CITY OF JONESBORO

  WORKSESSION MINUTES

March 7^th, 2011

The City of Jonesboro Mayor and Council held their Worksession meeting on Monday, March 7th, 2011.  The meeting was held 6:00 p.m. at the Jonesboro Police Station, 170 South Main Street Jonesboro, Georgia.

Council Present:        Luther Maddox, Mayor

                                    Roger Grider – Councilmember

                                    Clarence Mann, Councilmember

                                    Wallace Norrington, Councilmember

                                    Pat Sebo, Councilmember

                                    Bobby Wiggins Councilmember

                                    Joe Compton, Councilmember - absent

Staff present:    Chief Franklin Allen, Joe Nettleton - Public Works Director, Sandra Meyers – Finance Officer, and Janice Truhan - City Clerk.

I. Call to Order – 6:00 p.m.

II. Public Comments - None

III. Mayor Maddox called for an amendment to the Agenda to add an Executive Session.

Approved. [Motion: Wiggins, 2^nd: Grider, Vote: Unanimous]

IV. Worksession –

· Discussed proposed City market at the City public parking lot behind Heritage Bank. Councilmember Sebo stated that the Farmers Market will be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 pm., each Saturday, and each Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Waivers for the release of liability will be obtained from the vendors. The vendors are responsible for insuring that the areas used are kept clean and free from litter. The Firehouse Museum will be kept open during the events for public restroom access and proposed classes. Mr. Winston Eastman and Mr. Tom Bonnell are the coordinators through the Clayton County Extension Service. Mayor Maddox stated that the City will not be charging the Extension Service or the vendors. Councilmember Grider asked about the Jonesboro Firehouse museum staffing as there are a number of items located inside that are valuable. Will there be volunteers? Mayor Maddox stated that we will post a list.

· Discussed 2010 budget amendment. Mayor Maddox stated that it appears that $228.930. will need to come from Reserves. Revenues are down, and the Civic enterprise receivable of $80k, which was settled in 2009 and the funds were received in 2010, resulted in the movement of funds to 2009. Ms. Meyers, Finance Officer reiterated that the funds received cannot be used for revenue in 2010. Councilmember Grider questioned the Franchise Fee charged as a revenue. Ms. Meyers stated that we receive a check and no statement. Councilmember Grider expressed concern. Ms. Meyers stated that we have been working on franchise fees on the Clayton County Justice center. This property was not included in the Franchise fee payment and consequently they owe franchise fees for the time since it was built. Payment with no statement. Councilmember Mann stated that we came in under budget. Ms. Meyers stated yes at $3,308,354. Councilmember Mann stated that May 2011 could have less gloom and doom. Councilmember Sebo asked if we were ready for the first quarterly review for 2011.

· Discussed proposed job classification study. Ms. Truhan, City Clerk stated that we have received pay scale and classifications. Councilmember Mann asked if it is finalized, as it was in everyone’s mailbox. Ms. Truhan stated, in regard to what was presented here.

· Massengale Park – Mayor Maddox stated that the MOA has yet to be approved by Clayton County Commissioners. Once approved, they will start on restroom. Councilmember Compton asked if SPLOST funds could be used for the project. Mayor Maddox stated yes, as specific projects were identified for use with SPLOST funds i.e.: mapping the cemetery, the construction of the restroom. Councilmember Sebo asked if the Police Department locked the restrooms in the evenings. Mayor Maddox stated they are locked from dawn to dusk by the Police Department. Public Works Director Joe Nettleton stated that there is a lot of vandalism. The bathroom at Battleground Park is opened between 7 and 7:30 a.m. and closed between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m. Councilmember Grider stated that this was not feasible to him. Discussion ensued regarding the possibility of probation or trustee’s locking the facility. Chief Allen stated that there was no weekend program. Mayor Maddox stated that officers on duty can lock and unlock the restrooms. Chief Allen will meet with Probation officer Urena to discuss the weekend probation program, and suggested that we check out the vendor for correctional facilities equipment as it is tamper proof. Councilmember Norrington stated that he wanted to have a metal roof on the restroom as they last longer. Mr. Nettleton stated that the roof will be shingle to match the pavilion next to it.

