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All right. Welcome everybody, to the April 19th Watkinsville City Council meeting. Please note that we have a quorum here tonight. 00:00:11
We're joined by Colonel Brett Thomas from Kuwait. Again, welcome Colonel Thomas. We're glad you're with us. And I think everyone 00:00:17
else here in person, I'm glad to see all of you guys on this beautiful April night. We'll begin meeting as we always do. 00:00:23
I believe this is the flag of the United States of America, and two departments for which it stands 1 Mission ungod, indivisible, 00:00:31
with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:36
And speak related to what is on the agenda, there are some specific public hearing rules that we will explain should we go into 00:01:26
one of those situations tonight. So with that, our first time on the agenda tonight is approval, the minutes from the March 15th 00:01:31
meeting for quantity. There might have been a minor amendment set and then we can have a motion on. 00:01:37
Allegiance Fire Chief respects and actually led the pledge. So that change has been made. It has been made and then under all 00:01:44
business historic preservation, it's actually the Watson Brown Foundation and that. 00:01:49
Any other adjuster changes in minutes from. 00:01:56
And there's a motion to approve. 00:01:59
In the motion to recommend a second any conversation, none. I'll ever say aye. 00:02:02
And motion carries item number 2, the approval of the agenda. I would like the table consent agenda item for 9, and I would like 00:02:08
to table Business on #19. If council agrees with that, I'll accept motion to approve the amended agenda, please. 00:02:15
Make a motion to approve the agenda. What else do I have? 00:02:23
Do you have a second? 00:02:28
All in favor? Say aye. Motion carries 50. Thanks everyone. 00:02:30
But it's greater than even the other side of the world, Roger, with us. And always, as I said earlier, we're moving. Glad to be 00:02:35
here. Good. Glad to hear from you. We are moving to the administration portion of the meeting. As I said earlier, we will have 00:02:42
some points on the agenda. Where will Canada's mayor and council. We would have said everybody refrain from any personal tax 00:02:48
arguments, debates or irrelevant discussion. Address comments on the pending matter marks the committee, council, council. 00:02:55
The first one is the child abuse. 00:03:02
Provision month proclamation and I think we may have TR Smithing authority. This is a few step here with me to the smartphone. 00:03:05
We will really leave us in here and I really. 00:03:13
Welcome to Grace. Am I saying that right? TR, excuse me, Tiara and Grace are with us tonight. I will read the proclamation to the 00:03:17
record and then we'll take a picture. OK. And if you guys have something really want to say this to the time too, Child abuse 00:03:22
retention month is correct. 00:03:28
And consider helping parents, their children Safer tree environment. 00:03:57
I'm Brian Broadway of Watkinsville. Do you offer a month of April with Child Abuse Permission month in Watkinsville, Georgia 00:04:01
Encourage all citizens to volunteer their talents and energies on behalf of children in our community to reduce child abuse and 00:04:06
neglect significant in the years ago city of Watkinsville be. 00:04:11
This 19th day of April 2023. 00:04:16
I do want to mention things timely. We did an incident just last week where there was a child abuse and our police officers 00:04:19
responded to that and handled it in first class manner and the suspect was offended, put in jail immediately. The child was put in 00:04:26
a safe position. I think they have an enterprise will actually send them this week and they committed guys and editorial for how 00:04:32
the situation was able to achieve so. 00:04:38
The organization was occurred so I thought it was really fitting that and child abuse prevention in Lawrenceville our teams in 00:04:44
highlight for dealing with various contribution possible so race to you if you have a remark I want to make feel free and then 00:04:49
we'll take the just quickly it does take the community and take law enforcement. 00:04:54
First organization. We covered 7 counties, but we are the organization that works at preventing. 00:04:59
Said work closely with deployment family enjoy services and other organizations and community but we are going into homes every 00:05:05
day and park has no Coney bear that's sitting long. Visiting new parents and try to prevent abusing elective borders is a problem. 00:05:12
So only has been one of our counties for almost about 3 cities around formally notice for my childhood staffing but you want to 00:05:18
help out it doesn't take a little bit turns on to your. 00:05:24
Hold this up, Tom. 00:05:41
Thank you. 00:05:46
OK, we have 3. 00:05:51
City for a lot of years in a row, Julie. I think I'm just going to ask for this to be read into the record by the work. I'm not 00:05:55
going to be this one. But I will say that as Mayor I do hereby proclaim February 17th and April 28th is Barbara Day in the city of 00:06:01
Watkinsville. And there is all citizens to celebrate our day and support to protect our trees and will sit at the plant trees to 00:06:07
clean the heart. That will be those future directions. 00:06:12
I. 00:06:24
Notably, given all she does for us, it is also professional Municipal courts week on April 30th through May 6th of June. If you'll 00:06:25
come up here please. 00:06:29
Y'all anybody knows in Wattsville is like there's a person, you know, that everybody knows that's been taken care of at City Hall 00:06:37
for many years. It's been a great time. That's Julie. I've got to read this like official proclamation for Julie. I don't think 00:06:42
any words can capture what you mean to our city and what you mean to our citizens and what you've got to play shrink through the 00:06:48
years. You were the thread that's consistently been woven walk until for is it how many years. 00:06:54
Whereas professional municipal courts continually strive to improve the administration of affairs of the Office of professional 00:07:33
Clerk, participation in the Haitian smart shops, and annual meetings of their state, provincial, county and international 00:07:37
professional organizations. 00:07:41
Whereas it most appropriate that recognize the compliments of the office of the professional Municipal Court. Now, therefore I 00:07:45
bring broader Mayor of this evening Watkinsville, do hereby recognize the week of April 3 through May 6. 00:07:50
2023 is professional municipal parks. We can further extend appreciation of professional support Julie Fine until professional 00:07:55
support the vital sources they firm perform and their exemplary dedication communities they represent. 00:08:01
Julie, we thank you. 00:08:07
So. 00:08:09
I normally I don't speak, but because public speaking is not really important, I'm going to try. Of course I had to write it down 00:08:14
or I'll get tongue out or cry, which is where I've headed, but we'll see how it goes. 00:08:19
I'd like to thank you. 00:08:26
The past and the present mayors, council members, staff including our City attorney and City engineer, the citizens of 00:08:28
Watkinsville for allowing me to serve as the City clerk. Walkinsville. In almost 27 years here we have seen many changes and 00:08:33
challenges. 00:08:38
The hiring of our City Manager was a positive turning point for Watkinsville the consistency Chair and brings to the table along 00:08:44
with how dedicated the Mayor and Council artist driving for Walkerville to the community of connection and creativity. 00:08:51
Is exciting and I want to thank you all for your hard work and education for Watkinsville. I am grateful and proud to continue to 00:08:59
serve along with each of you. Thank you. 00:09:03
Performance evaluation. 00:09:15
I. 00:09:26
All right. We'll move along to our financial reports mandate. Dickerson, that's you. And for those of us who renew it, that covers 00:09:35
our general finances as well as our spawn funds, ARP funds and our. 00:09:40
Magic. Thank you, Mayor. Yeah, so you should receive the balance sheet, the general information. We're doing very well on the 00:09:45
revenue side. We're at 8% renews for the year and we're right at 30% expenses. It's about a difference of almost $300,000. We're 00:09:51
hopeful that some of that may come back into the general fund at the end of the year that we're tracking. 00:09:57
On floss one we had this is a 2009 Brenda the only left in fact that has not that check has actually been written. So this will 00:10:04
close out the flossed 1 project as the swan a check to the county for for construction of that sewer line And so we'll hopefully 00:10:11
this will be a zero out at the end of the next month and you won't have this coming however. So another report so spots two is 00:10:18
mostly a sewer line a you'll see waters or facility 904,000 there's a little bit of money left. 00:10:26
And I think the chef or signs that Chief, but the flash signs you seen around at this limit signs and some work the park has not 00:10:34
cleared yet and that's why those are still showing up. We do have a balance of $27,000 that can be used towards the others that we 00:10:38
anticipate will happen with sewer line. 00:10:42
Slash 3 Report These are This is the 2021 Sloss so this is new. We don't have a lot of adventures yet. We have accumulated a 00:10:48
little bit with $1,000,000 in the bank. The projects and the monies that are listed in the yellow have been encumbered for police 00:10:54
vehicles in roads and sorry and equipment download multipurpose government that has to do with all system equipment, public works 00:11:01
and the rec and parks that many has been in Congress. Some of that money has encumbered for. 00:11:07
Fairfield Park. 00:11:14
Like what else on that list? Recreation Creek base and some money's been satisfied for free space. So those monies are earmarked. 00:11:17
The rest of the monies are available and are still being. Those projects come before council for decisions. We don't make those 00:11:21
decisions without capital approval. 00:11:25
The. 00:11:31
This is just a report show you sort of where out with ours. With our bank accounts 1.1 million we're adding about a 3000 month up 00:11:32
from we normally in fact we budgeted for plus we budgeted about 65,000 a month and we're significantly over that. I will point 00:11:38
though that the first six months of FY23 were at 8.3%. 00:11:44
Actually I take that back. I'm going to reset all of this will be 8.63 it's our piece floss that will be that will change and that 00:11:51
will be 7.77% along our. 00:11:55
So, so we did, we did 100,000 in December. 00:11:59
So we have a very, very good first six months, I'm sure how the next six months ago, but we are, we are averaging more than we 00:12:03
thought we would so. 00:12:06
Impressions. 00:12:10
And then on ARP, we have reported the end of the month to the federal government on this. These funds the council elected to get 00:12:12
entered a lot of up to 10 million means the council can use this funds how they wish. They do not have to fall in any type of 00:12:17
category that the larger governments that got more money have to abide by. We have about 824,000 and about a little bit 780,000 00:12:22
that has been appropriated at this point. 00:12:28
And then just as a reminder, we do have a budget process that is underway tonight and there will be a public hearing on the budget 00:12:35
sort just the count of the citizens interests or input into the development of the budget. There is no budget to respond to yet 00:12:41
that will be provided to Council the 1st May. 00:12:46
Be council sessions, council meetings. 00:12:52
Possibly another council work session and then the budget will be a plea engine 21st. 00:12:54
Any questions on any of that? 00:12:59
Move on to next economic development. So I've not provided a list of these because if you look through your packet, there's a lot 00:13:04
