Town Council Regular Meeting

Tyrone Town Council Meeting Minutes March 4, 2021 7:00 P.M. Present: Mayor, Eric Dial was absent Mayor Pro Tem, Gloria Furr Council Member, Linda Howard Council Member, Melissa Hill Council Member, Billy Campbell Town Manager, Brandon Perkins Town Clerk, Dee Baker Town Planner, Phillip Trocquet Finance Manager, Sandy Beach Police Chief, Randy Mundy Mayor Pro Tem Furr called the meeting to order with limited seating and broadcasted on YouTube Live at 7:00 pm, this was followed by the invocation. The public was invited to watch. Approval of Agenda Council Member Campbell made a motion to approve the agenda. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Consent Agenda: All matters listed under this item are considered to be routine by the Town Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will not be separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered separately. Approval of minutes, February 18, 2021 Approval of Invoice to Fayette County for the 2020 Tyrone Special Election Council Member Howard made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Council Member Campbell seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/YouTube Live March 4, 2021 Page 1 of 7 Public Hearing 1. Consideration and action on Transmittal Resolution No. 2020- 04 adopting Fayette County Fire Services Impact Fee Report. Brandon Perkins, Town Manager Mr. Perkins shared that the Capital Improvement Element (CIP) and Short-Term Work Program were updated annually and were also a requirement from the Department of Community Affairs. Every year, the Town coincides with the County and holds its public hearing before forwarding the Transmittal Resolution to the County. He pointed out the attached chart which outlined the Town’s CIP for 2021-2025, also coincided with the consideration for the SPLOST, LIMIG funding, and CIP projects. Mayor Pro Tem Furr asked the public if there were any present that wished to speak in favor of the item. No one spoke. Mayor Pro Tem Furr asked if anyone wished to speak in opposition of the item. No one spoke. Council Member Campbell made a motion to approve the Transmittal Resolution for the Fayette County Fire Services Impact Fee Report. Council Member Hill seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. New Business 2. Consideration to approve the 2021 Sidewalk Repair Bid for The Estates and Southampton’s subdivisions. Scott Langford, Engineer/Public Works Director Mr. Langford shared that the project was funded through the Town’s Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LIMG) funding for increased sidewalk safety. The consideration was for the second phase of the project. He shared that the bid was for sidewalk safety in The Estates and Southampton subdivisions. The low bidder was Aabby Group, Inc. Due to budgetary constraints, items 1,3, and 4 were selected for completion. Those particular sidewalk sections were not associated with drainage catch basins. That project would be included in the next FY, during the summer. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/YouTube Live March 4, 2021 Page 2 of 7 Council Member Hill made a motion to approve the 2021 Estates and Southampton Sidewalk Repair project to the Aabby Group, Inc. for $18,779 for line items 1, 3 and 4 pending Legal Counsel review of the executed contract documents. Council Member Campbell seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. 3. Consideration of approval of a quote from CDW-G for new Council/Planning Commission tablets and staff laptops. Brandon Perkins, Town Manager Mr. Perkins shared that in a previous memo to Council, dated September 15, 2020, he laid out a plan for the use of a portion of the $392,922 in CARES Act reimbursement funding we had received. One part of the plan was to use up to $30,000 to purchase tablets and laptops to better facilitate remote working and the plan to move forward with implementing paper-fee Council and Planning Commission meetings. He added that after some study and analysis, it was determined that only four staff members needed laptops to make us remote/emergency ready. He added that we would also, need ten tablet-style computers to issue to elected officials and planning commission members to facilitate remote connectivity and paperless meetings. Mr. Perkins shared that staff believed to complete our goal of moving from paper-based meeting packets in favor of all electronic meetings would save a considerable amount of prep-time for meetings. It would also significantly reduce the use of paper and the costs associated with printing up to eight packets per meeting. He added that issuing tablets to each elected official and planning commission member would allow staff to complete the transition very soon. He shared that if the pandemic were to create more issues, or a natural disaster would occur, everyone could begin working remotely, which would give us an equal playing field. The computers come with cameras and would allow for remote meetings. He added that staff had worked with our technology partners at VC3 to ascertain tablet and laptop configurations that would best suit the Town’s needs. Our findings were that Microsoft Surface Go tablets for elected officials and planning commission members and Microsoft Surface 3 laptops for staff would be our best bet. Mr. Perkins shared that the funding came in much lower than the conservative $30,000 estimate he provided in the CARES Act memo at $15,177.44. Another consideration would be funding for field tablets for Mr. Langford, Mr. Bowman, and Mr. Konwick. