Demorest The Heart ofHabersham City of Demorest Regular Session Minutes Demorest Municipal Building Tuesday, November 24, 2020,6:00P.M.  City Council Work Session and Special Called Meeting  ATTENDEES  Sean Allen, Councilman John Hendrix, Councilman Rick Austin, PhD, Mayor Jim Welborn, Councilman  Nathan Davis, Councilman Kim Simonds, City Manager Joey Homans, City Attorney Joely Mixon, City Treasurer  The November 24, 2020 Demorest City Council Work Session and Special Called Meeting was heldi in the  Demorest Municipal Building located at 125 Ivy Street. AGENDA ITEM I: INVOCATION AND PLEDGE TO THE FLAG Mayor Austin led with the invocation and pledge to the flag. Mayor Austin called the meêting to order at 6:02 p.m. AGENDA ITEM III: SWEARING IN OF NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS  AGENDA ITEMI!: CALLT TO ORDER  Mayor Austin swore int the two new Council members, Jim Welborn and Shawn Allen. Both took their  seats with the Council.  AGENDA ITEM IV: APPROVAL OF AGENDA amended and was seconded by Nathan Davis. was unanimously approved (4-0).  Mayor Austin asked if there were corrections or additions to the presented agenda. An item was added as "X(5) Emergency: Sewer Repair." A motion was made by Shawn Allen to approve the agenda as ACTION: The motion to approve the agenda as amended adding item "X(5) Emergency: Sewer Repair"  AGENDAITEM V: APPEARANCE AND PUBLIC COMMENTS  Mayor Austin read questions submitted by the CCD, Concerned Citizens of Demorest. A discussion regarding the retaining wall on Historic Hwy 441 ensued. Ms. Simonds told the group that GDOTis  awaiting the results from a ROW study.  1/Page    AGENDA ITEM VI: DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS  Robin Krockum, Chief of Police: Chief Krockum told everyone that the Demorest Police Department has been named #1 again in their division. Chief Krockum is looking into the possibility of attaining a grant that would provide new bulletproofvests for the officers and an additional grant to replace the computers in their cars. There might also be a USDA grant/loan combination (55% grant) available to help pay for the police fleet. Chief Krockum has recently been asked to serve on 3 boards: Circle of Hope Board of Directors, Georgia Association of School Resource Officers, and GACP State Traffic Safety Committee. A motion was made by Councilman Allen to approve Chief Krockum'sa appointment to the ACTION: The motion to approve Chief Krockum's appointment and participation int the boards Ken Ranalli, Fire Chief: Chief Ranalli recently received his Fire Chief certification for the State of Georgia. Training is 98% complete for the year. Businéss inspections havé been delayed due to COVID. Inc cooperation with Habersham County (as the hosting body) a grant has been awarded to host an EMT class. This will be held. January - April, 2021. Four off five departments ini the County will be participating. The County is running low on PPE and there are currently limits on ordered quantities. They have asked if Demorest would be willing to order the maximum for them with reimbursement. Chief Ranalli also reported that Covid has hit other Fire Departments in the area particularly hard and suggested it might be a good idea toi form a Covid task force. All agreed. Councilman Hendrix made a motion to approve the purchase of PPE fori reimbursement from the County and the motion was ACTION: The motion to approve the purchase of PPE for reimbursement for the County was Chief Ranalli asked ifi it would be possible to place the order for the newi fire truck for which SPLOST 2021 funds were designated. He said the price continues: to rise and placing the order now would lock in the price. Once ordered, the truck would take at least nine months for delivery. Chief Ranalli said there might be an opportunity for a grant/loan (55%/45%) from USDA and he will begin that process. Councilman Davis pointed out there are many financial needs since Hurricane Delta including the retaining wall on Historic Hwy 441. No motion or vote was made on this issue. Bryan Popham, Director of Public Works: Mr. Popham addressed the damage to the Demorest Wastewater Plant from the recent storms. Turnipseed Engineering recently advertised for bids on the main sewer line which was washed away in the storm. Three bids were received with the lowest being Higgins Construction of Cornelia for $128,300. There would be a one-year warranty on the work. The work requires large, specialized equipment not owned by the City. It was decided that thisi issue would At this point there was a discussion regarding the shortage of help for the water/streets department. The landscape work that had been done by the prison detail has been contracted. But sidewalk work, brush pickup, and leaf pickup still require many manhours and the worki is not always being completed. After several suggestions it was decided that brush and leaves will only be picked up on the 15t and 3rd Monday of each month with no special calls or pickups in between. Amotion was made to this effect by  boards and that motion was seconded by Councilman Davis. mentioned above was unanimously approved (4-0).  seconded by Councilman Davis. unanimously approved (4-0).  be handled at the next meeting.  Councilman Davis and was seconded by Councilman Allen.  2/Page    ACTION: The motion to change and maintain leaf and brush pickup on only the 15t and. 3rd Mondays of The discussion then turned to sidewalks. Ms. Simonds presented a map of a large portion of Demorest sidewalks (see attachment). Mr. Popham said it would take approximately $15,0001 to replace all. A motion was made by Councilman Davis and seconded by Councilman Allen to begin replacingsi sidewalks, ACTION: The motion to begin the replacement of sidewalks beginning with the largest portion on  each month was unanimously approved (4-0).  beginning with the largest portion on Georgia Street. Georgia Street was unanimously approved (4-0). AGENDA ITEM VII: OCTOBER FINANCIALS AGENDA ITEM VIII: 2021 DRAFT BUDGET  City Treasurer, Joely Mixon, presented the October financials (see attachment).  Ms. Mixon presented a draft of the 2021 draft budget along with a slide presentation showing budget progression and performance through the past few years (see attachment). Two Public Hearings for the budget will be required and willl be held on December 1, 2020 and December 8, 2020. AGENDA ITEM IX(1): HABERSHAM MEDICAL CENTER SECURITY CONTRACT  At that point ar motion was made by Councilman Davis to table the contract until next week. The motion ACTION: The motion to table the security contract with the hospital was unanimously approved. (4-0). Chief Krockum presented: a renewal of the current Inmate Housing Agreement with County. Councilman Davis made a motion to table the agreement. This motion was seconded by Councilman Allen. ACTION: The motion to table the presented Inmate Housing Agreement was unanimously approved  was seconded by Councilman Allen.  AGENDA ITEM X(1): INMATE HOUSING AGREEMENT  (4-0).  AGENDA ITEM) X(2): STREETS & SIDEWALKS  This item was addressed earlier ini the meeting during Bryan Popham's Report. AGENDA ITEM X(3): AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENT WITH CORNELIA  Fire Chief Ranalli came forward to present the newly formulated. Automatic Aid Agreement with Cornelia. He said there is a similar agreement in place with Clarkesville and will only include structure fires. All agreed to table this topic until the next meeting. No vote was taken. This item was handled with the assignment of emails to Council members. AGENDA ITEM XI: CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SERVICE There was no business requiring adjournment into Executive. Session.  AGENDA ITEM) X(4): COUNCIL COMMUNICATION  3IPage    AGENDA ITEM XII: MOTION TO ADJOURN  Ar motion was made to adjourn by Councilman Davis and was seconded by Councilman Allen and was  unanimously approved (4-0). The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m.  Rick Austin, Mayor of Demorest  Kim Simonds, City Clerk  4IPage