of income. A lot. But this is just excerpts, 2 pages of a business license. 00:13:10
Business licenses in there, there's $13,000. Little than 13,000 isn't collected for occasion. Taxes or business licenses. We've 00:13:17
had some insurance payments come in and alcohol license payment from is it kite kites? 00:13:23
For the out of license you guys will be considering tonight. 00:13:29
I know X attack size aside, alcohol excise taxes, we have a little more 10,000 since that was approved and our short term vacation 00:13:33
rentals and motor taxes a bit of 18,000. 00:13:37
On economic development building permits, we have 10 parts for six projects, several associated with the mini storage. 00:13:44
And I think you don't be having that work. Yeah, we didn't have cattle, did have one water park. So we continue to see stuff move 00:13:51
in there. 00:13:55
Any questions on any of those? 00:13:59
OK. 00:14:01
Oh, I got. 00:14:04
Should be back on. 00:14:11
All right. 00:14:13
We are back. 00:14:14
And I think we were. 00:14:17
Police Department report chief. 00:14:20
Good evening, Mayor Council, always a pleasure to be for you. 00:14:25
All right, so we wrapped up the Easter egg we were going to. 00:14:30
Next slide, which is where we got held up. 00:14:33
All right, and may, May 6th, we have cops and bombers out here at Harvey Wildlife starting at 9:00 AM. Will kick off an event 00:14:39
where. 00:14:43
Kids can come out and fish and have fun and and catch catch a few fish and win some trophies and some prizes and all that kind of 00:14:48
good stuff. 00:14:52
And we'll feed them and give them some drinks and all that kind of stuff and get them all sugared up and send them home. 00:14:56
With mom and dad. 00:15:02
And. 00:15:03
Thanks to Marshall Gaddy, Sir. Alta, who is the Marshall down in Miami, FL. We. 00:15:05
You know, we're always looking around for, you know, things like that and the major deputy Chief, Todd Teton. 00:15:12
I reached out to a few of his connections in the Marshall service. 00:15:21
And before we know it, we had Marshall, Sir Alta calling us and saying, I'm sending you everything you want. 00:15:24
Which really not a true statement. 00:15:30
But. 00:15:33
But we got a lot more than what we what we, you know, anticipated. He sent us an entire box of gear. 00:15:36
Those are plate carriers. 00:15:43
They are not ballistic rated carriers, but they are plate carriers that will actually house. 00:15:47
The ballistic plates and panels that will help. 00:15:53
Rifle rounds and things like that in the event we have. 00:15:57
An active shooter or a situation where we're, you know, having to take gunfire. 00:16:01
So now the next question is to find the the ceramic place that go inside them and. 00:16:07
But that that that's equivalent to about $11,000 worth of year that. 00:16:12
We were donating. 00:16:17
And we're thankful for that. 00:16:18
You're very helpful. 00:16:20
We're thankful for you and the majors. Resourcefulness on that, and of course, badges and benevolence is the police foundation for 00:16:21
this Watkinsville Police Department. And if you would like to have a dollar for dollar tax credit. 00:16:29
All those QR codes. 00:16:38
Take action. 00:16:41
All right. Anything else? Any other? 00:16:44
Thank you very much. 00:16:50
All right. Thank you, Chief. 00:16:52
All right, consent agenda. Do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? 00:16:55
I make a motion to approve the control agenda. All right, Do we have a second? All right, all in favor, say aye. 00:17:03
All right, motion carries 5 O. For our members of the public, the items on the consent agenda were the. 00:17:11
Urban Forest Board appointment of Susanna D. 00:17:19
And the resolution to approve the MO U for application to the Georgia Main Street program. 00:17:22
And appoint the DDA board to serve as the Main Street Board. So Kate, I know that's probably been a lot of work for you. So we're 00:17:27
excited to move that forward and we'll hear about that in the summer we think. 00:17:32
Hope so OK. 00:17:38
All right, we'll move on to a public hearing. The rules that I outlined previously apply 4 minutes per person if you choose to 00:17:40
come forward. No debate, argument, personal attacks will speak to the agenda items, the only item under public hearing tonight. 00:17:47
This is the first of many a Sharon outline public hearings for our budget process. We do not have a draft budget for the public to 00:17:54
review at this point, but this is that moment where if you just have something that you think we need to budget for. 00:18:00
Come on up and let us hear about it. And then that will be taken into account as we move through the budget process. We anticipate 00:18:06
sharing the budget with the Council on May 1st, which is when it would technically become public, and then having conversations 00:18:11
about it at a variety of upcoming meetings and hearings. So is there anyone who would like to come forward and speak about the 00:18:17
2024 capital and operating budget at this time? 00:18:23
All right, seeing no takers, I'm going to close the public hearing and we will move on to appearances. 00:18:33
Our only appearance tonight is consideration of a pouring license for. 00:18:39
Kiki's Kitchen Court client. If you could give me a report please. 00:18:46
We have all the documentation needed. We have the fingerprinting report. All of that is clear. So the only things we'll be waiting 00:18:52
for will be a copy of the state license, as well as a copy of their food service permit, which is related to their business 00:18:59
license. But all other documentation I have on file. OK, great. 00:19:06
My Spanish is rusty, but Miss Chacon, how would I say that? 00:19:14
Chacon, is there anything you'd like to add or would you like to tell us about your new restaurant? That's. 00:19:19
That's coming. That's coming. 00:19:26
Who's the spokesperson for? 00:19:30
All. 00:19:33
That's the manager. OK, We'll come on up and tell us a little bit about what's coming to Watkinsville. We're excited. Thank you 00:19:35
guys for having us here. 00:19:38
Very grateful to have found the spot in. 00:19:43
And we're happy to. 00:19:45
Share with you guys our authentic Mexican food. 00:19:47
It's going to be a pleasure serving you guys. 00:19:51
Being aligned amongst with you guys. 00:19:54
We're like family. 00:19:58
It's like a family structure restaurant, so it's. 00:20:00
You know, very welcoming to you guys and anyone's welcome. 00:20:03
And we're just very excited. Tell us a little bit about the menu and maybe the history of the food and your family. Is there a 00:20:08
family connection to the way that you cook and stuff? The owner is my cousin, and our food is going to consist of a. 00:20:15
I don't know if you guys heard of barrier meat. 00:20:23
It's very good. 00:20:28
It's cooked overnight beef and it's like seasoned. The way he season is like special so. 00:20:32
It's going to be very tasteful and we're going to have all types of meats and vegetables and. 00:20:40
Just a bunch of. 00:20:45
Five days for that. 00:20:50
Yeah, just a bunch of. 00:20:52
Very excited to show you guys share with you guys the food that we have and how about the history of the name? 00:20:54
Yeah, so the owner is. His name is Enrique and. 00:21:01
So. 00:21:07
Back back in the hometown. 00:21:08
You know, people who couldn't pronounce Enrique like the kids and stuff. I run around just calling Kika and then that's just sort 00:21:10
of Enrique and. 00:21:14
Yeah. 00:21:19
Great. Any other questions from council? OK. 00:21:21
Lic. 00:21:28
Are you? 00:21:31
Margaritas. 00:21:32
Down the road, yes, definitely, Definitely down the road. 00:21:37
She has. 00:21:42
We're going to have a bunch of mixed rings with mine and stuff like that, but very excited for that also. 00:21:44
And is it the same menu? I've kind of, I live on our initials. So I've been watching the great mural that you guys have been 00:21:51
putting up and is it a kind of a branch of the one near Danielsville, like added. So that is that menu very similar. 00:21:59
And we're hoping to have more pictures and so you guys can see. 00:22:10
Type of food we will be serving, but we're very excited for that, yes. 00:22:13
When do you anticipate opening? So we're just waiting on the health department, yeah. 00:22:20
Basically, yeah, they said 20-30 days. 00:22:30
Yeah, first week of May. 00:22:34
Right. Yes. All right. That's exciting. Thank you, guys. Welcome to Watkinsville. 00:22:36
One of my favorite things to talk about when I'm out around the state is. 00:22:43
Excited to have you. OK, new business we have. We need to vote. Yeah, I guess we should do that. You don't want to stop. Don't 00:23:23
want to stop that. 00:23:28
Good point. Good point. 00:23:36
All right, good call. All right. I'll entertain a motion to approve the pouring beer and wine alcohol license for Kiki's kitchen. 00:23:38
Motion to approve it a second, please. 00:23:46
Any further discussion? 00:23:49
Hearing none all in favor, say aye. 00:23:51
Opposed. 00:23:53
Motion carries unanimously. 00:23:55
All right, we have up our friends from Big Springs Properties. They have a demolition permit. 00:23:57
Engineer Campbell, if you could give me a report and then we will hear from the applicants. Absolutely. Thank you Mayor. 00:24:04
So 1210 Greensboro Highway is actually the corner of Greensboro Highway and Morrison St. So the applicant has requested a 00:24:09
demolition of a single structure because there are multiple structures that are on that property. We didn't have a survey 00:24:15
provided, but the tax assessor has indicated it's a little bit more than than two acres at that location. The zoning is corridor 00:24:21
commercial, the existing use is commercial. 00:24:27
If you're aware there, you can see from some pictures if you've driven down the existing building that they're requesting to be 00:24:34
demolished. Did have some damage from a fire back in 2022, so that's the location from the location map again there on the 00:24:40
southern corner Morrison St. and Greensboro Highway, also known as State Route 15. 00:24:45
So directly in front of the structure you can see there kind of between the the sign and the tree, there's a secondary picture 00:24:52
that the next slide would show a little bit of a different angle there. 00:24:58
You can see on the right hand side of that some of the fire damage from the previous, so it is currently a vacant structure. 00:25:06
So the other existing structures as I indicated would would remain, they're not part of this, this application. The applicant has 00:25:14
also indicated that they don't have any desire to necessarily remove the slab that's under the structure supporting the 00:25:20
foundation. So it would be the the demolition of the the metal structure above that down to the slab. 00:25:26
These also indicated there's no mitigation required for any asbestos or mold in this structure. The disturbance is less than one 00:25:34
acre. 00:25:38
It's let It's not within 200 feet of state waters, so it wouldn't require having to go in front of the state from an erosion 00:25:42
control measure standpoint. That said, best management practices would still be required to make sure that during the demolition 00:25:49
process, there's not any tracking or sediment onto the streets, the roadways, or onto any adjacent properties. 00:25:55
Likewise, whoever is conducting any demolition, we need to make sure that all traffic and safety control measures are followed. We 00:26:03
don't want State Route 15 or Morrison St. to to have any traffic blocks during any time of construction for this, but I'll be 00:26:09
happy to answer any other questions. 00:26:15
All right, we've heard from the engineer I didn't know if y'all might want. 00:26:21
Share anything with Is there anything else you want to add? It seems pretty simple, it's just a demolition of a burned building. 00:26:26
Is there anything else you want to add? 00:26:29
All right. Questions for the engineer or the applicant? 00:26:34
All right, hearing none. Then I'll entertain a motion. 00:26:41
I make a motion to approve the demolition request. 00:26:45
