:03
Is anyone here from? 00:08:07
Georgia Reeds. 00:08:10
OK, our final proclamation as Georgia Reads Day Proclamation literacy is not just an education issue, but an economic, workforce 00:08:12
and quality of life issue is also a predictor of future educational attainment, economic status, and lifelong health and 00:08:18
well-being. 00:08:23
The Georgia General Assembly recognized the importance of literacy skills with the passage of two bills in 2023 and understanding 00:08:30
that collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships must be undertaken to effectively address Georgia litter. To address 00:08:36
literary issues, the Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia City Solutions partnered to establish Georgia Reads at the 2024 GMA 00:08:42
Convention. Together, we will improve Georgia's economic vitality one book at a time. 00:08:48
Brian Broderick Proclaim September 30th, 2024's Watkinsville, Georgia reads today and encourage all residents, businesses, and 00:08:54
community partners to help promote and elevate literacy as a community priority. So all of you boys and girls who are here on 00:09:00
September 30th, help your mom and dad remember that's a day that you need to be sure to read whether you're at school or not. 00:09:05
OK, that is all for our proclamations tonight. So if anyone is here just for proclamations, you're welcome to go. Do we need to 00:09:12
get another photo with all the boys and girls? Yes. OK, let's do that. One more photo. 00:09:18
All right, get it around again. 00:09:35
Right. 00:09:43
Setting. 00:09:48
123. 00:09:55
Cheese, I'll turn around and tell you a secret. You'll probably already know it. 00:09:59
Right out there so. 00:10:08
Stretch your legs on the program. Awesome. 00:10:13
See y'all. 00:10:46
All right. 00:10:49
OK. 00:10:52
And onto our normal. 00:10:54
The meeting to allow the public sufficient time to provide comments in writing to the clerk if they are unable to be here in 00:12:25
person. With that, we'll start off with the approval of the minutes, The minutes of the August 21st regular meeting. I'll 00:12:30
entertain a motion to approve those minutes and make a motion to approve the minutes. Do we have a second, Second. Any discussion? 00:12:35
All in favor say aye. 00:12:40
Any opposed motion carries 5 O. We'll move to the approval of the agenda. I have no amendments to the agenda. Does anyone on 00:12:46
council? 00:12:50
Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to approve. 00:12:54
I make a motion to approve the agenda. Do we have a 2nd, 2nd? 00:12:57
All in favor, say aye. All right, we move to administration. Again. During administration, we have a limited public input only at 00:13:01
Council's discretion. Comments shall be only directly related to an agenda items. You need to speak from the podium. If you have 00:13:06
something you want to discuss at this point during the meeting, please raise your hand and we'll allow you to come forward at 00:13:12
Council's discretion. 00:13:17
Look at it can. 00:13:54
The move forward on some of these other reports on our Splice 3 report, just a reminder this is this is the one that has that we 00:13:57
get 8.63% from with our IGA with Oconee County. Right now our monthly revenues are averaging 82,000 and some change. Most of this 00:14:04
money right now is being used for Thomas Farm Preserve and Harris Shoals Park improvements. 00:14:12
On again, you'll see here our monthly revenues over the last three almost 3 fiscal years, bank balance pretty healthy bank balance 00:14:20
of about 1.4, almost 1.4 million. 00:14:26
On the T splash report, this one, we're averaging about 72,000. This one is almost 1% lower. We get 7.77% per our IGA with Oconee 00:14:33
County. The funds from this are being used on our our ELNIG projects, which you'll be discussing tonight and some sidewalks in the 00:14:39
community. 00:14:45
And then this is our our monthly report, just a little bit more than one fiscal year full and we've got 425,000 in the bank. 00:14:54
American Rescue Plan report the Council has appropriated the remaining balance of the. 00:15:03
Funds that would be close to $90,000 and any, any additional interest we may receive on these funds will go towards the Thomas 00:15:08
Farm Preserve project and that is in line with the requirements from the US Treasury that we have that money be appropriate before 00:15:13
December 31st of this year. 00:15:19
Any questions? 00:15:26
OK, move on. On the economic development reports, business alcohol licensing fees, a couple new businesses, Home Run Hangout and 00:15:28
Max and Mollies are are sort of some highlights on here that have come. We have no alcohol licenses that came in. 00:15:36
On the excise tax, so I mentioned last month that we would have. 00:15:45
The full fiscal year 24 shown because we had some bleed over some things that didn't come in. So we actually exceeded by a couple 00:15:49
$1000 where our budget, what we budgeted or what we anticipated as far as our collections for hotel, motel and alcohol. And then 00:15:55
this is your fiscal year 25 numbers. 00:16:00
And you remember we received these after they've been collected, so. 00:16:07
And then on the. 00:16:11
On the building permits, we have 9 permits for eight different projects. We've got still some workout at Trove and then just some 00:16:15
residential, residential and a couple of commercial, I guess, commercial electrical for Britain Electric. Any questions on this? 00:16:23
OK, Sema, Thank you. 00:16:34
All right, Mayor Pro Tem, what you do downtown development? OK, so I had the privilege to go down to Thomasville for the Georgia 00:16:38
Downtown Association fall conference. I. 00:16:44
Was it end of August? It's all a blur of all the days merged together and it was fantastic. It reminded me again of just what an 00:16:50
incredible state we live in. 00:16:56
With really wonderful resources at our disposal to help make our towns, whether they're small, medium or large. 00:17:03
Really great communities, so we have strict a lot of great state resources and then also the different people that I met at 00:17:12
workshops. 00:17:16
In the different communities were so generous with their input on the things they are doing in their communities and how they are 00:17:22
overcoming various challenges. So a lot was learned way more that I can summarize in in this little bit of time, but it was well 00:17:30
worth it. Some some very good networking was done as well as some really good information found. 00:17:37
Also, we have a DDA board member vacancy. The deadline to apply is October 4th. It's on our city website. The e-mail has also been 00:17:46
sent out to any businesses in our downtown development area. So I. 00:17:53
Yeah, that's it. 00:18:02
All right. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. 00:18:05
Police Department report Sergeant Hitler. 00:18:08
Good evening. 00:18:16
Are we on? 00:18:18
Maybe. 00:18:19
Says this song. Are we good? 00:18:22
Good evening, everybody. So I'm here tonight to give the Police Department report. We had officers complete some training for us. 00:18:25
I was down in Forsyth and completed the third installment of the management courses down there. So I have finished all of that. 00:18:33
Which is nice to be out of the way. 00:18:42
Then yesterday I attended the. 00:18:45
District 9 Area Chiefs Association meeting in Loganville, got to do some really great networking with chiefs from all the way up 00:18:48
in Mountain City, Snellville, everything around us. It was a great time, learned a lot, met a lot of new new people that I didn't 00:18:56
previously know. Then Officer Krish completed an impaired driving investigation course over at UGA. 00:19:03
Since the last council meeting, he also had a chance to network with some folks over at the Pack, the Prosecuting Attorney Council 00:19:11
and the District Attorney's office, folks that work in Athens that he doesn't normally get to interact with. Then Officer Anglin 00:19:17
completed his interviews and interrogations class in Forsyth as well. He was down there for three days, learned the insurance and 00:19:24
outs of how people react when you're asking them questions. 00:19:30
So. 00:19:37
Then Officer Krish, the other officer Krish, completed her use of force training for the year, which is great to see that she's 00:19:38
doing that when she's remote from us, she's doing that all online. So it was great to see that come in that she had completed all 00:19:43
of that. 00:19:47
I know everybody's interested in the new truck that we've got. 00:19:53
It will be sent off for up fitting down in Augusta on the 3rd. 00:19:57
And we'll be back to us probably the week after that should be the week after that. 00:20:02
They've been waiting on some supplies to come in so I got noticed that those are in and we were scheduled on the 3rd to drop it 00:20:08
off. 00:20:12
Other than that, again, we had the Constitution Day events that happened downtown with the cannon firing and the musket volley, 00:20:16
which I know. 00:20:20
Interests everybody. That's always a fun time. Most folks heard about that and may not have seen it, but they probably heard about 00:20:24
it. 00:20:28
Then upcoming October 6th, we've got the. 00:20:33
Run for responder 5K. 00:20:37
Which is happening over at Oconee Veterans Park. 00:20:40
We've been there the last couple of years, had a great time. If anybody's interested, yours truly will be in the dunk tank again 00:20:42
this year. So you want to come and spend some money and put me in the water? I'd love for you to try. 00:20:48
Other than that, then we've got the the monthly stats, which is always fun. We had two arrests, an aggravated assault which 00:20:55
happened over on South Main Street and then we had a warrant service out of Bibb County. 00:21:02
He was the caller actually didn't realize that he had a warrant for his arrest, so that was unfortunate. 00:21:10
We felt bad for him but he got that taken care of really quickly and and is back home now. 00:21:18
So total calls of service we had 192. 00:21:24
Our officers did 600 security checks since the last council meeting, which is great to see. Our folks are out there checking 00:21:27
neighborhoods and making sure that the businesses are secure at night. 00:21:32
And we had 25 reports. We had 49 total citations. We had 28 warnings that were written, which is about right. That's about the 00:21:38
ratio that we're looking for, about 2 to one, which means that we're cutting folks slack where we can and some folks that don't 00:21:44
respond correctly get a little more encouragement. 00:21:49
Of those, then, we had 12 incident reports and 13 accident reports, which again is about on par with what we normally see. 00:21:57
So other than that. 00:22:04
Do you guys have any questions? 00:22:06
Great month. Thank you. Thank you guys. 00:22:11
All right. We have nothing on consent agenda, nothing on public hearing, nothing under appearances and nothing under old business, 00:22:15
but we do have several items under new business. 00:22:19
So the first one of those is an update on our employee health insurance. So Manager Dickerson, I'll let you and Sandy Colwell 00:22:24
offer the report on that, OK? 00:22:29
Thank you, Mayor. 00:22:34
So the specific request tonight is to approve the selection of Angle for medical insurance for 12 months beginning October one 00:22:36
through September 30th of next year on the rates that were provided on your attachment and renewing with Anthem Blue Cross Blue 00:22:41
Shield for employee dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment, short term disability and long term disability for 00:22:47
the 12 for the same 12 months. 00:22:52
Try to walk through a little bit of history. So San and Caldwell is I guess technically the name of the company is not Insurance 00:22:58
Brokers of Georgia. 00:23:02
Oak Ridge, we partnered together in 2022, but I'm I'm still used to calling her so. 00:23:07
That's right. 00:23:16
So, so every year since we started engaging with them back in I guess 2019 I think. 00:23:19
18 they've they've they help evaluate the marketplace for us. This is their business. So they are recommending that we select 00:23:25
medical insurance benefits with angle that is A at a 22 and almost a 22 1/2 percent increase over our current Blue Cross Blue 00:23:31
Shield rates, which would, if we went with them would increase almost 50% renewing with dental vision long term with the other 00:23:37
items with a 4% increase in the dental plan, no increase in the other coverages. Talk a little bit more about that. So again, our 00:23:43
current health insurance. 00:23:49
Blue Cross Blue Shield, it expires the end of this month. Council has made it a budget priority to cover 75% of this employees 00:23:55
benefits. The premiums for those benefits, 100% of life, accidental death, short term and long term disability. It is an integral 00:24:01
part of the city's benefit package to not just attract but also retain employees. We don't have a pension program a lot of lot of 00:24:08
bigger governments do have and so benefits are a big attraction for us. 00:24:14
The following shows the history of the medical premiums over the past fiscal years. You'll see. 00:24:21
That when I came in on board in 2018, the the cost was actually higher and the only time that ever exceeded that was in 2022 and 00:24:26
it only exceeded by about one less than 2%. So we've been able to keep it low. I'll let Santa maybe make some comments about maybe 00:24:33
why it went up this time. We'll talk about a little bit about that. But they have been really instrumental in helping us negotiate 00:24:41
those insurance rates for our employees over the of the past six fiscal years. 00:24:48
Again, they went out for quotes for those services, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Angle United Healthcare, which is based on the 00:24:57
Affordable Care Act guidelines. You do again on your attachment, have a side by side comparison of those medical rates that were 00:25:01
provided. 00:25:05
Again, based on the proposals, angles, premiums for medical coverage for both the medical plans are basically 24 percent or so, 00:25:10
which are respectively much lower than anthems. 00:25:16
Continue getting coverage without having to meet another deductible and they do provide a telehealth or a doctor on demand. 00:26:21
Similar to Anthem, but Anthem required a copay. 00:26:28
Again, this is what we're requesting. I'll turn it over to saying that she may have some more detail or you all may have questions 00:26:32
specific, you know that she can answer specifically. 00:26:35
She did a great job, Sharon. Yes, as you know, I'm your broker and I represent serve as your advisor and strategize about the 00:26:41
upcoming year for the plans that we want to put together in your benefits package. We do review and shop the market every year and 00:26:47
compare and contrast. 00:26:53
Where we can get the best benefit for the dollar? 00:26:59
