Jacksonville Work Session and City Council Meeting 8/9/2021

August 11, 2021

Special Work Session

Call to order
Roll call
1. Tony Taylor – Present
2. Andy Green – Present
3. Terry Wilson – Present
4. Sherry Laster – Present
5. Coty Galloway – Present
Budget Discussion: Revenues, General Government & City Council. Packets distributed to members.
Revenues: Budget currently balanced. Spreadsheet FY 2022 Budget.
1. Items strongly recommended for approval, currently budgeted and awaiting voting approval.
2. The Waterworks, Gas & Sewer Board needs changes to cover 24 employees. Items requested by department heads.
3. Projected revenue spreadsheet, budget for 2021 as compared to numbers pulled on July 25. Gives % of budget used, where it was 2020 and the projection for the rest of the year.
4. Green asks how miscellaneous revenue is defined. Earmarked funds from JSU put into the miscellaneous category.
5. Expenditures listed by category in the packet. Payroll and insurance is the highest expenditure, around 59%, without cost of living increase adjustment.
6. Contract service and debt service are the next highest categories. From a department level, payroll vs non payroll expenditures listed.
7. General Government: First few lines all related to payroll. Changes being made are expenses for cyber security for the city government.
8. Mayor has discussed adding programs to the square, and needs sponsors for every 3rd Friday for music on the square to be responsible for entertainment and creating the event.
9. Landfill doesn’t make a profit and requires extra money from the city budget.
10. City Council: Training available for city government employees. $45 per class, can be done online.
11. Fire Chief confirms that 911 Radio would not require budgeting until FY 2023.
12. Council members thank city manager for hard work creating documentation and her explanations of items.
13. Next meeting will have department heads in attendance to explain requests in more detail.
14. Line items with the term “strongly recommend approval” are already in the budget, “recommend approval with other funds” would go along with the same approval.
15. Last page includes all items that are not budgeted or funded.
16. Landfill expenditure is shared with Piedmont.
Any Other Business – None

Regular Work Session

Call to order
Roll call
1. Tony Taylor – Present
2. Andy Green – Present
3. Terry Wilson – Present
4. Sherry Laster – Present
5. Coty Galloway – Present
Acceptance of minutes.
Addition: JCOC & Spirit on the Mountain
Liquor license needed for Spirit on the Mountain for beer and wine. Every August JSU and other entities use Spirit on the Mountain as a fundraiser for Jacksonville Christian Outreach Center. They supply food and utilities for the poor and unemployed and it raised $14,000 last year. The organizers did not apply in a timely manner for liquor license with the ABC Board for Calhoun County and Alabama. They can get a last minute license with JCOC named on the license but JCOC is uncomfortable with having their name on the liquor license or being affiliated with liquor sales. If this license does not go through for the event, they will not be able to sell alcohol and it will affect the amount of money raised.
Public Building Authority – Brad Green and Lee Birchall.
1. Lee Birchall explains that the Public Building Authority is a common way to finance courthouses, city halls, and jails. The state law says that financing this way takes it off the city’s debt limit. It consists of forming a new public corporation with 3 people to sign off on documents. They authorize sale of bonds, it is not a board and doesn’t meet regularly. Added to agenda.
911 Radio Discussion – Keith Kadle.
1. The County Commission wants to do a study to see if all the work is necessary and it could cost between $70-90,000. Most municipalities think that the study is unnecessary because the system is outdated and difficult to find parts to repair, and none have agreed to pay for the study. Money not needed for radio repairs until 2023.
Any other business
1. Laster updates on Eastwood Energy Center, Mr Snyder still needs to assess the property.

City Council Meeting

Call to order
Invocation: Rev. Gary Brittain Baptist Campus Ministry
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll call
- Tony Taylor – Present
- Andy Green – Present
- Terry Wilson – Present
- Sherry Laster – Present
- Coty Galloway – Present
Adoption of minutes – Unanimously Accepted
Adoption of agenda. –Unanimously Accepted
- AMEND: 13. Consider action to approve the employment of the following:
  - Andrew Blake Rode, Police Officer, Range 18, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the promotion of Nickolas Harbison.
  - Coley Wade McGowan, Police Officer, Range 18, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the resignation of Christapher Deckard.
  - ADD: Adrienne Elizabeth Gibson, Recreation and Athletics Assistant, Range 9, effective August 11, 2021, due to resignation of Chris Strott.
Proclamation – None
Public comments concerning agenda items – None
Consideration of Resolution Approving a Written Application for Authority to Incorporate a Public Building Authority in the City of Jacksonville, Alabama. –Unanimously Accepted
Consideration of Resolution Authorizing Preliminary Action for the New City Hall Project. –Unanimously Accepted
Consider action to approve the Off-Premises Beer and Wine application of Mansour, LLC, d/b/a Mini Market #5, located at 1528 Pelham Road, S, per the attached. – Unanimously Accepted
Consider action to authorize the Mayor to sign the Flooring Contract with Ted’s Abbey Carpet and Flooring for reflooring at the Community Center, at a cost of $9,311.51. -Unanimously Accepted
Consider action to approve the employment of the following: –Unanimously Accepted
- Andrew Blake Rode, Police Officer, Range 18, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the promotion of Christapher Deckard.
- Coley Wade McGowan, Police Officer, Range 18, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the resignation of Nickolas Harbison.
- Adrienne Elizabeth Gibson, Recreation and Athletics Assistant, Range 9, effective August 11, 2021, due to resignation of Chris Strott.
Consider action to acknowledge the following retirement notification:
- Barbara Rowell, Library Director, effective September 1, 2021. – Unanimously Accepted
Budget Amendment Requests.
- Purchases Over $7,500.00.
Disposition of Surplus Property. – Unanimously Accepted
Public comments for general items.
- Verna Sands is a veteran, and has a 17 year old son who is blind. He is eligible for seeing eye dog and has to be able to walk the dog. He is scared to walk around the neighborhood because of violent neighbors and asks for help.
- Dr. John Brown ENT specialist with office near McClellan. COVID has had tremendous impact on business. Reduced hours to 2 days a week and they are the only office in the area who accepts patients for services. He has learned about business grants available and would like to request assistance for his office.
Council Member Remarks
- Green welcomes new city employees. Busy week for the school system with the first week of school and lots of JSU move-ins before semester begins.
- Green asks that any person who comes up to speak with public comments remember that the council cannot open a dialogue about their issues, but they will do their best to follow up and assist.
Mayor’s report
- Upcoming events:
  - Friday August 13th 6-8pm Groovin on the Square with Southland Soul.
  - Spirit on the Mountain on August 19th, 6-10pm with proceeds going to JCOC.
Any Other Business
- Laster welcomes Calhoun County students on first day back to school
Adjournment. –Unanimously Accepted