City ofl Midway City Council Meeting Minutes September 25, 2023  The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Brenda Ford  The Invocation was given Councilman Marc Nelson with Mayor Ford leading the Pledge. Those in attendance included Mayor Brenda Ford, City Secretary Debra Newkirk, Council members John Whitmire, Rex Newkirk, Gus Kangos, Brandee Curtis and Marc Nelson. Wes Savage was also in attendance. Operator Janet Boone was unable to attend. Guests for the meeting included' Ty Jordan and Chandra Adams, both of Prairie View. A&M University; and Frank Frey and Mike Staffileno, both ofGHD. Mr. Jordan and Ms. Adams spoke first. Mr. Jordan the Ag Extension Agent for Madison and Leon Counties through PVAMU. He spoke of working within the county to help everyone: in both counties with all oft their agriculture needs including exemptions. He informed the Council that hei is the agent fort the Midway 4-H Chapter. Ms. Adams spoke next; shet told the story of howa a 5 minute stop turned into a three and a half] hour conversation that led to the programs that were offered in the Summer Reading Program this year. She told the Council that anything the City would like to do, Prairie Viewi is there tol help and all service toi the Cityi isi free! Atthis time, they were able tol leave the meeting. Everyone was very glad to have met them and look Mike Staffileno and Frank Frey spoke next. They were present, representing GHD. GHD is the engineering firm at submitted RFQ's for both of the upcoming grants TDA's CDBG 23/24 and GLO's CDBG-MIT, MOD. Mr. Staffileno had come in from Dallas and Mr. Frey had travelled from the Houston area; both were very excited tol havel been given an opportunity to submit and bes selected to work with the City. GHD: is currently working with the City on the. AMPSS program through TWDB. The RFQ's for both grants had been received and scored oni the 18tho of September. GHD was one ofi four firms that had submitted. With the: scoring committee's recommendation, two resolutions were presented tot the Council at this meeting: Resolution 2023-19R, for TDA's CDBG 23/24 and Resolution 2023-20R, for GLO's CDBG-MIT, MOD. Brandee Curtis made the motion to approve GHD on both resolutions, Rex Newkirk made the second and with all voting in favor the motion passed. Mr. Staffileno asked that both signed resolutions be submitted to Mr. Chris Benjamin. At this time they were able tol leave the meeting. Everyone was very glad tol have had them at the meeting and look forward to working With no other guests present or presentations tol be made, the Council went into the Budget Workshop. At the. August Council meeting, the proposed Budget for 23/24 had been presented and at that time there were no requests or recommendations for changes. Atal prior Council meeting, thei issue of raises/cost of] living adjustments had been raised and Debra Newkirk presented the Council with information on how cost ofliving adustments/mcreases, are determined-it'sl based on thei inflation rate and what the Social Security. Administration is projecting. Currently the rate ofinflation is 8.7% and the Social Security. Administration: is making a 3% to 4% cost of living adjustment. There are other recommendations for a standard 5%1 increase to apply duei to the rate ofi inflation. Thisi information was presented in a way that Council could see what the COL-IV would like for each employee and each department's Salary line item at 3%, 4% and 5%. The question was raised of when thel last time raises had actually  forward to working with them.  with GHD on these upcoming grants.    been given. Debra stated that she would have the information available at the next Council meeting. There was no: further discussion and no requests or recommendations made.  At7:40 p.m. the Mayor opened the Budget Public Hearing.  With no one in attendance the Budget Public Hearing was closed at 7:41 p.m.  Gus Kangos made the motion to accept the Consent Agenda, Brandee Curtis made the second  and with all voting in agreement the motion carried. There were: no public comments regarding items oni the agenda. The: following items were on the Statutory Agenda:  Ordinance No. 2024-01, adopting the Budget for FY 2023-2024, was presented. Rex Newkirk made the motion to approve, Gus Kangos made the second and with all voting Asponsorship request had been received from the NAACP of Madison County and the City ofl Madisonville Office ofTourism fori the upcoming Tour de Madison". There were different levels ofs sponsorship and the line item had been taken up with requests from the Son-Shine Center and the Midway Volunteer Fire Department. A suggestion was made to take $50.00 from each ofthe previous requests to make up the $100 fort the sponsorship level. Gus Kangos made the motion, Marc Nelson made the: second and with all voting in agreement: $50.00 willl bei taken from the Son-Shine Center's and the Midway Volunteer Fire Department's donations to make the $100 needed. Ar request tol hire Duplichain Contractors tol handle a leak on Hwy 21 was brought to the Council. This leak involves working on the shoulder oft the road and there area a lot of other utilities ini the ground in the same area, (i.e., two fiber optic lines, gas lines) and just the complexity of working with' TX DoT. John Whitmire made the motion, Rex Newkirk made the second and with all voting in favor the motion carried.  ina agreement the motion passed.  At this time reports were given: Janet Boone was not in attendance. Wes Savage gave the reports:  Sewer-nothing! has changed since the last meeting; still waiting for Entergy. Water-Key has been up and he sent a crew to puti in two chemical mixing chambers, one leaked and the otherl held. Key will still try to get one made out of stainless The City Wide clean-up is scheduled for October 7th and 8th, The dumpsters will City Hall will be closed on Monday, September 4th for Labor Day  Debra Newkirk reminded Council that:  be delivered ont the 6th and picked up on the gth,  Quotes had been presented for Council's consideration in repairing School Road/Loop Ken Starr, County Commissioner Precinct 1, had submitted a quote for $613.00/load. There was a question of that being the: final price. It will be necessary to contact Mr. Starr on the 26th to verify pricing and the actual amount of rock needed.  Roundtree had submitted a quote for $700/load Collard Construction submitted a quote for $725    At this time, Gus Kangos made the motion to adjourn, John Whitmire made the 2nd and with all  being in agreement thei meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.  Bude A1  AhDubak  Brenda Ford, Mayor  Debra Newkirk, City Secretary