CITYOFCREOLA POBOX490 CREOL4,AL36525 251-675-8142 FAX: 251-675-6146 Councilmembers  Donald Nelson Lee Anne Greene Curtis Heathcoe James! Ivy Tonya  Moss Mark Howell Mayor  Kim W. Pettway City Clerk  Linda Hoiles Court Clerk  Jerry Taylor ChiefofPolice  AGENDA FOR THE CITY OF CREOLA COUNCIL MEETING  HELD AT CREOLA CITY HALL ON December 12, 2013 @ 6:00PM  Mayor called the meeting to order. Rev. Al Brown gave invocation. Councilwoman Greene Councilman Heathcoe Councilman Ivy Councilwoman Moss Mayor Nelson Councilman Howell was absent  Upon the call ofroll, the following were found to be present:  Attorney Johnny Lane and City clerk were present.  Minutes from the council meeting held on, November 14, 2013 were presented. Councilman Ivy made a motion to accept the minutes from the last meeting. Councilman Heathcoe seconded, all favored, none opposed, motion carried.  CITIZENS. ADDRESSINGTHE COUNCIL  None  RESOLUTIONS, ORDINANCES OTHER BUSINESS Mayor read canvass resolution confirming the election:  FAVORED 357 OPPOSED 556  Majority of voters opposed election and has been recorded and probated. Councilwoman Greene made ai motion to accept the results oft the election. Councilwoman Moss seconded, all favored, none opposed, motion carried.  Cm 12.12.13  Page 1    PLANNING COMMITTEE  Rev. Chambers states the board held a call meeting for a citizen toj place ai mobile home in a park oni ifup to code and Ok'd by the inspector, it will be allowed to be placed in park on lot3.  ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS PARKS AND RECREATION  No business No business  UTILITIES AND SENIOR CITIZEN  Councilwoman Moss stated that the Senior Citizens will have their annual Christmas dinner on Thursday. December 19, 2013. Bonnie Harper-Smith, Gloria Myers, Marty, and several others will be collecting donations to make baskets up for all of the seniors. Kim will receive donations at the city hall and give  them to Councilwoman Moss or Councilwoman Greene. Councilwoman Greene read report and gave bank balances.  FINANCE  Councilwoman Greene made ai motion to accept the finance report as presented. Councilwoman Moss seconded, all favored, none opposed, motion carried. an informal meeting to touch base and keep up with the finances. Councilwoman Moss seconded, all favored, none opposed, motion carried.  Councilwoman Greene made a motion to set a date for the next finance meeting to be next week,  Councilwoman Greene asked that there be a PO system in place sO that it is easier for everyone Councilwoman Greene made a motion to use PO system and allow emergency expenses up to $500 as long as the finance committee, mayor or pro-tem is notified prior to purchase. A copy of  tok keep up with purchases and stay within the budget.  invoice or PO should be placed in each councilmembers box.  COMMUNITY GROUP  Casie Bennet took pictures of the children with Santa and made $100.00 and will donate the The 1St place for the floats in the Creola Christmas Parade was Creola 1st Assembly, 2nd place Pike Electric, 3rd place was Jonathan Richie and family and Honorable mention went to the Boy  money back to the Fire and Police Departments.  Scouts #32.  Yard ofmonth on December 16. POLICE. AND FIRE  Councilman Ivy made a motion to accept Melvin Taylor retirement and resignation in good  standing after 27 years and 4 months.  Councilman Heathcoe second, all favored, none opposed, motion carried. Councilwoman Greene made aj motion for firej program bill tol be paid. Councilwoman Moss second, all favored, none opposed, motion carried.  Cm 12.12.13  Page 2    STREETS  Councilman Heathcoe states that the streets are clean; Bobbie and his temporary assistants have Kenny Walker said that someone needs to call ALDOT because the repair they did on Hwy 43 is starting to sink. Lister Dairy at Old 43 needs more signs sO that people not familiar with the area will know they need to stop. Another vehicle jumped curve at Big Johnson sO a sign is needed. Mr. Randy Fleming says that we may need reflective signs. Chief will check and see what is better and more visible. Also Casie said there needs some type of signs in the area on her street, the big trucks are flying through there at night and they have to pump the brakes right in front of her house because they cannot see what is ahead. She said that the state routes through that way because they cannot go over Gunnison Creek Bridge but they need signs and lighting to allow time to stop. Chiefwill also check into this as well. Sarah Atchinson said that her drivers come  done an excellent job on keeping the city clean.  through that area but most times they are off their route.  ADDITIONAL NOTES  Councilwoman Greene wants to talk about possibility of forming a chamber of commerce at next meeting. She said she would like to help form a group of citizens and council members to promote the city, Mobile Chamber has offered to help with brochures. Councilwoman Moss said that she will help beat the streets, drum up businesses and show people how much that Creola has to offer, she says there is history in Creola and it is the Gateway to the River Delta, citizens  applauded and were excited about helping.  Councilman Ivy made ai motion to go into executive session Councilman Heathcoe second, all favored, none opposed, motion carried. Councilman Ivy made a motion to: return from executive session Councilman Heathcoe second, all favored, none opposed, motion carried. Councilman Ivy second, all favored, none opposed, motion carried.  Councilwoman Greene made ai motion toj pay Mark Erwin $5,000.00 on. December 23, 2013. Mark Erwin explained GUSC board and the benefits and why it was formed. Citizens asked questions, and Mark explained that even. Lemoyne could utilize the GUSC board ift they chose to. Mayor states he will complete his term, he will not resign, Mayor stated that hel had a good track record with working for the city and he will not step down. Mayor stated that he started the park and spearheaded many other projects including getting the deeds to the park cleared to the city. Bonnie Harper-Smith stated that the mayor did not start the park, her sister and her husband did  and the mayor was reported to have voted against it. Mayor did not respond. Kenny Walker stated the Mayor should resign for desertion of city.  