Demorest The Heart ofHabersham City of Demorest City Council Regular Session Regular Session Minutes Demorest Municipal Building Thursday, December 8, 2022,7:00P.M.  ATTENDEES  Shawn Allen, Councilman John Hendrix, Councilman Jerry Harkness, Mayor Andrew Ferguson, Councilman  Thomas Mitchell, City Attorney Megan Chastain, Interim City Clerk  The December 8, 2022, Demorest City Council meeting was held int the Demorest Municipal Building  located at 125 Ivy Street.  AGENDA ITEM1: INVOCATION AND PLEDGE TO THE FLAG  Mayor Harkness opened the meeting by leading in prayer and the pledge to the flag.  AGENDA ITEM2: CALL TO ORDER  Mayor Harkness called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. AGENDA ITEM 3: APPROVAL OF AGENDA  Mayor Harkness asked if there were changes or additions to be made to the agenda. Mayor Harkness asked Council to amend the agenda to move: CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION to the top oft the agenda. A motion to amend the agenda moving: CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TOI ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION to thet top of the agenda was made by Councilman ACTION: The motion to approve the agenda as amended (moving CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONTO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION to the top of the agenda) was unanimously approved (4-0). AGENDA ITEM 4: CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION (if needed) A motion was made by Councilman Bennett and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson to adjourn and re-convene into Executive Session for the purpose of discussion ofl litigation, personnel and acquisition  Hendrix and was seconded by Councilman Allen.  of property. This portion of Regular Session adjourned at 7:02 p.m.  1Page    AI motion was made by Councilman Hendrix and seconded by Councilman Bennett to come out of Executive Session and reconvene in Regular Session. The motion was unanimously carried, and Regular  Session reconvened at 8:18 p.m. AGENDA ITEM 3: APPROVAL OF AGENDA  Mayor Harkness asked council to amend the agenda to add: INTERIM CITY MANAGER & CONTRACT.. A motion to amend the agenda adding: INTERIM CITY MANAGER & CONTRACT was made by Councilman ACTION: The motion to approve the agenda as amended (adding INTERIM CITY MANAGER&  Hendrix and was seconded by Councilman Allen. CONTRACT) was unanimously approved (3-0). AGENDA ITEM 4: APPEARANCE AND PUBLIC COMMENTS  Wade Rhodes presented a picture of a 7500ft building on Hollywood Church Rd with five 1500ft spaces. Each unit contains both as sink and ai toilet. He is requesting one meter for the entire building instead of one meter per unit. He states that $12000 in water meter does note economically make sense to him and that it was a discouraging economic factor. Charlie Fiveash spoke to reiterate what Rhodes said. Mayor Harkness said there is more digging in to what the ordinance says and ask council if they had any comments to add. There were none. Mayor said we could not make any changes to the ordinance in AGENDA ITEM 4: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: OCTOBER 25, NOVEMBER 1 & NOVEMBER9 9 Mayor Harness asked that the water rate chart bei included with the October 25, 2022 minutes (Agenda Item 4) and to the November 1, 2022 minutes (Agenda Item 7). Councilman Allen said there was at typo on the November 1, 2022 minutes under agenda item 6. Approved should be changed to approve. A motion to approve the minutes presented with the changes discussed was made by Councilman Allen ACTION: The motion to approve the minutes presented with the changes discussed was unanimously  public comment.  and seconded by Councilman Hendrix.  approved (4-0).  AGENDA ITEM 6: INTERIM CITY MANAGER & CONTRACT  Mayor Harness announced that Ms. Kim Simonds stepped down from City Manager. He stated that the city is a city manager type run government: SO we need someone to fill in on an interim basis. Harkness asked if there was a motion on the table. A motion to contract with Mark Musselwhite as Interim City Manager for $2000 a week was made by Councilman Allen and was seconded by Councilman Hendrix. ACTION: The motion to contract with Mark Musselwhite as Interim City Manager for $20000 a week  was unanimously approved (4-0). AGENDAI ITEM7: REVIEW OF FINANCIALS  Mayor Harness asked ift there was any discussion on the financials that were provided. There was none.  