Do we have a second? 00:26:48
Any further discussion, it's a quick point, just stating the obvious from the photos. There's no historical aspect or element 00:26:50
whatsoever and that's something that's probably important to notate in the minutes. It's it's a Butler building that has been 00:26:55
significantly damaged by a very hot fire. So, and in fact I would argue it's probably we need to demolish it because we do not 00:27:01
need people. 00:27:06
In and out of that building? In its current state, yes, so. 00:27:11
Glad the new owners are taking care of that. So, all right, so we have a motion. We have a second Any let's vote. All in favor. 00:27:14
Say aye. Any opposed? All right, unanimous. 00:27:20
Thank you. 00:27:27
New business continued. We have a couple of wastewater capacity allocation requests. I'm going to let manager Dickerson. 00:27:30
Walk us through those and we will kind of tackle those all together once she gives us the appropriate context. 00:27:37
Thank you, Mayor. 00:27:44
So we have 4 requests for a location that basically all these parcels are and I don't have a map but they're all together on 00:27:45
highway. 00:27:49
15 this These requests have come forward because the location has had at least three occasions, most recently in December and 00:27:54
January, where their septic tank has basically run back. I guess it's run back into the tank from the drain field that's overly 00:28:01
saturated. They've had AI think since about 2010. 00:28:08
I think they've had issues. The County Health Department has been encouraging them to do something about it. The the challenges is 00:28:16
that they. 00:28:20
Don't have septic field area to do anything about it. I'm not not really sure we're going to solve all their problems, but they 00:28:24
have requested a wastewater capacity that is within the city's purview. Under our policy, the city under the agreement with Oconee 00:28:31
County, the city is granted 100,000 gallons per day of wastewater capacity to use as we wish for developments within our 00:28:38
community. Prior to that, the county was in charge of sorted yay or nay and on request to to connect to sewer. 00:28:46
So the city does have, we do have capacity. I'll walk through a couple things here. We do have capacity we have. 00:28:54
So on the commercial side, we have about a little bit more than 20,000 gallons per day that has been committed. If you add the 260 00:29:30
* 4 lots, that would be a little bit more than 1000. I think it's 1040 is the number. 00:29:36
But it is important to see the bigger picture as well. And again, the same thing goes with those two last columns. The 12,000 is 00:29:43
actually how much capacity you have left because of that difference between the Oconee schools, what they thought they needed and 00:29:48
what Water resources said they do need. 00:29:52
So you do have some capacity. There will be another 100,000 gallons of capacity granted to the city when the expansion of the 00:29:57
water reclamation facility is completed sometime. 00:30:02
We may be able to help them, Council may decide to vote to give them capacity. 00:31:19
But that isn't going to necessarily get sewer to them that that is something they would have to take up with the water resource 00:31:24
utility. 00:31:26
OK. 00:31:29
So. 00:31:32
To reconcile the amount for Wisteria Ridge now that they'll be open a full year, I think come July. 00:32:04
So you know, we we've identified what they think they need, but they may not actually be using all that and we don't want to tie 00:32:09
up capacity. It could be used for something else. So if the owner doesn't, we will request that. 00:32:14
The but umm. 00:32:56
For instance, that gentleman got capacity, but then he sold the lot for somebody else. Well that person had to come back in and 00:33:00
get capacity. So we cancelled out that gentleman's and and authorized it for the other one. So if anyone of these businesses, 00:33:05
because they're businesses, I don't have that authority. I only have it for residential structures. If any of them, if they sold 00:33:10
their property and they wanted capacity, they could not pass that capacity on. 00:33:16
They would have to come back for council already connected to the sewer technically you're supposed to still come back. We can we 00:33:21
can send a letter to water resources and and I mean I don't know how to you know all the logistics are but I mean they would have 00:33:26
to request that so I mean there is there is a process we haven't had that happen not sure how it would all play out but that is 00:33:30
how it's supposed to work. 00:33:35
All right, so Council, having that background, if anyone's comfortable making a request to approve those. 00:33:41
Wastewater allocation capacity requests for those four entities. I would entertain that motion. 00:33:48
I make a motion to Appro. 00:33:54
We have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:33:58
Motion second, any discussion. 00:34:01
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 00:34:04
Motion carries. 00:34:09
All right, Item 18, we do not. Item 19 was not was removed from the agenda and tabled. So we have to public comments. 00:34:11
Generally we have. 00:34:20
Open. But we do have someone who's requested to speak to us tonight. That's Chase Boyd, who's leading the Oconee Farmers market. 00:34:23
Chase, thanks for. 00:34:26
Your leadership in your efforts, we're going to let you go first. We'll give you 4 minutes. Hop up. 00:34:29
Can you make sure that Mike's on to make sure the blue? 00:34:35
Yes, just tap on the mic to. Yeah and it's blue. So I'm Chase Boyd, I'm the Vice President on the Board for the Oconee County 00:34:39
Farmers Market. We recently moved to Harris Shoals and we are really excited about the things that we've got going on this year 00:34:45
and we appreciate the fact that you guys are giving us that venue to use. 00:34:52
In partnership with you guys as far as setting things up, just to kind of let you know how we did our first two markets. So April 00:35:00
1st when that Easter egg hunt was going on and the huge delusion hit everybody, we actually had our first market. 00:35:07
In spite of the fact that we only had about two hours where people were able to come toward the end of the market, we generated 00:35:16
almost $2000 in sales from our vendors. 00:35:21
The following week we weren't able to have the market, but then last weekend we had a little over $3200 in sales from the market. 00:35:27
The venue has been great and we really appreciate like I said. 00:35:40
What we've been able to do there, we are looking to do one major event once a month there to involve the community and things like 00:35:42
that. 00:35:47
We had kind of a April first, even though it was horrible. We had the Humane Society come out for dog adoption stuff. We had a 00:35:52
couple little baby goats that people could see, you know, farm animals and that kind of thing. So that was. 00:35:59
Actually, May 6th, we're going. 00:36:06
Baking competition. So we're looking for a couple of people. Hopefully somebody on the Councilor, you mayor maybe, would like to 00:36:11
come and be a guest judge for whoever signs up to do those things. We're trying to showcase summer berries and those kinds of 00:36:16
things and getting people more connected with eating seasonally and that kind of stuff. 00:36:22
That's pretty much all I have at this point, so thank you for your time. 00:36:30
One of the great ones that we have that I think's really cool is we have a shrimp ventilation. 00:37:05
So he actually has a cousin who has a shrimp boat in Savannah. So he goes and picks it up Friday morning and then we sell it 00:37:08
Saturday morning. So it's as fresh as you can get it without actually being in Savannah. 00:37:14
So that's been really cool. We've got some people working on getting their cottage license to be in compliance with selling some 00:37:20
baked goods, so we'll have fresh homemade bread as an option soon. 00:37:26
We've got several meat vendors that are coming into play, so we've got a pork vendor and that kind of stuff. We're really working 00:37:33
on trying to have more food options. 00:37:37
As a market, so we're not just like a craft fair. 00:37:43
Because while that's great and everything for the fall festival and that stuff, people go to a farmers market for produce and that 00:37:48
kind of stuff. So we're working with that. I actually am a school resource officer in Barrow County and we are working with our 00:37:54
alternative education program who has a small garden to grow, produce to actually offer and sell there as well. So that's another 00:38:00
project thing, getting our kids in an alternative program in to a sense of community and working out that way. 00:38:06
So does anyone else have any questions or anything else I can help with? 00:38:12
Can you bring back the baby goats? Absolutely. I'd be happy to. 00:38:18
Oh yeah, you just let me know. 00:38:23
That does bring up one other thing that I wanted to talk about. So like in August, we're going to do a movie night with the 00:38:26
market. So I've already kind of talked with. 00:38:31
Toby and everything about us potentially setting up at the old baseball field and doing a projector out there and playing a family 00:38:36
movie and inviting people to come out as the community and enjoy a nice evening. 00:38:43
Just in Watkinsville, so perfect. 00:38:50
As far As for the. 00:38:55
Saturday mornings, it's from 9:00 to 1:00 for right now as the market continues to grow and like I said, we we average 15 to 20 00:38:57
vendors coming right now. The more people that show up, the more vendors we can have and we're looking to hopefully extend the 00:39:03
hours some if we have the the need for that. And we're also looking at possibly doing like a weekday evening market so that you 00:39:09
can kind of get fresh produce midweek. 00:39:15
As well. So just a one marketing suggestion. Yeah, we do have a celebrity farmer in the community who's on national TV. There's 00:39:22
this. I don't know if anybody's seen it, this farmer. 00:39:26
Farmer wants a wife show in Hunter Racing Hunter Grayson. 00:39:31
Is from Watkinsville. So whether it's for your movie night or another time, you know it might be fun to get the Get your Celebrity 00:39:36
Farmer out there, you could have a little bit of fun with that. So I don't know if anybody knows Hunter, but but anyway, OK. 00:39:44
Oh yeah. So that was the other thing. My wife would be mad if I forgot to do that. So we are on Instagram, it's the Oconee Farmers 00:39:53
market and then we're also on Facebook as Oconee Farmers market. We try and make sure that we let you know the vendors that are 00:39:58
going to be there from week to week because it does vary somewhat and then what kind of events that we have going on and that kind 00:40:02
of stuff. 00:40:07
Oh, and we also have a craft tent where kids can come and do a free craft every Saturday. It's no charge to the parents or the 00:40:13
children, and it gets them engaged and coming out to the market too. 00:40:18
So. 00:40:24
And so Kiki is if they need free, if they need fresh shrimp, you know, on a fry on a Saturday, you know, for some great shrimp 00:40:25
tacos, you know, you can just come right down to hair Shoals Park here, so. 00:40:30
Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Great. Thank you. All right. Other members of the public, I know we've got some familiar faces here. 00:40:36
Now we got to talk a little bit during the break. Anybody have anything they want to say? 00:40:46
Clerk, did we receive anything in advance? 00:40:50
All right, Laura, come on up. 00:40:54
It does not have to be, can be on whatever's on your mind. Just state your name and address for the record and we will hear you 00:40:57
out. Laura Rose, 104 White St. 00:41:01
I'm delighted that the City Council is trying to develop a historic condition for the city, but I would really like for you guys 00:41:07
to put some more teeth into the enforcing ordinances on my street. There has been a derelict house for 15 years now. The owner of 00:41:14
