Minutes 6 City Council Meeting May 27th 3 2025 6:30 pm Baldwin Municipal Courtroom, 155 Willingham Avenue, Baldwin, GA 30511 Mayor Stephanie Almagno, Councilmember Erik Keith, Councilmember Nancy Lehman, Councilmember Kerri Davis, and Councilmember Alice Venter were in attendance. Calll Meeting to Order Mayor Almagno called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm. Invocation and Pledge Mayor Almagno listed those present for the Facebook ivestream. Consent Agenda a. Approval of Minutes: Council Meeting 5/12/2025. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to accept the consent agenda as presented with a second by Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 4-0. Public Comments Nick & Amanda Morris - The Hollow Log Nick and Amanda Morris of the Hollow Log addressed Council about having a disc golf course in Baldwin, stating itis an opportunity for inexpensive community gatherings and exercise. Mayor Almagno added that she had met with the Morrises the week prior and a property on Stonepile Street has been identified as a potential location. Currently, there are Banks County SPLOST III and SPLOST IV funds that were allocated for recreation and were left over from completed parks and recreation projects. Council was in consensus to look further into the project, including researching costs, location possibilities, etc. Kerrie Rice of 151 Sappling Place signed in for public comment but did not come forward when the Mayor opened the floor after the Morrises spoke. Public Hearings Oak Terrace Variance Ordinance #2025-05162Z CAO Emily Woodmaster reviewed the variance request for the Oak Terrace subdivision. Public Works Director Scott Barnhart has verified that work was done to ensure the water line is no longer under the asphalt; however, the water line is still not located in a dedicated 10-foot utility easement as was detailed on the approved plans. Council has the option to accept the water lines as constructed or to authorize the use of a master meter for the subdivision. Legal Counsel Bubba Samuels opened the public hearing at 6:54 pm. No one came forward to speak in favor or in opposition. The hearing was left open while other items on the agenda were addressed. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to amend the agenda to add New Business, Item Council Meeting Minutes May 27th, 2025 Page 11 #4: Consideration/APprova of Emergency Water Line Repair Expense with a second by Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 4-0. Reports Code Compliance - Officer Chris Thomason Code Compliance Officer Chris Thomason provided Council an overview of continued education for code complance/enlorcement through the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG). Thomason attended his first conference this year and completed three courses. Thomason also provided before-and-after photos of properties that have been cleaned up in the year he has worked for the City. Other photos of progress are available at Council's request, and they are welcome to join Thomason on a ride-along"to discuss other properties in the City. Oaky Dover, a developer for the Oak Terrace subdivision, came forward to speak in favor of the Council granting the request. He stated the concern about the water line being under the asphalt in several locations had been addressed, and upon Council's decision, the as built would be updated to reflect the change. He asked Council accept the lines as constructed. Mayor Almagno opened the floor again for the Oak Terrace variance public hearing. No one came forward. Samuels stated that the Mayor could close the hearing if no one else wished to speak. The public hearing was closed at 7:10 pm. Old. Business 1. Consideration/Approva. of 2nd Reading of Oak Terrace Variance Ordinance #2025- 05162Z Bryan Whitenton of D B, LLC. and Dover expressed that they were expecting a contingent decision" tonight, meaning that the Council would accept the lines with conditions. Mayor Almagno confirmed that Whitenton and Dover had not spoken with the EPD or contacted their engineer about updating the as- built as discussed at the previous council meeting. Councilmember Alice Venter stated that she was not in favor of a master meter, but was in favor of accepting the lines since they were no longer under the asphalt, as long as an updated as built was submitted to the City. Council discussed the possibility oftabling the decision with Whitenton and Dover, asking if it would cause any setbacks with the project. Whitenton and Dover reiterated that they were expecting a decision this evening with contingencies. Woodmaster confirmed that the water line is located in the County right-of- way and not in the 10-foot dedicated easement as designed. If any leak in the six-inch water line caused erosion to the base oft the County road, the City of Baldwin would be responsible for repairing the road. Councilmember Nancy Lehman was in favor of the master meter but not of accepting the water lines, and Councilmember Erik Keith was in favor of tabling the decision due to receiving conflicting information. Councilmember Kerri Davis stated that she would be abstaining from the vote. Venter stated that she was in favor of voting and that sometimes there's an issue of getting "wound around the axle with standards and policy, but if the rest of Council wanted to table the decision, she was not opposed. When Councilmember Keith asked for clarification as to why the water line was not placed where it was supposed to be, Whitenton and Dover stated there was a discrepancy in the Council Meeting Minutes May 27th, 2025 Page 2 plans. Woodmaster explained that they were referring to a detail in the City's construction standards that was not relevant to the water line construction in question, and that she was happy to provide Council with the approved plans for further inspection. Whitenton and Dover were not willing to state ift the water line contractor had installed the line incorrectly. Council was in consensus to table the decision for the next Council meeting on June 9th. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter table the 2nd Reading ofthe Oak Terrace Variance Ordinance #2025-05162Z with a second by Erik Keith. Motion Carried 3-0-1 (Abstained: K. Davis). New Business 2. Consideration/Approva of 1st Reading of Briceno Zoning Change Ordinance #2025- 05163Z Woodmaster reviewed a zoning change request for 182 Davis Drive, which mirrors a request the Council approved a few months prior. The City's records incorrectly reflect a residential property as Highway Business zoning, and the request is to change the zoning to Residential Single Family (R1) SO that the owners of this property can obtain permits to make upgrades to their home. Council had no questions or concerns about the zoning change. Action: A motion was made by Kerri Davis to approve the 1st Reading ofthe Briceno Zoning Change Ordinance #2025-05163Z as presented with conditions as presented with a second by Nancy Lehman. Motion Carried 4-0. 3. Consideration/Approval of Customer Refund Regarding Solid Waste Disposal Woodmaster presented a request for a refund from a garbage service customer who has been paying for two trash cans for the last six years, despite only having one. In 2018, an audit was completed to verify how many cans were at the curb for each property because the City switched trash service providers. The audit listed this customer's property having two cans, SO from 2019 onward, he was charged as such. He did not realize he was being overcharged until recently reviewing his utility bill and speaking with his neighbors. He met with Woodmaster, who confirmed with FC Sanitation that they have never picked up two cans at his property. Because the overpayment is over multiple fiscal years, the request is to provide Mr. Gomez a refund of $133.56 for the current fiscal year, and the prior years overpayment would be refunded as credit on his utility account in the amount of $900.44. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to approve the solid waste disposal refund to Mr. Gomez as presented with a second by Nancy Lehman. Motion Carried 4-0. 4. Consideration/Approva of Emergency Water Line Repair Expense Woodmaster explained to Council that there was a major water line break on Stonepile Street, and then two additional breaks. Public Works crews worked 42 hours straight to make repairs on Friday and Saturday. Keener Construction was called in to assist with digging for the 65-year-old water line, which was deeper into the earth than anticipated. The proposal is for this cost to be expensed from the Public Works budget, but it exceeds the $5,000 authorization level for staff. Council had no additional concerns or questions. Council Meeting Minutes May 27th, 2025 Page 3 Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to approve the Emergency Water Line Repair Expense, not to exceed $8,000 and to be expensed as presented with a second by Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 4-0. Mayor Almagno read the announcements prior to the motion for executive session. Executive Session Land Acquisition and Disposal Personnel Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to close the regular session and move into executive session for land acquisition and disposal and executive session for personnel with a second by Erik Keith. Motion carried 4-0 at 7:37 pm. Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to reenter the regular session from executive session and to authorize the execution of the affidavit where land acquisition and disposal and personnel were discussed and no action was taken with a second by Kerri Davis. Motion Carried 4-0 at 8:53 pm. Announcements a. The proposed FY26 budget will be available to the public online and at City Hall on May 30th and to be formally presented to the Council at the June 3rdWork Session. The Public Hearing for the FY2026 budget will be held at the June 9th Council Meeting. b. The first meeting for the 2025 City of Baldwin Comprehensive Plan will be June 11th at 5:30 pm at Baldwin City Hall. All Baldwin residents, business owners, and stakeholders are invited to provide feedback for the City's next 5-Year Plan and join the committee ifinterested. Please contact hcler@chothaldwinor for more information or to RSVP. C. The 3rd Annual Baldwin Water War is on June 14th from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm at Mitchell Gailey Park! Bring your water guns and a towelto beat the heat and kick off summer vacation! d. Nancy Lehman addressed crowd at the meeting, stating that Council and staff are actively working on the budget to reduce costs for the upcoming year. She reiterated that the residents' concerns were heard at the town hall meeting and all feedback was being considered. e. Mayor Almagno thanked the Public Works Department for working through the holiday weekend and residents that had to deal with the resulting water loss/boil water advisory. Adjournment Action: A motion was made by Alice Venter to adjourn the meeting with a second by Erik Keith. Motion Carried 4-0 at 8:53 pm. 61918025 OF Stephanie Almagno, Mayor B1 Date Approved by Council CITY Erin Gathercoal, City Clerk SEAL 2 GA - Council Meeting Minutes 2025 Page 4