Minutes City Council Meeting June 10th, 2024 6:30pm  EORGI  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 6:30p pm.  Mayor Almagno read a live stream viewer's request tol know who was present in the audience and listed those attending the meeting and were: not visible on the stream. a. Approval of Minutes: Council Meeting 5/28/24 and Work Session 6/4/24. Action: A motion was made by. Alice Venter to approve the consent agenda as presented with a second by Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 5-  Consent.Agenda  0. Public Comments  Jennifer Reagan of 350 Peach Orchard Road stated that there used tol be a stop sign at the entrance of Peach Orchard Road and The Oaks Assisted Living, but the sign was damaged at some point and was never replaced. Reagan, having witnessed many: near accidents, requested ai new stop sign be placed at the entrance. Council was in agreement to replace the stop sign, and City staffv will  move forward with the replacement.  Public. Hearings Reports Old. Business  1. Consideration/APprova. of CAO Contract  Council had no additional comments regarding the CAO contract for FY2025. Action: Amotion was made by Alice Venter to approve the Chief Administrative Officer contract: for FY2025 as presented with: a In Favor: Erik Keith, Kerri Davis, Maarten Venter, Alice Venter.  second by Erik Keith. Motion Carried 4-0.  Opposed: Joseph Satterfield.  Council Meeting Minutes  June 10th, 2024  Page 1    2. Consderation/Approva. of FY25 Annual Budget budget after extensive discussions over thel last few months.  Mayor Almagno called on Council for any additional comments regarding the Council member Maarten Venter requested confirmation that with thej proposed budget, there are no options other than increasing the millage rate, like pulling from fund balance. CAO: Emily Woodmaster stated there is already a proposed pull from both the general fund and enterprise fund balance, but that the only other option would bei to: make additional cuts. All originally proposed police and fire positions, two vehicles, and various equipment purchases havel been cut. Venter continued that while there are businesses coming online ini the coming months that will bring money to Baldwin, the Council has approximately until 2026 before the newi inland port opens up in Hall County, and that Venter hopes enough businesses will come to Baldwin to alleviate the burden from residents. Council discussed the drasticincrease tol home valuations in thel last few years, and how Habersham County residents' taxes are not offset by LOST like Banks County residents in Baldwin. Mayor Almagno stated thatin conjunction with department heads, a "breather year" is being taken before adding public safety to Highway 365 since the, growth is not quite at Baldwin's doorstep. However, the public safety additions to the highway willl be required before too long. Council member. Alice Venter expressed that she had had one citizen contact her regarding heri intended vote on the budget, and that when Venter asked the citizen for any suggestions on how to reduce the budget, she received no answer. Venter asked citizens ift they have suggestions for thel budget to please bring them Jennifer Reagan stated that viewing the cost divided over 12 months for the Cindy Lifsey of 253 Chandler Heights Circle stated that there had tol be something in addition to be cut and that government must be responsible toi its citizens. Mayor. Almagno read the highlighted portion of Resolution #2024-06145R. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to approve and adopt the Fiscal Year 2025 budget as presented with a second by Erik Keith.  forward.  services rendered seemed tol be worth it in her opinion.  Motion Passed 3-0.  In Favor: Erik Keith, Kerri Davis, Alice Venter. Opposed: Joseph Satterfield, Maarten Venter. 3. Consideration/Approva. of FY25 Appointments  Ati the June work session, the appointments for fiscal year 2025 were discussed, as well as the position of Mayor Pro' Tem, which must be  nominated and approved by Council.  Council Meeting Minutes  June 10th,2024  Page 2    Kerri Davis nominated Alice Venter for thej position and Venter accepted the Action: A motion was made by Kerri Davis to nominate Alice Venter Action: A motion was: made by Joseph Satterfield to approve the remaining FY25 appointments as presented with a second by Maarten 4. onsieraton/APprova. of Banks County Hazard Mitigation Plan Resolution Council had no further questions or comments regarding the Banks County Action: A motion was madel by Alice Venter to approve the Banks County Hazard Mitigation Plan Resolution #2024-06143K as presented with a second by. Joseph Satterfield. Motion Carried 5-0.  nomination.  as. Mayor Pro Tem for FY25. Motion Carried 5-0.  Venter. Motion carried 5-0.  #2024-06143R Hazard Mitigation Plan.  New. Business  5. onsderation/APproa. of Personnel Policy Manual  Woodmaster reviewed the process and steps taken over thel last few years to update employee benefits, fine-tune policies, and create a more streamlined document of personnel policies for onboarding new employees. The Policy Committee met many times and worked through difficult questions and potential scenarios to create an updated policy that truly reflects the City of Baldwin. City Clerk Erin Gathercoal will be sending the update policy manual to Council that evening, and Woodmaster encouraged them to review and to bring any concerns to her sO that they may be promptly addressed. Ideally, the Personnel Policy Manual will be approved at the first council meeting in July. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to move the approval of the Personnel Policy Manual to the first meeting in July with a 6. onsderation/APprova. of Special Election for Post 2 Resolution #2024:  second by Erik Keith. Motion Carried 5-0.  06144R  Mayor Almagno explained that this resolution is needed as a result of Council Member Satterfield's resignation from his post, effective immediately following the July 29th council meeting. This resolution fixes the Special Election to the same date as November's presidential election, sets the Once approved and signed by Council, the resolution will be: submitted to Laurel Ellison with Habersham County Elections & Voter Registration.  qualifying fee, and explains the qualifying timeline.  Council Meeting Minutes  June 10th, 2024  Page I3    Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to approve the Special Election for Post 2 Resolution #2024-06144R: as presented with a In Favor: Erik Keith, Kerri Davis, Maarten Venter, Alice Venter.  second by Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 4-0.  Abstention: Joseph Satterfield.  Executive Session Amnouncements  a. The 2nd Annual Baldwin Water Wari is on June 15th from 2:30 = 4:30 pm at Mitchell Gailey Park! Bring your water guns and a towel tol beat thel heat! Sign up  today at City Hall, via the Facebook event, or email Hhicmadbfhilsine  b. City Offices willl be closed June 19th in observance ofJuneteenth.  Join us for the next installment of Movies in the Market on June: 28th at 8:30 p.m.. Bring, your lawn chairs and blankets and join us: for a FREE night offun at the Farmers' Market located at 110. Airport Road. This month we willl be showing The Goonies. Concessions are available, with all proceeds going to Shop with a d. Mayor Almagno thanked City staff for a successful kickoff event for the Mayor's Reading Club the previous Friday. Nearly: 30 children attended the event and the new. Little Free Library at the Farmers' Market was officially opened.  Hero.  Adjournment  Action: A motion was made by Erik Keith to adjourn the meeting with asecond byJoseph Satterfield. Motion Carried 5-0 at' 7:27 pm.  7/5/2024 Date Approvéd by Council  StephanieA G  Mayor  BALD CITY z SEAL E ORN GP  2  Council Meeting Minutes  June 10th, 2024  Pagel 14