City Council

February 24, 2020 STATE OF ALABAMA, LIMESTONE COUNTY, CITY OF ATHENS. The City Council of the City of Athens, Alabama met in regular session at the Athens Municipal Building, 200 Hobbs Street West, Athens, Alabama, on February 24, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting was called to order by Councilman Frank Travis, President of the Council. Upon roll call, the following were found to be present: Councilmembers Harold Wales, Wayne Harper, Frank Travis and Chris Seibert. Mayor Marks led the Pledge of Allegiance. Annette Barnes, City Clerk, was present and recorded the minutes of the meeting. Chris Seibert offered the invocation. The Chairperson stated that a quorum was present and that the meeting was open for transaction of business. The Chairperson stated that the Minutes of the February 10, 2020 City Council Meeting had been submitted for approval. Councilman Seibert moved that the reading of the Minutes be suspended and that the Minutes be approved as recorded. The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and was unanimously carried. The Chairperson stated that the Minutes of the February 10, 2020 City Council Work Session Meeting had been submitted for approval. Councilman Seibert moved that the reading of the Minutes be suspended and that the Minutes be approved as recorded. The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and was unanimously carried. Mayor Marks stated that he appreciated the efforts by the owners of the property at 100 W Hobbs Street to abate the unsafe conditions at that property. He called on Erik Waddell of the Public Works Department for a more detailed report on the status of the unsafe structure located at 100 West Hobbs Street. Waddell first summarized the timeline related to the City’s involvement with this property. He noted that city officials first requested that unsafe conditions at the property be remedied in early 2015, and that on September 14, 2015, the City Council adopted a resolution declaring that an unsafe structure was located on the property and calling for its demolition. He listed the different events that had occurred since that time, including a change in property ownership and additional communications with the new owners. He explained that the unsafe conditions remained, and so in January, 2020, city officials reached out again to the new owners concerning the matter. He stated that the new owners have since demolished the structure, completely eliminating the unsafe conditions at the site. Waddell explained that in light of this action, there would be no further action by the City with respect to the prior unsafe structure, and that the lis pendens filed by the City in 2015 would be released. Greg Skipworth, 17530 Springview Drive, Athens, addressed the Council regarding the cost of providing sewer service. He suggested that, given the growth in housing development, the Council consider assessing the cost of sewer installation to the home builders or increasing the impact fee to help mitigate the increasing cost of providing this service. Matt Harrell, 306 Shaw Street, Athens, addressed the Council concerning sewer issues at his residence. Councilman Seibert commented that the continued issues in this section of town are due to old trunk lines and the excessive amount of rainwater we have experienced lately. Mayor Marks stated that the City is aware of the problem and will work toward addressing the issues as soon as possible. Councilman Seibert introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to approve the payment of budgeted travel/education expenses for specified Water Services employees in the total amount of $238.66. Brian Daniel AWEA $238.66 (Water) Montgomery, AL January 28-29, 2020 The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and was unanimously carried. Councilman Seibert introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to approve the following applicant for a “SPECIAL EVENTS Retail Beer and Wine On Premises Consumption” alcohol license. Athens City School Foundation Event: Farm to Truck Special Event Location: Marion Street-Between Washington & Market Athens, AL 35611 Event Date: April 18, 2020 The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and was unanimously carried. Councilman Seibert introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to approve the purchase of a 2020 Backhoe Loader in the amount of $100,000. The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and was unanimously carried. Councilman Seibert introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to approve the replacement of the metal roof at Leak City and authorize the Manager of the Athens Gas Department to issue a purchase order in the amount of $27,339.12 to Roof Tech Solutions for such replacement. The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and was unanimously carried. Councilman Seibert introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ATHENS CITY COUNCIL to authorize the Mayor’s Office to apply for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant to fund 36 self-contained breathing apparatus with masks and additional air bottles. The total cost is $262,200, with the grant funding 90 percent and the City required to fund 10 percent of the total as part of its grant match. The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and unanimously carried. Councilman Harper introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to adopt the attached revised organizational chart for the Public Works Department, which includes the following 62 positions:  Director of Public Works  Building Permit Technician  Chief Building Inspector  Building Inspectors (4)  GIS Coordinator  Planner I/II  City Engineer  Director of Street Operations  Administrative Assistant Street & Sanitation  Construction Supervisor – Street  Equipment Operators (11 positions)   Construction Crew Leader (6 positions)  Concrete Finishers – (3 positions)  Garage Mechanics (4 positions)  Director of Building Services and Sanitation  Sanitation Operations Supervisor  Sanitation Crew Leader  Equipment Operators (17 positions)  Maintenance Technician 3/Crew Leader  Maintenance Technicians (2) (level 1, 2, or 3)  Building Maintenance Custodian (1)  Garage and Inventory Control Coordinator  The motion was seconded by Councilman Seibert and was unanimously carried. Councilman Seibert introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to adopt the following new job descriptions for the Public Works Department:  Planner I/II, Grade 11/12, Job description revised 12/20/2019  Chief Building Inspector, Grade 12, Job description created 12/30/2019  City Engineer, Job description revised 1/28/2020  Building Permit Technician, Job description created 1/28/2020 The motion was seconded by Councilman Wales and was unanimously carried. Councilman Wales introduced the following ordinance: STATE OF ALABAMA LIMESTONE COUNTY CITY OF ATHENS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 - 2108 BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, that Ordinance Number 888, establishing a classification list for classified employees is hereby amended as follows, effective: 02/24/2020 Add the following job titles to the list of classified positions: (1) Chief Building Inspector, Grade 12, Public Works Department (2) Planner I/II, Grade 11,12, Public Works Department (3) City Engineer, Manager 2, Public Works Department (4) Building Permit Technician, Grade 7, Public Works Department Delete the following job titles to the list of classified positions: (1) Planner, Grade 11, Public Works Department (2) City Engineer, Grade 13, Public Works Department (3) Building/PW Assistant, Grade 7, Public Works Department ADOPTED and APPROVED this, the 24th day of February, 2020. /s/ Frank Travis PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA /s/ William R. Marks MAYOR, CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA ATTEST: /s/ Annette Barnes CITY CLERK, CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA Councilmember Harper moved that unanimous consent be given for immediate consideration of and action on said ordinance, which motion was seconded by Councilmember Seibert, and upon the said motion being put to vote the following vote was recorded: YEAS: Councilmembers Seibert, Wales, Travis, and Harper; NAYS: None. The President thereupon declared that the motion for unanimous consent for immediate consideration of and action on the said ordinance had been unanimously carried. Councilmember Wales thereupon moved that the ordinance be finally adopted, which motion was seconded by Councilmember Harper and upon the said motion being put to vote the following vote was recorded: YEAS: Councilmembers Seibert, Wales, Travis, and Harper; NAYS: None. The President thereupon announced that the motion for the adoption of the said ordinance had been unanimously carried. Councilman Wales introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION TO APPROVE CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND INSPECTION FOR INDUSTRIAL ACCESS ALONG SANDERFER ROAD BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to authorize the Mayor to issue a task order to Morell Engineering, Inc. construction engineering and inspection (CE&I) for the Industrial Access Widening along Sanderfer Road. This Project is funded with Industrial Access Grant IAR-042-011 subject to ALDOT approval of contract and bid. The services shall be performed following the on-call agreement between the consultant and Alabama DOT. The motion was seconded by Councilman Seibert and was unanimously carried. Councilman Harper introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020 - 1670 A RESOLUTION CONCERNING A NEW TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT ALONG HIGHWAY 31 NORTH _______________________________________________ WHEREAS, Alabama law allows cities to create tax increment financing districts to aid cities with the city’s costs of certain redevelopment and rehabilitation projects; WHEREAS, generally speaking, these tax increment financing districts capture the increase in property taxes from the increase in property values associated with the city’s projects and transfer that funding increase to the benefit of the city, which uses those funds to assist it in financing the cost of the projects; WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Athens desires to consider the establish of a new tax increment financing district along Highway 31 North, as a vehicle for aiding the City in financing various public improvement projects that would result in the betterment of the entire Highway 31 North area, including a significant portion that is blighted and/or economically distressed; WHEREAS, such public improvement projects include:  (a) the construction of a new signalized intersection along Highway 31 North adjacent to the Athens Middle School, and a new roundabout intersection along Pryor Street, which the City expects will result in the redevelopment of an otherwise vacant and blighted commercial properties; (b) sewer improvements, between Hobbs Street and US Highway 31, relating to outdated sewer lines, which will assist commercial development in the area; (c) lighting improvements along Highway 31 North, which will assist blighted and/or economically distressed properties in the area; (d) sidewalk improvements along Highway 31 North and Elm Street, which will assist economically distressed properties in the area; and (e) intersection improvements at US Highway 31 and Elm Street, which will assist blighted and/or economically distressed properties in the area. WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to direct the Mayor to develop and issue the legal notices and requirements required by Alabama law to arrange for a meeting and public hearing on March 23, 2020, such that the City Council may consider the establishment of such a tax increment financing district as soon as possible; WHEREAS, within a sixty (60) day period prior to this Resolution, the City has expended funds related to the improvements discussed above, including but not limited to costs related to the design and bidding of sewer improvements, and other professional costs related to these projects; WHEREAS, in connection with the above, prior to the establishment of such tax increment financing district, the City Council expects that it will expend additional funds and incur obligations with respect to the improvements discussed above; WHEREAS, the City Council is not currently prepared (nor will it be prepared in the near future) to finance such expenditures on a long-term basis from the tax increment financing district or otherwise, but it reasonably expects that, in order to finance such expenditures, it may issue tax exempt warrants relating to the above-described tax increment financing; and WHEREAS, in the meantime, although such costs may be paid out of the City’s General Fund, the City Council intends that such costs may be reimbursed from such future warrants and the related tax increment financing. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA on February 24, 2020, at 5:30 PM, as follows: 1. The Mayor is authorized and directed, for and on behalf of the City, to develop and issue the legal notices and requirements required by Alabama law to arrange for (i) a meeting with the deferred tax recipients at City Hall on March 19, 2020, at 1:00 PM (or such other date and time as the Mayor determines) and (ii) a public hearing concerning the tax increment financing district at the City Council’s regular meeting on March 23, 2020, such that the City Council may consider the establishment of such a tax increment financing district as described herein. 3. It is intended that the City may issue and deliver in 2020, for the purposes set forth above, tax exempt obligations related to the tax increment financing district described herein, and that all or a portion of the proceeds derived by the City from such obligations would be applied to reimburse the City for any funds advanced by it for such purposes described above, and for other funds that already have been advanced by the City in connection with the same within sixty days prior to the date of this Resolution. ADOPTED this the 24th day of February, 2020. /s/ Frank Travis PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA The motion was seconded by Councilman Seibert and was unanimously carried. Councilman Seibert introduced the following resolution: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATHENS, ALABAMA, to reschedule the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, March 9, 2020, to Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at the same time and location. The motion was seconded by Councilman Harper and was unanimously carried. * * * There being no further business to come before the meeting, Council President Travis asked if there were any objections to adjourning the meeting. There being none, the meeting was duly and properly adjourned. /s/ Frank Travis PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCIL ATTEST: /s/ Annette Barnes CITY CLERK