Public Hearing
On Monday, May 9, 2022 a public hearing was held to discuss the possibility of creating a roundabout at the intersection of George Douthit Drive SW and Eagle Crest Blvd. SW (about midway between the Public Safety Complex and Jacksonville High School). To seat the public hearing Mark Stephens spoke to explain that this is a small piece of another project. The main project is actually to resurface all the way from 21 to Briarwood Place. The project is being funded through the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). It’s an 80/20 grant so the city is only responsible 20% of the cost. The engineering group who designed the overall project created a roundabout fact sheet that was passed around. This project has been on the MPO docket for five years. Eleven members of the community that live near the proposed area spoke. All were 100% against the idea. Many didn’t understand the purpose. They wanted to know if it was supposed to slow down traffic, ease congestion, or reduce accidents. Several speakers asked why this was being considered at one subdivision and not at the others in the same area. They all felt that this would cause more congestion, more confusion, and create a bigger issue. Most also requested a third lane and/or widening on the road. The Mayor and city council thanked everyone for their input and explained this is exactly why a public hearing is held. They need and want input. After the public hearing was closed the council moved right into the work session.
Work Session
- Call to order.
- Roll call.
- Tony Taylor – Present
- Andy Green – Present
- Terry Wilson – Present
- Sherry Laster – Present
- Coty Galloway – Present
- Acceptance of minutes.
- No discussion
- Amended Job Description for Meter Reader/Utility Service Worker – Michael Rinker.
- Before Mt. Rinker discussed the job distribution he wanted address another issue. The water billers mailed on April 28th, but were misrouted at the Birmingham Post office. The post master has confirmed that all the batch was sent out of state. This was not a local post office issue. He did address late fees and various ways to handle this situation. To read the details please click here.
- Mr. Gary Smith has retired and the Water Works Department is reviewing their needs. What they would like to do is not fill that position, but redefine the job distribution of the existing employees. The reason they want to do this is because the automated readings have reduced the need for someone to go out to read each water meter. The process is more streamlined and an additional employees isn’t warranted. It would also be a cost savaging of $40,000 a year not including vehicle costs or insurance.
- Municipal Technology Services, LLC – Tim Smith.
- Mr. Smith presented an offer to take over additional IT services through his company. The cost savings would be slightly under $6,000 a year mainly because he is already on site and local. He also went over exactly what he would be responsible for. Perviously these services have been handled by another vendor, but the contracted ended in December. These services do not need to be bid out because it is professional service. If the city council decided to utilize Municipal Technologies the contract would go into effect on July 1, 2022.
- Eastwood Storm Shelter – Mark Stephens.
- Mr. Stephens wanted to give an update that all information has been received by FEMA and now the city is waiting to hear back from them. There is nothing to be done on the city’s end.
- He also wanted to give additional information on the Chief Ladiga Trail expansion. This grant has been reapplied for through a TAP Grant. They are hopeful that they will be approved. If approved this is up to $800,000 in federal monies with a match from the city of $200,000. This would mean a bigger project with less money coming from the city. The deadline for applications is the end of June and they should have an answer in three months.
- Henry Farm Baseball Field Upgrades.
- The idea of a public private partnership (P3) had been brought up at a previous meeting. Laura Copeland with the city’s finance department spoke on the details of that type of partnership. She stated she was was asked to do a little bit of digging on P3, which is a common term for public private partnership. She said they can be quite complicated and that lawyers should love them, because “There’s a whole lot of legal mumbo jumbo that goes along with them.” She also that typically she has seen them done primarily with large projects, such as the public building authority with the city gas oil project. She did note that it was done with a “government or quasi governmental entity that was created.” She also explained that at lot of times there is a contractor or a private organization, building everything with no financial obligation from the city and perhaps the city leasing. This situation is different became the city already owns the property. Her recommendation would be for the city to just do the project. She added that bids would be required because the dollar value exceeded $50,000. She also thinks it would be cheaper to do the project at one time versus stretching it out over years.
- Any other business.
- Chief Kadle spoke to ask if the city intended to enter into the 911 radio agreement with a finance plan or with a lump payment. The city confirmed a lump payment, but stressed the importance to find a way to cover these cost before another seven to eight years rolled around and it would need to be paid again.
- The council discussed the public hearing and were all in agreement that the roundabout idea would be removed from the table. They will still formally accept the planning commission report, but they will explain that new ideas need to be resented because instead of the roundabout.
- Councilman Andy Green wanted to address the short-term rental agenda item. He wanted to add limited on how many properties could be rented. He also wanted to ensure that there was permit required and that codes were all up-to-date. He also mentioned requiring the listers to use a site like Air BNB or Verbo that property taxes the properties to ensure the city gets those funds. He also explained that they do due diligence in make sure the properties are listed correctly. He also then wanted to add a requirement that you must be a Jacksonville resident to list properties. He wants to avoid someone buying up properties just to utilize as short-term rentals. To accomplish these changes the items would be amended on the agenda to allow more time for discussion and honing of the details.