Mr. Crisswell states Mayor was the main leader of annexation, he asked what the mayor plans to do to pull the city back together. He, Josh Skidmore, Bill Bunch, Sandy Howard and others tried to dissolve city sO what is the purpose of! his wanting to be the mayor ifhe doesn't want the city  toe exist. The community does not trust him and hel has to prove himself.  Cm 12.12.13  Page 3    Bonnie Harper stated that the mayor did not start the park, and she will bring proof at next Eddie duke track record doesn't matter he betrayed city, the citizens, divided families, churches Joan asked the mayor why his name and Bill Bunch's name on sewage treatment plant or pump offofRadcliff road, the mayor stated he is not aware ofhis name being on anything especially in Shannon Lister state that his uncle Jim Smith is rolling over in this grave and how the mayor can justify the damage he has caused in the community. Mayor said he did not feel that Jim Smith Mrs. Criswell stated that the mayor has divided city and deceived everyone, our community deserves a leader that is willing to fight FOR the city and not for outsiders that want to DISSOLVE the city. She states she is very disappointed and it is his responsibility to mend what he has destroyed. She stated he needed to be man enough to take responsibility for what he has Reverend Chambers stated that we have just gone through something and it is called government, he stated that the citizens got involved to save their great city and they need to stay involved but not fight. He said the face book bashing should stop, the arguing should stop, we have been blessed. He stated that the mayor should have done everything above board; he said now with the election behind us, the city council needs to come together. Rev Chambers said that the citizens elected the council to run their city; he said it's the citizen's city, but they were elected to run it and we have to learn to trust them to do it. But the mayor has to be willing to represent the entire council not just a few. He says that the city has been turned upside down, but God has spoken, it's over and if this wasn't what the Lord wanted then it wouldn't have happened, he says hel loves this Creola and has always tried to make a positive impact on the city and will keep working at it, he asked that the mayor be fair and honest and put effort into building up instead of tearing down. Reverend Chambers said the employees, citizens, friends, family and churches have been through a lot and that prayer has carried us all, he stated that the mayor owed the decency of a sincere apology. Rev Chambers stated that he raised his children in Creola and he now has grandchildren, he says he will work and not leave; his family will probably drag his body out of Creola when he's taken his last breath. He challenged everyone to take a positive role in making this city even greater. He said be a part of the process, if you are not willing to be a positive part oft the process, don'tcome to fuss and fight, that is not unity. Casie wants to know that now that the dust is settled, she wants tol know about the pipe line ift the mayor will fight it, mayor says hei isn't aware ofa a pipeline issue but ifit is unsafe he will fight it. Mayor said that if interstate transportation laws don't override the citizens views he will fight. Steven Ard said that the election is over and what's done is done. He said that things didn'tturn out the way he wanted them to but it's over, he asked what's next and how will the council provide for the children's educational interest. He also said Creola needs time to heal. Councilwoman Moss spoke and stated that Satsuma is working out the details to accept the Creola/Axis children and once it is all finalized it will be made public. Some things have already  meeting.  and employees; he doesn't deserve to be the mayor. relation to Integra or a sewer plant or pump.  would be dissatisfied.  done to our community.  The mayor asked ift there was a motion to adjourn.  Cm 12.12.13  Page 4    been announced. She stated that Lemoyne is assisting with a tuition assistance program and there has been a volunteer that will help with a 5013C program SO all items to assist the school children are legal and in order. A citizen asked if there was a guarantee that the children would be accepted and she was told yes, she said probably a catch and interrupted and sat down. Mr. Ronnie Greene spoke and stated that he was tired of people bashing his wife, Councilwoman Greene, he state that an attorney had assured her that the citizens would have an opportunity to vote and that she did not vote not to give the citizens the right to vote, she voted no, hoping that a better merger agreement could be sought out. She did not feel that the merger was good for the employees nor the community as a whole and voted no against the agreement not the citizens'  Lister asked that they listen to get details.  rights to vote.  Bill Crisswell state the amount of students affected in the area to be about 300  111 in Satsuma 13i in Saraland 152i in Salco  Bill Criswell stated that Satsuma is diligently working with them to seek a suitable agreement Mr. Loden thanked Rev. Chamber Chambers for his statements and gave a speech relating to moving forward from the election and becoming a solid community, not divided. Councilwoman Greene stated that if the mayor and the committee would have come to the council properly, there would not have been sO much division with the process. She also asked that ift the mayor ever blindsided the council again, he would be asked by the council to resign. Attorney Lane stated that they could not force the mayor to resign, he would have to step down, and the council stated he may be asked to ift there is ever a division as it has been.  that will benefit everyone.  Adjournment  Councilman Heathcoe made ai motion to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Ivy seconded, all favored, none opposed, motion carried.  Cm 12.12.13  Page! 5