City Commission Agendas and Minutes

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CITY OF DOTHAN, ALABAMA REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 19, 2019 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, November 19, 2019 with the following members present: Mayor Mark Saliba, Associate Commissioners Janasky Fleming, John Ferguson, Beth Kenward, and David Crutchfield. Commissioners Kevin Dorsey and Albert Kirkland were absent. Also present were City Manager Kevin Cowper, 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 Stephanie Cox, Highland Park United Methodist Church, then led in prayer, afterwhich Commissioner Crutchfield led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Commissioner Crutchfield moved that the Minutes of the Meeting of November 5, 2019, be approved, motion seconded by Commissioner Fleming and unanimously approved. Mayor Saliba presented and read a proclamation, proclaiming December 1, 2019 as “World AIDS Day” in the City of Dothan. Neice Danzey and Thomas Stephens with Medical Advocacy and Outreach and Jacqueline Snell with the Alabama Department of Public Health were present for the proclamation. City Manager Cowper made the following announcements and comments:  The public is encouraged to attend a public meeting being held today from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Westgate Gym regarding the Honeysuckle Road Improvements Project.  City offices will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th. Public safety personnel will be working as usual. Thursday garbage and recycling will be collected a day early on Wednesday, November 27th. Friday garbage and recycling will be collected as usual on Friday, November 29th.  The draw for the Downtown Dothan Hoops Classic will be held on Monday, December 2nd at 5:00 p.m. at the Wiregrass Museum of Art.  The 41st Annual Christmas Tree Lighting will be at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3rd at the Civic Center and this will be a great time for everybody. Santa will be here and there will be photo opportunities for the children.  Rose Hill Senior Center will host their “My Little Christmas Shoppe” the week of December 9th – 13th. Participants work hard all year on crafts that will be for sale during this event and everybody is encouraged to partake. Mayor Saliba introduced Ordinance No. 2019-294 (recorded in Ordinance Book No. _______at Page_______), amending Chapter 2, Administration, and Chapter 102, Utilities, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Dothan to formalize policies and procedures and to reflect changes as a result of the installation of an automated metering system and the addition of software to allow citizens to participate in a prepay program. Commissioner Kenward moved for immediate consideration, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and upon the motion being put to vote, those voting “yea,” were Saliba, Fleming, Ferguson, Kenward, and Crutchfield; “nay:” none. The motion was carried by the majority of five “yeas” to no “nays.” Commissioner Kenward then moved for adoption of Ordinance No. 2019-294, motion seconded by Commissioner Fleming and upon the motion being put to vote, those voting “yea,” were Saliba, Fleming, Ferguson, Kenward, and Crutchfield; “nay:” none. The motion was carried by the majority of five “yeas” to no “nays.” Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – November 19, 2019, continued. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-295 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), amending Resolution 2019-83, an agreement with Exceleron Software, LLC, to reflect payment processing fee changes. Commissioner Kenward moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-296 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), accepting a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for grant assistance from the Recreational Trails Program, in the amount of $100,000.00, to be used to construct four additional miles of trails on the Forever Wild properties in Dothan. Commissioner Fleming moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield. Commissioner Kenward requested location information for the sake of public record. Leisure Services Assistant Director of Operations Kim Meeker said these trails will be located on the two Fortner Street properties in the areas of Big Levee and Dragon’s Tail, as well as a small piece on the S.A.M.’s Creekside Trail, and he said this will open up some new scenic areas. Mr. Meeker confirmed for Commissioner Kenward that there is plenty of buffer between the trails and residential properties in these areas, and he added that about seventy-five feet is the closest distance anticipated. Mayor Saliba asked if there will be a possibility in the future to use part of our sewer easement, which runs past the Forever Wild property out to Brannon Stand Road, as a trail connector. Mr. Meeker said Planning Director Todd McDonald has worked on this to some degree and they share excitement about this prospect. Mr. McDonald said this was considered when the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was created because the easement goes all the way from Honeysuckle Road, through the Forever Wild property, and intersects Flowers Chapel Road right across from the apartments. He said this would be a tremendous opportunity but would require design work, and Mayor Saliba noted that there are some wet areas as well to consider. There being no further discussion, the resolution was unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-297 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), executing the Supplemental Contract with Southeastern Power Administration (SEPA) for 2,169 kW of additional power allocation. Commissioner Kenward moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Ferguson and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-298 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), entering into an agreement with Poly, Inc. for professional consulting services for the Additional Lane on US-84 (West Main Street) Westbound from Flowers Chapel Road to John D. Odom Road, for a not to exceed amount of $332,055.00, and appropriating funds for said project. Commissioner Ferguson moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield. Public Works Director Charles Metzger said the City of Dothan is receiving funding for this project from the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (ATRIP) as a