Regular Meeting of the Mayor and City Council
City of Ball Ground, Georgia
Ball Ground City Hall ~ 7:00 P.M.
Minutes
March 10, 2011
Item 1: Meeting Called to Order by Mayor Rick Roberts
Council Members Present: John Byrd, Frank Homiller, Mickey O’Malley, Lee Prettyman & Andrenia Stoner
Staff Present: Darrell Caudill, City Attorney; Dana Davis, Police Chief; Donna England, Finance Director; Michael Chapman, City Planner; Eric Wilmarth, City Manager; & Karen L. Jordan, City Clerk
Item 2: Pledge of Allegiance
Item 3: Appearances
David Lock, owner of JJ’s Pizza addressed Mayor and Council stating his problem with people not respecting the speed limit downtown and his concern that someone could be hurt or killed. Mr. Lock asked for the police department to be more visible in the downtown area to deter people from driving too fast.
Mayor Roberts stated that a number of crosswalks have been added to the downtown area and people should use the crosswalks. He also stated that pedestrian crossing signs were put up only to have them damaged and torn down. Mayor Roberts also stated that perhaps in addition to the police department presence, perhaps the City could add additional signage to the sides of the road.
Chief Davis commented that the signs did slow traffic to some extent. Chief Davis also stated that per his observation he perceives the average speed through town is 35MPH.
Mayor Roberts thanked Mr. Lock for his comments and wished him much success with his new business.
Item 4: Announcements/Informational Items/Project Updates – City Manager
• Final documents have been sent to the Georgia Department of Transportation notifying them the Downtown Street Scape Project is complete.
• Heritage Days Festival will be held May 14th & 15th
• Road improvements to Valley Street are scheduled to begin Friday, March 11, 2011.
Item 5: Approval of Minutes
a) January 13, 2011 City Council Meeting
Council Member Homiller put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member O’Malley to approve the minutes of the January 13, 2011 meeting as submitted in writing by the City Clerk.
Motion Approved 5 Yeas 0 Nays.
b) February 5, 2011 Special Called Meeting
Council Member Homiller put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Prettyman to approve the minutes of the February 5, 2011 Special Called Meeting as submitted in writing by the City Clerk.
Motion Approved 5 Yeas 0 Nays.
Item 6: Old Business – None
Item 7: New Business
a) Consider 1st Reading of Application for New Alcoholic Beverage License. Applicant: Benjamin “Chris” Carter
Name of Business: Uncle Pepper’s Pizza Kitchen
Location: 10150 Ball Ground Hwy (Holcomb Crossing)
Council Member Byrd put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Stoner to approve the application for a new Alcoholic Beverage License submitted by Benjamin “Chris” Carter owner of Uncle Pepper’s Pizza Kitchen located at 10150 Ball Ground Hwy (Holcomb Crossing).
Motion Approved 5 Yeas 0 Nays.
c) Consider Appointment of David Cannon as Associate Municipal Court Judge
Council Member Homiller put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Byrd to appoint David Cannon as Associate Court Judge for the City of Ball Ground.
Motion Approved 5 Yeas 0 Nay
d) Consider Resolution 2011-R02 related to Opportunity Zone
City Planner Michael Chapman presented a Power Point presentation and boundary map of the Opportunity Zone for Mayor and Council. Mr. Chapman stated that Cherokee County and the City of Ball Ground and City of Canton will jointly apply to the Department of Community Affairs for Opportunity Zone designation. Local governments which undertake redevelopment and revitalization efforts in certain commercial and industrial areas can qualify those areas for Georgia’s maximum state job tax credit of $3,500.00 per job.
Mayor Roberts stated if we do not participate, it would be hard to attract businesses to locate in the City when they could locate outside and receive the tax credit.
Council Member Homiller put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Byrd to adopt Resolution 2011-R02, A Joint Resolution supporting a Redevelopment Plan for Cherokee County, City of Canton and Ball Ground.
Motion Approved 5 Yeas, 0 Nays.
