Demorest The Hear! ofHabersham Demorest City Council Work Session Demorest Municipal Conference Center e 250 Alabama St Demorest, GA 30535 Tuesday, April 1, 2025 e 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 April 1, 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. BOOK PRESENTATION FROM APRIL LAHAYNES 4TH GRADE CLASS April LaHayne's and a few students presented a book to Mayor and Council from when some council, admin staff and department heads were interviewed by Mrs. LaHayne's 4th grade class. 4. DISCUSSION OF PARKING LOT AT CITY HALL Mr. Musselwhite reached out to Bill Gresham and James Irvin for a proposal to design and survey the front of city hall for a parking lot for occupants leasing out the building to the post office and anyone else we may lease the building to. The post office is requesting twenty designated parking spots. Mr Musselwhite presented a letter from the arborist recommending that the two post oaks in front of City Hall be removed. The two large oaks pose a significant threat to vihicular traffic, pedistrian traffic, and to the stucture itself. Gresham indicated that the critiacal root zone of the two large oaks will extend to a mojority of the potential parking lot which will pose threats in the future. Mr. Musselwhite presented as survey estimate from Gresham Planning and Development, INC and a proposal for design services from foothills land design. James Irvin and Bill Gresham went into detail of each of their proposals as well as the process. 5. DISCUSSION OF EXTENDING THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ORDINANCE Mayor and Council discussed the presented ordinance that expired at the beginning of the month. Council recommend removing a period of time and make it a permanent ordinance. Mr. Mitchell 1/Page recommended a first read tonight and a special called meeting for Thursday at noon due to the upcoming Peidmont events. 6. DISCUSSION OF ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FIRE INSPECTIONS (25T READING) This was a request from the Fire Chief to be able to do his job more efficiently. This is a second reading from last month. No further discussion was made. 7. DISCUSSION OF BLIGHT ORDINANCE Mr. Mitchell indicated that this is a powerful tool to have in your tool box. Blighted allows you to increase taxes until it is cleared up and then the propery owner can apply with a tax rebate. This is a first reading. 8. DISCUSSION OF WWTP SOLIDS DISPOSAL This is a budget request increase. We currently transport dewatered solids from the City's WWTF to the Habersham County landfill. However, there have been multiple occasions when we were unable to dispose of solids there due to rain, wet site conditions, and other limitations. Unfortunately, this has led to an accumulation of solids at the plant, which could eventually impact operations. To address this, EMI has contacted the Waste Management Landfill in Homer, which has agreed to accept the waste without the same site condition restrictions as Habersham County. However, the disposal cost is significantly higher and could increase the solids disposal budget line tem by approximately $10,000 to $15,000. At present, the solids disposal budget remains well below the allocated amount. EMI is requesting the city approve transporting solids to the Waste Management Landfill in Homer on days when the Habersham landfill is unavailable to prevent potential permit compliance issues. 9. DISCUSSION OF GEORGIA HYDRANT SERVICES INVOICE This was already approved through ARPA expenitures and was paid last week. 10. DISCUSSION OF AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE Mr. Musselwhite, Jessie Owensby and Mr. Mitchell are halfway through going through recommendations that Jessie is recommending we amend on our zoning ordinace. Mr. Musselwhite said we made an error and mislabled a parcell as agriguculture and it should be a mobile home classification that we will need to create. The mobile home needs to be replaced and based off the current zoning, it cannot be replaced. Mr. Musselwhite presented an ordinace to allow the mobile home definition in our zoning. This ordinance is a first reading. 11.DISCUSSION OF DOWNTOWN PAVILION Mr. Musselwhite presented a total cost of remodeling the downtown pavilion: MPE Services: $8,985 2Page Capital Roofing: $3,850 Pro Truss: $1,852 Harbin Lumber: $8,076 Enterprises, Inc Flooring: $4,704 NE GA Concrete: $3,000 Total Cost - $30,440 12. DISCUSSION OF USE OF BRENT LEE MEMORIAL FIELD AS DESIGNATED DOG PARK Councilman Bennett and Mr. Musselwhite presented a proposal to convert the Brent Lee Memorial Field as a designated dog park and kid's park. Mr. Musselwhite reviewed the final numbers, and the council agreed to the project. 13. DISCUSSION OF GEFA FUNDS The city has been approved for the equipment purchase using the Lead/Copper grant from GEFA. Mr. Musselwhite explained the grant amount; totals of equipment being purchased as well as what the city will need to pay. Mayor and Council approved these expenditures in a prior meeting, but Council gave the head nod to continue with the expenditure explained tonight. 14. CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION (if needed) There was no executive session. 15.ADJOURN The meeting adjeurned at 7:14 p.m Mayor of Demeresy SEAL Demorest City Clerk 3IPage