Minutes City Council Meeting April 29th, 2024 6:30pm  EORGIE  Baldwin Courtroom, 155 Willingham. Avenue, Baldwin, GA; 30511  Mayor Stephanie Almagno, Council Member Erik Keith, Council Member. Joseph Satterfield, Council Member Kerri Davis, Council Member Maarten Venter, and Council  Member. Alice Venter were all in attendance.  Call Meeting to Order Invocation and Pledge  Mayor Almagno called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm.  Pastor Samuel. Negron oft the Four Square Church gave the invocation. Action: A motion was: made by) Maarten Venter to amend the agenda by modifying New Business item #7 from "Consideration/Approval of] Banks County' TSPLOST! Paving Project" to "Consideration/ApprovalOfIMIG Paving Project" and adding New Business item #9 "Consideration/Approval ofFirehouse Subs Grant" with a second by Joseph Satterfield. Motion  Carried 5-0.  Police Department Commendation  Police Chief Chris. Jones presented commendations to Baldwin Police Corporal Aaron Spivey and Cornelia Police OfficerJ Jackson Cooter for their actions and  response to a recent call.  ConsentAgenda  a. Approval of Minutes: Executive Session 3/11/24 and Council Meeting 4/15/24. Action: A motion was made by Maarten Venter to approve the consent agenda as presented with a second by Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 5-0.  Public Comments Public. Hearings  No one cameforward.  Park. Avenue ROW Abandonment  Legal Counsel Jack Samuels reviewed the request for abandonment of an excessive right-of-way on Park Avenue and implementing a quit claim deed for the City of Baldwin to relinquish any rights or ownership of said right-of-way.  Samuels opened thefloor at 6:48 pm. No one cameforward.  Samuels closed thej floor at 6:48 pm.  Councill Meeting Minutes  April 29th,2024  Page I1    Reports  Police Department - Chris Jones  ChiefJones presented a report to Council reviewing 2023 POST approved training hours. POST requires 20 hours of training to maintain status as an officer, but the current Baldwin policy is a minimum of5 50 hours oft training. Jones reviewed all officers' training hours achieved during 2023. Jones also presented a yearly activity report, including number of calls, security checks, reports written, patrol mileage, cases assigned toi investigations and closed.  Old Business  1. Consideration/APprova. of Habersham County. Animal Control IGA  CAO: Emily Woodmaster recapped Council's request to modify the presented an updated IGA with Habersham County: for animal control services. Habersham agreed to modify thel language to correctly reflect the actual calculation (to reflect the net value ofactual cost less the gross digest percentage). With that calculation, the City owes $18,455-58, and an additional $1,800 will be necessary  for that line item.  Council had no additional questions or comments.  Action: Amotion was made by Alice Venter to approve the Habersham County. Animal Control IGA as presented and for the additional $1,800 to be expensed from fund balance with a second by 2. Consideration/APprovA of 2nd Reading oft Utility Encroachment Ordinance  Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 5-0.  #2024-04141  Woodmaster recapped the Utility Encroachment Ordinance, requiring utility and communication companies to submit an application and plans to the City for approval prior to working in Baldwin rights-of-way. This Ordinance to prevent conflicting utilities being laid in the same right-of-way and to allow the City to  know what lines are being constructed in Baldwin. Council had no additional questions or comments.  Action:Amotion was: made by Alice Venter to approve the Utility Encroachment Ordinance #2024-04141a5 presented with a second by 3. Consideration/APprova. of] Park Avenue ROW Abandonment Resolution #2024:  Joseph Satterfield. Motion Carried 5-0.  04142R  Council had no additional questions or comments.  Council Meeting Minutes  April 29th, 2024  Page 12    Action: A motion was made by Maarten Venter to approve the Park Avenue Right-of-Way. Abandonment Resolution #2024-04142K as presented with a second by Erik Keith. Motion Carried, 5-0.  New Business  4. Ratification of Consent Order for Los Cerritos  Samuels reviewed the consent order agreed tol by Council at thel hearing for Los Cerritos the previous Friday after Los Cerritos had been cited for serving alcohol toan underaged person. The alcohol license is tol be reinstated with a fine of $500, an updated employee handbook enforcing the importance of verifying the age ofa alcohol customers, and the addition of a managing agent who isl local year- round. The $500 fine is an administrative fine for the alcohol license from the City of Baldwin, not a citation from Baldwin Police Department. Action: A motion was made by Joseph Satterfield to ratify the consent order for Los Cerritos, as previouslyapproved at thel hearing on April 26th, 2024, with a second by Alice Venter. Motion Carried 5-0.  5. Ratification of Executive Session on 4/18/2024  Samuels explained the need to clean up paperwork from the recent spring Council retreat, during which Council announced they would be holding executive session but did not take a formal vote to enter. This motion is to ratify the vote Council implicitly took by entering executive session. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to formally ratify the vote that was implicitly made by entering the April 18th, 2024 executive session with a second by Erik Keith. Motion Carried 5-0.  