Demorest The Heart ofHabersham City of Demorest Regular Session Minutes Demorest. Municipal Building Tuesday, January 26, 2021,6 6:00P.M.  City Council Work Session & Special Called Meeting  ATTENDEES  Shawn Allen, Councilman John Hendrix, Councilman Rick Austin, PhD, Mayor  Jim Welborn, Councilman Nathan Davis, Councilman Kim Simonds, City Manager Thomas Mitchell, City Attorney  The. January 26, 2021 Demorest City Council Work Session and Special Called Meeting was held int the  Demorest Municipal Building located at: 125 Ivy Street.  AGENDA ITEM I: CALLTOORDER  Mayor Austin called the meeting to order at 5:07 p.m. This early Executive Session was properly announced and added to consult with legal counsel. Amotion was immediately made to enter into Executive Session by Shawn Allen andi the motion was seconded by Nathan Davis. ACTION: The motion to enter into Executive Session was unanimously approved (4-0).  This portion oft the Regular Session was adjourned at 5:08 p.m.  After Executive Session was adjourned, the meeting was called into Regular Session once again bya  motion from Councilman Allen and a second by Councilman Hendrix.  ACTION: The motion to re-enter Regular Session was unanimously approved (4-0)  The meeting re-entered Regular Session at 6:21 p.m. AGENDA ITEMI I: INVOCATION AND PLEDGE TOTHE FLAG  Mayor Austin opened the meeting by leading in prayer andi the pledge to the flag.  AGENDA ITEMI HI: APPROVAL OF AGENDA  Mayor Austin asked if there were changes or additions to be made to the agenda. When there were none, a motion to approve the agenda as presented was made by Councilman Allen and seconded by ACTION: The motion to approve the agenda as presented was unanimously approved (4-0).  Councilman Hendrix.  1Page    AGENDA ITEM IV: APPEARANCE AND PUBLIC COMMENTS  Deborah Showalter spoke on behalf of the Concerned Citizens of Demorest addressing several issues.  Mike Showalteraddressed the topic of the retaining wall on Historic Hwy 441.  AGENDA ITEM V: DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS  Bryan Popham, Public Works Director: Mr. Popham spoke about the sewer line repair and a water line Fletcher Holliday, EMI (Wastewater Plant): Mr. Holliday said there are areas targeted within the collection system that might currently be problematic and he is working with Mr. Popham to do testing  repair on Pardue Mill Road. The sewer plant dump truck will be repaired.  tor resolve those issues.  Robin Krockum, Chief of Police: Nothing to Report  AGENDA ITEM VI(1): NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIAL TRAINING PROPOSAL  Ms. Simonds presented a proposal from Stan Brown with GMA for conducting a workshop with Mayor and Council. This would bei in combination with the mandated Newly Elected Officials Training virtual course that willl be held at the end of March. There are four available dates for the workshop. Councilman Allen said that. January 21 was the one-year anniversary of thet first case of the novel coronavirus. Noting there is al hospital within Demorest city limits and that many Demorest citizens are employed ins some capacity in healthcare, he asked Council to consider a proclamation for healthcare  AGENDAI ITEM VI(2): HEALTHCARE WORKERS PROCLAMATION  workers to honor and support them. A draft proclamation was presented.  AGENDA ITEM VI(3): BUILDING PERMITTING  Councilman Welborn spoke regarding thet transferring of Demorest building inspection and permitting to the County in 2019. He asked if there might be more control over the process if it were brought back to  the City. Mayor Austin spoke about the reasons for the transfer toi the County.  AGENDA ITEM VI(4): DDA NOMINATIONS the motion was seconded by Councilman Welborn  Lawrence Bridges, DDA member, spoke to the group on behalf of the DDA to nominate Demorest citizen Donnie Bennett. Amotion was made to accept and approve the nomination by Councilman Hendrix: and ACTION: The motion to accept and approve the nomination of Donnie Bennett to the DDA was The DDA would also like to make a report at each Work Session. Ata a previous meeting Mayor Austin appointed himself to serve on the DDA and Mr. Bridges asked that Councilman Davis serve instead. AGENDA ITEM VI(5): INVITATION TO COUNTY FOR FIRE PROTECTION PRESENTATION Councilman Davis said that he has heard the County is looking to build a new fire: station near 365/Demorest-Mt. Airy Hwy andi feels it would be redundant for Demorest and the County to have fire stations less than a mile apart. He asked that Council consider inviting the County to make a fire protection presentation. Councilman Davis made a motion to extend the invitation to the County and  unanimously approved (4-0).  the motion was seconded by Councilman Hendrix.  2/Page    ACTION: The motion to extend an invitation to the County foraf fire protection presentation was  unanimously approved (4-0).  AGENDA ITEM VII(1): FIRE TRUCK DISCUSSION AGENDA: ITEM VII(2): COVID POLICY  Chief Ranalli was not present at the meeting and thei issue was tabled until the next meeting.  Ms. Simonds presented a two-page COVID-19 policy for approval. Council agreed to review and vote at  the next meeting.  AGENDA ITEM VII: CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AI motion to adjourn the meeting into Executive Session was made by Councilman Allen. The motion ACTION: The motion to adjourn into Executive Session was unanimously approved (4-0).  was seconded by Councilman Welborn.  Regular Session adjourned at 6:57 p.m.  The meeting re-entered Regular Session at 7:58 p.m. No motions were made in Executive Session. Amotion to adjourn was made by Councilman Davis and the motion was seconded by Councilman Allen.  AGENDA ITEM VI: MOTION TO ADJOURN The motion was unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m. FL  S)  uSimes Kim Simonds, City Clerk  3/Page