City Council

Page 1 of 4 The regular meeting of the Mayor and Council was held in the Council room of West Point City Hall May 8, 2017 at 5:30 P.M. with Pro-Tem Steven M. Tramell presiding. Members Present: Members Absent: Councilmember Joseph R. Downs III Councilmember Gloria R. Marshall Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter Councilmember Sandra Thornton Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox Mayor Pro-Tem Tramell called Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter for opening prayer. Mayor Pro-Tem Tramell led the Pledge of allegiance. Mayor Pro-Tem Steven Tramell thanked Commissioner Lewis Davis and Jim Wood for them attending the council meetings. Mayor Pro-Tem Tramell called the meeting of the Mayor and City Council to order and welcomed everyone. MINUTES Mayor Pro-Tem Tramell asked for a motion to approve the minutes from the April 10, 2017 regular meeting. Councilmember Sandra Thornton made said motion and was seconded by Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox; the minutes were approved unanimously without change. FINANCIAL REPORT Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter presented the April financial report with the May cash position and forecast and made a motion to accept the report; motion seconded by Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox and passed unanimously. 1 Page 2 of 4 AGENDA Mayor Pro-Tem asked for a motion to approve the agenda. Councilmember Joseph R. Downs III made said motion and seconded by Councilmember Gloria R. Marshall; passed unanimously. VIRGINIA COOK BUILDING Councilmember Gloria R. Marshall made a motion to approve the rental contract presented, rename the building Virginia Cook Activity Center and name the interior rooms after Mrs. Nora Potts and Mrs. Ollie Winston. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Joseph R. Downs III. During the discussion, Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox made a motion to amend the motion on the floor to add a plaque that would include Mrs. Nora Potts, Mrs. Ollie Winston, and other names of individuals who were a vital part of the history of the Day Care Center. The motion to amend was seconded by Councilmember Sandra Thornton; passed unanimously. The amended motion to approve the rental contract presented, rename the building Virginia Cook Activity Center and add a plaque to include Mrs. Nora Potts, Mrs. Ollie Winston and other names of individuals who were a vital part of the history of the Day Care Center was made by Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox; seconded by Joseph R. Downs III; passed unanimously. ACTIVE LIFE CENTER Councilmember Sandra Thornton made a motion to accept a request from Troup county to rename the Senior Citizen Center to the Active Life Center. The name change will make West Point Senior Center equivalent to the other senior centers in the county. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Gloria Marshall; passed unanimously. TRANSPORTATION PROJECT Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox made a motion to approve an application for additional funds under Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Local maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG). The application is to make transportation safety improvements on 3rd Avenue at the intersections of West 12th Street and West 11th Street. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter; passed unanimously. SPLOST V Councilmember Joseph R. Downs III made a motion to approve the SPLOST V projects to be for transportation and recreation that will be named by the Council at a later date. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Sandra Thornton; passed unanimously. 2 Page 3 of 4 WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SERVICE AGREEMENT Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter made a motion to approve an agreement with Metropolitan Communications for the maintenance and repair on the City’s five weather sirens. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox; passed unanimously. LIBRARY CONTRACTS Councilmember Sandra Thornton made a motion to approve a contract for service with the West Point Library Association for services rendered by the library for the period from April 2017 through march 2018 in the amount of $2,083.33 per month. And approve a contract for service with the Chambers County Library Board for the period from April 2017 through March 2018 in the amount of $1,250.00 per month. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter; passed unanimously. Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Tramell excuse himself from the meeting citing he has an interest in the next two items on the agenda. Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter presided over the next two items. WHITE CHIMNEYS Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter asked for a motion to approve residential use in the Central Business District at 1200 Second Avenue. To be used as student living and/or senior living. Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox made said motion; seconded by Councilmember Sandra Thornton; passed unanimously. CITY PROPERTY 1ST AVENUE Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter asked for a motion to dispose of city property located along an unopened section between 1st Avenue and the Chattahoochee River. Councilmember Gloria R. Marshall made said motion; seconded by Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox; passed unanimously. Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Trammel asked for a motion to approve a resolution to amend the City of West Point sign ordinance changing Variable message signs to be allowed in CGN, CHV, I-1, and I-2 zones. The amendment includes deleting section 19 C (11) subsection 3 entitled Variable Message Signs and inserting a new Section 19.3.C (11) Variable message signs shall be allowed only in CGN zoning districts, and shall conform to (A) Signs that flash, blink, show animation or video and/or display any effect that has the appearance of motion including moving text shall be prohibited. (B) The sign shall display static messages only and static copy shall change no more frequently than once every twenty (20) seconds. (C) Variable message signs shall only be allowed within a monument sign, except as may be otherwise provided in the City Code. (D) No variable message sign may operate at a brightness level as measured at a distance of one hundred fifty (150) feet. The sign owner shall provide a certificate of lumens to the City 3 Page 4 of 4 demonstration compliance. Each variable message sign must contain a light sensing device that will adjust the brightness of the display to conform to this ordinance as the natural ambient light conditions change. Councilmember Joseph R. Downs made said motion; seconded by Councilmember Gerald W. Ledbetter; passed unanimously. OTHER Mayor Pro-Tem announced on May 17, 2017 from 10 am. To 2 p.m. the Seniors will have a May Day Event that will include cake walk, music, vendors, food, games, and prizes at the newly renamed Active Life Center. The public is invited ages 55 and up. ADJOURN Mayor Pro-Tem Steve M. Tramell asked for a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Benjamin F. Wilcox made said motion, seconded by Councilmember Sandra Thornton; passed unanimously. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. ________________________ ______________________ Richard McCoy Steven M. Tramell City Clerk Mayor Pro-Tem 4