6. Consideration/Approva. of FC: Sanitation Contract  Woodmaster presented the proposed FY25 contract with FC Sanitation, which will run from July 1st, 2024 to. June 3oth, 2025. Last year, FCSi informed the City that their rates would bei increasing by 24%, but granted the City an incremental increase split between two years. The FY24 rate was increased by 12%, however, the FY25 rate: is onlyincreasing by 9%. No other changes have been made tot the contract other than the cost for services. Thisi increase will be: reflected on the  July bill, which customers will receive in August. Council had noi further questions or comments.  Action: Amotion was made by Alice Venter to approve the FC Sanitation contract as presented and authorize the CAO to execute the contract with a second by Erik Keith. Motion Carried 5-0.  7. - Consideration/Aprova. of LMIG Paving Project  Council Meeting Minutes  April 29th,2024  Page 13    Woodmaster presented a quote from EMI to1 repave Batson Street, Davis Drive, and Homer Drive ini the amount of $171,210. $116,210 will be expensed from SPLOST' VII and the remainder will be expensed from LMIG. Council had no additional questions or comments.  Action: A motion was made by Maarten Venter to approve the LMIG Paving Project, not to exceed $172,000 and to be expensed as presented between SPLOSTVII and LMIG funds, with a second by  Joseph Satterfield. Motion Carried 5-0. 8. Discussion of CAO Contract Renewal  The contract for the Chief Administrative Officer is up: for renewal, and it is necessary to determine any wage increases to include the upcoming FY25 budget, which must bel balanced and approved by June 30th, Per the current contract, the CAOis to receive an annual review from thel Mayor and Council. Council member. Alice Venter stated that Baldwin's CAO is currently thel lowest paid city manager in the county and that historically, Woodmaster has put the salary needs of staffh before her own, which led to an imbalance in the position's salary until last year's increase inj pay. Venter said that Council would be doing itselfand the City a disservice ift the CAO contract is not appropriately a adjusted. Mayor Almagno reiterated that the CAOis essentially a 24/7] position and that filling this position at the current salary would be difficult. Almagno requested that the item bei tabled in favor of an ongoing discussion and scheduling Venter stated that the current CAO salary is less than the median of $106,000 according to the: recent wage study, and that she personally supported a 10% Action: Amotion was made by Maarten Venter to table the discussion of the CAO contracti renewal with a second by. Joseph Satterfield.  Woodmaster's review.  increase to the position'ss salary. Motion Carried 5-0.  9. Consideration/APprova. Firehouse Subs Grant  ChiefJones credited Captain Justin Ferguson for his diligence in seeking grants, sharing the opportunity to purchase four AEDs through a grant from Firehouse Subs. Historically, the agency would select items for purchase and Firehouse would complete payment. Procedure has now changed to where the agency must purchase the items desired and Firehouse sends reimbursement tot the agency. Council, therefore, must approve the MOU between the City and Firehouse Subs  for funds in the amount of $7,9801 for the. AEDs and freight. Council had no further questions or comments.  Council Meeting Minutes  April 29th,2024  Page 14    Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to approve the Firehouse Subs Grant as presented with a second by Kerril Davis. Motion Carried  5-0. Executive Session Ammouncements  a. The City of Baldwin willl bel holding the annual Budget Town Hall Meeting regarding fiscal year 2025. Duei tol Mayor Almagno and Council Member Satterfield being out of town on the originally proposed date, Council will decide on ai new date for the meeting b. Calling all local farmers and foodies! Join us on the: second and fourth Saturday of May, June and. July for the reFRESH Market! Bring your fruits, veggies, farm fresh eggs, and other goods to City Hall: fora a FREE place to selly your fresh staples! Vendor applications can bei found at nnwctDoDAdwIn.TE or contact. John at City Hall for more  within thei next few days.  information.  Woodmaster shared City staff's visit to Baldwin Elementary last week to roll out a red carpet and encourage: students in preparation for testing. Mayor Almagno shared the success oft the 25th Annual Peachy Clean Up Day with a turnout of d. Public Safety Day isi this Saturday from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm at Steel Cell, providing fun and educational activities to the publici tol better prepare for e. Council member Maarten Venter thanked former council' Theron. Ayers for - Mayor. Almagno thanked City staff and department heads for a successful and g. Early voting polls are open for the general primary elections. Election day is May  nearly 100 people.  common safety concerns. continuing to attend meetings. productive: spring retreat.  21st. Adjournment  Action: Amotion was made by Maarten Venter to adjourn the meeting with a second by Kerri Davis. Motion carried 5-0 at' 7:51 pm.  5/13/29a4 Approved by Council  Stephanie  A Almagno, Mayor - -  Es    GP  Erin Gathercoal, City Clerk    CDNITL  Council Meeting Minutes  April 29th, 2024  Page 15