We did have some high claims. We are a small group. Your rates belong to you. It's based on the Census of enrollment. I wish I had 00:27:02
a magic wand that could get everyone just a rate decrease every year, but that's not exactly how it works. And. 00:27:10
We received the renewal that did get negotiated down to 44% instead of 46, but it still wasn't worth renewing under the same plan. 00:27:20
So I do feel this is our best option and what we are recommending to. 00:27:26
The City of Watkinsville to move forward with for the coming plan year. Do you have questions about the plan? 00:27:33
If our claims history improves, you know, is there a chance that the rates come back down in future years? 00:27:43
We had one year where we actually were in a surplus and received that a couple of years ago, right. So every year is different. 00:27:51
And from a simple math perspective, premium is, is a pretty easy calculation. Admin fees, expected claims of the group equals your 00:27:58
premium for the most part. That's the equation that we look at. 00:28:06
The cost of care often, and this applies to municipalities or any other client of mine, the cost of care is expensive, you know, 00:28:14
and I'll give you a good example. 00:28:19
I probably shouldn't say this is recorded. If it has a commercial, it's probably a very expensive medication. That is just 00:28:25
something to be aware of. That's marketing one O 1. That's not about healthcare, that's about getting that name or Jingle in your 00:28:32
mind so that you request that certain medication. And so when you think about that from a small group perspective, a single 00:28:39
person's singular and I'm just using this as an example generically not related to the group specifically. 00:28:47
But in general. 00:28:55
You know, one medication for one person of any group could be very expensive and maybe lop side. 00:28:56
The claim payout from the carrier on the coverage, if that makes sense. So we do want to be mindful and we do meetings every year 00:29:04
with employees as well. We try to explain and educate how the plans work, how we can be personally responsible for our own 00:29:12
healthcare and make wise decisions. We the same way that you would, you know, shop for an oil change or a new pair of shoes. We 00:29:19
somewhat we want to bring back a little bit of that personal responsibility and say OK. 00:29:27
If I can get this MRI at a standalone facility and it cost $500 versus the hospital and it costs $1200 and they're 2 miles apart, 00:29:34
I want to go with Option A. So we have to be mindful. We have to be responsible for those personal healthcare decisions as well, 00:29:42
because that does overall affect the claims of the group and the renewals that we receive. 00:29:50
Thank you. Any other questions for Sandon or Manager Dickerson? 00:30:02
OK, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. 00:30:06
I'll make a motion to accept or approve the angle for the next 12 months. 00:30:12
OK, we have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:30:19
Actually, just because it's split its angle and Anthem Blue Cross, maybe you could just say option one and then we can cover that 00:30:21
maybe. 00:30:25
I'll make a motion that we use option one. 00:30:29
OK, option 1 is a motion. Do we have a second? 00:30:33
2nd, we have a second from Councilman Garrett. Any further discussion? 00:30:36
Hearing none, all in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:30:40
Motion carries 5 O, We'll move on to. 00:30:44
Approve awarding contract for the repair and reinforcement of existing timber pilings and replacement of the pedestrian boardwalk 00:30:49
at Harris Shoals Park. Manager Dickerson. Thank you, Mayor. 00:30:54
So we are going to request tonight that you award a contract to Martin Pelfrey, Handyman, for the contract to repair the 00:30:59
pedestrian boardwalk at Harris Shoals Park with a not to exceed amount of $123,592.04. You approve the contract agreement with 00:31:06
with that business and approve and authorize the mayor and City clerk to sign all relevant documents. 00:31:13
So I'll walk you through some of the highlights. On December 20th, the 23 Council approved releasing half $1,000,000 that have 00:31:21
been set aside as a local match for a Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program grant that we had tried 3 * / a three-year period to to 00:31:27
obtain and begin actually implementing the Harris Shoals Park Master Plan improvements. And later that month, within just a couple 00:31:33
weeks of that, the pedestrian boardwalk. 00:31:39
Boardwalk was vandalized, rendering an unsafe for use in February. We engaged read sheets of Structural engineer to give us some 00:31:46
input about the replacement of that boardwalk. 00:31:51
Sorry, the framing and the railings. 00:31:57
On March 7th, we released a request for proposal for the replacement of that 420 linear foot 6 foot wide pedestrian boardwalk. We 00:32:01
advertised it in the Oconee Enterprise posted on the website and provided it to 8 companies. These are companies we worked with or 00:32:08
or were told about to get in touch with so that we would actually directly provide that information. In mid March shortly after 00:32:15
the release, while reviewing the work, one of the contractors was concerned about. 00:32:22
The state of the temple pilings and so we held up, we held that up as suspended the RFP to evaluate it further. 00:32:29
Engage Geo Hydro to complete some exploration. Some additional information on that. They recommended replacing the timber pilings 00:32:35
with something called helical Piers, which you'll see #7 are very expensive. 00:32:41
And so we actually provided that information to those contractors that I mentioned earlier. 00:32:49
And request that information be back on July 15th. On July 15th we received one proposal from a company called Excel Yell Excel 00:32:55
Yale Construction for almost $400,000. Due to the price proposal, which was more than our budget and the lack of competitive 00:33:01
proposal proposals, we did not take any action. Shortly thereafter, the main sorry the mayor, myself and the city engineer talked 00:33:07
about the. 00:33:13
The boardwalk and what really needed to be done there, and perhaps the. 00:33:20
Place in the Timber Pines wasn't, wasn't necessary and so we went back and released an RFP for just replacing the the decking and 00:33:24
possibly fixing any of the timber Pines that they may come across that may need to be done. There's over like 90 of them. I 00:33:31
believe the RFP was advertised both on the 25th and of July and August 1st posted on our website, also sent to all those 00:33:38
contractors that were previously mentioned. And we also went after a couple of. 00:33:45
Local deck company decking companies. 00:33:53
And ask them for their for them to participate as well. 00:33:56
On August 9th, we received 2 proposals on that opening. Those were still very high. 00:34:00
On August 15th, we decided to issue A2 week extension. We did that as a result of the fact that neither one of those companies nor 00:34:07
anyone other than the city clerk and myself were there at the, actually I wasn't there. City clerk and I think Robin, perhaps our 00:34:13
executive assistant was there for the opening. So no one was there. We didn't publicize that information and so we extended it two 00:34:18
weeks in hopes of maybe trying to get some more people to, to submit and look at it. 00:34:24
On August 29th we received 3 proposals, three additional proposals, Martin Pell, free handyman, Piedmont Outdoor Services and 00:34:31
Redemption modeling. Piedmont Outdoor is I believe that's the bulldog decking. I have to go back and look, but they're one of the 00:34:35
local. 00:34:40
As you'll see on the on that listing, we had about 123,000 on Martin Pelfrey 180 a hundred and 207,000 in Piedmont and then 00:34:45
another almost 280,000 on redemption. So we are recommending I'm sorry, so based on council programming and there is a budget of 00:34:52
about 200,000 for this boardwalk. So we do have money in the SPLOST three budget for this and again we will we would request that 00:35:00
the award be given to. 00:35:07
Healthy hand demand for an amount not to exceed 123,592 and four cents. 00:35:15
It's a lot. 00:35:22
Council, this has been. 00:35:25
I think. 00:35:28
I think one of the most frustrating things. 00:35:29
In terms of how long it's taken to get this done and frankly the result of vandalism, it's just really sad when somebody took that 00:35:32
action and didn't realize that. 00:35:36
The consequences that it took, so it's. 00:35:41
But I think we beat every Bush in Oconee County trying to get a low bid on on this. And I think all of us are wish it could be 00:35:44
lower, but I don't know that we're going to get a lower number at this point. So that's the mayor's contacts after months and 00:35:50
months of discussing this and looking at it. But you're welcome to throw your questions at the manager and then we can look at a 00:35:55
motion if you guys are willing to willing to move forward on this. 00:36:00
My my question, I guess it would actually be to Mark. 00:36:09
I mean, how many, I mean, do we know how many pylons we think might be, I mean, I'm just assuming that they're either 6 by sixes 00:36:14
or, or, or telephone pole. Yeah. And, and so again, I think the, you know, from a construction standpoint, it, it, it's not easy 00:36:20
to get to that location. That's why the boardwalk is necessary because it's, it's not easily traversed. We can't just pour 00:36:27
concrete out there. 00:36:33
And and so doing some of the investigation, there was some surface, you know, potential issues where again the vandalism had 00:36:40
occurred and some like bolts were were pulled out. 00:36:45
And so I think, you know, early on, you know, some of the contractors said, well, hey, we don't want to get in the middle of this 00:36:50
project and then have an issue. So that's overtime the the things that have been looked out. So I think based on the information 00:36:56
that's been provided most recently after many, many months, gives us the best picture to have a good solution. And so I don't 00:37:02
don't have an exact number, but we, we've got an idea and, and there is a little, you know, room is so to speak, if, if we do 00:37:08
have. 00:37:14
Then we at least know how we would handle those individuals. Yeah, sure. And the reason I asked that it was just looking at the 00:37:20
top three where it might go. 00:37:24
The top three or I guess the ones that came out on August 29th, there was just a vast difference between Marty and the other two. 00:37:30
I mean there's, he's basically $5000 there at roughly 30,000 for, for the additional or for the alternative. And I just curious 00:37:36
why, I mean that's, that's a substantial difference. So Marty included and he actually included that repair and his contingency 00:37:42
number, not in that number. 00:37:49
So he's got, I think he had 10% or whatever and I've got the detail, but 10% of the of his overall cost was put into contingency 00:37:56
to deal with that. 00:38:00
Man who did it with the city at that time, so. 00:38:34
And I think the other thing for all of us to remember is you could do some different things with treated poles back in the 80s 00:38:38
than you can now. So we're also kind of hesitant to pull out. Yeah, They had creosote back then. So yeah, you said it so, so, so, 00:38:44
you know, we're kind of hesitant to pull those, pull those out when we know how long they're going to last compared to what 00:38:49
something new might last in there, so. 00:38:55
Completely understand as a guy that was formerly a lineman and yeah, the crease Oak Poles versus any other questions on this one? 00:39:02
What's the time frame sharing on this because I know it hadn't rained much. It's probably ideal for him to get on this pretty 00:39:10
quick and get it. So the contract is fraud to begin October 1 and finished by December 30. 00:39:15
OK, Yeah. 00:39:20
So 120 days or whatever that works out to 90 day, I don't however many days that is OK, all right. 00:39:20
All right. 00:39:28
If no other questions will entertain a motion. 00:39:29
I make a motion to approve. 00:39:33
The eight option one. 00:39:37
All right. We have a motion to approve option one. Do we have a second? 00:39:41
Second, all right, any further discussion hearing none all in favor say aye aye. Any opposed like sign motion carries 5. 00:39:45
All right, now we'll move on to the award for the contract for rehabilitation, resurfacing and striping of Mulberry Street from 00:39:53
3rd St. to where the city's the dead end and cemetery, The Cemetery Rd. which is all the roads in the Watkinsville Cemetery. 00:40:01
This is Sharon will explain it but this is working with our. 00:40:10
Annual allocation from the state manager Dickerson, if you want to offer a report. So we're going to ask that you approve the an 00:40:16
award to All About Asphalt for the contract for the FY25 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant. Resurfacing projects which the mayor 00:40:21
just mentioned where our Mulberry Street, which is currently a gravel road and Cemetery Rd. which is a single lane Rd. that runs 00:40:26
through the cemetery. 00:40:31
Is the Cemetery Rd. again, it's a single lane Rd. Mark, if you want to jump in at all, we do have a section of Rd. that will have 00:41:06
to be removed. There's some tree roots coming up, some pine trees, I think 4 pine trees that will need to be removed. We've walked 00:41:12
that Councilman Garrett and the mayor and I and walked walk that and made the decision that'd be the best option. I believe 00:41:17
Engineer Campbell also walked that with us. And then on Mulberry, you'll see that link there that's again, it's a gravel Rd. that 00:41:23
will be. 00:41:28
Resurfaced. 00:41:35
You may recall we have a pavement management program that has identified the condition rating on all of our roads in the city. 00:41:36
Again, these the Mulberry Street being a gravel Rd. didn't get a rating because it's a gravel Rd. but it is. It would be nice to 00:41:42
surface it. So that sits at the top of the list. Cemetery Rd. also as well because of the concerns with the tree roots and 00:41:48
whatnot. 00:41:54
That was listed at the top as well and it is actually on the list. Is one of the worst roads. 00:42:01
We did estimate it would be closer to 200,000. Happy to report it's not going to be that much to do this right now. We did receive 00:42:05
our L mega amount from the state of a little bit more than 47,000 and we released an RFP on August 29th for those projects. And we 00:42:12
got our check from the state on the 3rd on the 17th, which was yesterday that you guys got your report. Yesterday afternoon, we 00:42:20
received 3 proposals. The one from all that asphalt is the one we were going to recommend. It's 108. 00:42:27
A little bit more than 108,000 RT spots that will help fund some of this is required to use 30% of that funding to support this 00:42:35