it for most of that period of time, kept the grass cut. 00:41:21
But didn't do anything else to the house. There's a new owner for over a year. There was a dump truck and a dumpster in the front 00:41:30
yard. 00:41:34
After many complaints, it was finally taken away, but now there is still. 00:41:41
A bathtub. 00:41:46
A hot water. 00:41:48
And the sink in the front yard, along with some boards leading up to the steps of the house with the doors open. It looks like the 00:41:50
house is at the roof, is going to cave in, and I just really feel like there should be some teeth to the ordinances that make 00:41:56
people actually. 00:42:02
Maintain at least some kind of appropriate condition, at least for the front yard. I don't even want to tell you what the backyard 00:42:08
is like. 00:42:12
Do you know the address of the house, Laura? I think it's 60 White Lane. It's hard to miss. 00:42:18
And he's never cut the grass. We'll have code enforcement. Take a look at it. Thank you. 00:42:25
All right. Anything else? 00:42:32
All right, then we will move on to the mayor's report. 00:42:36
Had some exciting things happen in the past month in Watkinsville. We broke ground on the Oconee County Library, Watkinsville 00:42:42
Branch at Wire Park last Friday. 00:42:46
I believe Councilman Garrett and Councilwoman Tucker were there. Thank you all for being there. It was a fun day and that project 00:42:51
is supposed to be complete by the end of the year. Is that correct, Mr. Campbell? 00:42:57
Engineer Campbell, not wearing his engineer hat, is is one of the leaders of the library board and also spoken. Did a wonderful 00:43:05
job. So that was an exciting day for Watkinsville. 00:43:09
I just wanted to highlight one of our longest stand, not our longest, but a wonderful innovative business in Watkinsville to Fosi 00:43:16
Optics celebrated their 20th anniversary. They're one of our international brands in Watkinsville and they celebrated that last 00:43:21
Friday. They market and sell. 00:43:26
Sunglasses and I wear products for everything from video games to cycling to running to outdoors to fishing all over the world. 00:43:32
And they celebrated the big Two of last Friday, so congratulations to our friends. 00:43:37
To Fossey, Joe and Elizabeth Early started that business 20 years ago with just a dream and have built it into something that is. 00:43:43
Really cool. I think it they have actually the leading eyewear product for for running and hiking now. So neat little business 00:43:49
that like a lot that quietly operates in our industrial area. 00:43:54
Sewer line A if you haven't observed it yet, it was kind of slow going getting through. 00:44:01
Jerry Smith Dr. And then a very trick. 00:44:08
Jack and bore around some property but once they got through there they are moving quickly so they are have moved on up to. 00:44:11
To the industrial area and are moving up. I don't think that's industrial drive. What's the other name of that red mark, 00:44:18
Industrial Blvd. 00:44:21
I had that wrong when I sent it to Sharon. That's on me. So they're they're moving along Industrial Blvd. with some more dry 00:44:26
weather. Unless they hit rock, they are fine at this point. So it's really good to see. Hopefully that wraps up pretty soon. 00:44:32
With EV chargers, but if they're very popular then we may add more. But the idea being this will show up on the maps and on the 00:45:12
software. If people want to park while they're traveling through traveling from north to South and visit downtown Watkinsville and 00:45:17
go to our restaurants, they'll be able to. So that's coming soon. 00:45:23
Rocket Field is coming along very quickly. The dugouts and the concession stand were all painted this week. The light bulbs have 00:45:31
been printed, The light bulbs, the light poles have been prepped and they're ready to go up. I think they're just letting those, 00:45:37
the foundation settle in after a lot of rain, making sure they aren't going to move. So those are laid out on the field and ready 00:45:43
to be stood up. Then after that we'll get into a lot of concrete and dirt work. 00:45:49
I think we're still targeting late May, knock on wood to get that project wrapped up. 00:45:56
And but they are moving along and it's really going to be first class. 00:46:02
Hair Shoals Park making progress on our improvements there. You've probably seen the new sign. The bathrooms have been improved 00:46:08
and unless you go way to the back, what you might not have noticed was our big long bridge. 00:46:13
What had a bad sag in? 00:46:20
So our public works department got out there and rebuilt a couple of the foundational pieces of that bridge. 00:46:22
And that's really important. Y'all, because if we let that bridge go, the whole thing could have fallen down into that swamp and 00:46:27
it is a mess back there, so. 00:46:30
Kudos to Toby and team for jumping on that quickly and getting that stood back up. It's a beautiful area back there. 00:46:33
But it's kind of easy to from easy to forget about if you don't go back there. So as soon as we noticed that, they got back there 00:46:40
and got on that and got that stood back up. 00:46:44
Some big news on hair Shoals. 00:46:49
Again, I try not to get too hopeful about state or federal funding because we never know if we're going to get it, but we have 00:46:52
been shortlisted. 00:46:55
And Senator Warnock is suggesting Parishes Park for a potential $3.2 million appropriation. 00:46:59
To implement our hair Shoals, master. 00:47:08
Plan. So that has a ways to go. It's got to get through the Appropriations Committee, then it's got to get through the federal 00:47:11
budget process. So we're not going to get our hopes up too much. 00:47:16
But this is out in the public eye at this point, and I thought it would make sense for us to notify everyone of that. Christine, 00:47:21
Councilwoman Tucker. 00:47:26
And. 00:47:31
And Councilwoman Massey put a lot of work into getting that master plan done. So we're really excited if we can leverage some 00:47:32
federal dollars to activate that and move that quickly forward once we have the dollars. But it will probably be at least a year 00:47:38
before we know if we're going to actually get those. 00:47:43
Get those funds. 00:47:50
Anyway, cross your fingers, cross your toes, say a little prayer. If you know about anybody in Washington, put a good word in for 00:47:51
us. But that would be huge for those of you who need contacts. Are newcomers here tonight from Key Case, our total budget in 00:47:57
Watkinsville is about $2.6 million, so this would be more than our budget. 00:48:02
To improve the park back there. So that would be that would be tremendous. It would allow us to really do implement our plan in a 00:48:08
very meaningful way. 00:48:11
Just a little bit of recognition for the crew that redid City Hall. Landscaping continues to progress. The plants that Mark 00:48:18
planted are really starting to grow out front. We have sod and our little island. That didn't look great. Sharon, I really 00:48:23
appreciate you and the team. 00:48:28
Making sure our first impression is very positive. We have more visitors than ever now to City Hall to visit the playground, so 00:48:34
it's we're making an important first impression on the public when they visit. It really looks great and the Christine Tucker Blue 00:48:39
also looks great, so. 00:48:44
Also had the pleasure to meet with the new leader of the Oconee campus of the University of North Georgia, Russell Willis, earlier 00:48:51
this month and walk him through Watkinsville and talk about a few potential partnerships. We had a great meal at Lalos and he 00:48:57
actually met one of his students there who needed a little bit of help navigating some administrative stuff. So it turned out to 00:49:03
be very convenient for him. So we had a great visit and I think he'll do a nice job. 00:49:09
And I don't know who this guy is, but he had a birthday on Sunday. 00:49:18
You know, turn 21. So it was a big day. Thank you. Thank you, Sharon. 00:49:23
And we'll move on to council member reports. 00:49:28
Unless there's any other surprises, we'll start with Councilman. 00:49:31
All right, Councilwoman. 00:49:35
And from K. 00:49:38
Councilman. 00:49:40
Hey, good evening everybody. Hey, you know service doesn't just stop when I leave Watkinsville. I wanted y'all to know that. I 00:49:44
appreciate that the opportunity to be here. I am leading an effort here in Kuwait at the US. 00:49:52
We have rebuilt a back patio. 00:50:02
And it is is absolutely gorgeous. I have to get y'all some pictures of what we're doing here. 00:50:07
To show we've saved the the USO organization with through volunteer hours. Over 1000 volunteer hours, we've saved the USO. 00:50:13
About $30,000. 00:50:22
Build this back patio so it's it's a great organization and and. 00:50:25
I just want y'all to know that the service continues. 00:50:30
Abroad when I am not there, so I greatly appreciate y'all allowing me to continue to serve from abroad and I look forward to 00:50:35
getting back home here in a few months. 00:50:40
Well, we appreciate your service and everything you're doing, Councilman, we really do. So we. But we can't wait to have you back 00:50:46
in Watkinsville. 00:50:49
All right, Mayor Pro Tem Tucker. 00:50:54
So the main things we already talked about with the DBA update and mentioning the creative place making committee. 00:50:56
Also, we put out a call. 00:51:07
For some public art to start life. 00:51:10
I've got it on. 00:51:16
Overtime lining the pad. Unless we get that grant then. 00:51:20
Very excited to see what we would do in this space but to start lining the path the hair shows park up to the new playground and 00:51:23
possibilities in City Hall and. 00:51:29
My understanding is we only have one. 00:51:36
Submission from an artist. So we have put the deadline would be at the end of April. 00:51:40
But I just want a reminder of that. 00:51:45
You guys know any artists? It should be something, that is. 00:51:49
Can be touched by children. I mean, it doesn't have to be like an interactive thing, but it's just something that you know. 00:51:55
It should be child friendly, It should be focused on our native flora and fauna in the park. 00:52:01
And there's a relatively healthy, I mean, I am not an artist, so I do not understand all of the budget. But what I hear is it's 00:52:06
actually a relatively healthy. 00:52:10
Budget for an artist because we do believe in paying artists for their work so would love to see a few more. 00:52:13
All. 00:52:25
Councilman Camp. 00:52:26
The only thing I have is on the historic preservation. Scott Nesbitt is not sure if his class is going to be able to do the 00:52:29
project. 00:52:33
They said they said that class, so he's trying to see how he can make it work. 00:52:37
He gave me Jennifer Lewis's phone number last night. 00:52:41
She's someone who has LED shreds in regards to historic preservations. I want to contact her. 00:52:45
Hopefully tomorrow and kind of learn. 00:52:52
How she can help us? 00:52:56
More about the process. So then I'll wait to hear back from Scott in regards to. 00:52:58
What other ideas or options we have? It's not dead that it's asking into a via. Sounds like he wants to possibly have another 00:53:03
class to. 00:53:07
Waiting to hear that. 00:53:11
That's all I got. 00:53:13
All right. Thank you, Councilman Campbell. 00:53:16
With that, I'll ask for a motion to leave regular session and go into executive session for the purpose of discussing. 00:53:19
Personnel, real estate and threatened and pending litigation, which is Y'all's opportunity. 00:53:26
To exit and once that motion is made and approved. 00:53:32
Motion to leave to go into executive session. 00:53:37
For the formation reasons, we have a second. 00:53:39
All right, All in favor. Say aye. 00:53:45
Aye. 00:53:47
Mayor. 00:53:49
All right, I'll entertain a motion to Do we need a motion any other motion other than to adjourn? 00:53:51
I make a motion to adjourn. Second, all in favor, Say aye. 00:53:57
