Town Council Special Meeting

Tyrone Town Council Meeting Minutes Budget Workshop June 2, 2020 9:00 am Present: Mayor, Eric Dial Mayor Pro Tem, Gloria Furr Council Member, Linda Howard Council Member, Melissa Hill Town Manager, Brandon Perkins Finance Manager, Sandy Beach Town Clerk, Dee Baker Town Engineer/Public Works Director, Scott Langford Planning and Zoning Coordinator, Phillip Trocquet Police Chief, Randy Mundy Court Clerk, April Spradlin Recreation Manager, Rebecca Brock Library Supervisor, Patty Newland Council Member, Ken Matthews was absent Mayor Dial gave the invocation. The meeting was called to order with limited seating and also broadcasted on You Tube Live at 9:00 am. The public was invited to watch. Approval of Agenda Council Member Furr made a motion to approve the agenda. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 3-0. 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, May 21, 2020 Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 1 of 17 Consideration and approval of the lease renewal and equipment upgrade for the Town Hall and Police Department copiers with Milner, Inc. Council Member Howard made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Council Member Hill seconded the motion. Motion was approved 3-0. New Business: 1. Consideration to purchase Slanetrac HS75 blade cutter for ROW clearing. Scott Langford, Engineer/Public Works Director Mr. Langford shared that last year his department requested a mulching head and cutter. After approval from Council, the company later informed staff that the attachment was not suitable for our equipment. The quote was for $23,000. He added that that the current bush hog caused limbs to become twisted and not cut properly. Mr. Langford stated that Mr. Bowman located a blade that would perform more efficiently, for only $6,000. Mr. Langford requested an extra $1,000 for potential hoses and additional parts. Council Member Furr inquired of the cost for a replacement blade. Per Mayor Dial’s request, Mr. Langford was asked to research and email Council the cost of the blade. Council Member Hill inquired about the $23,000. Mr. Langford stated that the former requested piece of equipment was able to cut and mulch. She asked if Public Works needed the equipment. Mr. Langford stated yes, but given the special times we are in, that piece would be sufficient. It cuts well and would also save time. Council Member Hill made a motion to approve the purchase the Slanetrac HS 75 for an amount not to exceed $7,000. Council Member Furr seconded the motion. Motion was approved 3-0. 2. FY 2020-2021 Budget Mr. Perkins gave a general overview of the budget, and added that Covid-19 made a significant impact on this year and certainly next year’s budget. He added that it was too early to tell how bad and how fast it would recover. We all made cuts where we could. He shared that the piece of equipment for Public Works was a definite need. Mr. Perkins shared that the requested budget was $8,195,238.37, a 31.95% decrease from the current FY which was approved at $12,042,094.26. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 2 of 17 Both the current and FY21 proposed budgets were higher than average for the Town. He added that FY20 included full cost of the new building ($5 million) and sewer expansion ($2 million) in addition to our regular operating costs. He shared that since the building was not yet fully complete, we have more construction costs that need to be carried forward to FY21. The lion’s share of these costs would be covered by the loan. Some costs were also being covered by SPLOST funding, such as, signage, landscaping, etc. Mr. Perkins stated that we were also awaiting a decision on the grant for the Pendleton dam. This meant that funds ($1.7 million) had to be carried forward into the FY21 budget to cover the dam, should it be approved this year. If approved, the Town’s out of pocket cost would only be 25% of the total, or approximately $425,000. Mr. Perkins shared that the Town and its departments typically run lean, but all departments were asked to do their best to make cuts wherever they could. This was based on our anticipation that we would see a significant drop in revenue due to the Covid-19 shut down. Mr. Perkins shared each department’s cuts: Administration cut 60%, a good bit of that was due to progress on the new building. Finance cut 7%, Court cut .5%, Parks and Recreation cut 3%, Planning and Zoning cut .7%. The Library increased .9%, due to personnel costs and added IT services. The Police Department cut 5%, Police Administration increased by .10%, due to personnel costs and vehicle maintenance. Public Works cut 5.7%, and Founder’s Day increased by 9.5%. Mr. Perkins stated that by removing the building costs (loan) and dam costs (75% Grant) from the budget request, the total operating amount requested was $4,976,154,97. He added that there were no requests for an employee pay increase in this budget. There was no plan to cut any employees in the budget, this would depend on the position. He has asked Chief Mundy to delay hiring a police officer until January. Mr. Perkins shared that Chief Mundy was comfortable accomplishing that without affecting service delivery or officer safety. Mr. Perkins stated that for the first time in recent memory, the Town was not purchasing any new vehicles in FY21. Mr. Perkins shared a few points regarding revenue. The tax revenue projection for FY21 was $3,905,925, which was down by 7% from FY20 and also down 23% from FY19. He added that the Town’s millage rate of 2.889 mills was set back in 2008. If left unchanged, FY21 would be the 13th year at that same rate. Given the ever-increasing costs of doing business and the Town’s limited revenue, $1,157,954.90 was projected to be allocated from reserves to balance the budget. General Fund Roll-Up Mr. Perkins shared that the total budget expenses were $8,195,238.37. The balanced budget included all revenue and $1.1 million of reserve funding. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 3 of 17 Personnel Mr. Perkins informed Council that there were no changes. There would be no pay increases, the pay scale would remain the same and would be effective on July 1st. Ms. Beach recommended approval of the pay scale and asked for Council’s vote. Mr. Perkins shared that the new Planner position was added as Grade number 65 for the future. Mayor Dial asked if all categories and positions were as they should be? Mr. Perkins stated that he was comfortable with the current scale, but that the need for another professional job reclassification and job description was needed. The last study was performed by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) ten years ago. Council Member Furr made a motion to adopt the annual pay scale effective July 1, 2020. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 3-0. Mr. Perkins stated that page one reflects annual rates under the Personnel budget tab, page two was hourly rates. Normally salary changes and positions were built into the spreadsheet. This year the insurance was the only increase that was built in. Ms. Beach added that she just received retirement information and that it was accurate for the next fiscal year. Discussion began regarding retirement. Mr. Perkins shared that during the retreat, Council voted to approve the Rule of 70 retirement plan from the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). The plan stated that if your tenure and age equal seventy, you can retire. No age limit was required. This would only cost 25% over what the Town currently paid. Between the beginning of 2020 and the retreat, the plan changed and the Town was not notified. Mr. Perkins stated that the change stated that if the organization did not have a minimum age set for retirement the cost would be substantially higher. The Town would have to pay $100,000 on top of what we already pay. He and Ms. Beach had a conference call scheduled this week with representatives. No changes were going to take place with what was initially voted on. He would report back. Mayor Dial clarified that Council had voted to approve the Rule of 70 at the retreat. He asked Mr. Perkins to share what the cost was initially. Mr. Perkins stated that with no age limit it cost $25,000 over what the Town currently paid for retirement which totaled $100,000 per year. Mayor Dial clarified that the cost was $75,000 and it increased to $100,000 with the Rule of 70. Mr. Perkins agreed. Mr. Perkins shared that after speaking with GMA, they are stating that the cost would be $175,000 per year for retirement. Mayor Dial stated that the solution would be to set an age of 55, however, we do not know what the cost would be as of today. Mr. Perkins stated that he should have an answer by the next Council meeting on June 16th. Ms. Beach added that GMA had already agreed to bill this year fiscal year at the original price. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 4 of 17 Revenue Ms. Beach explained that the Town’s revenue came mostly from property taxes and Local Option Sales Tax (LOST). She added that the Assessor’s office reported that there was a 5.2% increase in property taxes, this year we should not see a major downfall in property taxes. She stated that she put in a 3% increase, not the entire 5.2%. Citizens could still challenge their assessed rates or not pay on time. She shared that the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) was more difficult to predict, no one knows how public spending will be. Currently, in March there was a 2% reduction, in April there was a 15% reduction. She indicated line item number 31.3100 was budgeted at $1.2 million which was a 25% reduction from last year. Mr. Perkins shared information that he obtained from a recent seminar. Budgeting statewide indicated that February was worse this year than March (Covid-19). There was a rebound in March and it decreased again in April, a very interesting dynamic. Mayor Dial stated that this was not something that we would see for the remainder of the year. We will continue to decrease; it may be for two or more years. Ms. Beach shared that she projected conservatively to balance the expenses. If we gain more revenue than anticipated, there would be less coming from reserves than estimated. She added that the bottom line for revenue was $8,195,238.37, the same as expenditures. $1.5 million was plugged in as estimated short fall. Mr. Perkins added that $1.3 million was also taken into account as Federal Grant funding for the Pendleton dam. The money would pass-through if approved, and we would pay our share after repairs. The money is not only based on taxation. There were also draws from the building loan. He reminded Council that bar cards (alcohol server permits) were no longer being obtained, that amount was $12,000. Administration Mr. Perkins stated that staff was able to take line item number 52.1100 (Contracted Services) from $18,000 to $2,000 due to a non-election year. He stated that Technical Services had increased from $13,000 to $31,000, due to hiring a new IT service contractor. The service is more robust and town wide service is split among departments. He reminded Council of the 2018 Police Department breach. This was less than hiring an IT person, but we are getting our money’s worth. He shared that $500 was taken out of line item number 52.2201 (Vehicle Repair). Mr. Perkins stated that line number 52.3600 (Dues and Fees) was reduced significantly, from $12,000 to $4,380. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 5 of 17 Council Member Furr asked why did line item number 52.3500 increase from $3,000 to $3660. Mr. Perkins stated that Ms. Willis was now attending Clerk classes for cross training, and that fee also included himself, Ms. Baker, Ms. Willis and a portion of Ms. Beach’s training. Council Member Furr inquired about line item number 52.3108 (General Liability). She stated that it was $5,807.85, currently it was $10,540.74. Ms. Beach stated that the numbers were correct. Mr. Perkins stated that the increase could be as a result from the 2018 IT breach. A claim was filed, a specialized law firm was contacted and also forensic services were applied. Fortunately, it was caught early and no personal information was taken, our portion was $10,000. Council Member Howard asked if $10,000 was our portion, what was the total? Mr. Perkins stated that he believed it was approximately $30,000. Mr. Perkins moved forward to line item number 54.1310 (Municipal Complex). He explained that $5 million was placed in the budget last year, as of April 10th the total was $9.58 million. Next year we are requesting $1.47 million. This was in anticipation of one more bill by the end of the fiscal year, this also included furniture. He added that we still have landscaping, appliances, and fees for low voltage electrical to account for. Mayor Dial asked if the figures mentioned for each fiscal year were based on bills or payments? Ms. Beach stated that it usually represented the receipt of services or goods, in this case it would be upon completion. Mayor Dial asked, if Parrish billed the Town on June 19th, would the payment come from this fiscal year or the following fiscal year. Ms. Beach stated, more than likely the next fiscal year. Mayor Dial suggested asking Parrish to bill the Town now. Ms. Beach stated that ultimately, it did not matter what fiscal year the money would come from. She added that she planned on paying more this year and had been conservative for that purpose. Mayor Dial asked Ms. Beach if she would go back five years and calculate the yearly payout for 52.1201 (Legal Services). If the Town had not paid out more than $41,000 in five years, there should be no reason to increase the amount to $50,000. Mr. Perkins shared that we would have far exceeded the amount with work on the sewer extension for easement acquisition and the new building. Mayor Dial shared his frustration regarding street lights. Mr. Perkins stated that normally when a new neighborhood was completed, the onus should have been turned over to the HOA. This was not always the case in the past. Mr. Trocquet stated that he had been working on the building and construction standards to change regulations regarding street lights. He suggested that the Town may be responsible for one street light at the intersections and the HOA be responsible for any additional lighting. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 6 of 17 Council Member Hill asked if this affected every subdivision in Town? Mr. Perkins stated that the Town did not pay for every subdivision’s lights, but that all right-of-way lights on major streets belong to the Town. Mr. Trocquet shared that the old development standards were a mixed-bag. Mr. Perkins suggested the possibility of switching to solar lamps in the future. Finance Ms. Beach stated that there was a major decrease in line number 52.3500 (Travel) and line number 52.3700 (Education), most of her classes were online. Municipal Court Ms. Spradlin stated that line item number 52.1203 had increased by $1,000 in case there was a need for a Mayor Pro -Tem throughout the year. Line number 52.1300 (Technical Services) was reduced by $2,600 due to the decrease of inmate billing and the need for an interpreter. The amount also decreased due to the need of services for the Transunion open record requests. Courtware allows staff to run any needed request for reports themselves. Ms. Spradlin stated that line item number 52.2320 (Rental of Equipment & Vehicles) increased for the use of the Police Department copier. The Police Department copier in the basement of the current building would now belong to Court in the new building. She shared that line number 52.3500 (Travel) reduced by $1,250 due to cancelled workshops and training classed due to Covid-19. Ms. Spradlin also reduced line number 53.1600 (Small Equipment) by $1,500. Mayor Dial asked for clarification regarding Technical Services. Ms. Spradlin explained that Fayette County charges the Town $50 a day per inmate housed in their jail. She estimated an average per year and added a little more. She stated that $1,400 was estimated for any need of an inmate interpreter, $6,000 was estimated for IT services through Sophicity, which was Court’s portion. She shared that $20,000 had to remain in the budget for possible Transunion requests that required upfront payment to the vendor. This cost would be reimbursed. Council Member Howard asked if Court charged for open record requests? Ms. Spradlin explained that Court does charge for regular open record requests. However, Transunion requests were very large and needed to be digitized. It creates an upfront cost that would be reimbursed later. Mr. Perkins clarified that the cost was also reflected in the budget as revenue which balanced the cost. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 7 of 17 Parks and Recreation Ms. Brock explained that there was an increase to the budget by 3% and a decrease in line item number 53.1600 (Small Equipment) by $1,000. She added that line item number 54.2001 (Equipment) was decreased by $13,300, and $500 was taken out of line item number 52.3300 (Advertising). Ms. Brock stated that the Founders Day budget was increased due to the anticipated lack of sponsorship due to Covid-19. Mayor Dial showed concern regarding the lack of funds in the equipment line. He gave the example of a possible need for exercise mats. Ms. Brock clarified that there was plenty of funds in another line for that purpose. She added that $13,3000, formally in the equipment line, was for the replacement of the stolen Torro. She added that the purchase was not dire at this time. Discussion began regarding insurance on the Torro. Mr. Perkins stated that very little was paid due to the longevity of the vehicle. Council Member Furr inquired about line item number 53.1006 (Holiday Decorations). Mr. Perkins informed Council that the Holiday Committee Chairwoman sent over a request for approximately $7,000, based on the Committees decision. The main focus was to be lights and decorations for the new Town Hall. He added that $4,000 was placed in the Administration budget, with the remainder in SPLOST/Downtown Gateway and Streetscape. He shared that the Committee was awarded the full amount for decorations this year. Mr. Perkins stated that Council could increase or decrease that line if they so wished. Mr. Perkins reminded Council that there was money in the budget for new wreaths, but new wreaths were purchased last year. The money could now be used for additional décor. Mayor Dial clarified that although we have asked our department heads to make cuts, these funds were coming from a different source. Mr. Perkins agreed and stated that funds were placed within the SPLOST/Gateway Improvement budget for improvements made to the downtown area. Planning and Zoning Mr. Trocquet stated that he decreased Contracted Services by 7%, and decreased Supplies by 37%. He gave explanation for line 52.1204 (Building Inspector Services). In FY2018- 19 the total expenditures were approximately $93,000, this year we have budgeted $95,000, this was according to ARC’s calculations regarding expected building activity. He added that services were completely funded by permit fees. Safebuilt receives 60% of the permit fees, and the Town receives 40% as a revenue source. He informed Council that under line item 52.1300 (Technical Services), that amount included the LCI matching grant funds. He shared that the Town’s match may be less than anticipated and could be approximately $27,000. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 8 of 17 Mr. Perkins informed Council that when staff received a bill from the legal department, the billing was divided amongst all departments and enterprise funds. Mr. Perkins stated that as an example, Planning and Zoning’s legal budget was set at $10,000, currently it was $13,580. The need had increased this year due to, ordinance changes, easement purchases and land acquisitions. Library Ms. Newland shared that the Library building was twelve years old and the need to replace certain items was imminent. She added that she usually ran a lean budget. She added that line number 53.1401 (Book Purchase) decreased by $1,000. Mayor Dial inquired about the increase to line number 52.1300 (Technical Services) from $500 to $6,732.80. Mr. Perkins explained that IT services were added to the Library’s budget. Council Member Furr asked why was there a zero balance in line item 53.1280 (Telephone). Mr. Perkins explained that by using Vonage, it simplified the process and that all phone bills were located under Administration. Public Safety Chief Mundy shared that there was no change to the Animal Fund and the Confiscated Asset Fund. He stated that every year Police safety vests needed to be replaced. This year four were being replaced under a matching Federal Grant program. Chief Mundy stated that the Public Safety budget was reduced from $1,425,008.79 to $1,354,084.32. This was mostly due to a vehicle purchase hold for the year, the following year cars would be replaced. Chief Mundy stated that the main increase would be to line item 52.1300 (Technical Services), this included body cameras and the new IT service (Sophicity). He shared that initially, Court and Police would pay alternate months for IT services. He added that the more efficient way for IT billing was for each department pay for their own computer usage. He clarified that Police had computers in each office and body cameras that were maintained, including software. He informed Council that normally without the purchase of new vehicles there would be an increased need for repairs. That line has decreased by $5,000. He felt there was no current need for an increase. Mayor Dial asked how many hours of training were required for a Police Officer? Mr. Perkins stated that twenty hours of annual training was required to maintain arrest powers in the State of Georgia. He added that Chief Mundy was required to have an additional twenty hours for executive training. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 9 of 17 He added that under Governor Deal, certain reform classes were required that could be obtained online. These classes were included in the twenty hours of required classes. Mr. Perkins stated that up to four hours of additional training was offered for our officers, conducted internally. Mr. Perkins shared that when tracked in 2018, our officers had a total of 80 to 100 hours of annual training. We are big on training our officers and fortunately, most is at little to no additional cost. Mayor Dial recapped that 20 hours were required; Tyrone quadrupled (or more) the training hours. Mr. Perkins also shared that with the purchase of our Federally funded, Use of Force simulator, we have the luxury to train officers on many different scenarios. If the officers use force, they have to justify the reason. Mr. Perkins also explained that there were times that an officer should have used force, the instructor would train on that as well. Simulator training gives the department the advantage of safely putting the officer under stressful situations. Chief Mundy added that the department also trained by reviewing their policies annually, making adjustments, and staying current on the latest trends. This additional training was also not included in the required twenty hours of training. Public Safety Administration Chief Mundy stated that due to the pause in new car purchases, there was a need to increase line item number 52.2201 (Vehicle Repair & Maintenance) by $2,000 for Major Brock’s older vehicle. Public Works Mr. Langford shared that there would be a 67.9 % increase to line item number 52.2205 (Road Paving & Repair) for the purpose of paving Strandhill Road. This would carry-over incase the project was not completed in this fiscal year. He added that $17,000 was also included in that percentage for the engineering cost of the Dogwood Road, Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) project. When the two projects were added together it was basically $2,000 more than the previous fiscal year. He also added that $340,000 from TIP was allotted for the Tyrone Road project, and that $93,000 of the total percentage was also coming from LMIG funds for a repair on Shamrock Industrial Boulevard and Waters Edge. Mr. Langford shared that line 52.2208 (Sidewalk/Cart Path Repair) increased from $49,000 to $60,500 for Southampton and The Estates subdivisions. The majority of the funds would be funded from LMIG, with $2,000 coming from the General Fund. Mr. Langford stated that line number 52.2211 (Stormwater Maintenance) was reduced by $12,087. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 10 of 17 He added that $32,000 of the projects were coming from LMIG with the remainder from the General Fund. He added that most monies were from grants for projects when available. He stated that Public Works would also be focusing on the right-of-way clearing. Mr. Langford reminded Council of the increase to the 53.1601 (Signs) budget. The reason was for the reflectivity requirements. He added that all sign replacement costs were coming from the LMIG budget, which meant zero was needed from the General Fund. Mr. Langford shared that another big-ticket item came from line item 54.1417 (Pendleton Dam), which was still under review. Once it was approved, construction would begin, probably next fiscal year. Mr. Langford informed Council that the Tyrone Road cart path project was getting closer to the bidding process, we could see results during next fiscal year. Mr. Langford stated that there were additional reductions totaling 5.7%. He reminded Council that the Pendleton dam may be completed and we may not have carry-overs. If we can get the work completed this year, we may not need to use the Dogwood Trail TIP if the project does not go through. The budget has been strongly reduced, while completing major projects. Council Member Furr inquired about the zero balance in 52.3850 (Contract Labor). Mr. Langford shared that although we would love to have that filtered in, we do not know what the future holds. He stated Custodial Services that Council previously approved was also removed from the budget, and that our staff could maintain all buildings. Mr. Perkins stated that given different economic times, he would highly suggest hiring an additional Public Works employee, but there was a current hiring freeze. He felt that the adjustment needed to be made for a six-month period, hopefully things would pick-up next year. Mayor Dial asked Ms. Beach if the Public Safety number of employees reflected the current open position until January, 2021. Ms. Beach replied, “yes”. Mayor Dial asked Mr. Langford, what his opinion was for the need of repairs, if any, on Trickum Creek Road. Mr. Langford stated that millings were checked weekly and this month his staff was stabilizing the creek end of the road with geotextile fabric, along with eight inches of rock. Mayor Dial confirmed that the Town currently did not have the equipment for the millings portion of the road. Mr. Langford shared that staff used the patching method. We do not have the same equipment as GDOT. We clean a pot-hole and compact it, we do not have a roller. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 11 of 17 He added that all dirt roads form weak spots. Mr. Langford stated that Council was approached in the past to repair the road, and it had recently held up pretty well. He ended by stating that in his opinion staff was maintaining Trickum Creek to the best of their ability. Capital Improvement Projects Mr. Perkins informed Council that currently, there was a five-year plan in place for CIP projects. Moving forward, staff would require input from Council regarding projects beyond FY23. Ms. Beach clarified that the money reflected under Police Vehicles was allotted for lease payments for currently owned vehicles, not for new purchases. Council Member Furr inquired about the progress on the Spencer Lane/Arrowood Road/Palmetto Road roundabout (Public Works - C. Mini Roundabout-SPLOST). Mr. Perkins stated that this year’s SPLOST funds were currently being used for the new building and sewer expansion. He added that most of the design work was complete. If Council wished to begin that project, SPLOST could be used and we would later reimburse that fund. Ms. Beach stated that SPLOST funds may be available. Mr. Perkins reminded everyone that the sewer expansion would move through that very intersection, let’s complete the sewer project first. Council Member Furr mentioned the bad pot hole at the Spencer Lane intersection, on the right side. Mr. Perkins stated that per Council’s request, money could be moved and the project could happen in the current fiscal year. Mayor Dial shared the need for cart paths on Palmetto Road. Mr. Langford offered that the design may not be as far along due to the Pendleton dam project. Council Member Hill suggested the placement of the roundabout during the sewer expansion so the road would not need to be deconstructed twice. Mr. Langford stated that normally that would be a good idea, however, the sewer project required boring beneath the road, not on top. Mr. Trocquet shared that staff was also reviewing the intersection for a possibility of a mini roundabout. The conclusion was that a full roundabout was needed for that intersection. The project would also include a cart path along Spencer Lane. The original design did not include a cart path or a crosswalk. Council Member Furr asked if right-of-way was need for that intersection. Mr. Langford stated that right-of-way acquisition was needed and none had been acquired at this time. Once the design was complete, right-of-way could be obtained. Council Member Furr asked if Mallett Consulting, Inc. had already been paid for the analysis of the intersection. Mr. Perkins stated that the Town had paid for the service, however, most of Mr. Jager’s time was spent on the Pendleton dam project. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 12 of 17 Council Member Furr asked if there would be additional costs involved if the Town decided to go with a larger roundabout? Mr. Perkins stated that it would be Council’s decision whether to go with a mini or regular roundabout. If Council decided to choose the min roundabout, staff would begin the project. Mr. Trocquet gave the example of the City of Turin in regard to a mini roundabout. Their GDOT mini roundabout project was not conducive to their intersection, especially regarding large truck traffic. Mr. Perkins stated that trucks need to come through the intersection. There is no turn- around and traffic would then travel down Briarwood Road. He added that we should not be too hasty, we need to assure the correct design. Council Member Howard suggested reopening Palmetto Court, from Spencer Lane to Palmetto Road. Mr. Perkins stated that staff could look into that, however, Palmetto Court would need to be paved and the need remained for intersection improvements. Mr. Trocquet suggested consolidating SPLOST funds for the project and to solicit a traffic engineer study. Mayor Dial stated that he thought everything was already worked-out. Mr. Perkins stated that unfortunately decisions made in the past were very arbitrary. He gave the example of $400,000 in SPLOST funds to reconnect Senoia Road to Highway 74 on the north end. GDOT said, no. There was no study approved prior to the allocation. That money could have been used elsewhere, for instance, this project. Mr. Trocquet stated that Fayette County did recommend upgrades to the Spencer Lane/Palmetto Road intersection, and that staff has obtained recent traffic counts. Mr. Langford suggest Mallet for the study, but cautioned that they were currently working on several Tyrone projects, including the Pendleton dam. He suggested utilizing the same company that Fayette County used for the study of the intersection. Council Member Furr suggested to halt the project until the following year. Mr. Perkins recommended redoing the CIP chart to reflect next year’s traffic study. In subsequent years, we could complete the project. Mayor Dial asked for an update to be prepared by the next budget meeting. Council Member Howard suggested using the $400,000 allotted for the Senoia Road onramp that was not initially GDOT approved. Mr. Trocquet stated that the money could be reallocated if the project was formally listed as a SPLOST project. He suggested projects such as, the roundabout, intersection improvements (Spencer/Palmetto) or downtown streetscape improvements that may come from our LCI study. Mr. Langford also suggested Spencer Lane and Swanson Road cart paths possibilities. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 13 of 17 Council Member Furr asked if the $400,000 was obtainable. Ms. Beach stated that there were available SPLOST funds. Mr. Perkins added that reserves could be used now and reimbursed later through SPLOST funds. Council Member Hill asked for clarification regarding the $400,000. Mayor Dial explained that the project was placed on the requested SPLOST list, voters voted to approve the list. Later it was discovered that GDOT’s approval was never obtained from a former Town Manager. He added that the money could still be used for a project in the same category. Mr. Trocquet suggested adding in the new Fayette County cart path safety guidelines when constructing any new cart paths. Council Member Furr inquired about the CIP Stormwater, Pendleton Trail culvert project. Mr. Langford clarified that the project was on the opposite side of the lake and had not been completed. He suggested delaying the project until the completion of the dam project. Council Member Furr inquired about the Recreation, Dorthea Redwine Park multiuse redevelopment project. Mr. Langford shared that it included shuffleboard, pickleball and improvements to the walking path. Council Member Howard suggested community input for the project. Council Member Hill mentioned that a film producer was utilizing the field for a film beginning in July, and may possibly request a long-term rental that could increase income. Ms. Beach asked Council if there were any projects, they would like to add to the FY2024/25 column that would come from the General Fund. Mayor Dial suggested a continued plan for a longer-term cart path project. Mr. Perkins suggested replacing Public Works, (D. SR74 North On-Ramp/Senoia Rd Extension (SPLOST)) line with Cart Path Network Extensions for the fifth year. Mayor Dial inquired about the Public Safety (A. Patrol Vehicles (SPLOST) line. Mr. Perkins stated that typically, every year there would be funds allotted for two Police vehicles. Council Member Furr suggested placing funds from the $400,000 (SR74 North On-Ramp/Senoia Rd. extension) in the FY2021/22 line for purchase of Police Vehicles. Chief Mundy stated that currently the budget for the Police Chargers was $23,000 and the SUV’s were $35,000, and $12,050 - $15,000 for upfitting the vehicles. He added that there may be a need to replace the older Administration vehicle in the near future. Council Member Furr inquired about the Public Works, Equipment Purchases, (A. GyroTrac Boom Mounted Cutter) for $25,000. Mr. Langford stated that it was a 2019 requested purchase that carried over into the following year. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 14 of 17 He added that it was the same piece of equipment that following Council’s approval, the company informed us that the piece was not suitable for our equipment. Mr. Langford clarified that $7,000 was for the recently requested cutter. If Council chose to place more in that line for the future purpose of a chipper, that would be great. Mr. Langford asked if staff could change that line to request for a new chipper in FY2022/23 for $20,000. Mr. Perkins clarified that most of the CIP budget is from SPLOST projects that have been carried over a few years. He added that prior to next year’s budget meetings he would ask department heads for their own Capital Outlay project lists, and they would be built into a new CIP plan for the next five years. Mayor Dial agreed that Council needed to utilize staff’s input for future projects. Mr. Perkins added that a portion of the CIP plan would come from the LCI study for downtown improvements. Out of that study more CIP projects would transpire. He added that the building was a big-ticket item, along with cart path improvements which should always remain on the list. We are accomplishing projects from the past several years. An internal visioning project would take place in order to place new items on the list. Council Member Howard asked if any roads were listed for next year. Ms. Beach explained that unless it was a new road, repairs were normally listed under the General Fund. Council Member Furr asked where the Strandhill Road project was listed. Mr. Langford stated that the project was listed under the General Fund. Mr. Perkins suggested using the CIP Fund as a roadmap for overall improvements to the Town, possibly equipment for Public Works and Public Safety. He added that it was a Council and staff listing for a five-year overall project plan. The listing was also a planning tool for revenue. Mayor Dial inquired about the Senoia Road ramp funding ($400,000), could that be used for resurfacing? Mr. Langford stated no, that money had been earmarked for SPLOST. It could be used for Gateway improvements, or signage. Council Member Furr confirmed that there were SPLOST funds in the budget for improvements to the current Town Hall. Ms. Beach stated that the current Town Hall improvement monies had been allocated for the new Town Hall location per the Town Attorney. Council Member Furr asked what the plan was for the current Town Hall. Mr. Perkins shared that Council voted to preserve the front of the building (Council Chambers) for a museum, after forming a Historical Society and a 501c3. This left the rest of the building, which was not completely ADA compliant. Once we leased the building to a Historical Society, the onus would be on them to comply. We cannot fund the organization; staff could only give guidance. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 15 of 17 Council Member Furr inquired about the Public Safety (A. Equipment - No Explanation Given) $10,000. Ms. Spradlin suggested that it may have been allocated for the purchase of radios, but another alternative was chosen. Chief Munday requested that the line be eliminated at this time. Sewer Fund Mayor Dial stated that he assumed that line item number 34.4256 (Sewer Tap Fee) would be larger. Mr. Perkins stated that there were few businesses connecting to the sewer expansion line at this time. Council Member Furr asked staff if sewer tap fees had been estimated? Mr. Perkins shared that the legal department was currently working on a new ordinance for tap fees. He updated Council that Wynfield Drive had been cut and they were working their way to cross Spencer Lane soon. Founders Day Ms. Brock shared that there was an increase in line number 52.3107 (Festival Insurance) and a small increase in 53.1000 (Special Program Supplies). The reasoning was that sponsorship would be lower due to Covid-19. Ms. Beach added that $14,700 would come from the General Fund for any shortfall. Ms. Brock informed everyone that the Strongman competition would be held on Friday, October 2nd and Founders Day would be Saturday, October 3rd. SPLOST Mr. Perkins stated that $989,000 was allotted for the Sewer Expansion project and $17,388.69 was in SPLOST to pay for the lease of Public Safety vehicles. He added that $275,000 was going toward the new Town Hall, initially slated for the current Town Hall building. He stated that GTIB loan payments were within the SPLOST budget along with funding for the Gateway Coalition, streetscape improvements (signage and landscaping). He shared that part of the plan was to have an LED sign in front of the new building stating time and temperature and any announcements ($16,000). There was also funding to improve the look of the detention pond at the new municipal site, by constructing a brick walkway crossing Senoia Road moving toward the main entrance with a footbridge crossing the pond, and landscaping also. He added that the civil engineer was looking at the site to potentially allow us to backfill a portion of that pond. He stated that unfortunately, the pond was needed, but staff was looking at many options to make it more aesthetically appealing. It would then be considered a feature, not a distraction. Mr. Perkins shared that the Public Works’, Annual LMIG Supplement was $90,000. He added that $400,000 was in the budget for future cart path improvements. Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 16 of 17 Council Member Howard began a conversation regarding downtown cart paths. She asked if there were plans to widen the cart path. It was constructed as a sidewalk; however, golf carts travel on the path. Can we upgrade the path? Mr. Perkins stated that a portion of the current path was where the sewer expansion would take place. It would not address the entire issue but a portion could be upgraded during the expansion process. Mr. Langford shared that as part of the LCI streetscape project, there could be opportunity for the school to work alongside and construct a cart path on their side of Senoia Road. He spoke of connectivity of a new cart path system from Laurel Circle through Commerce Drive. Mr. Trocquet reminded everyone regarding the Fayette County guidelines on width, that requirement could also be added. Tree Fund Ms. Beach informed everyone that 100% of the Tree Fund would be reserved for the planting of trees for the new building. Mr. Trocquet explained the Tree Fund. If a commercial developer was unable to meet the requirement for tree density in the Town’s ordinance, a contribution is made to the fund. The Town was then able to plant trees where needed throughout Town. Mayor Dial added that it was a revolving fund. Council Member Hill asked how the amount was determined. Mr. Trocquet stated that it was usually enough for the cost of the trees, however, planting the trees would be the responsibility of the Town. Staff Comments Mr. Perkins thanked staff, especially during this unique time. He stated that the budget could not get much leaner. We are always finding new ways to make cuts moving forward. Mr. Perkins announced that the building construction was coming along wonderfully. Adjournment Council Member Howard made a motion to adjourn. Motion was approved 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 11:49 pm. ______________________ ________________________ Eric Dial, Mayor Dee Baker, Town Clerk Council Meeting – Social Distancing/You Tube Live June 2, 2020 Page 17 of 17