type of work. So that is in line with those goals. The RFP was advertised on September 5th and September 12th and was sent 00:42:42
directly to the five companies that we've worked with in the past. Just a reminder, G dot doesn't require contractors working on 00:42:50
Element projects be listed in the G dot directory, but they do have to follow G dot specifications. 00:42:57
Again, our request is option one to award the contract to All About Asphalt and authorize us to work with that that contractor to 00:43:05
also work out widening and resurfacing the entrance road to Thomas Farm. 00:43:10
Questions. Yeah, so the. 00:43:19
1000 foot of existing asphalt to be removed is that you're going to remove trees and then put it back Is that the IT was the. 00:43:22
Yes, so the, the pine trees and the asphalt don't get along. Yep, absolutely. But what we don't want to do and then and this was 00:43:30
the contractors responded well to this as well. We don't want to get a milling machine in the cemetery period. So it's all cut and 00:43:36
removed where where the the pavement is the worst based on the roots from the pine trees. Those pine trees will be removed as 00:43:42
well, just not by the asphalt companies. But but we, it's not a situation where we have trees that are maybe more desirable what 00:43:48
we're worried about removing. 00:43:54
2 oak trees that are in there, but we didn't feel like we didn't want to widen it and encourage fast traffic in the cemetery. We 00:44:30
also thought it was important to kind of keep that ambience. So we're trying to be strategic in terms of what's coming out. And 00:44:36
then we're also trying to tie that together with some of the efficiency of the work at the Thomas farm. So if we take those out, 00:44:41
we can dispose of those trees at a lower cost. Doing that right now. 00:44:46
Any other questions? 00:44:55
All right, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. 00:44:58
I make a motion to approve the bid from All About Asphalt to complete the work. 00:45:07
As mentioned here, all right, we have a motion for #1 the action requested. 00:45:12
We have a second. 00:45:18
Second, all right, I have a motion. We have a second further discussion hearing none all in favor say aye, aye. Any opposed motion 00:45:19
carries 5 O All right, we'll move on to the contract for the long-awaited first phase of the long-awaited Symington Bridge 00:45:27
sidewalk. Manager Dickerson and engineer Campbell if you want to walk us through that. 00:45:34
All right. So we're asking, well, I'll talk about the project first. So this is the generic concept plan for the for the Mulberry 00:45:47
St. connector, the Simonton Bridge Rd. connector. The area we're specifically talking about is if you look in the upper far right 00:45:53
corner where Simonson Place is, Simonton Drive is from that section all the way to the left hand side of the cemetery. That's the 00:45:59
section phase one that we're talking about in this. 00:46:05
So we're asking that you award the Gantt Construction and Maintenance LLC the contract for phase one, which is roughly 18180 00:46:12
linear feet of ADA compliant pedestrian and bicycle friendly concrete sidewalk anywhere from 6 to 10 feet along that range. 00:46:20
In addition, extension of a 30 inch reinforced concrete pipe near the cemetery in an 18 inch corrugated metal pipe near Simonton 00:46:29
Place. We are asking for the amount that the contractor is bid plus up to a 20% contingency. We'll talk a little bit more about 00:46:35
that along with authorizing and requesting approval for the contract agreement with that vendor and the mayor and city clerk to 00:46:41
sign those documents. 00:46:47
So on January 17th, council of this year, council approved submitting AG Tibb. That's the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure 00:46:54
Bank grant. 00:46:58
And or loan application for this connector project. On June 6th, we were awarded a $1.5 million grant and a $2.25225 million loan 00:47:02
from the G Tib for this project. 00:47:09
It will be, it is the first step, you know, as the mayor said, the first step towards connecting that part of the community in a, 00:47:17
in a way, a pedestrian connection for this part of the community to downtown. And of course Thomas Farm and other neighborhoods 00:47:21
along Simonton Bridge have that same opportunity. 00:47:26
The on July 8th, the loan and grant agreement was executed by G Tib. On August 29th we released an RFP for this phase. On 00:47:33
September 17th we received this was again yesterday we received the following proposals for this project. Gantt construction was 00:47:40
at one 63996 Mayweather Concrete was at 1:50 and SEW which is currently working on the the paved paths at Thomas Farm work was it 00:47:47
269 and. 00:47:55
Smith and company was at 299. I do want to point out that the RFP specific items made their bid at two 38469. They had included a 00:48:03
whole bunch of things like trash cans and lights and things like that that were part of the project, but I'm part of the overall 00:48:08
project, but not specific to this RFP. 00:48:13
Again, the RFP was advertised on September 5th and September 12th as well as on our website and provided to nine different 00:48:21
companies. 00:48:24
Directly. 00:48:29
Haven't identified that may need to be addressed. And so we advocates for an additional allowance. There were contingency above 00:49:00
the price proposal. It was provided just to give us a little wiggle room if we need it as we're going through this project based 00:49:06
on the GTA budget that was approved and authorized, we do have sufficient funds for this project. And so again, option 1 is what 00:49:11
we're recommending. 00:49:17
All right. Council questions for manager Dickerson or engineer Campbell. 00:49:25
When is this? 00:49:30
Slated to start. 00:49:33
So there's portions of the project they can begin very soon. There's some utility coordination that has already begun. But it the 00:49:37
totality of this project couldn't start tomorrow because that needs to continue, whether we're talking about AT&T poles or some of 00:49:43
those other types of things that that have been working through to look for some better solutions. But yeah, this is a 2024 00:49:49
project, not a, you know, next year project. 00:49:55
Yeah. I mean the the one variable that's hanging out there as we are hopeful that we'll be able to. 00:50:02
Maybe bury the power lines and stuff along that quarter. So we're working with those utilities and trying to get that done, you 00:50:07
know, so that we can do that. So, yeah. 00:50:11
Yeah, so. 00:50:17
Any other questions? 00:50:20
All right, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. 00:50:24
I make a motion to. 00:50:29
Prove what? Number one action request? All right, we have a motion to approve the action requested. Do we have a 2nd? I'll second 00:50:32
we have a second. Any discussion? 00:50:36
All right, this is a I'll just say before you do this, a pretty pretty big vote y'all. I think I've been sitting here for 20 years 00:50:42
and people have been asking when will there ever be a sidewalk on Simonton Bridge Rd. I know we've all heard that we know there's 00:50:48
more to come, but this is this is exciting. So all in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:50:53
All right, good news for our friends on Simonton Bridge Rd. 00:50:59
All right, we'll move on to manager contract Item 13. 00:51:03
Most cities and counties have contracts for their city managers. There's really nothing unusual. I know you've all had time to 00:51:08
review and see this. This ones modeled on the Oconee County contract with our county administrator with some additional input from 00:51:14
attorney Reitman and some others that he's seen. This protects us and it protects the manager in a situation of non performance or 00:51:20
in a situation if we felt like we needed to make a change. 00:51:26
And so it's pretty straightforward, but I'll let Attorney Reitman add anything he wants to and then let you guys ask any questions 00:51:32
you want to, OK. 00:51:36
All right, questions from Council. 00:51:41
All right. 00:51:45
And this one will go through July of 25, I think 2222, September of 26th, September 26th. 00:51:47
So right now it references on anniversary of employment there be a review. I think it'd be more efficient for that review to be 00:52:01
synchronized with the time all the other city employees were reviewed. So my recommendation is if there's an approval to approve 00:52:07
it with that provides that with that change. 00:52:12
Is that what you were about to mention? And that's typically the cadence that we're on. So we request that you approve the 00:52:18
contract with the review date moving to April, which is contemporaneous with the rest of our employees. 00:52:24
All right, we have a motion. 00:52:30
I make a motion to approve the manager contract with the change noted. 00:52:34
Do we have a second? 00:52:39
2nd. 00:52:40
Any further discussion? 00:52:42
Hearing none all in favor say aye, Any opposed? 00:52:44
Motion carries 5O. 00:52:47
All right, we will move to public comments. Same routine as normal. Comments shall be directly related to agenda items. Speak from 00:52:49
the podium, 4 minutes per person. Refrain from debate, argument, personal attacks, or irrelevant discussion. Address only the 00:52:55
merits of the pending matter or address remarks directly to Council. Council won't speak to potential litigation, attorney-client 00:53:00
or personnel matters. 00:53:05
All right. 00:53:12
I'm Bob Smith. 00:53:34
WATKINSVILLE, Georgia. 00:53:36
He just voted on the manager. 00:53:39
Agreement and it didn't say how much it was going to get paid. 00:53:43
We don't see anything in that. But anyways, one thing I wanted to talk about was we're talking about the the the bridge that that 00:53:47
hair shows park. 00:53:53
And you may want to be concerned about the flood because in 1963, although granite tables out there were washed down to 53 00:54:00
Highway. 00:54:05
And now we have houses built. 00:54:11
And Bishop venue than Christian lake with with all the rooftops and not as much ground to absorb the water. So be careful about 00:54:13
that. I come here to talk about money. 00:54:19
How you going to pay back all these millions and dollars that this city is borrowing since September last year? 00:54:26
I look at the total, it's about 7.8 million in expenditures. 00:54:35
About 5.8 million of that, it borrowed money and I've heard Mayor Brian Broderick say that the money is going to be paid back with 00:54:41
sports money. What if the splash doesn't pass in three years and four years it didn't pass on the transportation funding? 00:54:50
It took a year later to pass that. Where's this money coming from? 00:54:59
Who's paying attention? There's a problem. I walk on the streets, I talk with people. Nobody cares. And you really don't, because 00:55:05
they don't know what they don't know. 00:55:10
I'm concerned too, about this, this qualification for City Council this year, all of a sudden since 1983 when the charter was was 00:55:17
created. 00:55:24
Qualifications have been in the latter part of July, the 1st of August for. 00:55:33
30 years, all of a sudden, all of a sudden, all of a sudden, this year, the qualifying March and I was asked by somebody today, 00:55:39
what could Watkinsville have done? 00:55:45
To to notify the people in Watkinsville that that that qualifying for City Council has changed. All of a sudden they were three 00:55:52
people that wanted to run in August. They can't run. They couldn't talking to the Secretary of State's office. You couldn't run as 00:55:59
an independent. You couldn't run into writing because you missed the deadlines. 00:56:06
Why? Why did this happen? 00:56:14
Well, I was asked, well, how could walk and spell it could have done it. Well, they put a little blip in the in this city website. 00:56:18
Who linked the website? They could have blipped them. Now county Enterprise, how many people read that? 00:56:25
In this camp in this town of 3000, plus people. But Watersville did two things it did verify. 00:56:33
Things on this hair shows park project year to go they spent city money to send mail out to everybody in this town and in some in 00:56:41
Athens I'm told. So there's one thing that this sound could have done #2 in my opinion there was an illegal. 00:56:51
An illegal. 00:57:01
Meeting held to send out a mail piece without any mailing addresses by the members of this council at that time. 00:57:05
And then we're no, no, no, no, no mailing address. And they didn't say who they were. 00:57:16
Didn't say who they were, but that's how you notify people. They did it in that, they did it in the other. Why didn't this town 00:57:24
notify that people in Watkinsville that qualified? He changed. 00:57:30
This is serious stuff, y'all. This is a this is a public. 00:57:38
Public meeting and it's not very public. That's not staying open. Thank you. It's not very transparent. Your time is very much. 00:57:42
Thank you. 00:57:47
Just for clarity on them, since he's not staying to listen, I'll explain it to the rest of y'all for clarity on the how the debt 00:57:53
will be repaid. The loan that we're using for the Thomas Farm Park is at what interest rates, You know, one point, 1.63 percent, 00:58:00
1.63%. We have a dedicated mileage increase that was vetted by the state aggressively and we're using that mileage, that very low 00:58:07
mileage increase to repay those funds and had to go through a very extensive process. 00:58:14
And then the money that we'll borrow in the short term for the sidewalks is also a very low interest rate and will be repaid with 00:58:22
T spot funds and those have already been allocated. So those are already allocated for that project. So there's going to be no 00:58:29
difficulty repaying the debt. And I won't address the rest of those comments. Mr. White, looks like you have something to say. 00:58:36
My name is Johnny Leon. I live on Christian Drive. 00:59:01
I'm talking too loud, let me know I'm talking too loud and no because some people haven't shot something. 00:59:06
What hell I'm doing I don't like You sound great. 00:59:11
Along with that. 00:59:19
I've been talking to because all of you know I got bigger sign walking Bill Daniels out of my yard. Some people blow the horn, 00:59:21
wave at me. Some people blow the horn, give me the finger and I just sit out then lay. I don't enjoy it all. 00:59:27
But you don't come to be a problem with my son. 00:59:34
And I've been working with Toby. 00:59:38
He gave me a copy of the audience and all that stuff. 00:59:40
It's my like insurance part if I read it three times. Still don't know what it means. 00:59:44
But apparently someone had nothing to do. 00:59:49
Complain about the signs in my yard. It's on my flavor in my backyard. 00:59:52
Looking at the signals, I know I'm oversized. It's too big. He's both be there and all that crap. 00:59:58
