City Commission Meetings: Minutes

MINUTES

TOCCOA CITY COMMISSION

August 25, 2008

 

The City Commission of the City of Toccoa met in Regular Session at the City Hall on August 25, 2008, five o’clock p. m. with Mayor Andy Pavliscsak presiding.

The invocation was given by Reverend Paul Garrison followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

On roll call the following were present:

Mayor Andy Pavliscsak
Vice Mayor Ron Seib
Commissioner David Austin
Commissioner Janice English
Commissioner Bob Troup
City Manager Billy Morse
City Attorney John Dickerson
Clerk Jo Gleason

 

A motion was made by Commissioner Troup, seconded by Commissioner Austin and unanimously carried to approve the Agenda as presented:

A copy of this Agenda being attached as Exhibit “A”.

 

Under reports the following reports were heard:

Vice Mayor Seib reported he would like to remind the Commission that on October 30 they would be co-sponsoring the RDC meeting with Stephens County.

He also reported that the sub-committee they formed consisting of himself, Brenda, Billy and Emory had met on several occasions regarding employee benefits and it was their anticipation they would be prepared for the next Commission meeting to present.  He advised they had asked Matt Bidwell with MSI who helped them, and participated in the survey they put together, to attend that meeting as well.

Commissioner Austin reported he did not know if they noticed when they came to City Hall that city flags were flying at half-mast in memory of Leroy Roberts, Jr. who was born in Toccoa on December 11, 1921.  He explained Lt. Col. Leroy Roberts was a fighter pilot in two wars and was one of the pilots known as the Tuckegee Airmen and last year was awarded the Congressional Gold Metal. He mentioned Lt. Col. Roberts flew 42 missions against the Germans as a fighter pilot and made history again becoming a flight commander during the Korean War, just as the U. S. military was desegregating.  He advised Lt. Col. Roberts died on August 13, 2008 at age 86.  He also mentioned that Mr. Roberts had a sister living in Toccoa, Mrs.

Betty Henderson, who many of them knew. He said they wanted to remember one of their own born rights here in Toccoa, Georgia and one of the famous Tuckegee Airmen.

City Manager Morse reported that a Water/Wastewater Department employee had recently successfully received Certification from the State of Georgia as a Class 111 Water Plant Operator.  He explained these Certification exams were an exhaustive, comprehensive test of an operator’s knowledge.  He recognized David Levins and advised he had just obtained his class 111 Certification.  David was present and was congratulated on his accomplishment.

Mr. Morse also reported that City Hall would be closed in observance of Labor Day and routes for garbage and recyclables scheduled to be picked up on Monday, September 1^st would be picked up on September 2^nd.   He advised commercial garbage would be picked up as usual, but yard waste and other items would not be pickup up.  He advised the Toccoa Police Fire Departments would be on duty, utility department employees, as well as employees from the Public Works Department, would be on call for emergency situations.

Mayor Pavliscsak asked if there were any persons present who wished to speak on any of the Agenda items.

There were no persons present who wished to be heard.

 

I. CONSENT AGENDA:

Motion by Commissioner Troup, seconded by Commissioner Austin and unanimously carried to approve the following Consent Agenda

Items as submitted:

A.    Approval of Minutes of August 11, 2008 City Commission Meeting.

B.    Proclamation Designating September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

This Proclamation was read by Mayor Pavliscsak to provide that the Toccoa City Commission does hereby proclaim the month of September 2008 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in the City of Toccoa and calls upon the people of Toccoa and Stephens County to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies supporting this year’s theme, Join the Voices for Recovery: Build a Stronger, Healthier Community, a copy of this Proclamation being attached as Exhibit “B”.

Mayor Pavliscsak recognized and welcomed a large group of people from Toccoa and Stephens County who were present for the reading of the Proclamation.

 

II.            Old BUSINESS:

              None.

 

III.         NEW BUSINESS:      

 

C.    Presentation by Bill Graham Concerning Public Transportation.

Mr. Graham thanked the Commission for allowing him to speak on public transportation.  He said he was a native of Stephens County and became interested in Public Transportation and was not aware of it until 2005.  He said due to a visual problem he was no longer able to drive.

He told what he had learned to date and said he had talked to many groups and all agreed there was a pressing need for reliable, low fare public transportation.  He said he had done research in rural cities and counties in Georgia and public transportation had a positive multiplier effect on the local economy in rural areas.  He remarked Toccoa had the biggest stake in public transportation. He said a trip might originate in many places, but the final destination in 99% of the trips would be Toccoa. He added success was not guaranteed, a public transportation system would never be self-sufficient, it would always need federal/state/ local funding.  He gave his recommendations as follows:

The Mayor and City Commissioners should formally endorse a committee to continue research on public transportation for Toccoa and Stephens County.

