City Council Work Session

CITY COUNCIL: CITY OFFICIALS: MAYOR ZINDA MCDANIEL CITY MANAGER JAMES LAWRENCE MAYOR PRO TEM LULA SMART CITY CLERK: VACANT COUNCIL MEMBER KECHIA HARRISON ATTORNEY KARLA WALKER COUNCIL MEMBER ROBBY CHRISTIAN CHIEF OF POLICE LAWRENCE MCGEE COUNCIL MEMBER CHRISTOPHER COLE FIRE CHIEF ANTHONY GUARINO QUITMAN CITY COUNCIL Work Session Minutes Tuesday, February 24, 2026 6:30 PM 1. Opening Ceremonies The work session was called to order by Mayor Zinda McDaniel at 6:30 PM. Invocation provided by Councilman Robbie Christian Members Present: Mayor Zinda McDaniel Council Member Robbie Christian Council Member Christopher Cole (via phone conference) Council Member Kechia Harrison (via phone conference) Members Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Lula Smart City Officials Present: City Manager James E. Lawrence Jr. City Attorney Karla Walker City Clerk – Vacant 2. Financial & Compliance The City Manager provided an update regarding financial audit recovery efforts and compliance status. Council was informed of the City’s disengagement from Compere CPA Group due to concerns regarding deliverables and cost structure. The city has re-engaged CKH to continue reconciliation services with expanded hours to accelerate progress. The focus of the reconciliation effort is to complete a trial balance for Fiscal Year 2019 and establish Fiscal Year 2020 as a clean financial baseline for forward-facing reporting and  audit restoration. No formal action was taken. 3. FY Budget Amendment The City Manager presented proposed amendments to the current fiscal year budget. Discussion included: Wholesale electric power costs in the Electric Fund were materially understated. Enterprise vehicle lease expenses were not fully allocated across departments. Proposed increases to the Electric Fund budget and professional services line items to reflect actual projected expenditures. Council discussed the need for corrective amendments to maintain fiscal accuracy. The City Manager reported a substantial number of delinquent utility accounts, including several with substantial outstanding balances. Council discussed implementing more aggressive collection measures, including structured payment arrangement agreements, as a revenue recovery strategy. The approach was presented as an alternative to increasing power cost adjustments. Direction was given to continue enforcement and recovery efforts. No formal action was taken during the work session. 4. Public Safety & Vital Infrastructure Court Street Tree Removal Council discussed a resident complaint regarding a tree posing a threat to a nearby residence. An arborist evaluation determined significant internal decay, making preservation efforts costly and unreliable. Removal of two trees was recommended to mitigate liability exposure. Council discussed risk management considerations. No vote was taken. Wastewater System & Lift Station Restoration The City Manager reported that most lift station sensors are damaged or inoperable, limiting system monitoring capabilities. Discussion included: • Restoration of monitoring systems using existing infrastructure where possible • Replacement of damaged components • Urgent repair of a spray field pump • Consideration of a temporary bypass pump rental to maintain operational continuity Council acknowledged the urgency of the repairs. No formal action was taken. 5. Operations and personnel City Clerk Vacancy The City Manager reported that six candidates have been scheduled for interviews. The goal is to present one or two candidates for executive session consideration at the next council meeting. A decision regarding appointment of an interim City Clerk is anticipated in April. No action taken. 6. Adjournment A motion by Councilwoman Harrison and seconded by Councilman Christian to adjourn work session at 7:00pm