City of Donalsonville Council Meeting- June 3, 2025 Official Minutes Mayor Ron Johnson, Jr. called the Council Meeting to order at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall. After which Mayor Ron Johnson, Jr. gave the invocation, then all joined in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. Councilmembers present for the meeting included Mayor Ron Johnson, Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Ed Bond, CP Mitch Blanks, CP Lindsay Register, CP Mitzy Moye, CP Travis Brooks, and CP Flossie Smith. Staff present were City Manager Jeffrey Hatcher, City Clerk Christina Corvers, Fire Chief Dean King, Police Chief Kem Pugh, Public Works Superintendent Bert Adams and City Attorney Chip Stewart. Approval ofthe Agenda: Mayor Pro Tem Bond made a motion to approve the Agenda, with CP Smith seconding. Motion carried. Next was the approval of the minutes from the following meetings: May 6, 2025, Council Meeting May 15, 2025, Public Hearing/Called Meeting CP Blanks made a motion to approve the above Meeting Minutes, with CP Smith seconding. Motion passed. APPEARANCES: Code Enforcer Tony Morris then presented the monthly Code Enforcement update, along with an update on the new subdivision- Westbrooke Place. Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Director Tori Gravlee gave an update on the Board's recent and upcoming activities to include the following: Alf's Farmers Market is scheduled for this Saturday, June 7, 2025, downtown, with over 40 vendors expected to participate. Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols spoke at the Lion's Hall, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 12:00 PM. Announced the opening of No-Shade Lemonade, located inside the Front Porch Market and Othell's Boutique. Next, Ryan Herrington, representing Joshua Tree Service Group, appeared before the Council to request permission to combine the adjacent lots located at 501 and 505 South Tennille Avenue. Mr. Herrington explained that 505 South Tennille Avenue is currently zoned Commercial, while 501 South Tennille Avenue is zoned Residential. He noted that the company has fully remodeled the building at 505 South Tennille Avenue and wishes to pave the adjacent lot to provide additional parking for customers. Mr. Herrington further stated that the parking area would be landscaped. After some discussion, City Manager Hatcher recommended that Mr. Herrington present his zoning request for 501 South Tennille Avenue to the Zoning and Planning Board and proceed with the necessary rezoning advertising requirements. Miss Seminole County, Emma Godby, introduced herself and presented the other current reigning Beauty Queens of Seminole County. Ms. Godby then spoke about her community service initiative, which focuses on connecting the community through literacy. She also shared that she is in the process of publishing her own book to support her literacy advocacy efforts. INTERNAL BUSINESS INTERNAL BUSINESS: The Financial Statements for April 2025 were presented and reviewed with comments made by City Manager Hatcher on the current status, along with discussion on the three-month analysis. OLD BUSINESS OLD BUSINESS: City Manager Hatcher provided an update on discussions regarding eDonalsonville services, reporting that the City Manager in Colquitt is still in the process of developing a proposal to potentially assume responsibility for managing and operating the system. Next, City Manager Hatcher opened a discussion regarding Dispatcher fees with Seminole County. He stated that the City of Donalsonville received a reduction in Dispatcher fees during the past fiscal year as a result of decreased overtime costs in dispatch. City Manager Hatcher recommended continuing to utilize the County's dispatch services and proposed entering into an agreement to transition the billing for these services from an annual to a monthly basis. All were in favor to continue utilizing the County's dispatch services and proposed entering into an agreement to transition the billing for these services from an annual to a monthly basis. NEW BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS: City Manager Hatcher presented the Council with the Communications Department update, with a review of the eDonalsonville monthly report. City Manager Hatcher noted that system performance remained stable throughout the month, with uninterrupted service across the network. City Manager Hatcher also reported an increase in interest from potential customers, attributed to rising costs from other service providers. Next, Fire Chief Dean King provided an update on the department's recent activities, including the status ofthe purchase of a used ladder truck. Police Chief Kem Pugh then addressed the Council with a statement regarding the Police Department's budget and to clear up several misconceptions that had been circulating. Following this, Assistant Police Chief Barbara Barber spoke about the Department's hiring and overtime procedures, likewise addressing and clarifying related procedures. Next, Public Works Superintendent Adams stated he had nothing to report at this time. City Manager Hatcher then gave an update on the following: FLOST Negotiations: Spoke with County Manager Granger regarding the upcoming discussions on the Floating Homestead Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST). While the need for a meeting has been acknowledged, no date has been scheduled yet. Superintendent Foskey has indicated that the deadline to reach an agreement and place the measure on the ballot is August 1, 2025. Police Department Facilities: The modular building designated as the temporary facility for the Police Department has been fully delivered and assembled. Electrical service installation is currently in progress. New water and sewer connections are also being completed, and updated network infrastructure will be installed to support operational connectivity. Seminole County Board of Education Pre-K Building: The current Pre-K building has been presented as a potential option for the City to purchase for use as the future home of the Donalsonville Police Department. After some discussion, CP Bond made a motion to offer the Seminole County Board of Education $100,000 for the purchase of the existing Pre-K building to serve as the future home of the Donalsonville Police Department. CP Moye seconded; AYES: CP Bond, CP Moye, CP Register, CP Brooks, and CP Smith. ABSTAINED: CP Blanks. Motion carried. Personnel and Take-Home Vehicles: There has been considerable discussion regarding departmental staffing levels and the provision of take-home vehicles. Following a review of the City's ordinances, it was confirmed that the Mayor and Council are responsible for establishing staffing levels and approving the budget, while individual departments are tasked with aligning pay scales within those approved parameters. Additionally, it was noted that no formal policy could be found outlining distance limitations for the use ofCity-owned vehicles for commuting purposes. City Manager Hatcher recommended placing this issue on the next Council agenda for formal discussion. He further suggested that Department Heads be asked to prepare and submit reports detailing their current staffing, recommended staffing levels, and justification for each position. This process will assist the Council in providing informed direction regarding staffing and resource allocation, while also helping to reduce confusion surrounding budget expectations and operational needs. Georgia Recovers Program: The Georgia Recovers Program, which provides support for addiction recovery, has expressed interest in including Donalsonville in their bus tour. The visit would feature al Policy Stop to engage in discussions about addiction recovery efforts within the community. Police Grants: Assistant Police Chief Barbara Barber is proceeding with efforts to pursue grant opportunities for Capital Outlay projects within the Police Department. With there being no further business to come before the Mayor and Council, at 6:52 PM, Mayor Pro Tem Bond made a motion to adjourn, with CP Moye making a second; and the motion carried. ADJOURNED City ofI Donalsonville . N W Ron. Johnson, Jr., Mayor Attest and Certification: I, Christina Corvers, do here Attest and Certify that the above written is a true and correct representation ofthe business and actions conducted during the June 3, 2025 meeting of the Mayor and Council of the City of Donalsonville. Christina Corvers. City Clerk