AGENDAI ITEM 8: CONSIDERATION OF DISPOSITION OF PRISON VAN  2Page    During the work session discussion, council decided to table this agenda item. A motion to table was ACTION: The motion to table CONSIDERATION OF DISPOSITION OF PRISON VAN was unanimously  made by Councilman Hendrix and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson.  approved (4-0).  AGENDA ITEM 9: CONSIDERATION OF PLANS OF ODE  Ar motion was made by Councilman Allan to allow the city to use the city employees to use some of the funds that were set aside in the loan documents from Rabun County Bank to make renovations on the ACTION: The motion to allow the city to use the city employees to use. some oft the funds that were. set aside in the loan documents from Rabun County Bank to make renovations on the old library wing at AGENDA ITEM 10: CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION TO OPEN OPIOID SETTLEMENT ACCOUNT Mayor Harkness said this is the class action lawsuit where the city gets a little free money. Councilman Allen said we don't know how much we are, going to get or when we are going to geti it. Harkness asked fora a motion. A motion to open up an opioid settlement account at Rabun County Bank with Shawn Allen and. Jerry Harkness as the signers was made by Councilman. Allen and was seconded by Councilman ACTION: The motion to open up an opioid settlement account at Rabun County Bank with Shawn  old library wing at ODE and was seconded by Councilman Hendrix.  ODE was unanimously approved (4-0).  Hendrix.  Allen and. Jerry Harkness as the signers was unanimously approved (4-0). AGENDA ITEM 11: CONSIDERATION OF LICENSE FEE ORDINANCE  Mayor Harkness said this is the same license fee ordinance we pass every year. Harkness asked fora motion to accept the License Fee Ordinance. A motion was made by Councilman Bennett and was ACTION: The motion to accept the License Fee Ordinance was unanimously approved (4-0).  seconded by Councilman Hendrix.  AGENDA ITEM 12: CONSIDERATION OF STREET REPAIR: 2023 LMIG made by Councilman Hendrix and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson.  During the work session discussion, council decided to table this agenda item. Mayor Harkness said this needs to be submitted February 1, 2023. Harkness asked fora a motion to table. A motion toi table was ACTION: The motion to table CONSIDERATION OFS STREET REPAIR: 2023 LMIG was unanimously  approved (4-0).  AGENDA ITEM 13: GDOT EASEMENT:THE WALL  Mayor Harkness said the Georgia DOT is finally working on the wall and the side walk is City of Demorest property and they need an easement to replace that side walk. Harkness asked for a motion.  3Page    Councilman Allen made a motion to allow the easement fori the sidewalk for GDOT to begin repairing ACTION: The motion to allow the easement, for the sidewalk, for GDOTto begin repairing the wall was  the wall and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson.  unanimously approved (4-0).  AGENDA ITEM 14: FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS/ENTENTERTAINMENT)  After the discussion made in the work session, Mayor Harkness said he will speak with Pyrotecnico and if the no noise fireworks are close to the rate he will send out and email. Harkness asked that council allow him to go ahead and sign the contract afters speaking with them about the no noise fireworks ifitist their pleasure. Councilman Allen made a motion to approve the contract presented with the caveat that Mayor Harkness will look into the type off fireworks discussed pending the amount and subsequent approval of council on anyi increase that the no noise fireworks may cost and was seconded by  Councilman Ferguson.  ACTION: The motion to the contract presented with the caveat that Mayor Harkness willl look into the type of fireworks discussed pending the amount and subsequent approval of council on any increase Mayor Harkness asked fora a motion to table entertainment until further discussion. A motion to table  that the no noise fireworks may cost was unanimously approved (4-0). wasi made by Councilman Allen and was seconded by Councilman Bennett. ACTION: The motion to table ENTERTAINMENT was unanimously approved (4-0).  AGENDAITEM: 17: MOTION TO ADJOURN  Amotion to adjourn was made by Cguncilman Bennett and the motion was seconded by Councilman Hendrix. The motionwasy unanimously: approved. The meeting adjourned at 8:41 p.m.  DEMO SEAL BERSHANI  7  Demorest &k  4Page