result of the additional gas tax money collected this year and the plan is to apply for more funding next year. Mr. Metzger said we are excited about this project as a way to improve on work the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is currently doing out to Flowers Chapel Road by taking those three lanes westbound out to John D. Odom Road. He said there are about 43,000 vehicles per day traveling through this corridor. Upon Commissioner Crutchfield’s inquiry into the timeframe, Mr. Metzger said the hope is for the project to be let some time next year and then work will probably take twelve months. Mr. Metzger said the road will be widened to the inside and the Woodburn Drive intersection will be redesigned. He said the John D Odom Road intersection may be changed as well in the next phase and future plans include three eastbound lanes and eventually six lanes all the way out to the City limits. Commissioner Kenward said this is a state road controlled by ALDOT and she asked for the reason why the City is spending money on design work to be publicly stated for our citizens. Mr. Metzger explained that ALDOT is granting the maximum amount of $2,000,000 for this project, and the total amount committed by the City will remain the same, plus we feel the City can move a lot faster with this work. Upon Mayor Saliba’s inquiry into the possibility of using additional funds next year to continue with the next phase of this project, Mr. Metzger said the City plans to do some of the conceptual design from John D. Odom Road out to Brannon Stand Road to save some money and this will give us an ALDOT approved conceptual design, east and west, all the way out to Brannon Stand Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – November 19, 2019, continued. Road. He said we will have to see what the next phase will cost, and he discussed plans to include work in the Grove Park intersection area. He said we are proud to receive the maximum amount this year and will also be submitting a $250,000 application for a resurfacing project on Flynn Road. There being no further discussion, the resolution was unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-299 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), amending Resolution 2019-120, a contract with Mid-South Paving Inc., of Dothan, Alabama for the City Street Resurfacing Project 2019, to increase the contract amount by $500.00 to correctly reflect the awarded bid amount of $2,002,645.00. Commissioner Kenward moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-300 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), reappointing Rose P. Evans-Gordon as Presiding Municipal Judge of the City of Dothan at a salary of $148,449.60 for a term of four (4) years commencing December 1, 2019. Commissioner Fleming moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Kenward. Mayor Saliba expressed appreciation to Judge Gordon for the work she does every day. There being no further discussion, the resolution was unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-301 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), entering into an agreement with David Jones to serve as Public Defender for the City of Dothan at an annual salary of $30,000.00. Commissioner Kenward moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-302 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), entering into an agreement with Kathleen Nemish to serve as Public Defender for the City of Dothan at an annual salary of $30,000.00. Commissioner Crutchfield moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Fleming and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-303 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), entering into an agreement with Shaun McGhee to serve as Public Defender for the City of Dothan at an annual salary of $30,000.00. Commissioner Kenward moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-304 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), entering into an agreement with DIRECTV for satellite television services to be located at the Wiregrass Public Safety Center, located on Public Safety Way, at an annual cost of approximately $2,969.76. Commissioner Fleming moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Kenward and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-305 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), approving payment of invoices for the month of October, 2019 in the amount of $23,107,576.08. Commissioner Crutchfield moved for adoption, motion seconded by Commissioner Ferguson and unanimously adopted. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-306 (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 2020 Ford Interceptor SUV, per Bondys Ford $ 540,040.90 City of Dothan Bid Specifications; Dothan, AL Quantity: 11 Unit Price: $33,428.00 Quantity: 4 Unit Price: $33,643.38 Quantity: 1 Unit Price: $37,759.38 Replacing marked and unmarked units Minutes of the Board of Commissioners – November 19, 2019, continued. Other Purchases: Defence of EPA Enforcement King & Spalding $ 1,476.60 Action-Professional Services Atlanta, GA Groundgrid Testing for 6 Hood, Patterson, & Dewar $ 70,396.00 Substations-Professional Services Norcross, GA New Mobile Data Terminals CDWG $ 112,922.88 Quantity: 48 Vernon Hills, IL Panasonic Toughbooks Unit Price: $1,722.00 Panasonic Protection Plus 3 Year Accidental Damage Coverage Unit Price: $245.33 Panasonic Port Replicator Unit Price: $265.33 LIND PA Car Adapter Unit Price: $119.90 Sourcewell CDWG Contract #100614 Commissioner Kenward then moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2019-306, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and unanimously carried. Mayor Saliba introduced Resolution No. 2019-307 (recorded in Ordinance Book No._______at Page_______), approving the following advance travel requests for City employees: NAME CONFERENCE AMOUNT Erik Broten Tactical Diversion Squad (DEA) $ 89.31 Ruston, LA John Milner Playground Safety Inspector Certification $ 1,149.58 Course & Exam Hoover, AL Commissioner Kenward then moved for adoption of Resolution No. 2019-307, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and unanimously carried. There being no further business, Commissioner Ferguson moved that the meeting be adjourned, motion seconded by Commissioner Crutchfield and upon the unanimous vote of "yea," the meeting was duly adjourned. /s/Tammy Danner, City Clerk 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