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/YouTube Live March 4, 2021 Page 3 of 7 He shared that he also met with the Library staff, their computers were nearing the end of service, the remaining funding would accomplish everything. The pricing total included: ten Microsoft Surface Go 2 Tables with keyboards for Council and the Planning Commission, two Microsoft Surface Book 3, two Microsoft Surface Laptop3, four laptop docking stations, four Microsoft Office Professional Licenses, and three-year extended warranties for each computer. He ended by stating that there was no need for a bidding process, these were all on State and Federal contracts. Council Member Campbell made a motion to approve the purchase for tablets and staff laptops for the cost of $15,177.44. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Staff Comments Mr. Perkins suggested that the March 18, 2021, Council Meeting be canceled due to the scheduled all-day Council Retreat that same day. Council Member Hill made a motion to cancel the regularly scheduled Council Meeting on March 18, 2021. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Mr. Perkins and Mr. Langford began a lengthy discussion regarding the boring options for the sewer line at Dollar General moving across Senoia Road. Mr. Perkins stated that he and Mr. Langford met with the sewer contractors and engineers earlier that day. Mr. Langford updated Council regarding the easements and work performed at the Dollar General property. He added that the easement located at the Dollar General property was about to expire. He stated that Dollar General shared that as part of the easement agreement, the Town should not impede access to Dollar General. According to the contractor’s attorney, we cannot impede any access at any time, in any way, shape, or form. He added that the quickest way was to bore under the driveway, this would allow work to be complete within the timeframe of the easement. The driveway was approximately thirty feet wide, which would cost $12,000 - $15,000. He added that the Town had $50,000 in contingency, this would allow the project to keep moving forward, to make the allotted time-frame. Mr. Langford continued and stated that there were lateral lines that crossed over Senoia Road. They allowed access to properties across Senoia Road. He added that discussions with the contractor and engineer reflected the possibility of sewer access to the Mundy property across from Dollar General. This would be an additional $38,000 project and the line would need to be very deep and would need to be bored directly to the manhole. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/YouTube Live March 4, 2021 Page 4 of 7 He added that it would also be time-consuming with the looming expiration date. The questions were; which property owners across Senoia Road wanted to utilize sewer, and would there be future development in that area. He mentioned that time would only allow a few business days to reach out to current property owners. Mr. Langford added that he was bringing it to Council for their input. Presently, properties along the Gunnin property line could tie into the existing sewer line project. Most likely it could also include the Barbershop at the bottom of the hill. He shared that if Council wanted to approach the issue of crossing Senoia Road, please make him aware. He added that soon, a project Change Order would be on an agenda for Council’s consideration for boring under Dollar General’s driveway, allowing three additional business to tie-in for a total of $12,000 a piece, according to the initial contracted quote. Mr. Langford also shared that there was plenty of funding in contingency if rock was encountered during the boring process. He added that the contractor passed down savings that they had recently acquired for materials. Mr. Langford shared that the project appeared to be coming in close to what was budgeted. He reminded them that an additional line was added and a liner for pump station 2 was also added. With the proposed additional work, the project would only come in tens of thousands over, not hundreds of thousands. He spoke again regarding the businesses and property owners that may benefit from the $38,000 boring project across Senoia Road. It could also include the Shell gas station and Mimmos Pizza. Mr. Perkins shared the urgency of the need for Council’s wishes to cross or not cross Senoia Road with the sewer line to the Mundy property. The contractor would have the boring equipment for the Dollar General property active