RESOLUTION NO. 2011-R- 02
JOINT RESOLUTION
Cherokee County and the Cities of Ball Ground and Canton, Georgia
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF CHEROKEE COUNTY, GEORGIA, THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALL GROUND, GEORGIA, AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF CANTON, GEORGIA; TO STATE NEED FOR REDEVELOPMENT AREAS WITHIN CHEROKEE COUNTY, BALL GROUND AND CANTON, GEORGIA; TO CAUSE A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN TO BE PREPARED FOR SAID AREAS; TO PROMOTE THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Cherokee County, Georgia (“Cherokee County”) is the duly elected governing authority for the County; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of Ball Ground, Georgia (“Ball Ground”) is the duly elected governing authority for Ball Ground; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of Canton, Georgia (“Canton”) is the duly elected governing authority for Canton; and
WHEREAS, it has been determined by Cherokee County, and the cities of Ball Ground, and Canton that there is a need for the revitalization and redevelopment of areas of Cherokee County, Ball Ground, and Canton to develop and promote for the public good and general welfare housing, trade, commerce and employment opportunities within Cherokee County, Ball Ground, and Canton; and
WHEREAS, it has been determined by Cherokee County, and the cities of Ball Ground, and Canton that within such areas there exist such conditions as: a predominance of buildings or improvements, both residential and nonresidential, which by reason of dilapidation, deterioration, age, vacancy or obsolescence are conducive to crime and are detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare; the presence of a substantial numberof vacant, deteriorated, or deteriorating structures; predominance of defective or inadequate street layout; faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness for present or future development; development impaired by transportation noise or by other environmental hazards; or a combination of such conditions that substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of Cherokee County, Ball Ground, and Canton, retards the provisions of adequate housing accommodations, and constitutes an economic or social liability and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare in its present condition and use; and
WHEREAS, it has been determined by Cherokee County, and the cities of Ball Ground, and Canton that it is in the public interest and is vital to the public welfare of the people of Cherokee County, Ball Ground, and Canton and of the people of the State of Georgia to revitalize and redevelop such areas of Cherokee County, Ball Ground, and Canton; and
WHEREAS, it has been determined that these redevelopment areas exist to the east and west of Interstate 575 between Main Street in Canton, and Howell Bridge Road in Ball Ground including areas around the Cherokee County Regional Airport; and
WHEREAS, it has been determined by Cherokee County, and the cities of Ball Ground, and Canton that these redevelopment areas conform to the Comprehensive Plans of Cherokee County, Ball Ground, and Canton as a whole and specifically address areas within each jurisdiction intended for significant economic developmentthrough redevelopment; and
WHEREAS, the Cherokee County, and the cities of Ball Ground, and Canton believe it is their mutual best interests to plan and coordinate the redevelopment of this area in order to enhance economic development efforts and promote seamless coordination; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of Cherokee County, Georgia, the City Council of Ball Ground, Georgia, and the City Council of Canton, Georgia that these redevelopment areas shall be designated as the Technology Ridge Urban Redevelopment Area, with said boundaries attached hereto as Exhibit “A”; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of Cherokee County, Georgia, the City Council of Ball Ground, Georgia, and the City Council of Canton, Georgia that the designation of the Technology Ridge Urban Redevelopment Area allows the Board of Commissioners of Cherokee County, Georgia, the City Council of Ball Ground, Georgia, and the City Council of Canton, Georgia to request the preparation of a workable urban redevelopment program in accordance with Official Code of Georgia Annotated Section 36-61-6 to address the presence of underdevelopment, general distress and blight factors as described above; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any and all resolutions in conflict with this
resolution be and the same are hereby repealed.
City of Ball Ground, Georgia APPROVED AND ADOPTED THE 10th DAY OF March, 2011.
BY: /s/ Mayor A. R. Roberts, III
Mayor A. R. Roberts, III
ATTEST: /s/ Karen L. Jordan, City Clerk
Karen L. Jordan, City Clerk
e) Consider Award of Bid for CDBG Sidewalk Project
City Administrator Wilmarth gave a report of the tabulation of bids received for the CDBG Sidewalk Project Bid.
Contractor Amount Amount Amount Total
Part A Bid, Part B Bid, Part C Amount Bid
1. Strickland Pipeline & Construction, Inc. $32,087.20 $20,698.20 $18,797.80 $71,583.20
Canton, Ga.
