Tallapoosa Informational Notes From November 15th Council Meeting

Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Parker called the meeting to order on Monday evening, November 15, 2021. Prayer was by Council Member Dan Pope.

• City Clerk Polly Smith administered the Oath of Office to newly elected City Council Member Mark Smith. Mr. Smith was elected to complete the unexpired term of former Council Member Jacqueline Roberts. Ms. Roberts resigned her position on the Council on August 16, 2021. This term of office will expire on 12/31/2023.

• Mayor Pro Tem Parker welcomed everyone to the meeting and took a moment to discuss some reminders for the city residents and to thank them for their continued cooperation with city efforts.

• Mayor Pro Tem Parker stated that the Splost VI, T-Splost, and Golf Reports are available for anyone wishing to view or receive a copy.

• Mayor Pro Tem Parker thanked all the “Street Captains” for keeping the streets of Tallapoosa free of litter.

• Mayor Pro Tem Parker thanked all the city residents who are displaying an American Flag at their home and showing their support of Veterans by displaying a green outside light and their support of the police and first responders by having a blue outside light.

• Mayor Pro Tem Parker asked all residents to remember to roll their garbage cans out for pick up the night before your pickup day each week. Residents were also asked to please remember to roll their carts back to their proper storage location after pick up. The City has appointed a Tallapoosa Police Officer to act as City Marshall to address this and other similar types of violations.

• Mayor Pro Tem Parker reminded everyone to call City Hall to be put on the Brush and Limb Pick Up list. If your location is not on the list, the contractor will not know to come down your street. Residents were reminded to cut limbs in no longer than 4 feet lengths and to separate the limbs from the brush when possible. Pick up day is Thursday.

• The Council passed a Motion to ratify the results of the City Election held on November 2, 2021. The following individuals received a plurality of the votes cast winning their respective contests: Mayor–Brett Jones; Council Post #1–Dan Pope; Council Post #2–Raymond Ballew; Council Post #3—Mark Smith.

• The Council passed a Motion to renew the City’s full-time employee’s medical, prescription, life, dental, and vision insurance with the Georgia Municipal Association/Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

• The Council Members were given a copy of the itinerary for the January 21-24, 2022 Cities United Summit an annual training event sponsored by the Georgia Municipal Association. Any Council Member wishing to attend this event was asked to notify city hall by December 10, 2021 to be able to have their registration completed.

• The Council passed a Motion to allow city employees to take December 27, 2021 as a vacation day. This will mean City Hall will be closed from Thursday, December 23 through Monday, December 27 in observance of the Christmas Holiday. The Motion also included approving City employees receiving Holiday pay provided through a mixture of State ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds and Municipal ARPA funds. And lastly the Motion included approving a salary adjustments also using the Municipal ARPA funds.

• The Council passed a Motion to approve the October 2021 Financial Statement as given by Financial Manager Melissa Chandler.

• The Council passed a Motion authorizing Mayor Pro Tem Parker to sign the tax-exempt documents necessary to complete the modification to GEFA (Georgia Environmental Finance Agency) Loan Nos. CW13011 and DW14009. These loans were used in the expansion and upgrading of the city’s sewer system.

• City Manager Philip Eidson gave the City Manager’s Report. Mr. Eidson reported that gas rates have been climbing since May. His contacts expect those prices to continue to climb, and he cautioned that gas will be expensive. He further explained that part of the problem with the rising prices is the recent storms that hit both Louisiana and Mississippi and some wells have been shut down. The sewer project being done near the Sparrow Chapel is having to wait on material. It should be finished by the first of the year. The Streetscape project currently under construction should be finished the last of January. Mr. Eidson hopes to have the scoreboards replaced at the gym by January. The city will also be having work done on the flooring in the foyer at the gym. The city is getting pricing on the directional signage for the downtown area and hopes to have those ordered in the next couple of weeks. The city will continue to use the remaining funds in the existing T-Splost to pave more of the city’s streets. The new T-Splost referendum will come up for vote in March or May of 2022.

• Patrick Clarey gave the planning report. As Mr. Clarey discussed in the October meeting, the first T-Splost referendum is ending early as the maximum amount of funds allowed to be collected is fast approaching. One of the stipulations of the existing T-Splost is if the total amount of funds allowed to be collected is not received prior to the end of the year, then the original T-Splost will continue until the end of the quarter in which the total was reached. So, if the total funds allowed are not received by 12/31/21, then the T-Splost collection will continue until 03/31/22. Mr. Clarey was hopeful that collections could continue through the first quarter of 2022. Mr. Clarey presented the Mayor Pro Tem and Council with a copy of the history of the streets that have been paved using LARP, LMIG, and T-Splost programs. The LARP program preceded the LMIG program and was also administered by the Georgia Department of Transportation. Mr. Eidson commented that funds from the GA-DOT LMIG program are limited and the city normally uses those funds to resurface shorter city streets. The money collected through the T-Splost program has allowed the city to pave longer city streets which would have taken several years to accomplish through LMIG. Mr. Eidson further stated that the cities should contact their Senators and Representatives in an effort to have the LMIG program increased. Mr. Clarey stated that the city saved its T-Splost collection for 1½ years to be able to have the necessary funding to resurface some of the longer sections of city streets. Mr. Clarey and Mr. Eidson went over a list of 17 projects the city has submitted for approval to be funded by the ARPA program. Mr. Clarey stated that most of the city’s submittals were in the eligibility review status. Mr. Clarey shared a list of 7 projects he has submitted to the state STIP program. The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), is Georgia’s four-year transportation and capital improvements program. The STIP lists federally-funded transportation projects that are located outside Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) boundaries. There is a follow-up meeting with the GA Department of Transportation scheduled for Monday which will include the cities and county. Mr. Clarey asked the Mayor Pro Tem and Council to review the list and let him know by Friday if they have any changes they would like to make.

• Police Chief Scott Worthy reported that the police department has purchased 3 new vehicles. They are in the process of having all the accoutrements added. The city has hired 3 new police officers to replace outgoing officers. All the new officers came as veterans except Officer Levett who has completed his training and received his certification.

• Mayor Pro Tem Parker polled the council members for comments. Council Member Jonathan James congratulated Mark Smith on his successful run for Council Post #3. He also stated that he was looking forward to working with the in-coming Mayor Brett Jones. He thanked everyone who made the effort to run for office and thanked Jacob Holdbrooks who was a candidate for a Council Post for attending this meeting. No other comments were made.

• Meeting adjourned.