Partner with Stephens County Commissioners and other City governments in supporting public transportation.

Help seek Federal and or State grant money to continue the effort to establish a public transportation system in Toccoa/Stephens County.

Help identify people to work on the public transportation committee.

Consider funding a GDOT 5311 bus now for a July 2009 implementation.

Following his presentation, Mayor Pavliscsak told Mr. Graham to work with the City Manager on the project.

 

D.    Public Hearing:  Annexation and Initial Zoning Request for Property on Hickory Circle owned by Donald Woody.

The Public Hearing was conducted by Attorney Dickerson.  He told those present the Public Hearing would be on the zoning classification only that would be given to the property if annexed.

He advised during the Public Hearing the City Commission had the right to hear from anybody wishing to make a comment. He advised they would then adjourn the Public Hearing and the City Commission would make a decision on whether or not to annex the property and if annexed, it would be annexed with the zoning classification.

He explained the zoning classification was R-11, that meant two families residential.  He advised the property was owned by a Mr. Donald Woody and Mr.Woody’s address was Hickory Circle Court.  He explained the property was described as consisting of five buildings with ten apartments with the buildings to be 40 feet apart.

All persons present were given the opportunity to be heard regarding the proposed zoning.

Mr. & Mrs. Donald Woody were present to speak in favor of the zoning and annexation.
 

There being no persons present to offer comments, he called for a report from the Planning Commission.
 

Planner Kay Morgan reported the Toccoa Planning Commission had approved the zoning classification. 

A motion was made by Commissioner English, seconded by Vice Mayor Seib and unanimously carried that an ordinance be adopted on the first reading to provide that the property of Donald Woody located on Hickory Circle Court carry the zoning classification of R-11, Two Family Residential, if annexed.   The second reading of the ordinance was waived, a copy of this ordinance being attached Exhibit “C”. 

Attorney Dickerson then declared that Public Hearing adjourned. 

The next order of business was the request of Donald Woody that his property located on Hickory circle Court be annexed into the City of Toccoa and if annexed, it would carry the zoning classification of R-2 , Two Family Residential. 

All persons present were given the opportunity to be heard regarding the proposed annexation. 

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Woody were present to speak in favor of the annexation and to answer any questions the Commission might have

There being no further comments to be heard, Attorney Dickerson called for a report from the Planning Commission.

Planner Kay Morgan reported that the Toccoa Planning Commission had reviewed this request and recommended approval of the request.  She said the conditions were as follows:  Satisfaction of:

Soil erosion over entire site, Stream buffer encroachment, Steepness of slope at site of buffer encroachment, and Storm water run-off and consequential impact to stream.

Attorney Dickerson called for comments from the Commission.

Mayor Pavliscsak called attention to the conditions that must be met in annexing the property.  He asked Mr. Woody if he was addressing the four items requested by EPD.

Vice Mayor Seib and Commissioner Troup had questions about the city garbage truck and fire truck accessing the property.

After the discussion, a motion was made by Commissioner English, seconded by Vice Mayor Seib and unanimously carried that an ordinance be adopted on the first reading to provide that they conditionally annex the property of Donald Woody located on Hickory Circle Court into the City Limits based on the requirements that needed to be made, a copy of this ordinance being attached as Exhibit “D”.

                  

E.    Public Hearing: Consideration of New Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.         

This hearing was also conducted by Attorney Dickerson.  He advised they would follow the same format as in the other Public Hearings even though this was not a zoning procedure.

He explained this ordinance was a Flood Prevention Ordinance.  He said it was an ordinance that was required by the National Flood Insurance Program and it tracked the language of similar ordinances throughout the State.

He asked if there was anyone who wished to speak either in favor of or in opposition to the proposed Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

As a matter of record he asked for the record to note they would have to put a date in that ordinance effective for the approval of the map.

There being no persons present who wished to make comments concerning the ordinance, he declared the Public Hearing adjourned.

Commissioner Austin offered a motion to approve the new Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Troup and unanimously carried, a copy of this

Ordinance being attached to these minutes as Exhibit “E”.

 

F.   Recognition of Visitors Wishing to Speak on General Items.

There were no persons present who wished to be heard.

                 

Mayor Pavliscsak then adjourned the Regular Meeting in order for the Commission to go into Executive Session to discuss the following:

 

1.    Future Acquisition of Real Estate

2.    Matter of Attorney Client Privilege.

3.    Matter of Pending Litigation.

 

The Executive Session was adjourned on motion by Commissioner Austin and seconded by Vice Mayor Seib.

The Regular Meeting was reconvened on motion by Commissioner Austin and seconded by Vice Mayor Seib.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned on motion by Vice Mayor Seib and seconded by Commissioner English.

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