· Discussed information cell tower leases – Mayor Maddox introduced Mr. Basinger from Municipal Communications. They manage all phases of the tower development process, from site selection, pre-development, construction, to equipment installation. They maintain relationships with the seven major wireless carriers. Municipal Communications partners with the entity to put towers on the properties they own by entering into a master lease agreement with Municipality. They look for a commitment from the service providers and market properties as a whole. Councilmember Grider asked if this was for one tower or multiple towers. Mr. Basinger stated that that was up to the entity and the wireless providers. Councilmember Sebo asked if the towers were visually pleasing. Mr. Basinger stated that the height of the tower can be modified. He further described other Counties where the tower had faux tree at the top to help it blend in. Councilmember Norrington asked Mr. Basinger if they buy the lot, or a space. Mr. Bassinger stated that they lease for up to 25 years. After the term, the entity would decide what they want to do with the tower. Mr. David Gilley from GTRS made his presentation. He stated that GTRS is involved in various counties. They are not tower builders. We do individual leases, as they work better. Clayton County Water Authority is our client. We look at the Ordinance first, obtain revisions, and send out to the carriers, private land owners. We provide site management and on call services. Mr. Gilley explained that they are the Agent for the entity. We advise you on fair market value. We work on percentage.

· Discussed proposal from Georgia Grant Writers – Mayor Maddox introduced the Georgia Grant Writers (Mr. Terry Lawler – principal). Mr. Lawler explained that the firm is made up of three grant writers who are experts in local government administration and finance with 75 years of combined experience. They are participants with Georgia Municipal Association ‘Friends of Georgia Cities”. Client cities – College Park, Dunwoody, Hapeville (and more) and Counties – Ben Hill Clay, Jenkins, Randolph, and more. All grant writing will be in collaboration with Jonesboro management – for information purposes. Georgia Grant Writers actually write the grants. Percentage rate charged on awarded grants: a minimum success fee of $2,500 or a success fee of 10% per grant award. Councilmember Norrington stated that we have no-one to write grants, we need a professional grant writer. Councilmember Grider asked if Mr. Tommy Newsome from Newsome Engineering writes our grants. Mayor Maddox stated he did write a few.

· Discussed downtown parking at Broad and Main Street – Mayor Maddox stated that Chief Allen had observed the parking to be to narrow and that the parallel parking, at its current size is extremely dangerous. It is an accident waiting to happen. Chief Allen checked (measured) and spoke with Ms. Truhan to obtain the specs of the parallel parking area at 9’. The measure area was 8’3” which was less than the original mark showing at the pavement. Chief Allen stated that the Church Street intersection is dangerous, and that there is nothing in the ordinance for parking times and zones. Handicapped access is also a concern. Councilmember Wiggins agrees. Discussion ensued regarding the accessibility issues related to handicapped parking. Councilmember Sebo stated that the angled parking was a problem related to being able to see beyond when backing out. Councilmember Norrington stated that the parallel not helping any. The curbs are not rounded off. Church Street is that way too. Mayor Maddox stated that they are rounded by the Methodist church. Mayor Maddox addressed the Broad Street parking issue. Discussion ensued as to the Clayton House burned building. Mayor Maddox said he would check into the status as no clean up or re-building had been done as yet. Discussion continued with the issue of parking and how many parking stalls actually would be in place. Signage over at the City parking lot behind Heritage Bank will be strategically placed. The City parking lot is an alternative for those who will no longer be able to park at the rear (front) of the buildings facing Broad Street. Mayor Maddox stated there are two spaces that are owned by WilPrint. He further stated that we currently cannot get a Fire Truck down there.

· Discussed status of Department of Justice Technology grant. Ms. Truhan gave an update as to reporting on the grant, and that she had submitted an ACH form to the Department of Justice which will enable us to download the available funds directly into the City account.

· Discussed submittal of plans for the Clayton County Juvenile Justice Center. Mayor Maddox stated that the County has submitted, after reminder by the City, the plans for the future Clayton County Juvenile Justice Center which will be located on the side of the existing Clayton County Justice Center. The plans have been submitted to Ms. Truhan after a meeting was held to discuss City of Jonesboro requirements. Paramount Engineering, Mr. George Harper is acting as the Civil Engineer for plan review and set the terms according to City of Jonesboro codes and ordinances. Mayor Maddox has stated that there will plan review fees and permits with fees that will need to be pulled upon plan approval.

· Discussed amending of the agenda to ad an Executive Session for the discussion of personnel and/or legal matters. Approved. [Motion: Grider, 2^nd: Mann, Vote: Unanimous].

· Motion made to enter Executive Session. Approved. [Motion: Compton, 2^nd: Norrington, Vote: Unanimous]. Motion made to resume Worksession meeting. Approved. [Motion: Mann, 2^nd: Norrington, Vote: Unanimous].

END