City Council

October 5, 2020 City Council Meeting Minutes 6:05 PM The regularly scheduled meeting of the Mayor and Council for the City of Gray, Georgia was held on Monday, October 5, 2020 at 6:00pm in the D.V. Childs Civic Center. Present: Mayor Ed Barbee, Mayor Pro Tem James Collins, Council Members David Tufts, Terry Favors, and Terrell Fulford, City Attorney John Newberry, City Superintendent Frank Ross, Police Chief Adam Lowe, Fire Chief Keith Eisele, City Clerk Cindy Yancey and Assistant City Clerk Ashley Roberson. Guests: Tim Pitrowski, Dr. Kara Moore, Donald Brown, Chuck Davis, Glenda Wood, Debbie Lurie-Smith, The Jones County News. Mayor Barbee called the meeting to order at 6:00pm. Councilman Tufts gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilman Favors made a motion, seconded by Councilman Tufts, and unanimously voted to approve the October 5, 2020 agenda. APPROVED 4-0 Councilman Tufts made a motion, seconded by Councilman Favors, and unanimously voted to approve the September minutes. APPROVED 4-0 Councilman Fulford made a motion, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Collins, and unanimously voted to approve the September accounts payable. APPROVED 4-0 Mayor’s Report: • No report. New Business: 1. P&Z Hearing: • Item A: Ace Hardware of Gray: Requests a variance to allow a reader board sign larger than 32 square feet in size. Property is located at 243 West Clinton St, and consists of 7.92 +/- acres, zoned C-2 (General Commercial). • Item B: Donald R Brown: Requests a variance to allow creation of a property line closer than the allowed setback. Property is located at 235 Old Clinton Rd, and consist of .97+/- acres, zoned R-1 (Single Family Residential). Councilman Favors made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fulford, and unanimously voted to close the regular meeting and go into a P&Z Hearing. APPROVED 4-0 Item A: • Chuck Davis explained that he would like to replace the current digital sign at Ace Hardware with a larger version. Mr. Davis stated that the sign he is requesting is the same size as the original sign he had prior to the current digital sign. Item B: • Donald Brown explained that this was his father’s property and he is getting ready to sell the house but before selling the house he is selling one acre to the dentist’s office located directly behind the property. The variance is due to there being a metal building on the proposed property line. Mr. Brown explained that they are in the process of cleaning out the metal building and it will be removed. October 5, 2020 City Council Meeting Minutes Page Two • Dr. Kara Moore explained that they are just wanting to purchase it for additional space in the back for staff to park as needed. She said they would not be pouring pavement for a parking lot or anything, just additional space for their property. Councilman Fulford made a motion, seconded by Councilman Favors, and unanimously voted to close the P&Z Hearing and reopen the Council Meeting. APPROVED 4-0 Mayor Pro Tem Collins made a motion to approve the variance requested in Item A, Councilman Fulford seconded the motion, Councilman Favors and Councilman Tufts voted in opposition. Due to the vote being tied, Mayor Barbee voted to approve the variance request. APPROVED 3-2 Councilman Fulford made a motion, seconded by Councilman Favors, and unanimously voted to approve Item B. APPROVED 4-0 2. A Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Gray, Georgia to establish a tax millage rate for the calendar year 2020; and for other purposes. The tax millage rate for the calendar year 2020 is as follows: 13.44mills 3.94 roll back 9.50 net mills Councilman Fulford made a motion, seconded by Councilman Tufts, and unanimously voted to approve Resolution 20-R-027. APPROVED 4-0 3. A Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Gray, Georgia to appropriate certain sums of money for the operations of the several functions of the City of Gray for the fiscal year 2021; and for other purposes. Councilman Fulford made a motion, seconded by Councilman Favors, and unanimously voted to approve Resolution 20-R-028. APPROVED 4-0 4. A Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Gray, Georgia authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement to purchase conversion of tax data into municipal software for City Hall between the City of Gray and PUBLIQ Software; and for other purposes Councilman Tufts made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fulford, and unanimously voted to approve Resolution 20-R-029. APPROVED 4-0 5. A Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Gray, Georgia to reapprove salary caps for exempt positions; and for other purposes. Mayor Pro Tem Collins made a motion, seconded by Councilman Tufts, and unanimously voted to approve Resolution 20-R-030. APPROVED 4-0 October 5, 2020 City Council Meeting Minutes Page Three 6. Approve salary adjustments for Department Heads as discussed in the personnel committee meeting effective payroll week ending 10/04/2020. Mayor Pro Tem Collins made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fulford, and unanimously voted to approve Department Head salary adjustments. APPROVED 4-0 Public Comments: (Three minutes per speaker and no more than two speakers per topic) • No comments. There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned. ________________________________ Assistant City Clerk