City Commission Agendas and Minutes

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CITY OF DOTHAN, ALABAMA REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 20, 2018 The Board of Commissioners of the City of Dothan, Alabama, met in regular session in the Commission Chambers of the Roy Driggers Municipal Building at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 20, 2018 with the following members present: Mayor Mark Saliba, Associate Commissioners Kevin Dorsey, Janasky Fleming, Albert Kirkland, John Ferguson, Beth Kenward, and David Crutchfield. Also present were City Manager Michael West, City Clerk Tammy Danner, Assistant City Clerk Wendy Shiver, who recorded the Minutes of the Meeting, and the local news media representatives. Mayor Saliba called the meeting to order. Pastor Mike Grimes, Grandview Baptist Church, then led in prayer, afterwhich Commissioner Dorsey led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Commissioner Kirkland moved that the Minutes of the Meeting of February 6, 2018, be approved, motion seconded by Commissioner Dorsey and unanimously approved. Commissioner Fleming thanked S.P.I.N.N. (Single Parents In Need Nationally) for joining in and helping a couple of people with their electric bills, and he thanked his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., for answering the call to assist a couple of elderly citizens in District 2 with getting their lights back on. Commissioner Fleming said he has been receiving calls regarding overgrown lots and abandoned houses in the Lafayette Street and Appletree Street area, and he requested that these be looked at for code violations. City Manager West confirmed with Senior Planner Frank Breaux that code enforcement will check the area. Commissioner Kirkland recognized Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) President and CEO Fred Clark for visiting today. Commissioner Kirkland said he is honored to serve as a member on the AMEA board, and he appreciates Mr. Clark and his staff. Commissioner Kirkland said he would like to compliment two of our young police officers he witnessed yesterday assisting a couple of ladies whose vehicle had broken down at the intersection of Honeysuckle Road and Highway 84 West. He said the officers helped push the vehicle out of the way and it makes him feel good that our people help our citizens out because that is what we are all about. Mayor Saliba said he knows there are a lot of people here this morning concerned about the utility bills and he wants our citizens to know that he is concerned about them as well and about how you feel about them. He said we will be addressing this issue today as we have been over the last week or so. He said we do care and know there are a lot of good people who are struggling with this, and we will be talking about it today. City Manager West, along with Dothan Utilities Director Billy Mayes and Electric Operations Superintendent Chris Phillips, presented a service award to Rebecca Hornsby for twenty-five years of service with the City. City Manager West invited AMEA President and CEO Fred Clark to speak about the recent cold weather and power consumption in the month of January, 2018. Mr. Clark presented information and discussed in detail the impact of the polar vortex and subfreezing temperature days experienced during the month of January on energy utilization, peak consumption, and utility bills. He explained that the older homes which are wood framed or are not well insulated or have single pane windows required much more energy utilization to stay warm which resulted in higher bills, and he said weatherization programs may help to address this in the future. He said Dothan Utilities’ electric rates to residential customers are Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – February 20, 2018, continued. competitive and AMEA has a strategy for stability that will last through at least 2025, at which time they may even decrease based on current negotiations they are working toward. He said AMEA has looked at different types of alternatives and determined not to do them because they were not economical and AMEA is not going to do anything today that will raise the cost of Dothan consumers. He said the City has been proactive in helping consumers, such as with budget billing and especially with the smart metering initiative which AMEA is partnering with the City to help fund, and he talked about the advantages of this initiative. He said AMEA is here to work with the City to make our system as efficient as possible, to keep electric rates stable and low, and to help Dothan Utilities improve its innovation and address issues. Commissioner Kenward said AMEA has partnered with the City in the past with grants and other types of programs and she asked if AMEA has a weatherization program that would provide the opportunity to help people with assessing and improving their housing. Mr. Clark said AMEA does not have a weatherization program but he agrees in the need for development of this type of program. He said studying weatherization is paramount to addressing times like this and is the most economical use of funds by an individual. He pledged to see what AMEA can do to partner with the City on maybe a pilot or some type of program that can be spread to other communities to address this same kind of issue. Commissioner Kenward said AMEA has our commitment to cooperate, and she expressed her desire to do something to help our citizens. She said she would appreciate Mr. Clark working with our staff to develop some type of program to roll out to our citizens. Mr. Clark said the City has some programs in place to assist citizens, and he asked City Manager West if he would like to speak