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All right. Welcome everybody, to the April 19th Watkinsville City Council meeting. Please note that we have a quorum here tonight. 00:00:11
We're joined by Colonel Brett Thomas from Kuwait. Again, welcome Colonel Thomas. We're glad you're with us. And I think everyone 00:00:17
else here in person, I'm glad to see all of you guys on this beautiful April night. We'll begin meeting as we always do. 00:00:23
I believe this is the flag of the United States of America, and two departments for which it stands 1 Mission ungod, indivisible, 00:00:31
with liberty and justice for all. 00:00:36
And speak related to what is on the agenda, there are some specific public hearing rules that we will explain should we go into 00:01:26
one of those situations tonight. So with that, our first time on the agenda tonight is approval, the minutes from the March 15th 00:01:31
meeting for quantity. There might have been a minor amendment set and then we can have a motion on. 00:01:37
Allegiance Fire Chief respects and actually led the pledge. So that change has been made. It has been made and then under all 00:01:44
business historic preservation, it's actually the Watson Brown Foundation and that. 00:01:49
Any other adjuster changes in minutes from. 00:01:56
And there's a motion to approve. 00:01:59
In the motion to recommend a second any conversation, none. I'll ever say aye. 00:02:02
And motion carries item number 2, the approval of the agenda. I would like the table consent agenda item for 9, and I would like 00:02:08
to table Business on #19. If council agrees with that, I'll accept motion to approve the amended agenda, please. 00:02:15
Make a motion to approve the agenda. What else do I have? 00:02:23
Do you have a second? 00:02:28
All in favor? Say aye. Motion carries 50. Thanks everyone. 00:02:30
But it's greater than even the other side of the world, Roger, with us. And always, as I said earlier, we're moving. Glad to be 00:02:35
here. Good. Glad to hear from you. We are moving to the administration portion of the meeting. As I said earlier, we will have 00:02:42
some points on the agenda. Where will Canada's mayor and council. We would have said everybody refrain from any personal tax 00:02:48
arguments, debates or irrelevant discussion. Address comments on the pending matter marks the committee, council, council. 00:02:55
The first one is the child abuse. 00:03:02
Provision month proclamation and I think we may have TR Smithing authority. This is a few step here with me to the smartphone. 00:03:05
We will really leave us in here and I really. 00:03:13
Welcome to Grace. Am I saying that right? TR, excuse me, Tiara and Grace are with us tonight. I will read the proclamation to the 00:03:17
record and then we'll take a picture. OK. And if you guys have something really want to say this to the time too, Child abuse 00:03:22
retention month is correct. 00:03:28
And consider helping parents, their children Safer tree environment. 00:03:57
I'm Brian Broadway of Watkinsville. Do you offer a month of April with Child Abuse Permission month in Watkinsville, Georgia 00:04:01
Encourage all citizens to volunteer their talents and energies on behalf of children in our community to reduce child abuse and 00:04:06
neglect significant in the years ago city of Watkinsville be. 00:04:11
This 19th day of April 2023. 00:04:16
I do want to mention things timely. We did an incident just last week where there was a child abuse and our police officers 00:04:19
responded to that and handled it in first class manner and the suspect was offended, put in jail immediately. The child was put in 00:04:26
a safe position. I think they have an enterprise will actually send them this week and they committed guys and editorial for how 00:04:32
the situation was able to achieve so. 00:04:38
The organization was occurred so I thought it was really fitting that and child abuse prevention in Lawrenceville our teams in 00:04:44
highlight for dealing with various contribution possible so race to you if you have a remark I want to make feel free and then 00:04:49
we'll take the just quickly it does take the community and take law enforcement. 00:04:54
First organization. We covered 7 counties, but we are the organization that works at preventing. 00:04:59
Said work closely with deployment family enjoy services and other organizations and community but we are going into homes every 00:05:05
day and park has no Coney bear that's sitting long. Visiting new parents and try to prevent abusing elective borders is a problem. 00:05:12
So only has been one of our counties for almost about 3 cities around formally notice for my childhood staffing but you want to 00:05:18
help out it doesn't take a little bit turns on to your. 00:05:24
Hold this up, Tom. 00:05:41
Thank you. 00:05:46
OK, we have 3. 00:05:51
City for a lot of years in a row, Julie. I think I'm just going to ask for this to be read into the record by the work. I'm not 00:05:55
going to be this one. But I will say that as Mayor I do hereby proclaim February 17th and April 28th is Barbara Day in the city of 00:06:01
Watkinsville. And there is all citizens to celebrate our day and support to protect our trees and will sit at the plant trees to 00:06:07
clean the heart. That will be those future directions. 00:06:12
I. 00:06:24
Notably, given all she does for us, it is also professional Municipal courts week on April 30th through May 6th of June. If you'll 00:06:25
come up here please. 00:06:29
Y'all anybody knows in Wattsville is like there's a person, you know, that everybody knows that's been taken care of at City Hall 00:06:37
for many years. It's been a great time. That's Julie. I've got to read this like official proclamation for Julie. I don't think 00:06:42
any words can capture what you mean to our city and what you mean to our citizens and what you've got to play shrink through the 00:06:48
years. You were the thread that's consistently been woven walk until for is it how many years. 00:06:54
Whereas professional municipal courts continually strive to improve the administration of affairs of the Office of professional 00:07:33
Clerk, participation in the Haitian smart shops, and annual meetings of their state, provincial, county and international 00:07:37
professional organizations. 00:07:41
Whereas it most appropriate that recognize the compliments of the office of the professional Municipal Court. Now, therefore I 00:07:45
bring broader Mayor of this evening Watkinsville, do hereby recognize the week of April 3 through May 6. 00:07:50
2023 is professional municipal parks. We can further extend appreciation of professional support Julie Fine until professional 00:07:55
support the vital sources they firm perform and their exemplary dedication communities they represent. 00:08:01
Julie, we thank you. 00:08:07
So. 00:08:09
I normally I don't speak, but because public speaking is not really important, I'm going to try. Of course I had to write it down 00:08:14
or I'll get tongue out or cry, which is where I've headed, but we'll see how it goes. 00:08:19
I'd like to thank you. 00:08:26
The past and the present mayors, council members, staff including our City attorney and City engineer, the citizens of 00:08:28
Watkinsville for allowing me to serve as the City clerk. Walkinsville. In almost 27 years here we have seen many changes and 00:08:33
challenges. 00:08:38
The hiring of our City Manager was a positive turning point for Watkinsville the consistency Chair and brings to the table along 00:08:44
with how dedicated the Mayor and Council artist driving for Walkerville to the community of connection and creativity. 00:08:51
Is exciting and I want to thank you all for your hard work and education for Watkinsville. I am grateful and proud to continue to 00:08:59
serve along with each of you. Thank you. 00:09:03
Performance evaluation. 00:09:15
I. 00:09:26
All right. We'll move along to our financial reports mandate. Dickerson, that's you. And for those of us who renew it, that covers 00:09:35
our general finances as well as our spawn funds, ARP funds and our. 00:09:40
Magic. Thank you, Mayor. Yeah, so you should receive the balance sheet, the general information. We're doing very well on the 00:09:45
revenue side. We're at 8% renews for the year and we're right at 30% expenses. It's about a difference of almost $300,000. We're 00:09:51
hopeful that some of that may come back into the general fund at the end of the year that we're tracking. 00:09:57
On floss one we had this is a 2009 Brenda the only left in fact that has not that check has actually been written. So this will 00:10:04
close out the flossed 1 project as the swan a check to the county for for construction of that sewer line And so we'll hopefully 00:10:11
this will be a zero out at the end of the next month and you won't have this coming however. So another report so spots two is 00:10:18
mostly a sewer line a you'll see waters or facility 904,000 there's a little bit of money left. 00:10:26
And I think the chef or signs that Chief, but the flash signs you seen around at this limit signs and some work the park has not 00:10:34
cleared yet and that's why those are still showing up. We do have a balance of $27,000 that can be used towards the others that we 00:10:38
anticipate will happen with sewer line. 00:10:42
Slash 3 Report These are This is the 2021 Sloss so this is new. We don't have a lot of adventures yet. We have accumulated a 00:10:48
little bit with $1,000,000 in the bank. The projects and the monies that are listed in the yellow have been encumbered for police 00:10:54
vehicles in roads and sorry and equipment download multipurpose government that has to do with all system equipment, public works 00:11:01
and the rec and parks that many has been in Congress. Some of that money has encumbered for. 00:11:07
Fairfield Park. 00:11:14
Like what else on that list? Recreation Creek base and some money's been satisfied for free space. So those monies are earmarked. 00:11:17
The rest of the monies are available and are still being. Those projects come before council for decisions. We don't make those 00:11:21
decisions without capital approval. 00:11:25
The. 00:11:31
This is just a report show you sort of where out with ours. With our bank accounts 1.1 million we're adding about a 3000 month up 00:11:32
from we normally in fact we budgeted for plus we budgeted about 65,000 a month and we're significantly over that. I will point 00:11:38
though that the first six months of FY23 were at 8.3%. 00:11:44
Actually I take that back. I'm going to reset all of this will be 8.63 it's our piece floss that will be that will change and that 00:11:51
will be 7.77% along our. 00:11:55
So, so we did, we did 100,000 in December. 00:11:59
So we have a very, very good first six months, I'm sure how the next six months ago, but we are, we are averaging more than we 00:12:03
thought we would so. 00:12:06
Impressions. 00:12:10
And then on ARP, we have reported the end of the month to the federal government on this. These funds the council elected to get 00:12:12
entered a lot of up to 10 million means the council can use this funds how they wish. They do not have to fall in any type of 00:12:17
category that the larger governments that got more money have to abide by. We have about 824,000 and about a little bit 780,000 00:12:22
that has been appropriated at this point. 00:12:28
And then just as a reminder, we do have a budget process that is underway tonight and there will be a public hearing on the budget 00:12:35
sort just the count of the citizens interests or input into the development of the budget. There is no budget to respond to yet 00:12:41
that will be provided to Council the 1st May. 00:12:46
Be council sessions, council meetings. 00:12:52
Possibly another council work session and then the budget will be a plea engine 21st. 00:12:54
Any questions on any of that? 00:12:59
Move on to next economic development. So I've not provided a list of these because if you look through your packet, there's a lot 00:13:04
of income. A lot. But this is just excerpts, 2 pages of a business license. 00:13:10