I know that. 01:00:03
That's why I got smaller about that too. 01:00:05
But looking at the audience though. 01:00:09
On the item C. 01:00:12
I'm not going to eat all that 'cause y'all got a God, I don't have to. 01:00:14
A section permit can be issued at quarterly temporary signs. 01:00:19
Why don't I come under that then? 01:00:26
Have five more weeks. 01:00:28
We got to do nothing really and take care of his own self. Five more weeks, everything be over. 01:00:31
So. 01:00:36
I'm working on that. 01:00:39
Pay. We know my part. Pay no attention to it. I move my sailor. 01:00:40
Back down toward the building, get it to get in the center of my lot. 01:00:46
I moved up here probably. 01:00:51
5060 feet. 01:00:53
Basically what I'm saying Mark Saylor or myself whenever. 01:00:55
He parked in the middle of my backyard. 01:00:59
No matter what the science is, no matter what size it is. 01:01:03
What's in my backyard got nothing to do with this. 01:01:07
So what I'm saying? 01:01:13
Why can't I pop my side what I want to in my backyard? 01:01:16
You got people all over the town, got junk calling. If I have piled in yard, we're talking about two different things. 01:01:21
Mainly politics, man. What are you going to put in your trailer, truck or whatever it is? 01:01:28
What is in my backyard is my personal feeling. 01:01:35
Nobody business, especially people around in highway. 01:01:39
They don't look at my yard. Keep that on the road where you have a wreck. 01:01:43
Personally I think y'all got more to worry about dude. 01:01:51
Be nitpicking with this problem we got. 01:01:55
So. 01:01:59
I've done what I think I can do. 01:02:01
Are planning on doing anyway. 01:02:04
I move the sign and inside the road. 01:02:06
My trailer in the middle of my backyard. 01:02:09
And I don't see what I need. Do nothing else and I'm not planning on doing nothing else. 01:02:13
Sometime. 01:02:20
What I'm thinking, what I say don't match when it comes out. 01:02:23
So. 01:02:27
I don't understand what I'm saying. You can call and let me know. 01:02:34
Because I think. 01:02:42
I think this. 01:02:44
I understand what science said, but this I'm talking about sailing in no matter what's on it. 01:02:46
I paid a lot of attention to downtown different what's on them. 01:02:51
So that's all I got. 01:02:55
Thank you, Mr. Leia. 01:03:00
Frankly wish people wouldn't send letters about signs too. 01:03:02
All right. Any other comments from the public? 01:03:09
Once. 01:03:12
My name is Lawrence Stoke. I live at 13 Barnett Shoals and I've talked to a number of you. 01:03:19
Since I haven't talked to Brett about this, but I appreciate the. 01:03:25
All the trees you all bought at Thomas Farms, it's probably 50 plus acres. 01:03:30
And I realize we're taking down 4 pine trees, but that's the. 01:03:36
But I want to talk about the trees it. 01:03:40
Rocket field. 01:03:42
I've been thinking about this. Well, we took down a few trees at Rockfield. 01:03:44
There's one left, but I also would like to put some trees to shade the sidewalk on 3rd St. and. 01:03:48
2nd St. 01:03:55
But also I think it would be nice to have trees in the. 01:03:56
What was the dog park outside the fence? 01:04:01
So it shades that sidewalk and then shades the playground. And I think for things like Fall Festival or just being out in the 01:04:04
park, it'd be nice to have some shade. 01:04:09
And it's. 01:04:15
Out past the ball field. 01:04:17
So that's what I'm and also up there by the Baton court, of course. 01:04:19
Machine I like talked about that a lot. 01:04:23
And yeah, I think I just could picture down 30 years from now. Having trees around that park would be gorgeous. So thanks for your 01:04:26
thoughts. 01:04:30
Thank you. 01:04:35
All right. Anybody else? 01:04:39
OK. 01:04:44
All right, we'll move on to the mayor's report. 01:04:45
You know. 01:04:49
That was you get a little distance from this and. 01:04:53
Sometimes you get some distance from a tragedy. It doesn't feel anymore. 01:04:57
It starts to feel a little less impactful. This one hadn't gotten to that point for me yet. It sounds like the students are headed 01:05:01
back to school on Monday. But I think it's all important as they start that journey that we remember all those students and the 01:05:07
families that were affected by the tragedy at Apalachee. So just I just want to call that out. Our, our communities are really 01:05:12
close to each other. Our law enforcement community is small. 01:05:18
I know we've got Officer White here with us tonight, you know, and this. 01:05:25
You know, we've all Sergeant Hibler. You know, you'll probably know folks who. 01:05:32
Anyway, who were, who were, I don't know who've been impacted by this. So just I just want us all to remember as we get a little 01:05:38
distance from this and other things take over the news cycle that we remember to keep praying for the folks at Apalachee. 01:05:44
We have made remarkable progress thanks I think to the lack of rain and some really hard working contractors at Thomas Farm. 01:05:54
We are, I think we're probably 90% of the way done with the concrete out there. What remains is pretty much has to wait to be done 01:06:01
until after the we're done bringing equipment in and out of there. Work has begun on the park first parking area work is the dams 01:06:09
have both been rebuilt in the past month with new siphon systems. The top dam is filling back up. We have a bridge coming for this 01:06:16
spot from IMI. Work is ongoing on all the trails on the back of the property, which is just spectacular. That's a. 01:06:23
Out of the damn work, the upper pond is filling back up pretty rapidly and then the lower one will start as soon as we get some 01:06:31
rain and as soon as that upper pond begins to flow that way. I've spent a lot of time out there. There's not many days that I'm 01:06:36
not out there checking on things, y'all. It's just, it's going to be tremendous. I continue to be more and more excited about 01:06:41
about what's going to happen out there over the next few months. So more to come, but but it's, it's, it is going to be, it's 01:06:46
going to be really amazing. 01:06:52
When you when you see our our team or when you see. 01:06:58
Mark Thomas and others who are working on this give them a pat on the back. They've really worked hard and we've gotten a 01:07:01
tremendous value from our contracting team out there. 01:07:05
Chuck Garrett's been flexing his muscles, helping us take care of our pavement, and one way he did that was giving us some good 01:07:13
advice on School St. 01:07:17
With some culvert work there and getting some RIP rap installed to help preserve that new pavement that was installed there. So 01:07:21
we're grateful that that's been installed and done and help us maintain that investment. 01:07:26
We have a big event at Harris Shoals on September 28th. 01:07:32
Invasive species removal. I'm sure we've all noticed kudzu decided to have a party in Harris Shoals in early 2024 and it's going 01:07:36
to be a couple years to get rid of all that. But we would love to have a big community turn out for that event. 9:00 AM to 12:00 01:07:42
PM on September 28th. And that's going to be the more people we have, the more we can get done in, the more invasive so we can get 01:07:48
taken out. 01:07:54
Reminder the date of the Christmas parade Sunday, December 8th and the Christmas tree lighting will be at 6:00 PM after the parade 01:08:02
at 4:00 PM. We've got about two months to get your float registered. 01:08:08
Just a reminder, this is easy to forget, but when we worked with Water Park on the their agreement, part of what we asked them to 01:08:17
do is install a roundabout at the old Sharp Curve on Norton Road. That project is going to take about a week. It's going to start 01:08:24
on October 2nd. That's going to put some pressure on Barnett Shoals and on Main Street for the cars that don't use that. But 01:08:31
that's going to be a really nice win for the folks going to Wire Park and other places. 01:08:38
That they've got quick access to Norton Road, so that project is going to be October. 01:08:45
2nd, October 9th, we're going to need to promote that a lot so people aren't surprised and I'm sure we'll be. The contractor will 01:08:50
be using signage and other things to let people know about that. 01:08:54
Last but not least, we've got a birthday. 01:09:00
Happy birthday Councilman Thomas's. 01:09:03
You want to share was it a milestone? No was not 4343 a youngster youngster with us. So but happy birthday. Happy birthday, Brett. 01:09:07
I'm glad you're here with us. We mentioned Constitution Day earlier, so I won't cover that again. I do want to thank it's it's 01:09:13
easy to forget. 01:09:19
Summer is a busy, busy month for our public Works department. They've got acres and acres of grass to mow. They're trying to 01:09:27
digest with the Parks and Rec department how to take care of our new parks and new facilities and all the things that we're doing. 01:09:33
Please extend that gratitude to them for us. 01:10:10
All right, with that, we'll move on to Council, reports Councilman Garrett post one. 01:10:14
Speaking of public works, we had a fun time doing a little patching today and we got some well, well qualified guys that. 01:10:18
Can do that now. 01:10:29
They're certified. 01:10:31
But that one particular spot was a spot that I noticed that it had about a three inch drop off and would Fall festival coming up 01:10:34
and Halloween stuff, people walking. 01:10:39
Thought there's something at least we could kind of safe it up. 01:10:45
So yeah, we had a good time. 01:10:49
Doing that, so you say they're certified, Garrett certified. 01:10:52
Well, that's got to save. That will save us some money if the guys know how to do that, so. 01:11:00
Anything else? Counseling here, That's all. 01:11:04
All right, Councilwoman Massey. 01:11:08
I attended the event yesterday at the courthouse and that's always a fun and interesting thing. I appreciate all our ancestors and 01:11:11
all that they went through to give us our Constitution and everything, and I hope. 01:11:18
Except it was alarms instead of bugles. 01:11:57
Anything else? 01:12:00
All right, we'll move on to Councilman Thomas. Yeah. So welcome to Cooler Weathers. I hope that it stays with us and it's not a 01:12:02
false fall. But with that, I'd like to bring back again this year, falling fall for Watkinsville. Let's let's decorate our doors, 01:12:10
decorate our yards, you know, give Miss Ivy's a little bit of competition. 01:12:17
So we know that she will, she will definitely decorate. But you know, let's, let's other citizens in Watkinsville, please. 01:12:26
We encourage you to decorate and get in the spirit of Fall. 01:12:33
Also, I wanted to talk about seeing something on Facebook that's been passed around. You're talking about Apalachee. I don't know 01:12:38
if I can do this or not, but I'm going to anyway. Texas Roadhouse, I saw a thing going around that on Monday, the 23rd, Texas 01:12:44
Roadhouse at all their locations in Georgia is going to be donating 100% of their proceeds for the day to Apalachee, so I'm 01:12:51
encouraging. 01:12:57
Everybody to go eat lunch and dinner at Apalachee or at at Texas Roadhouse and support our. 01:13:04
Awesome. Thank you for mentioning that. That's great. Yeah. 01:13:16
All right, Councilwoman Tucker. 01:13:20
Nothing this month. All right, Councilman Campbell. 01:13:23
Nothing this month, all right. 01:13:26
I don't think we have a need for executive session. 01:13:29
Anyone have a need for executive session hearing? None. Then I'll entertain a motion to adjourn and make a motion to adjourn. 01:13:32
Do we have a second, second. All in favor? 01:13:37
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Give a lot of feedback. 00:00:01
OK. 00:00:05
All right. Good evening, everybody. 00:00:08
Welcome to the. 00:00:10
September Watkinsville City Council meeting. 00:00:12
OK. We're getting a little feedback here, So we might have to keep experimenting on that. 00:00:16
Everyone's here, so we have a quorum. Welcome. We always start with the Pledge of Allegiance. We've got students here from High 00:00:23
Shoals Column, Ferry and Rocky Branch. Is that right? So if you all could stand and help us leave the pledge, that would be great. 00:00:29
How do we start to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One nation under God, 00:00:39
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:46
It is great to have such a crowd with us tonight. Excited to have chambers full. We have 3 proclamations will do before we get 00:00:59
into the business of the meeting. The 1st is Constitution Week. And first of all, Lori Trail. Thank you to you and everyone who's 00:01:05
been involved with been involved with that from the Reverend John Andrew chapter. 00:01:11
It has been a great week. I wasn't able to be there yesterday, but it sounds like everything went great yesterday and I know 00:01:19
Sunday was a really special day. 00:01:22
At Ashford, with the children leading us throughout session and reminding us of the importance of the Constitution. 00:01:26
Ask what? I was going to read that later. 00:01:34
OK, but people can read that if they want to read about the hearing stuff. We can leave that on the screen and then I'll read it 00:01:41
later. 00:01:44
So the Constitution Week is, was is important and we're grateful to everything that you guys did. So I have a proclamation for 00:01:51
that. I'm not going to read the whole thing. I'm going to hit a couple highlights. And Lori, you're welcome to offer your remarks 00:01:57
up there as well. Constitution Week, September 17th through 23rd, 2024. The Constitution of the United States of America, the 00:02:04
guardian of our liberties, embodies the principles of limited government and Republic dedicated to rule by law. 00:02:11
September 17th, 2024 marks the 237th anniversary. 00:02:18
Of the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional Convention. It is fitting and proper to a 00:02:22
court official recognition to this magnificent document. And it's a memorable anniversary. And to the patriotic celebrations which 00:02:27
will commemorate it. I have here unto set my hand and cause the seal of Watkinsville, Georgia to be affixed on this 18th day of 00:02:33
September, the year of our award, 2024. Thank you, Lori, for what you've done. 00:02:38
We just have a certificate for the City of Watkinsville. Just saying thank you for being so supportive of our chapter and 00:02:50
participating in all of our events and for our chapter for a long time now. So I just want to say thank you. 00:02:56
Let's stand up there. 00:03:03
All right. 00:03:12
Thank you. 00:03:15
All right, next on the agenda is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. We'll have a proclamation for that. I think that's why all of 00:03:30
our. 00:03:33
Yes, Sir, here. Is that right? 00:03:37
OK. 00:03:40
Why don't y'all come up here with me? 00:03:40
You want to join me for this? Come on up here. 00:03:45