on this. City Manager West said the Commission sets aside approximately $35,000 from the Community Development Block Grant each year for weatherization which is handled through Wiregrass Habitat for Humanity and the City is working with our customers by allowing them several months to pay their bills to try to lessen the burden. Commissioner Fleming said he has been contacted by some constituents who say they work all day, are not at home, or work out of town but their power bill is still high, and he asked for an explanation. Mr. Clark said customers can request the City to check to make sure there is not an error in the meter or in the billing, but in the case with the cold temperatures, if the energy was ramped up to a certain temperature such as 68 or 65, the consumption will be significant. Commissioner Kirkland said it is important to be aware of the difference turning the thermostat down a few degrees can make during these times. Mayor Saliba said he also heard from citizens who commented that they did not change anything and their bill was higher. He explained that when there are extreme temperature changes, whether it be up or down, the thermostat should be adjusted up or down as well to keep from having a higher utility bill. He added that hot water heaters which are located in garages or other areas that are not heated and cooled and are not wrapped in thermal blankets are continually trying to heat the water inside. He said these are some of the things that can be a factor in the higher bills. Commissioner Dorsey said the Commission talked last year at the strategic planning meeting about a renters’ ordinance. He said we are elected to make policies and procedures, and it is important to get this in place. He said we have a strategic planning meeting this weekend and this is a key issue. He said he thinks we should consider more funding to Habitat for weatherization. He noted that many of the churches and nonprofit agencies who were offering assistance for the utility bills are now out of funding. He said he does understand, he stands in the gap for the citizens he serves, and he has received a lot of messages regarding this issue. He asked that we put in place some kind of emergency extension for our citizens. He said he knows we already have policies in place, but we are policy holders, and we vote on these things. He said he is only one vote, but he has spoken about this on numerous occasions because this is near and dear to his heart, and you are either part of the solution or you are part of the problem. Commissioner Kirkland discussed peak demand times and he proposed adding a suggestion on our electric bills every month to inform customers the times where it is best to avoid using high electricity appliances so that they can choose to use them on an off peak time. Commissioner Ferguson asked for more information about the peak changes. Mr. Clark said under the City’s current rate structure Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – February 20, 2018, continued. residential customers pay for the kilowatt hours used; however, the new metering systems would allow for the City to put in place new structures such as time of use rates that benefit someone from not utilizing during peak times. Mr. Clark said something he has been thinking about as it relates to AMEA is to establish an emergency energy fund, maybe as part of the City’s reserve and generated by rate payers or some other means, of one to two million dollars. He said this fund could then be drawn on to buy down the electric rates of its consumers during extreme periods of cold weather which will hopefully only occur every three to four years. Mr. Clark said he is happy to have been here today and he hopes this presentation has been informative. Mayor Saliba, Commissioners, and City Manager West expressed their appreciation to Mr. Clark for being here today. City Manager West made the following announcements and comments:  The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) South Regional Basketball Tournament is underway in the Civic Center and tomorrow, February 21st will be the last day.  The strategic planning session with our consultant will be held Thursday, February 22nd – Saturday, February 24th.  The next Highway 84 East Corridor community meeting on the will be at the Wiregrass Museum of Art on Tuesday, February 27th at 5:15 p.m.  The Dothan Fire Department has received the Insurance Service Office (ISO) top rating of Class 1. Congratulations to Fire Chief Larry Williams, Dothan Utilities Director Billy Mayes, and the departments who worked so hard toward this remarkable achievement.  The Commission will hold a work session on Tuesday, February 27 th at 10:00 a.m. in the Board Room to discuss the Honeysuckle Road Corridor Study and review the initial draft of the proposal.  The Community Development Block Grant applications are due Thursday, March 22nd.  Dothan 101 starts Tuesday, April 3rd and seven positions remain for those interested in signing up to participate in this program. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2018-38 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), entering into a construction agreement with the State of Alabama, acting by and through the Alabama Department of Transportation, for the construction program for resurfacing various city streets in the City of Dothan. Commissioner Kirkland moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Kenward and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2018-39 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), entering into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) for reimbursement of registration fees in the amount of $10,400.00 for student officers successfully graduating from the Alabama Criminal Justice Training Center (ACJTC) in Selma, Alabama. Commissioner Kirkland moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Fleming. Commissioner Dorsey asked how many officers are at the ACJTC, and Police Chief Steve Parrish said we currently have eight officers there. There being no further discussion, the resolution was unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2018-40 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), accepting funding under the Department of Homeland Security Equipment Grant in the amount of $44,095.00 to be used to purchase equipment for the Dothan Police Bomb Team, and appropriating funds for said purchases. Commissioner Ferguson moved for adoption, motion Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – February 20, 2018, continued. seconded by Commissioner Kenward. City Manager West said this grant requires a $3,100.00 match on the part of the Police Department, which is in their budget. There being no further discussion, the resolution was unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2018-41 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), approving payment of invoices for the month of January, 2018 in the amount of $15,536,291.98. Commissioner Kirkland moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Kenward and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2018-42 (recorded in Ordinance Book No. _______at Page_______), awarding the following bids and approving other purchases over $15,000.00 by the City. ITEM VENDOR AMOUNT 1 Ton Pickup Trucks: Bondy’s $ 30,451.00 Crew Cab 4x4 Truck, Dothan, AL per Bid Specifications Ford F-350 Quantity: 1 (or more) Unit Price: $30,451.00 This price includes the dealer options at dealer cost. This is an additional purchase from the bid awarded previously. Wastewater Treatment UV Lamps, U V Doctor Lamps, LLC $ 36,750.00 Per City Bid Specifications Newport, WA TrojanUV3000Plus Amalgam Lamps Type G64T6H: Quantity 250 (more or less) Unit Price: $105.00 TrojanUV3000Plus Amalgam Lamps Type G64T51: Quantity 100 (more or less) Unit Price: $105.00 Recloser By-Pass Switch, per Stuart C. Irby $ 23,996.00 City of Dothan Bid Specifications Dothan, AL Quantity: 10 (or more) Unit Price:$ 2,399.60 Total Price for 10 units: $23,996.00 Solid Dielectric, G & W Electric Co. $ 182,990.00 Triple Single Reclosers, Dothan, AL per City Bid Specifications: Quantity: 10 (or more) Unit Price:$ 18,299.00 Total Price for 10 units: $182,990.00 Other Purchases: 36 Month Lease of Xerox Xerox See Price in Altalink C8070H Multifunction Dothan, AL Description Network Printer: National IPA Purchasing Cooperative Contract Lease Monthly Base Price: $517.76 Total Base Lease: $18,639.36 Plus Maintenance Per Copy: Black & White; $0.0046 Color: $.039; Estimated Total for 3 Years:$24,752.16 Knapheide Service Bodies Truck Equipment $ 24,204.00 State of Alabama Contract T195A Mobile, AL Quantity 4; Unit Price: $6,051.00 Service bodies for units 2101, 2118, 4216 & 9017 Commissioner Fleming then moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2018-42, motion seconded by Commissioner Kirkland. Commissioner Dorsey said he is glad to see four local contractors included on this item. There being no further discussion, the resolution was unanimously adopted. Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – February 20, 2018, continued. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2018-43 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), approving the following advance travel requests for City employees: NAME CONFERENCE AMOUNT Frank Breaux 2018 National Planning Conference $ 2,305.00 American Planning Association New Orleans, LA Casey Bonner IMSA Certification Renewal: Traffic Signal $ 2,480.00 Rickey Tucker Field Technician Level II Powder Springs, GA Clint Ludlam IMSA Certification Renewal: Traffic Signal $ 1,780.00 Randy Prine Field Technician Level II Daytona Beach, FL Scott Owens Drug Recognition Expert School #7 $ 823.08 (as instructor) Field Evaluations Jacksonville, FL Darren Moody Crisis/Hostage Negotiations Level I $ 1,985.00 Ryan Anderson Stapleton, AL Todd David Public Safety De-Escalation Tactics for $ 269.00 Rachel David Military Veterans in Crisis (PSDTMVC) Ryan Anderson Pensacola, FL Thomas Starling Fire Instructor II $ 709.25 Tuscaloosa, AL Jennifer Scheetz Spark 2018 $ 1,515.00 Orlando, FL Will Benny ROCIC Spring Conference $ 1,856.00 Will Glover St. Augustine, FL Lynn Watkins Jason Adkins Reginald Franklin Alabama Transportation Planners $ 427.34 Association (ATPA) 2018 Conference Birmingham, AL Duane Godwin Globe Personal Protective Equipment $ 50.00 David Harrison Training Concord, NH Commissioner Kirkland then moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2018-43, motion seconded by Commissioner Fleming and unanimously carried. Commissioner Kenward moved to accept a temporary construction easement from Curtis & Norma Poland necessary to construct storm drainage improvements, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and unanimously carried. There being no further business, Commissioner Kirkland moved that the meeting be adjourned, motion seconded by Commissioner Kenward and upon the unanimous vote of "yea," the meeting was duly adjourned. /s/Tammy Danner, City Clerk See approval next page: Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – February 20, 2018, continued. Approved: /s/Mark Saliba, Mayor /s/Kevin Dorsey, Associate Commissioner /s/Janasky Fleming, Associate Commissioner /s/Albert Kirkland, Associate Commissioner /s/John Ferguson, Associate Commissioner /s/Beth Kenward, Associate Commissioner /s/David Crutchfield, Associate Commissioner BOARD OF CITY COMMISSIONERS