- The Mayor also touched base on the volume of visitors and traffic that will be coming in the next couple of weeks. There are a lot of events and he wanted to make sure there was good communication between public safety and the public information officer.
City Council Meeting
- 1. Call to order.
- Invocation: Rev. Robert Fowler, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
- Pledge of Allegiance.
- Roll call.
- Tony Taylor – Present
- Andy Green – Present
- Terry Wilson – Present
- Sherry Laster – Present
- Coty Galloway – Present
- Adoption of minutes. – Unanimously Approved
- Adoption of agenda. – Unanimously Approved with amendment
- Amend: Consider action to accept the Planning Commission Report regarding Zoning Amendment request to amend a Portion of Section 24-2 (Definitions) to Chapter 24 – Zoning, Article I (In General) and repeal Section 24-610 (Short Term Rentals) to Chapter 24 – Zoning, Article VIII (Supplemental Regulations)
- Proclamation. – None
- Public comments concerning agenda items. – None
- Public Hearing regarding a Zoning Amendment to amend a portion of Section 24-281 (Requirement) to Chapter 24-Zoning, Article IV – Off-Street Parking and Loading.
- Johnathan Crumbly from Dollar General confirmed that he had provided a letter on the cooperations policies to the council.
- Consideration of Ordinance No. O-638-22 that amends a Portion of Section 24-281 (Requirements) to Chapter 24 – Zoning, Article IV – Off-Street Parking and Loading of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Jacksonville. (First Reading) – No Action Needed
- Consider action to accept the Planning Commission Report regarding Zoning Amendment request to amend a Portion of Section 24-2 (Definitions) to Chapter 24 – Zoning, Article I (In General) and repeal Section 24-610 (Short Term Rentals) to Chapter 24 – Zoning, Article VIII (Supplemental Regulations) – Unanimously Approved
- Consider action to approve the Retail Off-Premise Beer and Wine Application of Family Dollar Stores of Alabama, LLC, d/b/a Family Dollar #33195, located at 802 Pelham Rd., S., Jacksonville. – Unanimously Approved
- Consider action to authorize the Mayor, on behalf of the Water Works, Gas and Sewer Board, to sign the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program Vendor Agreement with the State of Alabama, per the attached. – Unanimously Approved
- Consider action to approve the amended job title, range and description of Meter Reader/Utility Service Worker, Range 8 to Utility Office Field Technician, Range 11 and place the current Meter Readers/Utility Services Workers Seth Mashburn-Goodwin and Nick McPeek into the amended positions, effective May 11, 2022, per the attached. – Unanimously Approved
- Consider action to approve an additional position of Part-Time Laborer, Range 1, in the Parks and Recreation Department and place Randy O’Donnell in said position, effective May 11, 2022. (Mr. O’Donnell is currently a temporary part-time laborer over lawn maintenance at the Public Safety Complex. – Unanimously Approved
- Consider action to approve the employment of the following: – Unanimously Approved
- Corey Eugene Williams, Full-Time Firefighter/Paramedic, Range 11A, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the resignation of Tanner Jumper.
- James Logan Hill, Part-Time Substitute Firefighter/EMT, Range 11, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the resignation of Alexander Skelton.
- Michael Todd Dover, Part-Time Substitute Firefighter/EMT, Range 11, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the resignation of Chase Rampy.
- Jaxon Whaley, Part-Time Laborer in PARD, Range 1, effective May 11, 2022, due to the resignation of Jamal Steward. (Mr. Whaley is currently a temporary laborer in PARD).
- Kegan Taze Pritchett, Utility Maintenance Assistant, Range 6, effective May 11, 2022, due to the resignation of Joey Wallace. (Mr. Pritchett is currently a temporary laborer for Utility Maintenance)
- Consent Agenda – Unanimously Approved
- Budget Amendment Requests.
- Requests to Attend Conference/Training Session with Costs Exceeding $1,000.00.
- Records Destruction.
- Boards/Committees.
- Public comments for general items. – None
- Council Member Remarks.
- Councilman Andy Green wanted to really stress that the next two to three week would be very busy so he asked that everyone really show visitors the definition of Southern Hospitality.
- Mayor’s report.
- Fair on the Square 5/14
- Cheaha Challenge 5/14-15
- AHSAA State Championship 5/16-21
- 3rd Friday 5/20 with Southland Soul
- GospelFest 5/21
- Any Other Business. – None
- Consider a motion to enter an Executive Session under the provisions of the Code of Alabama Section 36-25A-7(a)(6) to discuss the consideration the governmental body is willing to offer or accept when considering the purchase, sale, exchange, lease, or market value of real property and Section 36-25A-7(a)(7) to discuss preliminary negotiations involving matters of trade or commerce to which said discussion outside of Executive Session would have a detrimental effect upon the particular trade or business. – Unanimously Approved