Business licenses in there, there's $13,000. Little than 13,000 isn't collected for occasion. Taxes or business licenses. We've 00:13:17
had some insurance payments come in and alcohol license payment from is it kite kites? 00:13:23
For the out of license you guys will be considering tonight. 00:13:29
I know X attack size aside, alcohol excise taxes, we have a little more 10,000 since that was approved and our short term vacation 00:13:33
rentals and motor taxes a bit of 18,000. 00:13:37
On economic development building permits, we have 10 parts for six projects, several associated with the mini storage. 00:13:44
And I think you don't be having that work. Yeah, we didn't have cattle, did have one water park. So we continue to see stuff move 00:13:51
in there. 00:13:55
Any questions on any of those? 00:13:59
OK. 00:14:01
Oh, I got. 00:14:04
Should be back on. 00:14:11
All right. 00:14:13
We are back. 00:14:14
And I think we were. 00:14:17
Police Department report chief. 00:14:20
Good evening, Mayor Council, always a pleasure to be for you. 00:14:25
All right, so we wrapped up the Easter egg we were going to. 00:14:30
Next slide, which is where we got held up. 00:14:33
All right, and may, May 6th, we have cops and bombers out here at Harvey Wildlife starting at 9:00 AM. Will kick off an event 00:14:39
where. 00:14:43
Kids can come out and fish and have fun and and catch catch a few fish and win some trophies and some prizes and all that kind of 00:14:48
good stuff. 00:14:52
And we'll feed them and give them some drinks and all that kind of stuff and get them all sugared up and send them home. 00:14:56
With mom and dad. 00:15:02
And. 00:15:03
Thanks to Marshall Gaddy, Sir. Alta, who is the Marshall down in Miami, FL. We. 00:15:05
You know, we're always looking around for, you know, things like that and the major deputy Chief, Todd Teton. 00:15:12
I reached out to a few of his connections in the Marshall service. 00:15:21
And before we know it, we had Marshall, Sir Alta calling us and saying, I'm sending you everything you want. 00:15:24
Which really not a true statement. 00:15:30
But. 00:15:33
But we got a lot more than what we what we, you know, anticipated. He sent us an entire box of gear. 00:15:36
Those are plate carriers. 00:15:43
They are not ballistic rated carriers, but they are plate carriers that will actually house. 00:15:47
The ballistic plates and panels that will help. 00:15:53
Rifle rounds and things like that in the event we have. 00:15:57
An active shooter or a situation where we're, you know, having to take gunfire. 00:16:01
So now the next question is to find the the ceramic place that go inside them and. 00:16:07
But that that that's equivalent to about $11,000 worth of year that. 00:16:12
We were donating. 00:16:17
And we're thankful for that. 00:16:18
You're very helpful. 00:16:20
We're thankful for you and the majors. Resourcefulness on that, and of course, badges and benevolence is the police foundation for 00:16:21
this Watkinsville Police Department. And if you would like to have a dollar for dollar tax credit. 00:16:29
All those QR codes. 00:16:38
Take action. 00:16:41
All right. Anything else? Any other? 00:16:44
Thank you very much. 00:16:50
All right. Thank you, Chief. 00:16:52
All right, consent agenda. Do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? 00:16:55
I make a motion to approve the control agenda. All right, Do we have a second? All right, all in favor, say aye. 00:17:03
All right, motion carries 5 O. For our members of the public, the items on the consent agenda were the. 00:17:11
Urban Forest Board appointment of Susanna D. 00:17:19
And the resolution to approve the MO U for application to the Georgia Main Street program. 00:17:22
And appoint the DDA board to serve as the Main Street Board. So Kate, I know that's probably been a lot of work for you. So we're 00:17:27
excited to move that forward and we'll hear about that in the summer we think. 00:17:32
Hope so OK. 00:17:38
All right, we'll move on to a public hearing. The rules that I outlined previously apply 4 minutes per person if you choose to 00:17:40
come forward. No debate, argument, personal attacks will speak to the agenda items, the only item under public hearing tonight. 00:17:47
This is the first of many a Sharon outline public hearings for our budget process. We do not have a draft budget for the public to 00:17:54
review at this point, but this is that moment where if you just have something that you think we need to budget for. 00:18:00
Come on up and let us hear about it. And then that will be taken into account as we move through the budget process. We anticipate 00:18:06
sharing the budget with the Council on May 1st, which is when it would technically become public, and then having conversations 00:18:11
about it at a variety of upcoming meetings and hearings. So is there anyone who would like to come forward and speak about the 00:18:17
2024 capital and operating budget at this time? 00:18:23
All right, seeing no takers, I'm going to close the public hearing and we will move on to appearances. 00:18:33
Our only appearance tonight is consideration of a pouring license for. 00:18:39
Kiki's Kitchen Court client. If you could give me a report please. 00:18:46
We have all the documentation needed. We have the fingerprinting report. All of that is clear. So the only things we'll be waiting 00:18:52
for will be a copy of the state license, as well as a copy of their food service permit, which is related to their business 00:18:59
license. But all other documentation I have on file. OK, great. 00:19:06
My Spanish is rusty, but Miss Chacon, how would I say that? 00:19:14
Chacon, is there anything you'd like to add or would you like to tell us about your new restaurant? That's. 00:19:19
That's coming. That's coming. 00:19:26
Who's the spokesperson for? 00:19:30
All. 00:19:33
That's the manager. OK, We'll come on up and tell us a little bit about what's coming to Watkinsville. We're excited. Thank you 00:19:35
guys for having us here. 00:19:38
Very grateful to have found the spot in. 00:19:43
And we're happy to. 00:19:45
Share with you guys our authentic Mexican food. 00:19:47
It's going to be a pleasure serving you guys. 00:19:51
Being aligned amongst with you guys. 00:19:54
We're like family. 00:19:58
It's like a family structure restaurant, so it's. 00:20:00
You know, very welcoming to you guys and anyone's welcome. 00:20:03
And we're just very excited. Tell us a little bit about the menu and maybe the history of the food and your family. Is there a 00:20:08
family connection to the way that you cook and stuff? The owner is my cousin, and our food is going to consist of a. 00:20:15
I don't know if you guys heard of barrier meat. 00:20:23
It's very good. 00:20:28
It's cooked overnight beef and it's like seasoned. The way he season is like special so. 00:20:32
It's going to be very tasteful and we're going to have all types of meats and vegetables and. 00:20:40
Just a bunch of. 00:20:45
Five days for that. 00:20:50
Yeah, just a bunch of. 00:20:52
Very excited to show you guys share with you guys the food that we have and how about the history of the name? 00:20:54
Yeah, so the owner is. His name is Enrique and. 00:21:01
So. 00:21:07
Back back in the hometown. 00:21:08
You know, people who couldn't pronounce Enrique like the kids and stuff. I run around just calling Kika and then that's just sort 00:21:10
of Enrique and. 00:21:14
Yeah. 00:21:19
Great. Any other questions from council? OK. 00:21:21
Lic. 00:21:28
Are you? 00:21:31
Margaritas. 00:21:32
Down the road, yes, definitely, Definitely down the road. 00:21:37
She has. 00:21:42
We're going to have a bunch of mixed rings with mine and stuff like that, but very excited for that also. 00:21:44
And is it the same menu? I've kind of, I live on our initials. So I've been watching the great mural that you guys have been 00:21:51
putting up and is it a kind of a branch of the one near Danielsville, like added. So that is that menu very similar. 00:21:59
And we're hoping to have more pictures and so you guys can see. 00:22:10
Type of food we will be serving, but we're very excited for that, yes. 00:22:13
When do you anticipate opening? So we're just waiting on the health department, yeah. 00:22:20
Basically, yeah, they said 20-30 days. 00:22:30
Yeah, first week of May. 00:22:34
Right. Yes. All right. That's exciting. Thank you, guys. Welcome to Watkinsville. 00:22:36
One of my favorite things to talk about when I'm out around the state is. 00:22:43
Excited to have you. OK, new business we have. We need to vote. Yeah, I guess we should do that. You don't want to stop. Don't 00:23:23
want to stop that. 00:23:28
Good point. Good point. 00:23:36
All right, good call. All right. I'll entertain a motion to approve the pouring beer and wine alcohol license for Kiki's kitchen. 00:23:38
Motion to approve it a second, please. 00:23:46
Any further discussion? 00:23:49
Hearing none all in favor, say aye. 00:23:51
Opposed. 00:23:53
Motion carries unanimously. 00:23:55
All right, we have up our friends from Big Springs Properties. They have a demolition permit. 00:23:57
Engineer Campbell, if you could give me a report and then we will hear from the applicants. Absolutely. Thank you Mayor. 00:24:04
So 1210 Greensboro Highway is actually the corner of Greensboro Highway and Morrison St. So the applicant has requested a 00:24:09
demolition of a single structure because there are multiple structures that are on that property. We didn't have a survey 00:24:15
provided, but the tax assessor has indicated it's a little bit more than than two acres at that location. The zoning is corridor 00:24:21
commercial, the existing use is commercial. 00:24:27
If you're aware there, you can see from some pictures if you've driven down the existing building that they're requesting to be 00:24:34
demolished. Did have some damage from a fire back in 2022, so that's the location from the location map again there on the 00:24:40
southern corner Morrison St. and Greensboro Highway, also known as State Route 15. 00:24:45
So directly in front of the structure you can see there kind of between the the sign and the tree, there's a secondary picture 00:24:52
that the next slide would show a little bit of a different angle there. 00:24:58
You can see on the right hand side of that some of the fire damage from the previous, so it is currently a vacant structure. 00:25:06
So the other existing structures as I indicated would would remain, they're not part of this, this application. The applicant has 00:25:14
also indicated that they don't have any desire to necessarily remove the slab that's under the structure supporting the 00:25:20
foundation. So it would be the the demolition of the the metal structure above that down to the slab. 00:25:26
These also indicated there's no mitigation required for any asbestos or mold in this structure. The disturbance is less than one 00:25:34
acre. 00:25:38
It's let It's not within 200 feet of state waters, so it wouldn't require having to go in front of the state from an erosion 00:25:42
control measure standpoint. That said, best management practices would still be required to make sure that during the demolition 00:25:49
process, there's not any tracking or sediment onto the streets, the roadways, or onto any adjacent properties. 00:25:55
Likewise, whoever is conducting any demolition, we need to make sure that all traffic and safety control measures are followed. We 00:26:03
don't want State Route 15 or Morrison St. to to have any traffic blocks during any time of construction for this, but I'll be 00:26:09
happy to answer any other questions. 00:26:15
All right, we've heard from the engineer I didn't know if y'all might want. 00:26:21
Share anything with Is there anything else you want to add? It seems pretty simple, it's just a demolition of a burned building. 00:26:26
Is there anything else you want to add? 00:26:29
All right. Questions for the engineer or the applicant? 00:26:34
All right, hearing none. Then I'll entertain a motion. 00:26:41
I make a motion to approve the demolition request. 00:26:45
