Jacksonville Celebrates the Students of Kitty Stone at City Council Meeting

Work Session

1. Call to order.
2. Roll call.
   1. Tony Taylor – Present
   2. Andy Green – Present
   3. Terry Wilson – Present
   4. Sherry Laster – Absent
   5. Coty Galloway – Present
3. Acceptance of minutes. – No comments
4. Purchase of Scrubber for Public Safety Complex – Albertha Grant/Jason Oden.
   1. Mrs. Grant stated that they have been talking about public safety complex and the fact is that it has not had the cleaning in terms of the floors, since the schools were put down. We’re five years in without ever us pulling the wax up off the floor and re-waxing. She has found a company that has a  one kind of machine that does just about everything. It’s a water based system for the scraping, literally put water in the machine, you walk behind the machine, it scrapes the floor and it also dries it as it’s going. She also stated, “So we’re talking a piece of machinery that really cuts probably more than half the time that it would take to take care of the floors.” She went on to explain that the utility of it not only just in this building alone, but even at the new city hall or Senior Center it could be used. She also presented a handout that shows all the floors that it works with. She explained that a sampling was done and anyone can clearly see the floor on the far end, where they literally came in and scrape the floors for us on the far end. She also went on to add that she thinks this machine will definitely enable the city to get the building clean and keep it clean. She also said “The goal in the future is that we will hopefully get a senior aide that will come in and take care of this building. This machine would make it very simple for that person to do it as well as of right now the plan, we will use the inmates to do it.” She also explained that while this is a fairly costly piece of equipment, the time that it will save and the job that it will do will make it worth while. Assistant Chief Jason Oden spoke to the difference he saw in the floor after the sample area was cleaned. He also noted that visitors from JSU were here with us and they wanted to watch the machine. They were just amazed at how much time they cut off what those big long hallways they do at JSU. It would literally cut a third of the time it takes now just by using this machine.  Councilman Wilson has what the lifetime for this machine was. Mrs. Grant stated that she was unsure, but the company will come in once a year and maintain it for $250 a year. The cost is $7941.  Councilman Taylor asked if new wax would have to be placed. Assistant Chief Oden sis confirm that waxing would be necessary, but it would save time initially. There were also questions on the battery life. There is an option to lease for two years, but that makes the cost $900 more than buying it outright. This is just a discussion item and is not on the agenda tonight.
5. Timed Parking on the Public Square – Mark Stephens.
   1. At the last meeting Mr. Stephens was asked to look into times parking space options. Currently there are not parking requirements on the square except when it talked about the the dwellings. As a starting point Mr. Stephens drafted language stating Item A – City owned or leased parking lots and own street parking spaces, located within a public square overlay district shall be regulated Monday through Saturday 8am to 9pm. To encourage people to move their vehicles in order to increase parking turnover for businesses, customers and visitors. Item B – Customer and visitor parking and city owned or leased parking lots and own street parking spaces is limited to two hours. Item C – Businesses that do not have off street parking located on the same property as the business shall require their personnel to park only in city owned or leased parking lots. The duration time is limited to the business’s daily hours of operation. This means that if you have a business, the owner and their employees would not take up the own street parking. They would be limited to parking in the parameter parking legs and that would free up spaces for their customers. Item D – People living in dwelling units that do not have off street parking located on same property as the dwelling unit shall be required to park only in city owned release parking lots. The duration time for parking is not specified. These would free up parking for customers, but may be harder on employers. Councilman Galloway wanted to know how this 2 hours would be enforced. Councilman Green noted that there are is a sign stating 2 hours, but most people don’t know. He thinks the city parking lot will encourage turnover and still allow ample parking.  The council stated they don’t want to go back to meters, but how else would it be managed. Would it require an officer to do nothing, but monitor parking. Another compromise might be to get dwellers and owners and employees to park off the square and not limit customer parking on the square. Councilmen Green brought up a local meeting once a month of business owners who get together and share their insights.
   2. TAP Grant – Mark Stephens.
      1. The city went after the recreational trails grant, four years in a row the city got turned down. ADECA finally suggested that the city go after a different grant, which is called TAP. It stands for transportation alternative program and instead of it being through ADECA, it’s actually through the Department of Transportation. It’s an 80/20 grant and it’s a reimbursable grant, which means the city has to pay for everything up front, and then send down the monthly reimbursement request. The application is due June the 30th. Mr. Stephens talked with a man named Brad Lindsey. He is over this program. Mr. Stephens stated “I asked him what’s the turnaround period was he said that we should know within three months, whether we’re awarded or not.”  Another difference between this grant and the  recreational trails program is that the design and the inspection can be part of the grant versus the original grant were the city was having to pay the design separate and the inspection separate. The grant was only to get funding for construction. A public meeting will be held at 5:30pm before the next meeting.
6. Any other business.
   1. The Mayor waned to mention the ADEM report that is on the agenda. He wanted the council to note the summary report the was very good.
   2. He also wanted to note the retail strategies contract was on the agenda too.
   3. Short term rental will be on the next agenda.