City of Grovetown  REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING January 8, 2024 6:30 p.m.  The regular meeting of the Grovetown City Council was held on Monday, January 8, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Present were Mayor Gary E. Jones, Mayor Pro-Tem Eric Blair, Councilmember A. Richard Also, present were City Administrator Elaine Matthews, Finance Director/Asst. City Administrator Bradley Smith, IT Manager David Nile, Planning and Community Development Director Ronnie Kurtz, Fire Rescue Chief Wayne Kent, Asst. Police ChiefRobert Eastman, Public Information Officer Jordan Johnson, City  Bowman and Councilmember Sylvia Martin.  Attorney Chris Dube and City Clerk Brian Henderson.  Council conducted a work session to review agenda items at 6:00 p.m.  1.  Call Meeting to Order/Ammouncement of Quorum  Mayor Jones called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and acknowledged a quorum.  2.  Invocation/Pledge of Allegiance  Mayor. Jones gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  Mayor. Jones welcomed newly elected City of Grovetown Councilmember A. Richard Bowman, Columbia County District 4 Commissioner Allison Couch, Columbia County District 3 Commissioner Gary Richardson, and Jacqueline Rivera-Player who just recently qualified for the vacant City of Grovetown Council seat.  3.  Approval of Agenda all ini favor and the motion carried.  Councilmember Bowman made a motion to approve the agenda. Councilmember Martin seconded the motion,  4.  Approval of the December 11, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes Councilmember Blair seconded the motion, all in favor and the motion carried.  Councilmember. Martin made ai motion to approve the December 11, 2023 regular meeting minutes.  5.  Committee Chair Reports  Public Safety  Councilmember Blair reported the Police Department's call volume for December was 1755 calls and their year-to-date call volume is 28,056. He: also reported the Fire Rescue Department's call volume for December was 110. Councilmember Blair reported the Department statistics fort the Police Department for the month of December. He announced that on December 21, 2023 the Police Deptartment hosted a child safety seat course. Councilmember Blair thanked Major Eastman and the Police Department for their continued work with the  Page 10 of4    annual Christmas Toy and Clothes Drive. This year they were able to donate to 46 children in the City of Councilmember Blair reported that Fire Rescue conducted their weekly duties around the stations. He reported that all their training hours have been submitted to the Georgia Firefighters Standards and Training Council.  Grovetown.  The remaining report was deferred to Fire Rescue Chief Wayne Kent.  Utility Billing and Utility Services  The report was deferred to Finance Director/Asst. City Administrator Bradley Smith.  Planning and Development  The report was deferred to Planning and Community Development Director Ronnie Kurtz.  General Services  Councilmember Martin reported the statistics and weekly duties for Streets and Sanitation, Facilities Maintenance, and Leisure and Recreation for the month ofDecember. She also reported the year-to-date revenue of $30,547 forI Leisure and Recreation, which was an increase of $8,000 from December of 2022. Councilmember Martin discussed the large turnout for the Christmas Festival and it appeared everyone in attendance enjoyed the event. She thanked Leisure and Recreation and all the other departments that helped to  make sure the Christmas Festival was a success.  Administration  The report was deferred to City Administrator Elaine Matthews.  6.  Financial Statement  Councilmember Martin made a motion to approve the financial statement. Councilmember Bowman seconded  the motion, all in favor and the motion carried. Review of the Final Audit Report of FY 2023 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.  7.  Finance Director/Asst. City Administrator Bradley Smith updated Mayor and Council on the final audit report  8.  Employee of the Month  City Administrator Elaine Matthews presented Facilities Maintenance Worker Dennis Greene with the  employee oft the month award for December 2023. Announcement of New Committee Chairs Mayor. Jones announced the new committee chairs as follows: Public Safety- Councilmember Eric Blair Utility Billing and Utility Services- Mayor Gary E.Jones  9.  Page 2 of4    Planning and Development- Councilmember A. Richard Bowman General Services- Councilmember Sylvia Martin Administration- Mayor Gary E.. Jones  10.  Discussion of Council Member Recognition  Councilmember Eric Blair wanted to address the City's elected officials providing citizens and/or groups with official recognition at council meetings. He wanted to make sure that all council members had a chance to look over the redentialsachevements in a work session before the official recognition is placed on a regular meeting agenda. Councilmember Martin and Councilmember Bowman both agreed with that policy.  11.  Discussion of Updating Ethics Ordinance  Councilmember Blair addressed the Mayor and Council with his concerns over the ethics ordinance since it was written in the 80's and it was last updated in 2012. Councilmember Blair felt it needed to be revised. Discussion of Adopting/Updating Policies and Procedures dealing with Ethic Complaints Councilmember Eric Blair discussed with Mayor and Council various proposed changes to the procedures with regard toj processing ethics complaints. Several sections ofthe ethics ordinance are either ambiguous, unclear or Mayor. Jones appointed Councilmember Blair and Councilmember Bowman to a study committee to gather information on updating provisions in the ethics ordinance, to include revised procedures for processing and  12.  difficult to apply in real time situations.  investigating complaints.  13.  Announcement of] Ethics Board Appointees for the New Election Cycle  City Clerk Brian Henderson announced to Mayor and Council the names appointed to the Ethics Board for the  new election cycle. Severo Medina, Jr. Missy Johnson Patti Balfour Robert Len Newman Vincent Kandian Kristie Linn council meeting.  The appointees for the two individuals selected by Councilmember Bowman will be announced at a subsequent  14.  Announcement of Board of Zoning Appeals Vacancy  Planning and Community Development Director Ronnie Kurtz announced to Mayor and Council that a vacancy  was created on the! Board ofZoning Appeals by the resignation ofl Dr. Estacy Porter.  Page 3of4    15.  Mayor and Council Public Announcements Bowman on winning their elections for office.  Councilmember Martin wanted to congratulate Mayor Jones, Councilmember Blair and Councilmember Councilmember Bowman thanked everyone and for welcoming him with open arms. He also thanked the citizens ofGrovetown and promised that he represents notj just one group but all the citizens of Grovetown. Councilmember Bowman also thanked Mayor Jones for the committee appointment to chair Planning and  Community Development. Citizens Comments (None) General Business: Old (None) General Business: New  16. 17. 18. 18A.  Recommend Adoption of] Resolution 2024-01-01, Resolution to Award Construction Contract to Shearer Mutimer Construction, LLC: for Liberty Park Community Center Renovation in the. Amount of Councilmember Bowman made a motion to adopt Resolution 2024-01-01, resolution to award construction contract to Shearer Mutimer Construction, LLC for Liberty Park Community Center renovation in the amount of$577,000. Councilmember Martin seconded the motion, all in favor and the motion carried.  $577,000.  19.  Director's! Reports Departments. Adjourn  City Administrator Elaine Matthews and Directors briefed Council on recent activities oft their respective  20.  CouncilmembeyBlair made ai motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:16 p.m. Councilmember Martin seconded the  motion, alli infavor and then motion-carried.  EricBlair, Mayor Pro-Tem SDA  MabEnT  22 Le  Sylinl Martin, Councilmember  BrianHenderson, City Clerk M  Vacant  A.  Page 4 of4