Do we have a second? 00:26:48
Any further discussion, it's a quick point, just stating the obvious from the photos. There's no historical aspect or element 00:26:50
whatsoever and that's something that's probably important to notate in the minutes. It's it's a Butler building that has been 00:26:55
significantly damaged by a very hot fire. So, and in fact I would argue it's probably we need to demolish it because we do not 00:27:01
need people. 00:27:06
In and out of that building? In its current state, yes, so. 00:27:11
Glad the new owners are taking care of that. So, all right, so we have a motion. We have a second Any let's vote. All in favor. 00:27:14
Say aye. Any opposed? All right, unanimous. 00:27:20
Thank you. 00:27:27
New business continued. We have a couple of wastewater capacity allocation requests. I'm going to let manager Dickerson. 00:27:30
Walk us through those and we will kind of tackle those all together once she gives us the appropriate context. 00:27:37
Thank you, Mayor. 00:27:44
So we have 4 requests for a location that basically all these parcels are and I don't have a map but they're all together on 00:27:45
highway. 00:27:49
15 this These requests have come forward because the location has had at least three occasions, most recently in December and 00:27:54
January, where their septic tank has basically run back. I guess it's run back into the tank from the drain field that's overly 00:28:01
saturated. They've had AI think since about 2010. 00:28:08
I think they've had issues. The County Health Department has been encouraging them to do something about it. The the challenges is 00:28:16
that they. 00:28:20
Don't have septic field area to do anything about it. I'm not not really sure we're going to solve all their problems, but they 00:28:24
have requested a wastewater capacity that is within the city's purview. Under our policy, the city under the agreement with Oconee 00:28:31
County, the city is granted 100,000 gallons per day of wastewater capacity to use as we wish for developments within our 00:28:38
community. Prior to that, the county was in charge of sorted yay or nay and on request to to connect to sewer. 00:28:46
So the city does have, we do have capacity. I'll walk through a couple things here. We do have capacity we have. 00:28:54
So on the commercial side, we have about a little bit more than 20,000 gallons per day that has been committed. If you add the 260 00:29:30
* 4 lots, that would be a little bit more than 1000. I think it's 1040 is the number. 00:29:36
But it is important to see the bigger picture as well. And again, the same thing goes with those two last columns. The 12,000 is 00:29:43
actually how much capacity you have left because of that difference between the Oconee schools, what they thought they needed and 00:29:48
what Water resources said they do need. 00:29:52
So you do have some capacity. There will be another 100,000 gallons of capacity granted to the city when the expansion of the 00:29:57
water reclamation facility is completed sometime. 00:30:02
We may be able to help them, Council may decide to vote to give them capacity. 00:31:19
But that isn't going to necessarily get sewer to them that that is something they would have to take up with the water resource 00:31:24
utility. 00:31:26
OK. 00:31:29
So. 00:31:32
To reconcile the amount for Wisteria Ridge now that they'll be open a full year, I think come July. 00:32:04
So you know, we we've identified what they think they need, but they may not actually be using all that and we don't want to tie 00:32:09
up capacity. It could be used for something else. So if the owner doesn't, we will request that. 00:32:14
The but umm. 00:32:56
For instance, that gentleman got capacity, but then he sold the lot for somebody else. Well that person had to come back in and 00:33:00
get capacity. So we cancelled out that gentleman's and and authorized it for the other one. So if anyone of these businesses, 00:33:05
because they're businesses, I don't have that authority. I only have it for residential structures. If any of them, if they sold 00:33:10
their property and they wanted capacity, they could not pass that capacity on. 00:33:16
They would have to come back for council already connected to the sewer technically you're supposed to still come back. We can we 00:33:21
can send a letter to water resources and and I mean I don't know how to you know all the logistics are but I mean they would have 00:33:26
to request that so I mean there is there is a process we haven't had that happen not sure how it would all play out but that is 00:33:30
how it's supposed to work. 00:33:35
All right, so Council, having that background, if anyone's comfortable making a request to approve those. 00:33:41
Wastewater allocation capacity requests for those four entities. I would entertain that motion. 00:33:48
I make a motion to Appro. 00:33:54
We have a motion. Do we have a second? 00:33:58
Motion second, any discussion. 00:34:01
All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? 00:34:04
Motion carries. 00:34:09
All right, Item 18, we do not. Item 19 was not was removed from the agenda and tabled. So we have to public comments. 00:34:11
Generally we have. 00:34:20
Open. But we do have someone who's requested to speak to us tonight. That's Chase Boyd, who's leading the Oconee Farmers market. 00:34:23
Chase, thanks for. 00:34:26
Your leadership in your efforts, we're going to let you go first. We'll give you 4 minutes. Hop up. 00:34:29
Can you make sure that Mike's on to make sure the blue? 00:34:35
Yes, just tap on the mic to. Yeah and it's blue. So I'm Chase Boyd, I'm the Vice President on the Board for the Oconee County 00:34:39
Farmers Market. We recently moved to Harris Shoals and we are really excited about the things that we've got going on this year 00:34:45
and we appreciate the fact that you guys are giving us that venue to use. 00:34:52
In partnership with you guys as far as setting things up, just to kind of let you know how we did our first two markets. So April 00:35:00
1st when that Easter egg hunt was going on and the huge delusion hit everybody, we actually had our first market. 00:35:07
In spite of the fact that we only had about two hours where people were able to come toward the end of the market, we generated 00:35:16
almost $2000 in sales from our vendors. 00:35:21
The following week we weren't able to have the market, but then last weekend we had a little over $3200 in sales from the market. 00:35:27
The venue has been great and we really appreciate like I said. 00:35:40
What we've been able to do there, we are looking to do one major event once a month there to involve the community and things like 00:35:42
that. 00:35:47
We had kind of a April first, even though it was horrible. We had the Humane Society come out for dog adoption stuff. We had a 00:35:52
couple little baby goats that people could see, you know, farm animals and that kind of thing. So that was. 00:35:59
Actually, May 6th, we're going. 00:36:06
Baking competition. So we're looking for a couple of people. Hopefully somebody on the Councilor, you mayor maybe, would like to 00:36:11
come and be a guest judge for whoever signs up to do those things. We're trying to showcase summer berries and those kinds of 00:36:16
things and getting people more connected with eating seasonally and that kind of stuff. 00:36:22
That's pretty much all I have at this point, so thank you for your time. 00:36:30
One of the great ones that we have that I think's really cool is we have a shrimp ventilation. 00:37:05
So he actually has a cousin who has a shrimp boat in Savannah. So he goes and picks it up Friday morning and then we sell it 00:37:08
Saturday morning. So it's as fresh as you can get it without actually being in Savannah. 00:37:14
So that's been really cool. We've got some people working on getting their cottage license to be in compliance with selling some 00:37:20
baked goods, so we'll have fresh homemade bread as an option soon. 00:37:26
We've got several meat vendors that are coming into play, so we've got a pork vendor and that kind of stuff. We're really working 00:37:33
on trying to have more food options. 00:37:37
As a market, so we're not just like a craft fair. 00:37:43
Because while that's great and everything for the fall festival and that stuff, people go to a farmers market for produce and that 00:37:48
kind of stuff. So we're working with that. I actually am a school resource officer in Barrow County and we are working with our 00:37:54
alternative education program who has a small garden to grow, produce to actually offer and sell there as well. So that's another 00:38:00
project thing, getting our kids in an alternative program in to a sense of community and working out that way. 00:38:06
So does anyone else have any questions or anything else I can help with? 00:38:12
Can you bring back the baby goats? Absolutely. I'd be happy to. 00:38:18
Oh yeah, you just let me know. 00:38:23
That does bring up one other thing that I wanted to talk about. So like in August, we're going to do a movie night with the 00:38:26
market. So I've already kind of talked with. 00:38:31
Toby and everything about us potentially setting up at the old baseball field and doing a projector out there and playing a family 00:38:36
movie and inviting people to come out as the community and enjoy a nice evening. 00:38:43
Just in Watkinsville, so perfect. 00:38:50
As far As for the. 00:38:55
Saturday mornings, it's from 9:00 to 1:00 for right now as the market continues to grow and like I said, we we average 15 to 20 00:38:57
vendors coming right now. The more people that show up, the more vendors we can have and we're looking to hopefully extend the 00:39:03
hours some if we have the the need for that. And we're also looking at possibly doing like a weekday evening market so that you 00:39:09
can kind of get fresh produce midweek. 00:39:15
As well. So just a one marketing suggestion. Yeah, we do have a celebrity farmer in the community who's on national TV. There's 00:39:22
this. I don't know if anybody's seen it, this farmer. 00:39:26
Farmer wants a wife show in Hunter Racing Hunter Grayson. 00:39:31
Is from Watkinsville. So whether it's for your movie night or another time, you know it might be fun to get the Get your Celebrity 00:39:36
Farmer out there, you could have a little bit of fun with that. So I don't know if anybody knows Hunter, but but anyway, OK. 00:39:44
Oh yeah. So that was the other thing. My wife would be mad if I forgot to do that. So we are on Instagram, it's the Oconee Farmers 00:39:53
market and then we're also on Facebook as Oconee Farmers market. We try and make sure that we let you know the vendors that are 00:39:58
going to be there from week to week because it does vary somewhat and then what kind of events that we have going on and that kind 00:40:02
of stuff. 00:40:07
Oh, and we also have a craft tent where kids can come and do a free craft every Saturday. It's no charge to the parents or the 00:40:13
children, and it gets them engaged and coming out to the market too. 00:40:18
So. 00:40:24
And so Kiki is if they need free, if they need fresh shrimp, you know, on a fry on a Saturday, you know, for some great shrimp 00:40:25
tacos, you know, you can just come right down to hair Shoals Park here, so. 00:40:30
Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Great. Thank you. All right. Other members of the public, I know we've got some familiar faces here. 00:40:36
Now we got to talk a little bit during the break. Anybody have anything they want to say? 00:40:46
Clerk, did we receive anything in advance? 00:40:50
All right, Laura, come on up. 00:40:54
It does not have to be, can be on whatever's on your mind. Just state your name and address for the record and we will hear you 00:40:57
out. Laura Rose, 104 White St. 00:41:01
I'm delighted that the City Council is trying to develop a historic condition for the city, but I would really like for you guys 00:41:07
to put some more teeth into the enforcing ordinances on my street. There has been a derelict house for 15 years now. The owner of 00:41:14