on Tuesday. Mr. Perkins asked Council that if the property owners were not interested in sewer, should we then, abandon that section of the project. He added that in the future, all the land behind the Mundy property and the Town Hall property could be developed. It would then be the developer’s responsibility to boar under Senoia Road to tie into sewer. Mr. Perkins added that the original sewer design did not include the aforementioned crossing under Senoia Road. He shared that Council had two options before them; have staff contact all business owners for their input, or abandon the addition and leave it for a future developer. Council Member Hill asked if businesses on the Mundy side of Senoia Road were ever included in the plans. Mr. Perkins shared that there was a lateral line but not a full-bore crossing. Mr. Langford added that Mimmos Pizza and the Shell gas station was never on the plan, they were too far downhill. He added that there was a plan for a lateral split line for the Mundy property and Kakao Café. However, there was an error in the bidding process for the amount of casing costs. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/YouTube Live March 4, 2021 Page 5 of 7 He added that the discussion also included an increase in the sewer line from a six-inch pipe to an eight-inch pipe, then more businesses could tie in. He stated that there would be an additional cost due to the casing on the larger pipe. Council Member Hill asked if those particular businesses were initially asked to tie in? Mr. Perkins stated that the initial project did not include boring across Senoia Road, so the businesses had never been contacted. Council Member Hill added that the businesses were not expecting to tie in. Mr. Langford shared that if a future developer wanted sewer, they could tie in. Council Member Campbell brought to everyone’s attention that if the property owners initially agreed to tie in, the Town would spend $38,000 on the project, the business owners could later change their minds. He asked if the property behind the Mundy property would require another pump station. Mr. Perkins stated that there would be a need for an additional pump station. Mr. Langford agreed and stated that there was already a manhole located at Shamrock Park however, they would require another pump station in that area. He added that the property owner could also move the line toward the Southampton area, crossing over Palmetto Road. Council Member Furr and Hill agreed that it be left to the future developer. Council Member Hill asked if the cost would remain at $38,000. Mr. Perkins shared that it would be much more, two to three years later. Council Member Campbell asked if the $38,000 could be transferred to the developer? Mr. Perkins stated that the developer would only pay for the tap fee and the line to the right-of-way. Discussion began regarding the existing businesses and the possibility that the businesses may not have a current need for sewer, and the exorbitant costs. Mr. Perkins shared that as a real estate marketing tool, having sewer connection across the street could be promising. Mr. Davenport informed everyone that the purpose of the expansion project was to make sewer available, and the Town had accomplished that. The remainder was not the Town’s responsibility. He added that the cost to tie in would be left to the developer. If the contract had not changed and there was no need for an additional change order, there would be no need for a Council vote. Mr. Perkins shared that the Recreation Department was hosting Disney’s, The Luck of The Irish, drive-In movie at Handley Park at 7:00 pm on Friday, March 5, 2021. He added that refreshments would be available for purchase. Mr. Perkins shared that the Sandy Creek Highschool, Jr. ROTC statue dedication ceremony was rescheduled to Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at Veterans Park at noon. It would be followed by the Knights of Columbus Flag Retirement Ceremony. Both were rescheduled due to COVID and inclement weather. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/YouTube Live March 4, 2021 Page 6 of 7 Council Comments Council Member Furr wished Mayor Dial a speedy recovery and said, “Eric, we’ve got this”. Executive Session Council Member Howard made a motion to move into Executive Session to review the Executive Session minutes from February 18, 2021. Council Member Campbell seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Council Member Howard made a motion to reconvene. Council Member Campbell seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Council Member Campbell made a motion to approve the Executive Session minutes from February 18, 2021. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Adjournment Council Member Howard made a motion to adjourn. Motion was approved 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:44 pm. By: __________ ________________________ Attest: ________________________ Eric Dial, Mayor Dee Baker, Town Clerk Council Meeting – Social Distancing/YouTube Live March 4, 2021 Page 7 of 7