All the children, we all ready. This is a proclamation, OK? 00:03:48
Why don't y'all stand up and when? Let's look out there and show this smile of those folks, OK, All right, Ready. 00:03:56
All right, whereas childhood cancer effects 47 new children each day nationwide, a battle which impacts entire communities 00:04:03
including parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and neighbors, this disease impacts hundreds of children each year in the state 00:04:09
of Georgia, including some of Watkinsville's youngest and most courageous citizens. We're at. 00:04:15
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is recognized in September with the goal to increase awareness of childhood cancer, the need for 00:04:20
more funding and research, and to support those families in Watkinsville affected by childhood cancer in honor and in memory of 00:04:27
their children. Specifically in honor. Let's listen guys to this of childhood cancer fighter Brooks Thomas, son of Watkinsville 00:04:33
residents Ty and Elise Thomas, who bravely beat Hepboblastic. 00:04:39
OK. And which one is Brooks up here with us? 00:04:47
Brooks, where are you? 00:04:49
Brooks high five man. 00:04:51
Wow. 00:04:54
I should have read this in advance on Blonde way. These are normally just totally boilerplate. I can't believe Brooks. Man how 00:04:57
brave. That is amazing. 00:05:01
Families who have a son or daughter who are fighting for have fought active childhood cancer. 00:05:07
Often experience long term effects from the treatments that has helped them survive and need additional emotional medical care 00:05:12
long after the final treatments are completed. 00:05:16
Were to honor families walking through this journey at every step of the way to let them know that they are brave and that they 00:06:20
are not alone and witness they arrive. I've set my hand and caused the seal of the city of Watkinsville to be affixed on this 18th 00:06:26
day of September 2024. That's a lot of words kids. But what that means is y'all are really brave and we're really grateful that 00:06:31
you're here. We're going to do everything we can to fight cancer. 00:06:37
Support people who are going through it. So what I'm going to do now is we're going to stand right in the middle. And then who? I 00:06:42
think this young lady is probably my best bet to keep this safe. I'm going to hand this to you and I want you to stand right in 00:06:47
the middle of me and we're going to get a picture taken together. OK, So you all move right over there. 00:06:52
Right here y'all gather around. 00:06:59
OK. 00:07:02
And your eyes need to be able to see this camera. 00:07:04
All right, spread out a little bit more. 00:07:10
There we go. Perfect. All right, everybody now. 00:07:14
Ready. You can get the picture. Get closer city. All right. Ready 123. 00:07:24
Say cheese. 00:07:30
Now see all they were here we've got one more proclamation then we'll do a quick break and if we have some people come in late if 00:07:44
we need to get another picture, we can. But so thankful for all y'all being here tonight. It means means a ton to us to take that 00:07:50
you took your time to be here and to support support us and I'm just. 00:07:56
Brooks man, that's awesome. 00:08:03
Is anyone here from? 00:08:07
Georgia Reeds. 00:08:10
OK, our final proclamation as Georgia Reads Day Proclamation literacy is not just an education issue, but an economic, workforce 00:08:12
and quality of life issue is also a predictor of future educational attainment, economic status, and lifelong health and 00:08:18
well-being. 00:08:23
The Georgia General Assembly recognized the importance of literacy skills with the passage of two bills in 2023 and understanding 00:08:30
that collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships must be undertaken to effectively address Georgia litter. To address 00:08:36
literary issues, the Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia City Solutions partnered to establish Georgia Reads at the 2024 GMA 00:08:42
Convention. Together, we will improve Georgia's economic vitality one book at a time. 00:08:48
Brian Broderick Proclaim September 30th, 2024's Watkinsville, Georgia reads today and encourage all residents, businesses, and 00:08:54
community partners to help promote and elevate literacy as a community priority. So all of you boys and girls who are here on 00:09:00
September 30th, help your mom and dad remember that's a day that you need to be sure to read whether you're at school or not. 00:09:05
OK, that is all for our proclamations tonight. So if anyone is here just for proclamations, you're welcome to go. Do we need to 00:09:12
get another photo with all the boys and girls? Yes. OK, let's do that. One more photo. 00:09:18
All right, get it around again. 00:09:35
Right. 00:09:43
Setting. 00:09:48
123. 00:09:55
Cheese, I'll turn around and tell you a secret. You'll probably already know it. 00:09:59
Right out there so. 00:10:08
Stretch your legs on the program. Awesome. 00:10:13
See y'all. 00:10:46
All right. 00:10:49
OK. 00:10:52
And onto our normal. 00:10:54
The meeting to allow the public sufficient time to provide comments in writing to the clerk if they are unable to be here in 00:12:25
person. With that, we'll start off with the approval of the minutes, The minutes of the August 21st regular meeting. I'll 00:12:30
entertain a motion to approve those minutes and make a motion to approve the minutes. Do we have a second, Second. Any discussion? 00:12:35
All in favor say aye. 00:12:40
Any opposed motion carries 5 O. We'll move to the approval of the agenda. I have no amendments to the agenda. Does anyone on 00:12:46
council? 00:12:50
Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to approve. 00:12:54
I make a motion to approve the agenda. Do we have a 2nd, 2nd? 00:12:57
All in favor, say aye. All right, we move to administration. Again. During administration, we have a limited public input only at 00:13:01
Council's discretion. Comments shall be only directly related to an agenda items. You need to speak from the podium. If you have 00:13:06
something you want to discuss at this point during the meeting, please raise your hand and we'll allow you to come forward at 00:13:12
Council's discretion. 00:13:17
Look at it can. 00:13:54
The move forward on some of these other reports on our Splice 3 report, just a reminder this is this is the one that has that we 00:13:57
get 8.63% from with our IGA with Oconee County. Right now our monthly revenues are averaging 82,000 and some change. Most of this 00:14:04
money right now is being used for Thomas Farm Preserve and Harris Shoals Park improvements. 00:14:12
On again, you'll see here our monthly revenues over the last three almost 3 fiscal years, bank balance pretty healthy bank balance 00:14:20
of about 1.4, almost 1.4 million. 00:14:26
On the T splash report, this one, we're averaging about 72,000. This one is almost 1% lower. We get 7.77% per our IGA with Oconee 00:14:33
County. The funds from this are being used on our our ELNIG projects, which you'll be discussing tonight and some sidewalks in the 00:14:39
community. 00:14:45
And then this is our our monthly report, just a little bit more than one fiscal year full and we've got 425,000 in the bank. 00:14:54
American Rescue Plan report the Council has appropriated the remaining balance of the. 00:15:03
Funds that would be close to $90,000 and any, any additional interest we may receive on these funds will go towards the Thomas 00:15:08
Farm Preserve project and that is in line with the requirements from the US Treasury that we have that money be appropriate before 00:15:13
December 31st of this year. 00:15:19
Any questions? 00:15:26
OK, move on. On the economic development reports, business alcohol licensing fees, a couple new businesses, Home Run Hangout and 00:15:28
Max and Mollies are are sort of some highlights on here that have come. We have no alcohol licenses that came in. 00:15:36
On the excise tax, so I mentioned last month that we would have. 00:15:45
The full fiscal year 24 shown because we had some bleed over some things that didn't come in. So we actually exceeded by a couple 00:15:49
$1000 where our budget, what we budgeted or what we anticipated as far as our collections for hotel, motel and alcohol. And then 00:15:55
this is your fiscal year 25 numbers. 00:16:00
And you remember we received these after they've been collected, so. 00:16:07
And then on the. 00:16:11
On the building permits, we have 9 permits for eight different projects. We've got still some workout at Trove and then just some 00:16:15
residential, residential and a couple of commercial, I guess, commercial electrical for Britain Electric. Any questions on this? 00:16:23
OK, Sema, Thank you. 00:16:34
All right, Mayor Pro Tem, what you do downtown development? OK, so I had the privilege to go down to Thomasville for the Georgia 00:16:38
Downtown Association fall conference. I. 00:16:44
Was it end of August? It's all a blur of all the days merged together and it was fantastic. It reminded me again of just what an 00:16:50
incredible state we live in. 00:16:56
With really wonderful resources at our disposal to help make our towns, whether they're small, medium or large. 00:17:03
Really great communities, so we have strict a lot of great state resources and then also the different people that I met at 00:17:12
workshops. 00:17:16
In the different communities were so generous with their input on the things they are doing in their communities and how they are 00:17:22
overcoming various challenges. So a lot was learned way more that I can summarize in in this little bit of time, but it was well 00:17:30
worth it. Some some very good networking was done as well as some really good information found. 00:17:37
Also, we have a DDA board member vacancy. The deadline to apply is October 4th. It's on our city website. The e-mail has also been 00:17:46
sent out to any businesses in our downtown development area. So I. 00:17:53
Yeah, that's it. 00:18:02
All right. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. 00:18:05
Police Department report Sergeant Hitler. 00:18:08
Good evening. 00:18:16
Are we on? 00:18:18
Maybe. 00:18:19
Says this song. Are we good? 00:18:22
Good evening, everybody. So I'm here tonight to give the Police Department report. We had officers complete some training for us. 00:18:25
I was down in Forsyth and completed the third installment of the management courses down there. So I have finished all of that. 00:18:33
Which is nice to be out of the way. 00:18:42
Then yesterday I attended the. 00:18:45
District 9 Area Chiefs Association meeting in Loganville, got to do some really great networking with chiefs from all the way up 00:18:48
in Mountain City, Snellville, everything around us. It was a great time, learned a lot, met a lot of new new people that I didn't 00:18:56
previously know. Then Officer Krish completed an impaired driving investigation course over at UGA. 00:19:03
Since the last council meeting, he also had a chance to network with some folks over at the Pack, the Prosecuting Attorney Council 00:19:11
and the District Attorney's office, folks that work in Athens that he doesn't normally get to interact with. Then Officer Anglin 00:19:17
completed his interviews and interrogations class in Forsyth as well. He was down there for three days, learned the insurance and 00:19:24
outs of how people react when you're asking them questions. 00:19:30
So. 00:19:37
Then Officer Krish, the other officer Krish, completed her use of force training for the year, which is great to see that she's 00:19:38
doing that when she's remote from us, she's doing that all online. So it was great to see that come in that she had completed all 00:19:43
of that. 00:19:47
I know everybody's interested in the new truck that we've got. 00:19:53
It will be sent off for up fitting down in Augusta on the 3rd. 00:19:57
And we'll be back to us probably the week after that should be the week after that. 00:20:02
They've been waiting on some supplies to come in so I got noticed that those are in and we were scheduled on the 3rd to drop it 00:20:08
off. 00:20:12
Other than that, again, we had the Constitution Day events that happened downtown with the cannon firing and the musket volley, 00:20:16
which I know. 00:20:20
Interests everybody. That's always a fun time. Most folks heard about that and may not have seen it, but they probably heard about 00:20:24
it. 00:20:28
Then upcoming October 6th, we've got the. 00:20:33
Run for responder 5K. 00:20:37
Which is happening over at Oconee Veterans Park. 00:20:40
We've been there the last couple of years, had a great time. If anybody's interested, yours truly will be in the dunk tank again 00:20:42
this year. So you want to come and spend some money and put me in the water? I'd love for you to try. 00:20:48
Other than that, then we've got the the monthly stats, which is always fun. We had two arrests, an aggravated assault which 00:20:55
happened over on South Main Street and then we had a warrant service out of Bibb County. 00:21:02
He was the caller actually didn't realize that he had a warrant for his arrest, so that was unfortunate. 00:21:10
We felt bad for him but he got that taken care of really quickly and and is back home now. 00:21:18
So total calls of service we had 192. 00:21:24
Our officers did 600 security checks since the last council meeting, which is great to see. Our folks are out there checking 00:21:27
neighborhoods and making sure that the businesses are secure at night. 00:21:32
And we had 25 reports. We had 49 total citations. We had 28 warnings that were written, which is about right. That's about the 00:21:38
ratio that we're looking for, about 2 to one, which means that we're cutting folks slack where we can and some folks that don't 00:21:44
respond correctly get a little more encouragement. 00:21:49
Of those, then, we had 12 incident reports and 13 accident reports, which again is about on par with what we normally see. 00:21:57
So other than that. 00:22:04
Do you guys have any questions? 00:22:06
Great month. Thank you. Thank you guys. 00:22:11
All right. We have nothing on consent agenda, nothing on public hearing, nothing under appearances and nothing under old business, 00:22:15
but we do have several items under new business. 00:22:19
So the first one of those is an update on our employee health insurance. So Manager Dickerson, I'll let you and Sandy Colwell 00:22:24
offer the report on that, OK? 00:22:29
Thank you, Mayor. 00:22:34
So the specific request tonight is to approve the selection of Angle for medical insurance for 12 months beginning October one 00:22:36
through September 30th of next year on the rates that were provided on your attachment and renewing with Anthem Blue Cross Blue 00:22:41
Shield for employee dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment, short term disability and long term disability for 00:22:47
the 12 for the same 12 months. 00:22:52