it for most of that period of time, kept the grass cut. 00:41:21
But didn't do anything else to the house. There's a new owner for over a year. There was a dump truck and a dumpster in the front 00:41:30
yard. 00:41:34
After many complaints, it was finally taken away, but now there is still. 00:41:41
A bathtub. 00:41:46
A hot water. 00:41:48
And the sink in the front yard, along with some boards leading up to the steps of the house with the doors open. It looks like the 00:41:50
house is at the roof, is going to cave in, and I just really feel like there should be some teeth to the ordinances that make 00:41:56
people actually. 00:42:02
Maintain at least some kind of appropriate condition, at least for the front yard. I don't even want to tell you what the backyard 00:42:08
is like. 00:42:12
Do you know the address of the house, Laura? I think it's 60 White Lane. It's hard to miss. 00:42:18
And he's never cut the grass. We'll have code enforcement. Take a look at it. Thank you. 00:42:25
All right. Anything else? 00:42:32
All right, then we will move on to the mayor's report. 00:42:36
Had some exciting things happen in the past month in Watkinsville. We broke ground on the Oconee County Library, Watkinsville 00:42:42
Branch at Wire Park last Friday. 00:42:46
I believe Councilman Garrett and Councilwoman Tucker were there. Thank you all for being there. It was a fun day and that project 00:42:51
is supposed to be complete by the end of the year. Is that correct, Mr. Campbell? 00:42:57
Engineer Campbell, not wearing his engineer hat, is is one of the leaders of the library board and also spoken. Did a wonderful 00:43:05
job. So that was an exciting day for Watkinsville. 00:43:09
I just wanted to highlight one of our longest stand, not our longest, but a wonderful innovative business in Watkinsville to Fosi 00:43:16
Optics celebrated their 20th anniversary. They're one of our international brands in Watkinsville and they celebrated that last 00:43:21
Friday. They market and sell. 00:43:26
Sunglasses and I wear products for everything from video games to cycling to running to outdoors to fishing all over the world. 00:43:32
And they celebrated the big Two of last Friday, so congratulations to our friends. 00:43:37
To Fossey, Joe and Elizabeth Early started that business 20 years ago with just a dream and have built it into something that is. 00:43:43
Really cool. I think it they have actually the leading eyewear product for for running and hiking now. So neat little business 00:43:49
that like a lot that quietly operates in our industrial area. 00:43:54
Sewer line A if you haven't observed it yet, it was kind of slow going getting through. 00:44:01
Jerry Smith Dr. And then a very trick. 00:44:08
Jack and bore around some property but once they got through there they are moving quickly so they are have moved on up to. 00:44:11
To the industrial area and are moving up. I don't think that's industrial drive. What's the other name of that red mark, 00:44:18
Industrial Blvd. 00:44:21
I had that wrong when I sent it to Sharon. That's on me. So they're they're moving along Industrial Blvd. with some more dry 00:44:26
weather. Unless they hit rock, they are fine at this point. So it's really good to see. Hopefully that wraps up pretty soon. 00:44:32
With EV chargers, but if they're very popular then we may add more. But the idea being this will show up on the maps and on the 00:45:12
software. If people want to park while they're traveling through traveling from north to South and visit downtown Watkinsville and 00:45:17
go to our restaurants, they'll be able to. So that's coming soon. 00:45:23
Rocket Field is coming along very quickly. The dugouts and the concession stand were all painted this week. The light bulbs have 00:45:31
been printed, The light bulbs, the light poles have been prepped and they're ready to go up. I think they're just letting those, 00:45:37
the foundation settle in after a lot of rain, making sure they aren't going to move. So those are laid out on the field and ready 00:45:43
to be stood up. Then after that we'll get into a lot of concrete and dirt work. 00:45:49
I think we're still targeting late May, knock on wood to get that project wrapped up. 00:45:56
And but they are moving along and it's really going to be first class. 00:46:02
Hair Shoals Park making progress on our improvements there. You've probably seen the new sign. The bathrooms have been improved 00:46:08
and unless you go way to the back, what you might not have noticed was our big long bridge. 00:46:13
What had a bad sag in? 00:46:20
So our public works department got out there and rebuilt a couple of the foundational pieces of that bridge. 00:46:22
And that's really important. Y'all, because if we let that bridge go, the whole thing could have fallen down into that swamp and 00:46:27
it is a mess back there, so. 00:46:30
Kudos to Toby and team for jumping on that quickly and getting that stood back up. It's a beautiful area back there. 00:46:33
But it's kind of easy to from easy to forget about if you don't go back there. So as soon as we noticed that, they got back there 00:46:40
and got on that and got that stood back up. 00:46:44
Some big news on hair Shoals. 00:46:49
Again, I try not to get too hopeful about state or federal funding because we never know if we're going to get it, but we have 00:46:52
been shortlisted. 00:46:55
And Senator Warnock is suggesting Parishes Park for a potential $3.2 million appropriation. 00:46:59
To implement our hair Shoals, master. 00:47:08
Plan. So that has a ways to go. It's got to get through the Appropriations Committee, then it's got to get through the federal 00:47:11
budget process. So we're not going to get our hopes up too much. 00:47:16
But this is out in the public eye at this point, and I thought it would make sense for us to notify everyone of that. Christine, 00:47:21
Councilwoman Tucker. 00:47:26
And. 00:47:31
And Councilwoman Massey put a lot of work into getting that master plan done. So we're really excited if we can leverage some 00:47:32
federal dollars to activate that and move that quickly forward once we have the dollars. But it will probably be at least a year 00:47:38
before we know if we're going to actually get those. 00:47:43
Get those funds. 00:47:50
Anyway, cross your fingers, cross your toes, say a little prayer. If you know about anybody in Washington, put a good word in for 00:47:51
us. But that would be huge for those of you who need contacts. Are newcomers here tonight from Key Case, our total budget in 00:47:57
Watkinsville is about $2.6 million, so this would be more than our budget. 00:48:02
To improve the park back there. So that would be that would be tremendous. It would allow us to really do implement our plan in a 00:48:08
very meaningful way. 00:48:11
Just a little bit of recognition for the crew that redid City Hall. Landscaping continues to progress. The plants that Mark 00:48:18
planted are really starting to grow out front. We have sod and our little island. That didn't look great. Sharon, I really 00:48:23
appreciate you and the team. 00:48:28
Making sure our first impression is very positive. We have more visitors than ever now to City Hall to visit the playground, so 00:48:34
it's we're making an important first impression on the public when they visit. It really looks great and the Christine Tucker Blue 00:48:39
also looks great, so. 00:48:44
Also had the pleasure to meet with the new leader of the Oconee campus of the University of North Georgia, Russell Willis, earlier 00:48:51
this month and walk him through Watkinsville and talk about a few potential partnerships. We had a great meal at Lalos and he 00:48:57
actually met one of his students there who needed a little bit of help navigating some administrative stuff. So it turned out to 00:49:03
be very convenient for him. So we had a great visit and I think he'll do a nice job. 00:49:09
And I don't know who this guy is, but he had a birthday on Sunday. 00:49:18
You know, turn 21. So it was a big day. Thank you. Thank you, Sharon. 00:49:23
And we'll move on to council member reports. 00:49:28
Unless there's any other surprises, we'll start with Councilman. 00:49:31
All right, Councilwoman. 00:49:35
And from K. 00:49:38
Councilman. 00:49:40
Hey, good evening everybody. Hey, you know service doesn't just stop when I leave Watkinsville. I wanted y'all to know that. I 00:49:44
appreciate that the opportunity to be here. I am leading an effort here in Kuwait at the US. 00:49:52
We have rebuilt a back patio. 00:50:02
And it is is absolutely gorgeous. I have to get y'all some pictures of what we're doing here. 00:50:07
To show we've saved the the USO organization with through volunteer hours. Over 1000 volunteer hours, we've saved the USO. 00:50:13
About $30,000. 00:50:22
Build this back patio so it's it's a great organization and and. 00:50:25
I just want y'all to know that the service continues. 00:50:30
Abroad when I am not there, so I greatly appreciate y'all allowing me to continue to serve from abroad and I look forward to 00:50:35
getting back home here in a few months. 00:50:40
Well, we appreciate your service and everything you're doing, Councilman, we really do. So we. But we can't wait to have you back 00:50:46
in Watkinsville. 00:50:49
All right, Mayor Pro Tem Tucker. 00:50:54
So the main things we already talked about with the DBA update and mentioning the creative place making committee. 00:50:56
Also, we put out a call. 00:51:07
For some public art to start life. 00:51:10
I've got it on. 00:51:16
Overtime lining the pad. Unless we get that grant then. 00:51:20
Very excited to see what we would do in this space but to start lining the path the hair shows park up to the new playground and 00:51:23
possibilities in City Hall and. 00:51:29
My understanding is we only have one. 00:51:36
Submission from an artist. So we have put the deadline would be at the end of April. 00:51:40
But I just want a reminder of that. 00:51:45
You guys know any artists? It should be something, that is. 00:51:49
Can be touched by children. I mean, it doesn't have to be like an interactive thing, but it's just something that you know. 00:51:55
It should be child friendly, It should be focused on our native flora and fauna in the park. 00:52:01
And there's a relatively healthy, I mean, I am not an artist, so I do not understand all of the budget. But what I hear is it's 00:52:06
actually a relatively healthy. 00:52:10
Budget for an artist because we do believe in paying artists for their work so would love to see a few more. 00:52:13
All. 00:52:25
Councilman Camp. 00:52:26
The only thing I have is on the historic preservation. Scott Nesbitt is not sure if his class is going to be able to do the 00:52:29
project. 00:52:33
They said they said that class, so he's trying to see how he can make it work. 00:52:37
He gave me Jennifer Lewis's phone number last night. 00:52:41
She's someone who has LED shreds in regards to historic preservations. I want to contact her. 00:52:45
Hopefully tomorrow and kind of learn. 00:52:52
How she can help us? 00:52:56
More about the process. So then I'll wait to hear back from Scott in regards to. 00:52:58
What other ideas or options we have? It's not dead that it's asking into a via. Sounds like he wants to possibly have another 00:53:03
class to. 00:53:07
Waiting to hear that. 00:53:11
That's all I got. 00:53:13
All right. Thank you, Councilman Campbell. 00:53:16
With that, I'll ask for a motion to leave regular session and go into executive session for the purpose of discussing. 00:53:19
Personnel, real estate and threatened and pending litigation, which is Y'all's opportunity. 00:53:26
To exit and once that motion is made and approved. 00:53:32
Motion to leave to go into executive session. 00:53:37
For the formation reasons, we have a second. 00:53:39
All right, All in favor. Say aye. 00:53:45
Aye. 00:53:47
Mayor. 00:53:49
All right, I'll entertain a motion to Do we need a motion any other motion other than to adjourn? 00:53:51
I make a motion to adjourn. Second, all in favor, Say aye. 00:53:57
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