2. Jerry Townley Concrete, Inc. $38,592.93 $23,675.85 $23,483.22 $85,752.00
Dawsonville, Ga.
3. Johnson Landscapes, Inc. $48,125.49 $27,912.18 $30,556.95 $106,494.62
Cumming, Ga.
4. Latimer Construction Co., Inc. $45,482.90 $32,793.30 $31,029.50 $109,305.70
Ball Ground, Ga.
5. Lewallen Construction Co., Inc. $42,492.58 $35,993.08 $31,358.08 $109,844.63
Marietta, Ga.
As stated in the recommendation from City Engineer Ben Turnipseed Engineering, the low bidder is Strickland Pipeline and Construction, Inc. of Canton, Georgia. The company appears to have adequate experience, technical ability and financial capability to complete the project; therefore it is the recommendation of the city engineer to award the project to Strickland Pipeline & Company, Inc. in the amount of $71,583.20.
Council Member Homiller put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Prettyman to award the construction contract to Strickland Pipeline & Construction, Inc. in the amount of $71,583.20.
Motion Approved 5 Yeas 0 Nays.
Item 8: City Manager Comments
Financial Report – An unaudited report of account balances, statement of revenue and expenditures for the month ended February 28, 2011 was presented by City Administrator Wilmarth. The report showed cash on deposit totaled $768,989.55.
Public Works – Council was informed by City Administrator Wilmarth of the new sign retro reflectivity requirements recently published by the Federal Highway Administration. Every state and local government is required to have a formal sign management plan in place on or before January 2012. A sign replacement plan of all regulatory and warning signs is to be in place on or before January 2015 and all street name signs by 2018. City Administrator Wilmarth stated the department is currently conducting a sign inventory and establishing a sign replacement budget.
Water & Sewage – For month ended February 28, 2011 we purchased 7,000 gallons of water in addition to the 5.3 million gallons produced by the well. Water sales totaled 3.1 million resulting in a 40% loss rate. February represented the lowest water sales since March of 2009.
Department staff has began locating and painting all of the water system valve boxes. Once they have been marked the city engineer will begin the GIS mapping of the system.
The transition from Waste Management to North Metro Waste Disposal has been extremely smooth and pleasing to staff.
Public Safety – Chief Davis presented a written report of the department’s activity for the month ended February 28, 2011.
The new patrol car has been received and added to the department’s fleet.
Item 9: Mayor Roberts & City Council Comments
Mayor Roberts expresses his disappointment in state government for not giving more consideration to local government rather than addressing national issues.
Recreation Committee chaired by Council Member O’Malley presented a report of the committee’s recent meetings. Council Member O’Malley stated he had been contacted by Ken Bobo, Director of the girl’s softball league asking for consideration of an additional softball field. The committee met with Mr. Bobo and heard his proposal as to how the field could be built. Council Member O’Malley stated he and the Recreation Committee would like to ask Council to consider approving up to $80,000.00 of the money allotted to Ball Ground under the Cherokee County Parks Bond Fund.
Council Member O’Malley stated that if we don’t improve our parks by adding additional fields we are going to continue to have people leave our community to play sports in other communities where the amenities are better.
City Administrator Wilmarth explained the procedure to construct the field.
Council Members discussed the proposed project.
Council Member O’Malley put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Byrd to request up to $80,000.00 from Cherokee Co. Parks Improvement Bond for the purpose of constructing an additional softball field.
Motion Approved 4 Yeas, 0 Nays.
Item 10: Public Comments
Item 11: Executive Session (If Needed)
Council Member O’Malley put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Byrd to adjourn into executive session to for the purpose of discussion of future acquisition of real estate.
Motion Approved 5 Yeas, 0 Nays.
Council Members reconvened back into regular session.
Upon reconvening back in to an open meeting, Council Member Stoner put forth a motion, Seconded by Council Member Homiller to authorize City Administrator Eric Wilmarth to move forward with negotiating a purchase price for property identified as 2011A after obtaining a property evaluation to support the negotiating price.
Motion Approved 5 Yeas, 0 Nays.
Item 12: Adjourn
There being no further business for Council consideration a motion was duly made and seconded to adjourn at 8:10 PM.
The minutes of this March 10, 2011 Meeting of Council approved this 14th Day of April, 2011.
RSS