Try to walk through a little bit of history. So San and Caldwell is I guess technically the name of the company is not Insurance 00:22:58
Brokers of Georgia. 00:23:02
Oak Ridge, we partnered together in 2022, but I'm I'm still used to calling her so. 00:23:07
That's right. 00:23:16
So, so every year since we started engaging with them back in I guess 2019 I think. 00:23:19
18 they've they've they help evaluate the marketplace for us. This is their business. So they are recommending that we select 00:23:25
medical insurance benefits with angle that is A at a 22 and almost a 22 1/2 percent increase over our current Blue Cross Blue 00:23:31
Shield rates, which would, if we went with them would increase almost 50% renewing with dental vision long term with the other 00:23:37
items with a 4% increase in the dental plan, no increase in the other coverages. Talk a little bit more about that. So again, our 00:23:43
current health insurance. 00:23:49
Blue Cross Blue Shield, it expires the end of this month. Council has made it a budget priority to cover 75% of this employees 00:23:55
benefits. The premiums for those benefits, 100% of life, accidental death, short term and long term disability. It is an integral 00:24:01
part of the city's benefit package to not just attract but also retain employees. We don't have a pension program a lot of lot of 00:24:08
bigger governments do have and so benefits are a big attraction for us. 00:24:14
The following shows the history of the medical premiums over the past fiscal years. You'll see. 00:24:21
That when I came in on board in 2018, the the cost was actually higher and the only time that ever exceeded that was in 2022 and 00:24:26
it only exceeded by about one less than 2%. So we've been able to keep it low. I'll let Santa maybe make some comments about maybe 00:24:33
why it went up this time. We'll talk about a little bit about that. But they have been really instrumental in helping us negotiate 00:24:41
those insurance rates for our employees over the of the past six fiscal years. 00:24:48
Again, they went out for quotes for those services, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Angle United Healthcare, which is based on the 00:24:57
Affordable Care Act guidelines. You do again on your attachment, have a side by side comparison of those medical rates that were 00:25:01
provided. 00:25:05
Again, based on the proposals, angles, premiums for medical coverage for both the medical plans are basically 24 percent or so, 00:25:10
which are respectively much lower than anthems. 00:25:16
Continue getting coverage without having to meet another deductible and they do provide a telehealth or a doctor on demand. 00:26:21
Similar to Anthem, but Anthem required a copay. 00:26:28
Again, this is what we're requesting. I'll turn it over to saying that she may have some more detail or you all may have questions 00:26:32
specific, you know that she can answer specifically. 00:26:35
She did a great job, Sharon. Yes, as you know, I'm your broker and I represent serve as your advisor and strategize about the 00:26:41
upcoming year for the plans that we want to put together in your benefits package. We do review and shop the market every year and 00:26:47
compare and contrast. 00:26:53
Where we can get the best benefit for the dollar? 00:26:59
We did have some high claims. We are a small group. Your rates belong to you. It's based on the Census of enrollment. I wish I had 00:27:02
a magic wand that could get everyone just a rate decrease every year, but that's not exactly how it works. And. 00:27:10
We received the renewal that did get negotiated down to 44% instead of 46, but it still wasn't worth renewing under the same plan. 00:27:20
So I do feel this is our best option and what we are recommending to. 00:27:26
The City of Watkinsville to move forward with for the coming plan year. Do you have questions about the plan? 00:27:33
If our claims history improves, you know, is there a chance that the rates come back down in future years? 00:27:43
We had one year where we actually were in a surplus and received that a couple of years ago, right. So every year is different. 00:27:51
And from a simple math perspective, premium is, is a pretty easy calculation. Admin fees, expected claims of the group equals your 00:27:58
premium for the most part. That's the equation that we look at. 00:28:06
The cost of care often, and this applies to municipalities or any other client of mine, the cost of care is expensive, you know, 00:28:14
and I'll give you a good example. 00:28:19
I probably shouldn't say this is recorded. If it has a commercial, it's probably a very expensive medication. That is just 00:28:25
something to be aware of. That's marketing one O 1. That's not about healthcare, that's about getting that name or Jingle in your 00:28:32
mind so that you request that certain medication. And so when you think about that from a small group perspective, a single 00:28:39
person's singular and I'm just using this as an example generically not related to the group specifically. 00:28:47
But in general. 00:28:55
You know, one medication for one person of any group could be very expensive and maybe lop side. 00:28:56
The claim payout from the carrier on the coverage, if that makes sense. So we do want to be mindful and we do meetings every year 00:29:04
with employees as well. We try to explain and educate how the plans work, how we can be personally responsible for our own 00:29:12
healthcare and make wise decisions. We the same way that you would, you know, shop for an oil change or a new pair of shoes. We 00:29:19
somewhat we want to bring back a little bit of that personal responsibility and say OK. 00:29:27
If I can get this MRI at a standalone facility and it cost $500 versus the hospital and it costs $1200 and they're 2 miles apart, 00:29:34
I want to go with Option A. So we have to be mindful. We have to be responsible for those personal healthcare decisions as well, 00:29:42
because that does overall affect the claims of the group and the renewals that we receive. 00:29:50
Thank you. Any other questions for Sandon or Manager Dickerson? 00:30:02
OK, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. 00:30:06
I'll make a motion to accept or approve the angle for the next 12 months. 00:30:12
OK, we have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:30:19
Actually, just because it's split its angle and Anthem Blue Cross, maybe you could just say option one and then we can cover that 00:30:21
maybe. 00:30:25
I'll make a motion that we use option one. 00:30:29
OK, option 1 is a motion. Do we have a second? 00:30:33
2nd, we have a second from Councilman Garrett. Any further discussion? 00:30:36
Hearing none, all in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:30:40
Motion carries 5 O, We'll move on to. 00:30:44
Approve awarding contract for the repair and reinforcement of existing timber pilings and replacement of the pedestrian boardwalk 00:30:49
at Harris Shoals Park. Manager Dickerson. Thank you, Mayor. 00:30:54
So we are going to request tonight that you award a contract to Martin Pelfrey, Handyman, for the contract to repair the 00:30:59
pedestrian boardwalk at Harris Shoals Park with a not to exceed amount of $123,592.04. You approve the contract agreement with 00:31:06
with that business and approve and authorize the mayor and City clerk to sign all relevant documents. 00:31:13
So I'll walk you through some of the highlights. On December 20th, the 23 Council approved releasing half $1,000,000 that have 00:31:21
been set aside as a local match for a Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program grant that we had tried 3 * / a three-year period to to 00:31:27
obtain and begin actually implementing the Harris Shoals Park Master Plan improvements. And later that month, within just a couple 00:31:33
weeks of that, the pedestrian boardwalk. 00:31:39
Boardwalk was vandalized, rendering an unsafe for use in February. We engaged read sheets of Structural engineer to give us some 00:31:46
input about the replacement of that boardwalk. 00:31:51
Sorry, the framing and the railings. 00:31:57
On March 7th, we released a request for proposal for the replacement of that 420 linear foot 6 foot wide pedestrian boardwalk. We 00:32:01
advertised it in the Oconee Enterprise posted on the website and provided it to 8 companies. These are companies we worked with or 00:32:08
or were told about to get in touch with so that we would actually directly provide that information. In mid March shortly after 00:32:15
the release, while reviewing the work, one of the contractors was concerned about. 00:32:22
The state of the temple pilings and so we held up, we held that up as suspended the RFP to evaluate it further. 00:32:29
Engage Geo Hydro to complete some exploration. Some additional information on that. They recommended replacing the timber pilings 00:32:35
with something called helical Piers, which you'll see #7 are very expensive. 00:32:41
And so we actually provided that information to those contractors that I mentioned earlier. 00:32:49
And request that information be back on July 15th. On July 15th we received one proposal from a company called Excel Yell Excel 00:32:55
Yale Construction for almost $400,000. Due to the price proposal, which was more than our budget and the lack of competitive 00:33:01
proposal proposals, we did not take any action. Shortly thereafter, the main sorry the mayor, myself and the city engineer talked 00:33:07
about the. 00:33:13
The boardwalk and what really needed to be done there, and perhaps the. 00:33:20
Place in the Timber Pines wasn't, wasn't necessary and so we went back and released an RFP for just replacing the the decking and 00:33:24
possibly fixing any of the timber Pines that they may come across that may need to be done. There's over like 90 of them. I 00:33:31
believe the RFP was advertised both on the 25th and of July and August 1st posted on our website, also sent to all those 00:33:38
contractors that were previously mentioned. And we also went after a couple of. 00:33:45
Local deck company decking companies. 00:33:53
And ask them for their for them to participate as well. 00:33:56
On August 9th, we received 2 proposals on that opening. Those were still very high. 00:34:00
On August 15th, we decided to issue A2 week extension. We did that as a result of the fact that neither one of those companies nor 00:34:07
anyone other than the city clerk and myself were there at the, actually I wasn't there. City clerk and I think Robin, perhaps our 00:34:13
executive assistant was there for the opening. So no one was there. We didn't publicize that information and so we extended it two 00:34:18
weeks in hopes of maybe trying to get some more people to, to submit and look at it. 00:34:24
On August 29th we received 3 proposals, three additional proposals, Martin Pell, free handyman, Piedmont Outdoor Services and 00:34:31
Redemption modeling. Piedmont Outdoor is I believe that's the bulldog decking. I have to go back and look, but they're one of the 00:34:35
local. 00:34:40
As you'll see on the on that listing, we had about 123,000 on Martin Pelfrey 180 a hundred and 207,000 in Piedmont and then 00:34:45
another almost 280,000 on redemption. So we are recommending I'm sorry, so based on council programming and there is a budget of 00:34:52
about 200,000 for this boardwalk. So we do have money in the SPLOST three budget for this and again we will we would request that 00:35:00
the award be given to. 00:35:07
Healthy hand demand for an amount not to exceed 123,592 and four cents. 00:35:15
It's a lot. 00:35:22
Council, this has been. 00:35:25
I think. 00:35:28
I think one of the most frustrating things. 00:35:29
In terms of how long it's taken to get this done and frankly the result of vandalism, it's just really sad when somebody took that 00:35:32
action and didn't realize that. 00:35:36
The consequences that it took, so it's. 00:35:41
But I think we beat every Bush in Oconee County trying to get a low bid on on this. And I think all of us are wish it could be 00:35:44
lower, but I don't know that we're going to get a lower number at this point. So that's the mayor's contacts after months and 00:35:50
months of discussing this and looking at it. But you're welcome to throw your questions at the manager and then we can look at a 00:35:55
motion if you guys are willing to willing to move forward on this. 00:36:00
My my question, I guess it would actually be to Mark. 00:36:09
I mean, how many, I mean, do we know how many pylons we think might be, I mean, I'm just assuming that they're either 6 by sixes 00:36:14
or, or, or telephone pole. Yeah. And, and so again, I think the, you know, from a construction standpoint, it, it, it's not easy 00:36:20
to get to that location. That's why the boardwalk is necessary because it's, it's not easily traversed. We can't just pour 00:36:27
concrete out there. 00:36:33
And and so doing some of the investigation, there was some surface, you know, potential issues where again the vandalism had 00:36:40
occurred and some like bolts were were pulled out. 00:36:45
And so I think, you know, early on, you know, some of the contractors said, well, hey, we don't want to get in the middle of this 00:36:50
project and then have an issue. So that's overtime the the things that have been looked out. So I think based on the information 00:36:56
that's been provided most recently after many, many months, gives us the best picture to have a good solution. And so I don't 00:37:02
don't have an exact number, but we, we've got an idea and, and there is a little, you know, room is so to speak, if, if we do 00:37:08
have. 00:37:14
Then we at least know how we would handle those individuals. Yeah, sure. And the reason I asked that it was just looking at the 00:37:20
top three where it might go. 00:37:24
The top three or I guess the ones that came out on August 29th, there was just a vast difference between Marty and the other two. 00:37:30
I mean there's, he's basically $5000 there at roughly 30,000 for, for the additional or for the alternative. And I just curious 00:37:36
why, I mean that's, that's a substantial difference. So Marty included and he actually included that repair and his contingency 00:37:42
number, not in that number. 00:37:49
So he's got, I think he had 10% or whatever and I've got the detail, but 10% of the of his overall cost was put into contingency 00:37:56
to deal with that. 00:38:00
Man who did it with the city at that time, so. 00:38:34
And I think the other thing for all of us to remember is you could do some different things with treated poles back in the 80s 00:38:38
than you can now. So we're also kind of hesitant to pull out. Yeah, They had creosote back then. So yeah, you said it so, so, so, 00:38:44
you know, we're kind of hesitant to pull those, pull those out when we know how long they're going to last compared to what 00:38:49
something new might last in there, so. 00:38:55
Completely understand as a guy that was formerly a lineman and yeah, the crease Oak Poles versus any other questions on this one? 00:39:02
