TOWN OF BROOKER REGULAR MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST: 8 8, 2023  Present: Absent:  Joe Tolleson, Linda Bennett, Gene Melvin, Chris Caldwell, Charlene Thomas,  John Maines - virtual meeting Stéve Acree Thomas  Community: Carolyn Spooner-C County Commissioner, Carol Mosley-T Telegraph, Terry  Meeting called to order by Gene Melvin, Mayor.  Pledge of Allegiance!  Amotion was made by Chris Caldwell to approve the. July 11th meeting minutes as presented.  Seconded by Linda Bennett. Motion passed.  Carolyn Spooner - County Commissioner - Bradford County:  She gave each councilmember al handout called Strategic Planning. The plan calls for the to hold Town Hall meetings at each oft the communities. (Brooker, Hampton, plan calls to develop a summary document for the Board toi further review and develop final strategic planning with short term and long term goals and objectives that will provide the County and community with clear and sounds plans moving forward. The Town Council scheduled a Town Hall meeting for August 22nd at 6p.m. at the Brooker Community Center. Meeting will be advertised in Telegraph and City Hall will send out on the REMIND app. Also,a  County  Lawtey, Starke) The  notice will be put at the Post Office and on the door of City Hall.  Attorney - John Maines: Nothing to report.  Fire Department - Joe Tolleson: Department in Brooker.  Nothing to report. Carolyn Spooner said that safety is important to the County but without Federal Funding the County does not have any extra funding at this time to help with a Fire  Acting Town Clerk - Charlene Thomas:  1. The painting was completed at City Hall/Community Center. Looks great. 2. Vince Robinson did install the new ceiling tiles in the Community Center that had water 3. Ispoke with Donnie with Bradford County Road department concerning making School Street a one-way street. lasked him to wait until this meeting sO we can get approval  damage on them.  1    from the Town Council. It was suggested we put on the one-way sign the hours that School Street will be one-way. This will keep the street from being one-way all day. Ar motion was made by. Joe Tolleson to put the time on the one-way signs. Seconded Linda Bennett. Charlene will get with Suzanne and find out what time school starts and by 4. The new Radar Signs have been installed. A big thank-you to Donnie and the Road 5. Vince is still working on getting us a price to replace front doors at Community Center. 6. We have not found anyone to fill the position of Town Clerk. Iwill continue doing the job until we complete the SCOP grant and ARPA funds. Also, we need to have some guidelines in place for a new Town Clerk. Since the Clerk is part-time we only allow them 5 days off for vacation. We cannot have the clerk taking off more than 5 days at a time because the water bill payments will not be processed and money cannot be taken to bank and deposited. Iwill work on some guidelines and present to the council for approval. On a good note Id did have Wanda Sowell stop by on Monday and she is interested in the position and will let me know something backi in a few weeks. lwould like for the Council to consider paying the Town Clerk $1000.00 a month. A motion was made by Chris Caldwell to pay a new Town Clerk $1000.00 a month. Seconded by. Joe 8. We are not going to fill out an application for a CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) this year. The deadline for the application is August 31st and that is not enough time to get the application ready for submittal. The council did approve the application on May gth. However, after talking with Andy Easton we have decided to fill out one next year. We need to close out SCOP grant and spend all ARPA funds before starting a 9. Idid speak to Andy Easton to check into a water meter replacement grant. Hampton 10. Iwas contacted by Suzanne McRee about the flashing school light on Charlotte Avenue going East and West. In the past years the Town of Brooker has paid the electric bill for these lights. Does the Town want toi turn the flashing lights back on and pay the electric bill for the Community School? A motion was made by Linda Bennett to turn on and pay the monthly bill. Seconded by Chris Caldwell. Motion passed. Clerk will contact 11. The sidewalk was repaired between S. East Street and Ward Street. Joe Tolleson did 12. Ihave spoken with Tracy McRee about making us a cabinet to put zoom meeting equipment in. Itist too hard trying to get this equipment through our office doors. 13. Past due water report passed out. Still out $375.58. Four meters were locked in. July. One is still locked as oft this meeting. Ithink homeowners have moved.  