Demorest The Hear! ofHabersham Demorest City Council Work Session Demorest Municipal Conference Center . 250 Alabama St Demorest, GA 30535 Tuesday, February 4, 2025 . 6:00 P.M. ATTENDEES: Shawn Allen, Councilman Andrew Ferguson, Councilman Donnie Bennett, Councilman Megan Chastain, City Clerk Jerry Harkness, Mayor Thomas Mitchell, City Attorney Jimmy Davis, Councilman Mark Musselwhite, City Manager The February 4, 2025, Work Session was held in the Demorest Municipal Conference Center located at 250 Alabama Street. 1. INVOCATION Mayor Harkness opened the meeting by leading in prayer. 2. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Harkness called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 3. DISCUSSION OF FOOD 4 KIDS LEASE The everyday good is local 501(c)(3) non-profit looking to make a difference in our community. Food4Kids is a feeding initiative the Everyday Goods has adopted and are passionate about restarting in the Habersham County school system for children identified as being food insecure. They are requesting to lease two closest in the cafeteria at City Hall. There is not a lease presented but Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Musselwhite will create one. 4. DISCUSSION OF UPCOMING EVENT AT HOLDEN OVERSOUL Jamie Alred announced that he is hosting a crawfish boil and oyster roast on March 2. DDA has approved the event. Chief Chastain agreed to close the post office parking lot at midnight the night before and have patrol during the event. He asked for permission to use the parking lot and allow the police to help with blocking the parking lot and patrolling the area during the event. 5. DISCUSSION OF GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE OPTIONS Jimbo Floyd with Turner Wood & Smith presented a summary of the 2024 premiums and what 2025 premiums will be. Mr. Floyd recommended we move forward with Tokio Marine for general liability insurance and Cowbell for cyber security. 1Page 6. DISCUSSION OF HABERSHAM PARTNERSHIP FOR GROWTH INVOICE Mr. Musselwhite indicated Habersham Partnership for Growth had not submitted the invoice yet for 2025 SO we will need to table this. 7. DISCUSSION OF GMA PTSD PROGRAM Chief Scheuerer indicated the State of Georgia passed a law that any municipality that has police or fire must have a PTSD program. He presented GMA's GIRMA Georgia First Responder PTSD Program Proposal. House Bill 451 has two coverage components required: Lifetime Critical IlIness Lump Sum PTSD Diagnosis Benefit and Lifetime and Lifetime Long-Term PTSD Disability Benefit. Component 1: There are 4 options available for lifetime benefits per first responder which are $3,000 (mandated limit), $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. Component 2: The PTSD disability limit estimated annual premiums for all first responders, is $1871. After a brief discussion, Mayor and Council would like to move forward with the mandated coverage and limit and to allow Mr. Musselwhite to research this more and increase the limit if he sees fit. 8. DISCUSSION OF JULY 4 Mr. Musselwhite presented two firework proposals: Pyrotecnico in the amount of $27,500 and Sky High Pyrotechnics in the amount of $20,625. Mayor and Council discussed the pros and cons with price and liability insurance being the main topics. Lynn Percy spoke up and stated that she doesn't want or support fireworks due to PTSD. 9. DISCUSSION OF CITY MANAGER CONTRACT Mayor and Council requested to table this to go into executive session to discuss. 10.DISCUSSION OF DDA RESIGNATION OF REBECCA GODWIN Jim Welborn (DDA Chairman) indicated that Rebecca Godwin resigned as DDA Chairman and DDA has accepted her resignation. He is asking the Mayor and Council to accept her resignation. BANK SIGNER CHANGES FOR DDA ACCOUNTS Jim Welborn (DDA Chairman) indicated that we would need to remove Rebecca Godwin as a bank signer on the DDA accounts and requested we add him as a signer. Mrs. Chastain indicated that we needed to update account ending in 7799 removing Rebecca Godwin and add the new DDA Chairman and account ending in 3782 removing Lawrence Bridges and Donnie Bennett and adding Mark Musselwhite and the new DDA Chairman. 2/Page 11. DISCUSSION OF IGA FOR TRAINING FACILITY IN BALDWIN Chief Scheuerer indicated that 240 hours oftraining is required by ISO and part of that includes a burn building which is something Demorest does not have. The IGA presented is just a renewal of the agreement that we have had for years with the City of Baldwin and is already paid for the year 2025. 12. DISCUSSION OF MOA FOR AUTOMATIC AID WITH CITY OF CORNELIA FIRE DEPARTMENT Chief Scheuerer presented an MOA for Fire Department Automatic Aid with the City of Cornelia Fire Department and City of Demorest Fire Department. 1.CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION (if needed) A motion was made by Councilman Bennett and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson to adjourn and reconvene in Executive Session for the purpose of discussion of personnel. This portion oft the Work Session adjourned at 6:50 p.m. A motion was made by Councilman Bennett and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson to come out of Executive Session and reconvene in Work Session. The motion was unanimously carried, and the Work Session reconvened at 7:19 p.m. 14. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 7:19 phm. - Mayor of Dembrest SEAL RG Demorest fity Clerk 3Page