What's the time frame sharing on this because I know it hadn't rained much. It's probably ideal for him to get on this pretty 00:39:10
quick and get it. So the contract is fraud to begin October 1 and finished by December 30. 00:39:15
OK, Yeah. 00:39:20
So 120 days or whatever that works out to 90 day, I don't however many days that is OK, all right. 00:39:20
All right. 00:39:28
If no other questions will entertain a motion. 00:39:29
I make a motion to approve. 00:39:33
The eight option one. 00:39:37
All right. We have a motion to approve option one. Do we have a second? 00:39:41
Second, all right, any further discussion hearing none all in favor say aye aye. Any opposed like sign motion carries 5. 00:39:45
All right, now we'll move on to the award for the contract for rehabilitation, resurfacing and striping of Mulberry Street from 00:39:53
3rd St. to where the city's the dead end and cemetery, The Cemetery Rd. which is all the roads in the Watkinsville Cemetery. 00:40:01
This is Sharon will explain it but this is working with our. 00:40:10
Annual allocation from the state manager Dickerson, if you want to offer a report. So we're going to ask that you approve the an 00:40:16
award to All About Asphalt for the contract for the FY25 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant. Resurfacing projects which the mayor 00:40:21
just mentioned where our Mulberry Street, which is currently a gravel road and Cemetery Rd. which is a single lane Rd. that runs 00:40:26
through the cemetery. 00:40:31
Is the Cemetery Rd. again, it's a single lane Rd. Mark, if you want to jump in at all, we do have a section of Rd. that will have 00:41:06
to be removed. There's some tree roots coming up, some pine trees, I think 4 pine trees that will need to be removed. We've walked 00:41:12
that Councilman Garrett and the mayor and I and walked walk that and made the decision that'd be the best option. I believe 00:41:17
Engineer Campbell also walked that with us. And then on Mulberry, you'll see that link there that's again, it's a gravel Rd. that 00:41:23
will be. 00:41:28
Resurfaced. 00:41:35
You may recall we have a pavement management program that has identified the condition rating on all of our roads in the city. 00:41:36
Again, these the Mulberry Street being a gravel Rd. didn't get a rating because it's a gravel Rd. but it is. It would be nice to 00:41:42
surface it. So that sits at the top of the list. Cemetery Rd. also as well because of the concerns with the tree roots and 00:41:48
whatnot. 00:41:54
That was listed at the top as well and it is actually on the list. Is one of the worst roads. 00:42:01
We did estimate it would be closer to 200,000. Happy to report it's not going to be that much to do this right now. We did receive 00:42:05
our L mega amount from the state of a little bit more than 47,000 and we released an RFP on August 29th for those projects. And we 00:42:12
got our check from the state on the 3rd on the 17th, which was yesterday that you guys got your report. Yesterday afternoon, we 00:42:20
received 3 proposals. The one from all that asphalt is the one we were going to recommend. It's 108. 00:42:27
A little bit more than 108,000 RT spots that will help fund some of this is required to use 30% of that funding to support this 00:42:35
type of work. So that is in line with those goals. The RFP was advertised on September 5th and September 12th and was sent 00:42:42
directly to the five companies that we've worked with in the past. Just a reminder, G dot doesn't require contractors working on 00:42:50
Element projects be listed in the G dot directory, but they do have to follow G dot specifications. 00:42:57
Again, our request is option one to award the contract to All About Asphalt and authorize us to work with that that contractor to 00:43:05
also work out widening and resurfacing the entrance road to Thomas Farm. 00:43:10
Questions. Yeah, so the. 00:43:19
1000 foot of existing asphalt to be removed is that you're going to remove trees and then put it back Is that the IT was the. 00:43:22
Yes, so the, the pine trees and the asphalt don't get along. Yep, absolutely. But what we don't want to do and then and this was 00:43:30
the contractors responded well to this as well. We don't want to get a milling machine in the cemetery period. So it's all cut and 00:43:36
removed where where the the pavement is the worst based on the roots from the pine trees. Those pine trees will be removed as 00:43:42
well, just not by the asphalt companies. But but we, it's not a situation where we have trees that are maybe more desirable what 00:43:48
we're worried about removing. 00:43:54
2 oak trees that are in there, but we didn't feel like we didn't want to widen it and encourage fast traffic in the cemetery. We 00:44:30
also thought it was important to kind of keep that ambience. So we're trying to be strategic in terms of what's coming out. And 00:44:36
then we're also trying to tie that together with some of the efficiency of the work at the Thomas farm. So if we take those out, 00:44:41
we can dispose of those trees at a lower cost. Doing that right now. 00:44:46
Any other questions? 00:44:55
All right, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. 00:44:58
I make a motion to approve the bid from All About Asphalt to complete the work. 00:45:07
As mentioned here, all right, we have a motion for #1 the action requested. 00:45:12
We have a second. 00:45:18
Second, all right, I have a motion. We have a second further discussion hearing none all in favor say aye, aye. Any opposed motion 00:45:19
carries 5 O All right, we'll move on to the contract for the long-awaited first phase of the long-awaited Symington Bridge 00:45:27
sidewalk. Manager Dickerson and engineer Campbell if you want to walk us through that. 00:45:34
All right. So we're asking, well, I'll talk about the project first. So this is the generic concept plan for the for the Mulberry 00:45:47
St. connector, the Simonton Bridge Rd. connector. The area we're specifically talking about is if you look in the upper far right 00:45:53
corner where Simonson Place is, Simonton Drive is from that section all the way to the left hand side of the cemetery. That's the 00:45:59
section phase one that we're talking about in this. 00:46:05
So we're asking that you award the Gantt Construction and Maintenance LLC the contract for phase one, which is roughly 18180 00:46:12
linear feet of ADA compliant pedestrian and bicycle friendly concrete sidewalk anywhere from 6 to 10 feet along that range. 00:46:20
In addition, extension of a 30 inch reinforced concrete pipe near the cemetery in an 18 inch corrugated metal pipe near Simonton 00:46:29
Place. We are asking for the amount that the contractor is bid plus up to a 20% contingency. We'll talk a little bit more about 00:46:35
that along with authorizing and requesting approval for the contract agreement with that vendor and the mayor and city clerk to 00:46:41
sign those documents. 00:46:47
So on January 17th, council of this year, council approved submitting AG Tibb. That's the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure 00:46:54
Bank grant. 00:46:58
And or loan application for this connector project. On June 6th, we were awarded a $1.5 million grant and a $2.25225 million loan 00:47:02
from the G Tib for this project. 00:47:09
It will be, it is the first step, you know, as the mayor said, the first step towards connecting that part of the community in a, 00:47:17
in a way, a pedestrian connection for this part of the community to downtown. And of course Thomas Farm and other neighborhoods 00:47:21
along Simonton Bridge have that same opportunity. 00:47:26
The on July 8th, the loan and grant agreement was executed by G Tib. On August 29th we released an RFP for this phase. On 00:47:33
September 17th we received this was again yesterday we received the following proposals for this project. Gantt construction was 00:47:40
at one 63996 Mayweather Concrete was at 1:50 and SEW which is currently working on the the paved paths at Thomas Farm work was it 00:47:47
269 and. 00:47:55
Smith and company was at 299. I do want to point out that the RFP specific items made their bid at two 38469. They had included a 00:48:03
whole bunch of things like trash cans and lights and things like that that were part of the project, but I'm part of the overall 00:48:08
project, but not specific to this RFP. 00:48:13
Again, the RFP was advertised on September 5th and September 12th as well as on our website and provided to nine different 00:48:21
companies. 00:48:24
Directly. 00:48:29
Haven't identified that may need to be addressed. And so we advocates for an additional allowance. There were contingency above 00:49:00
the price proposal. It was provided just to give us a little wiggle room if we need it as we're going through this project based 00:49:06
on the GTA budget that was approved and authorized, we do have sufficient funds for this project. And so again, option 1 is what 00:49:11
we're recommending. 00:49:17
All right. Council questions for manager Dickerson or engineer Campbell. 00:49:25
When is this? 00:49:30
Slated to start. 00:49:33
So there's portions of the project they can begin very soon. There's some utility coordination that has already begun. But it the 00:49:37
totality of this project couldn't start tomorrow because that needs to continue, whether we're talking about AT&T poles or some of 00:49:43
those other types of things that that have been working through to look for some better solutions. But yeah, this is a 2024 00:49:49
project, not a, you know, next year project. 00:49:55
Yeah. I mean the the one variable that's hanging out there as we are hopeful that we'll be able to. 00:50:02
Maybe bury the power lines and stuff along that quarter. So we're working with those utilities and trying to get that done, you 00:50:07
know, so that we can do that. So, yeah. 00:50:11
Yeah, so. 00:50:17
Any other questions? 00:50:20
All right, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. 00:50:24
I make a motion to. 00:50:29
Prove what? Number one action request? All right, we have a motion to approve the action requested. Do we have a 2nd? I'll second 00:50:32
we have a second. Any discussion? 00:50:36
All right, this is a I'll just say before you do this, a pretty pretty big vote y'all. I think I've been sitting here for 20 years 00:50:42
and people have been asking when will there ever be a sidewalk on Simonton Bridge Rd. I know we've all heard that we know there's 00:50:48
more to come, but this is this is exciting. So all in favor say aye aye. Any opposed? 00:50:53
All right, good news for our friends on Simonton Bridge Rd. 00:50:59
All right, we'll move on to manager contract Item 13. 00:51:03
Most cities and counties have contracts for their city managers. There's really nothing unusual. I know you've all had time to 00:51:08
review and see this. This ones modeled on the Oconee County contract with our county administrator with some additional input from 00:51:14
attorney Reitman and some others that he's seen. This protects us and it protects the manager in a situation of non performance or 00:51:20
in a situation if we felt like we needed to make a change. 00:51:26
And so it's pretty straightforward, but I'll let Attorney Reitman add anything he wants to and then let you guys ask any questions 00:51:32
you want to, OK. 00:51:36
All right, questions from Council. 00:51:41
All right. 00:51:45
And this one will go through July of 25, I think 2222, September of 26th, September 26th. 00:51:47
So right now it references on anniversary of employment there be a review. I think it'd be more efficient for that review to be 00:52:01
synchronized with the time all the other city employees were reviewed. So my recommendation is if there's an approval to approve 00:52:07
it with that provides that with that change. 00:52:12
Is that what you were about to mention? And that's typically the cadence that we're on. So we request that you approve the 00:52:18
contract with the review date moving to April, which is contemporaneous with the rest of our employees. 00:52:24
All right, we have a motion. 00:52:30
I make a motion to approve the manager contract with the change noted. 00:52:34
Do we have a second? 00:52:39
2nd. 00:52:40
Any further discussion? 00:52:42
Hearing none all in favor say aye, Any opposed? 00:52:44
Motion carries 5O. 00:52:47
All right, we will move to public comments. Same routine as normal. Comments shall be directly related to agenda items. Speak from 00:52:49
the podium, 4 minutes per person. Refrain from debate, argument, personal attacks, or irrelevant discussion. Address only the 00:52:55
merits of the pending matter or address remarks directly to Council. Council won't speak to potential litigation, attorney-client 00:53:00
or personnel matters. 00:53:05
All right. 00:53:12
I'm Bob Smith. 00:53:34
WATKINSVILLE, Georgia. 00:53:36
He just voted on the manager. 00:53:39
Agreement and it didn't say how much it was going to get paid. 00:53:43
We don't see anything in that. But anyways, one thing I wanted to talk about was we're talking about the the the bridge that that 00:53:47
hair shows park. 00:53:53
And you may want to be concerned about the flood because in 1963, although granite tables out there were washed down to 53 00:54:00
Highway. 00:54:05
And now we have houses built. 00:54:11
And Bishop venue than Christian lake with with all the rooftops and not as much ground to absorb the water. So be careful about 00:54:13
that. I come here to talk about money. 00:54:19
How you going to pay back all these millions and dollars that this city is borrowing since September last year? 00:54:26
I look at the total, it's about 7.8 million in expenditures. 00:54:35
About 5.8 million of that, it borrowed money and I've heard Mayor Brian Broderick say that the money is going to be paid back with 00:54:41
sports money. What if the splash doesn't pass in three years and four years it didn't pass on the transportation funding? 00:54:50
It took a year later to pass that. Where's this money coming from? 00:54:59
Who's paying attention? There's a problem. I walk on the streets, I talk with people. Nobody cares. And you really don't, because 00:55:05
they don't know what they don't know. 00:55:10
I'm concerned too, about this, this qualification for City Council this year, all of a sudden since 1983 when the charter was was 00:55:17
created. 00:55:24
Qualifications have been in the latter part of July, the 1st of August for. 00:55:33
30 years, all of a sudden, all of a sudden, all of a sudden, this year, the qualifying March and I was asked by somebody today, 00:55:39
what could Watkinsville have done? 00:55:45
To to notify the people in Watkinsville that that that qualifying for City Council has changed. All of a sudden they were three 00:55:52
people that wanted to run in August. They can't run. They couldn't talking to the Secretary of State's office. You couldn't run as 00:55:59
an independent. You couldn't run into writing because you missed the deadlines. 00:56:06