ends and let Donnie know: sO signs can be made.  department.  Tolleson. Motion passed.  7. An updated copy oft the ARPA expenditures was passed out.  new project.  just received a grant from Suwannee River Water Management.  Clay Electric.  inspect the sidewalk and ok'd the work. Council agreed this is needed.  2    14. The community center was rented on Saturday. Ijust noticed one oft the light covers is broken. We have a $50.00 security deposit which we will not refund to renter sO we can use this money to replace light cover. Gene Melvin said he will check and see if he can  get us a new cover.  Accounting Clerk - Charlene Thomas:  1. She went over Revenue and Expenditures for the month of July.  2. She presented al Memorial/Veterans Day wood sign. Terry made this one and I can order the flags in bulk. The signs will be displaced on Highway 18/Charlotte Avenue around Memorial Day and' Veteran's Day each year. Iwould like to see ift the council would $500t towards the project. The funds can come from ARPA money. It was suggested give we allow up to $750 to cover expenses and compensate Terry Thomas for making the signs. An motion was made by. Joe Tolleson to allow the $750 to be used for signs and compensation to Terry. Seconded by Linda Bennett. Motion passed. ARPA funds will be 3. Did anyone look over the Property Schedule and see any changes in amounts we need to make to our Insurance? It was suggested we change the Pump House Well replacement cost to $80.000, Elevated Water Tank replacement cost to $250,000, Utility Bulding/Community Center replacement cost to $20,000 and Playground to $30,000 replacement cost. Iwill contact Florida League of Cities and see what we need to dot to 4. Iheard from Stephanie Harrington, owner of Bragg Branch subdivision. She did pay the $1750.00 for both of the new houses being built. She said she wasn't aware she needed to pay this. She did pay a $100 deposit on each home. Terry did go and install the new meters. She did mention she would like to have the meter moved from the driveway. I told herl IV would mention to council. Idid speak with Swampcutters and the cost to move this meteri is $600.00. However, today around 4:30p.m. Ireceived a call from Stephanie and the water was bubbling up from the meter. Icalled Swampcutters and they came out and Terry helped them locate the cut off to this subdivision. The line was repaired and Swampcutters went ahead and moved the meter out of the driveway. Gene said this will actually save the Town money because sooner or later that line will break and we will have to dig up a driveway to fix it. Linda Bennett made a motion for the Town to pay Swampcutters for moving the meter. Seconded by Chris Caldwell. 3yes votes and 1-no vote. Motion passed. We did receive $1750 SO we have the funds to pay 5. Suzanne McRee did work two days in July. Do we want to pay her for those two days? A motion was made by Linda Bennett to pay: Suzanne. Seconded by Chris Caldwell.  used.  implement these changes.  Swampcutters for moving the meter.  Motion passed.  Water Department- - Gene Melvin:  3    1. Gene said he did speak with Bernard Carter about making sure we know the date the  water tank will be emptied sO we can let DEP know.  Sanitation - Chris Caldwell:  1. Gene Melvin said Whitehurst did mention tol him about Waste Pro truck spilling fluid from their truck and could cause the new roads to deteriorate in spots our cause the road to  have wash outs. Gene did call Waste Pro and mention this to them.  Road/Streets - Joe Tolleson:  1. Joe mentioned that there is a dent in the new pavement at Harrell/Colson and Harrell/Parker. Gene said he would mention this at the Wednesday meeting. 2. Gene did mention the paving project is almost complete. Everything should be finalized at tomorrow's meeting. He mentioned what an exceptional job Martine Burnham, SAI Consulting Engineers has done. She has saved the Town a lot of money with the work being done correctly. The project should be completed by September keeping 12th.  all  New Business:  1. Annual review of Water Rates needs tol be discussed. Does the town council want to increase the water rate from $24.00 for up to 3000 gallons to $25.00? A motion was made by Chris Caldwell to increase by $1.00 effective October 1st. Seconded by Joe Tolleson. Motion passed. The clerk will present the Resolution at the next regular  meeting.  Checks approved: GF= =8130-8153 WF=5913-5926  An motion was made by Chris Caldwell to pay the bills. Seconded by Linda Bennett. Motion  passed. Time: 8:15p.m. Cecil E.  Motion to adjourn by Gene Melvin, Mayor. CRgegh (Gene) Melvin, Mayor  dmo  Clain  Charlene Thomas, Acting Town Clerk  4