Why? Why did this happen? 00:56:14
Well, I was asked, well, how could walk and spell it could have done it. Well, they put a little blip in the in this city website. 00:56:18
Who linked the website? They could have blipped them. Now county Enterprise, how many people read that? 00:56:25
In this camp in this town of 3000, plus people. But Watersville did two things it did verify. 00:56:33
Things on this hair shows park project year to go they spent city money to send mail out to everybody in this town and in some in 00:56:41
Athens I'm told. So there's one thing that this sound could have done #2 in my opinion there was an illegal. 00:56:51
An illegal. 00:57:01
Meeting held to send out a mail piece without any mailing addresses by the members of this council at that time. 00:57:05
And then we're no, no, no, no, no mailing address. And they didn't say who they were. 00:57:16
Didn't say who they were, but that's how you notify people. They did it in that, they did it in the other. Why didn't this town 00:57:24
notify that people in Watkinsville that qualified? He changed. 00:57:30
This is serious stuff, y'all. This is a this is a public. 00:57:38
Public meeting and it's not very public. That's not staying open. Thank you. It's not very transparent. Your time is very much. 00:57:42
Thank you. 00:57:47
Just for clarity on them, since he's not staying to listen, I'll explain it to the rest of y'all for clarity on the how the debt 00:57:53
will be repaid. The loan that we're using for the Thomas Farm Park is at what interest rates, You know, one point, 1.63 percent, 00:58:00
1.63%. We have a dedicated mileage increase that was vetted by the state aggressively and we're using that mileage, that very low 00:58:07
mileage increase to repay those funds and had to go through a very extensive process. 00:58:14
And then the money that we'll borrow in the short term for the sidewalks is also a very low interest rate and will be repaid with 00:58:22
T spot funds and those have already been allocated. So those are already allocated for that project. So there's going to be no 00:58:29
difficulty repaying the debt. And I won't address the rest of those comments. Mr. White, looks like you have something to say. 00:58:36
My name is Johnny Leon. I live on Christian Drive. 00:59:01
I'm talking too loud, let me know I'm talking too loud and no because some people haven't shot something. 00:59:06
What hell I'm doing I don't like You sound great. 00:59:11
Along with that. 00:59:19
I've been talking to because all of you know I got bigger sign walking Bill Daniels out of my yard. Some people blow the horn, 00:59:21
wave at me. Some people blow the horn, give me the finger and I just sit out then lay. I don't enjoy it all. 00:59:27
But you don't come to be a problem with my son. 00:59:34
And I've been working with Toby. 00:59:38
He gave me a copy of the audience and all that stuff. 00:59:40
It's my like insurance part if I read it three times. Still don't know what it means. 00:59:44
But apparently someone had nothing to do. 00:59:49
Complain about the signs in my yard. It's on my flavor in my backyard. 00:59:52
Looking at the signals, I know I'm oversized. It's too big. He's both be there and all that crap. 00:59:58
I know that. 01:00:03
That's why I got smaller about that too. 01:00:05
But looking at the audience though. 01:00:09
On the item C. 01:00:12
I'm not going to eat all that 'cause y'all got a God, I don't have to. 01:00:14
A section permit can be issued at quarterly temporary signs. 01:00:19
Why don't I come under that then? 01:00:26
Have five more weeks. 01:00:28
We got to do nothing really and take care of his own self. Five more weeks, everything be over. 01:00:31
So. 01:00:36
I'm working on that. 01:00:39
Pay. We know my part. Pay no attention to it. I move my sailor. 01:00:40
Back down toward the building, get it to get in the center of my lot. 01:00:46
I moved up here probably. 01:00:51
5060 feet. 01:00:53
Basically what I'm saying Mark Saylor or myself whenever. 01:00:55
He parked in the middle of my backyard. 01:00:59
No matter what the science is, no matter what size it is. 01:01:03
What's in my backyard got nothing to do with this. 01:01:07
So what I'm saying? 01:01:13
Why can't I pop my side what I want to in my backyard? 01:01:16
You got people all over the town, got junk calling. If I have piled in yard, we're talking about two different things. 01:01:21
Mainly politics, man. What are you going to put in your trailer, truck or whatever it is? 01:01:28
What is in my backyard is my personal feeling. 01:01:35
Nobody business, especially people around in highway. 01:01:39
They don't look at my yard. Keep that on the road where you have a wreck. 01:01:43
Personally I think y'all got more to worry about dude. 01:01:51
Be nitpicking with this problem we got. 01:01:55
So. 01:01:59
I've done what I think I can do. 01:02:01
Are planning on doing anyway. 01:02:04
I move the sign and inside the road. 01:02:06
My trailer in the middle of my backyard. 01:02:09
And I don't see what I need. Do nothing else and I'm not planning on doing nothing else. 01:02:13
Sometime. 01:02:20
What I'm thinking, what I say don't match when it comes out. 01:02:23
So. 01:02:27
I don't understand what I'm saying. You can call and let me know. 01:02:34
Because I think. 01:02:42
I think this. 01:02:44
I understand what science said, but this I'm talking about sailing in no matter what's on it. 01:02:46
I paid a lot of attention to downtown different what's on them. 01:02:51
So that's all I got. 01:02:55
Thank you, Mr. Leia. 01:03:00
Frankly wish people wouldn't send letters about signs too. 01:03:02
All right. Any other comments from the public? 01:03:09
Once. 01:03:12
My name is Lawrence Stoke. I live at 13 Barnett Shoals and I've talked to a number of you. 01:03:19
Since I haven't talked to Brett about this, but I appreciate the. 01:03:25
All the trees you all bought at Thomas Farms, it's probably 50 plus acres. 01:03:30
And I realize we're taking down 4 pine trees, but that's the. 01:03:36
But I want to talk about the trees it. 01:03:40
Rocket field. 01:03:42
I've been thinking about this. Well, we took down a few trees at Rockfield. 01:03:44
There's one left, but I also would like to put some trees to shade the sidewalk on 3rd St. and. 01:03:48
2nd St. 01:03:55
But also I think it would be nice to have trees in the. 01:03:56
What was the dog park outside the fence? 01:04:01
So it shades that sidewalk and then shades the playground. And I think for things like Fall Festival or just being out in the 01:04:04
park, it'd be nice to have some shade. 01:04:09
And it's. 01:04:15
Out past the ball field. 01:04:17
So that's what I'm and also up there by the Baton court, of course. 01:04:19
Machine I like talked about that a lot. 01:04:23
And yeah, I think I just could picture down 30 years from now. Having trees around that park would be gorgeous. So thanks for your 01:04:26
thoughts. 01:04:30
Thank you. 01:04:35
All right. Anybody else? 01:04:39
OK. 01:04:44
All right, we'll move on to the mayor's report. 01:04:45
You know. 01:04:49
That was you get a little distance from this and. 01:04:53
Sometimes you get some distance from a tragedy. It doesn't feel anymore. 01:04:57
It starts to feel a little less impactful. This one hadn't gotten to that point for me yet. It sounds like the students are headed 01:05:01
back to school on Monday. But I think it's all important as they start that journey that we remember all those students and the 01:05:07
families that were affected by the tragedy at Apalachee. So just I just want to call that out. Our, our communities are really 01:05:12
close to each other. Our law enforcement community is small. 01:05:18
I know we've got Officer White here with us tonight, you know, and this. 01:05:25
You know, we've all Sergeant Hibler. You know, you'll probably know folks who. 01:05:32
Anyway, who were, who were, I don't know who've been impacted by this. So just I just want us all to remember as we get a little 01:05:38
distance from this and other things take over the news cycle that we remember to keep praying for the folks at Apalachee. 01:05:44
We have made remarkable progress thanks I think to the lack of rain and some really hard working contractors at Thomas Farm. 01:05:54
We are, I think we're probably 90% of the way done with the concrete out there. What remains is pretty much has to wait to be done 01:06:01
until after the we're done bringing equipment in and out of there. Work has begun on the park first parking area work is the dams 01:06:09
have both been rebuilt in the past month with new siphon systems. The top dam is filling back up. We have a bridge coming for this 01:06:16
spot from IMI. Work is ongoing on all the trails on the back of the property, which is just spectacular. That's a. 01:06:23
Out of the damn work, the upper pond is filling back up pretty rapidly and then the lower one will start as soon as we get some 01:06:31
rain and as soon as that upper pond begins to flow that way. I've spent a lot of time out there. There's not many days that I'm 01:06:36
not out there checking on things, y'all. It's just, it's going to be tremendous. I continue to be more and more excited about 01:06:41
about what's going to happen out there over the next few months. So more to come, but but it's, it's, it is going to be, it's 01:06:46
going to be really amazing. 01:06:52
When you when you see our our team or when you see. 01:06:58
Mark Thomas and others who are working on this give them a pat on the back. They've really worked hard and we've gotten a 01:07:01
tremendous value from our contracting team out there. 01:07:05
Chuck Garrett's been flexing his muscles, helping us take care of our pavement, and one way he did that was giving us some good 01:07:13
advice on School St. 01:07:17
With some culvert work there and getting some RIP rap installed to help preserve that new pavement that was installed there. So 01:07:21
we're grateful that that's been installed and done and help us maintain that investment. 01:07:26
We have a big event at Harris Shoals on September 28th. 01:07:32
Invasive species removal. I'm sure we've all noticed kudzu decided to have a party in Harris Shoals in early 2024 and it's going 01:07:36
to be a couple years to get rid of all that. But we would love to have a big community turn out for that event. 9:00 AM to 12:00 01:07:42
PM on September 28th. And that's going to be the more people we have, the more we can get done in, the more invasive so we can get 01:07:48
taken out. 01:07:54
Reminder the date of the Christmas parade Sunday, December 8th and the Christmas tree lighting will be at 6:00 PM after the parade 01:08:02
at 4:00 PM. We've got about two months to get your float registered. 01:08:08
Just a reminder, this is easy to forget, but when we worked with Water Park on the their agreement, part of what we asked them to 01:08:17
do is install a roundabout at the old Sharp Curve on Norton Road. That project is going to take about a week. It's going to start 01:08:24
on October 2nd. That's going to put some pressure on Barnett Shoals and on Main Street for the cars that don't use that. But 01:08:31
that's going to be a really nice win for the folks going to Wire Park and other places. 01:08:38
That they've got quick access to Norton Road, so that project is going to be October. 01:08:45
2nd, October 9th, we're going to need to promote that a lot so people aren't surprised and I'm sure we'll be. The contractor will 01:08:50
be using signage and other things to let people know about that. 01:08:54
Last but not least, we've got a birthday. 01:09:00
Happy birthday Councilman Thomas's. 01:09:03
You want to share was it a milestone? No was not 4343 a youngster youngster with us. So but happy birthday. Happy birthday, Brett. 01:09:07
I'm glad you're here with us. We mentioned Constitution Day earlier, so I won't cover that again. I do want to thank it's it's 01:09:13
easy to forget. 01:09:19
Summer is a busy, busy month for our public Works department. They've got acres and acres of grass to mow. They're trying to 01:09:27
digest with the Parks and Rec department how to take care of our new parks and new facilities and all the things that we're doing. 01:09:33
Please extend that gratitude to them for us. 01:10:10
All right, with that, we'll move on to Council, reports Councilman Garrett post one. 01:10:14
Speaking of public works, we had a fun time doing a little patching today and we got some well, well qualified guys that. 01:10:18
Can do that now. 01:10:29
They're certified. 01:10:31
But that one particular spot was a spot that I noticed that it had about a three inch drop off and would Fall festival coming up 01:10:34
and Halloween stuff, people walking. 01:10:39
Thought there's something at least we could kind of safe it up. 01:10:45
So yeah, we had a good time. 01:10:49
Doing that, so you say they're certified, Garrett certified. 01:10:52
Well, that's got to save. That will save us some money if the guys know how to do that, so. 01:11:00
Anything else? Counseling here, That's all. 01:11:04
All right, Councilwoman Massey. 01:11:08
I attended the event yesterday at the courthouse and that's always a fun and interesting thing. I appreciate all our ancestors and 01:11:11
all that they went through to give us our Constitution and everything, and I hope. 01:11:18
Except it was alarms instead of bugles. 01:11:57
Anything else? 01:12:00
All right, we'll move on to Councilman Thomas. Yeah. So welcome to Cooler Weathers. I hope that it stays with us and it's not a 01:12:02
false fall. But with that, I'd like to bring back again this year, falling fall for Watkinsville. Let's let's decorate our doors, 01:12:10
decorate our yards, you know, give Miss Ivy's a little bit of competition. 01:12:17
So we know that she will, she will definitely decorate. But you know, let's, let's other citizens in Watkinsville, please. 01:12:26
We encourage you to decorate and get in the spirit of Fall. 01:12:33
Also, I wanted to talk about seeing something on Facebook that's been passed around. You're talking about Apalachee. I don't know 01:12:38
if I can do this or not, but I'm going to anyway. Texas Roadhouse, I saw a thing going around that on Monday, the 23rd, Texas 01:12:44
Roadhouse at all their locations in Georgia is going to be donating 100% of their proceeds for the day to Apalachee, so I'm 01:12:51
encouraging. 01:12:57
Everybody to go eat lunch and dinner at Apalachee or at at Texas Roadhouse and support our. 01:13:04
Awesome. Thank you for mentioning that. That's great. Yeah. 01:13:16
All right, Councilwoman Tucker. 01:13:20
Nothing this month. All right, Councilman Campbell. 01:13:23
Nothing this month, all right. 01:13:26
I don't think we have a need for executive session. 01:13:29
Anyone have a need for executive session hearing? None. Then I'll entertain a motion to adjourn and make a motion to adjourn. 01:13:32
Do we have a second, second. All in favor? 01:13:37
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