HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-21-2011 regular meeting
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City Council of Peachtree City
Meeting Minutes
April2!,2011
7:00 p.m.
The Mayor and City Council of the City of Peachtree City met in regular session on Thursday,
April 21, 2011. Mayor Haddix called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Other Council Members
in attendance were: Vanessa Fleisch, Doug Sturbaum, Kim Learnard, and Eric Imker.
Announcements. Awards. Special Recol!:nition
Mayor Haddix proclaimed Mayas Red Cross Month, proclaimed an official welcome for the
Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association for their Spring Conference in Peachtree
City, and proclaimed April 30 and May 1 as World War II Heritage Days. Haddix recognized
Assistant Fire Marshal John Dunlap for fifteen years of service, the March Employee of the
Month, Elda Pope, and Supervisor of the Quarter, Nikki Vrana.
Citizen Comment
There was none.
Al!:enda Chanl!:es
There were none.
- Minutes
Imker moved to approve the minutes of the 2011 City Council Retreat and the minutes of the
April 7, 2011, regular meeting as presented. Fleisch seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Monthlv Reports
Public Information Officer/City Clerk Betsy Tyler noted an error in the events calendar for the
date of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, which would begin on the evening of
Friday, April 29.
Al Yougel, Executive Director of Keep Peachtree City Beautiful (KPTCB), reported that the
organization was now three years old, incorporated in April of 2008. The agency contracted in
March 2009 with Jennings Trashcan to allow the City to continue operating the recycling center
despite the drop in the recycling commodities market. Peachtree City now contracted with
KPTCB to operate the City's two recycling centers, and Yougel reviewed the range of
recyclables. The group had also placed recycling bins at McIntosh High School, J.C. Booth
Middle School, and at City offices. These efforts redirected waste that was previously going into
the landfill.
Litter was another problem KPTCB addressed. The agency was increasing the number of
trashcans along Peachtree City's 90-mile network of paths because using their KPTC golf cart
would allow them to reach cans not readily accessible by City trucks. Court mandated
r!"'" community service workers supervised by KPTCB had resulted in over 8,000 hours of service
for the City.
City Council of Peachtree City
April 21, 2011
Page 2
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Y ougel ended by reporting on the recyclables collected, noting that KPTCB collected half of the
recyclables in town in the last quarter of 2010, compared to what was being collected curbside
by the garbage companies. Y ougel also noted that, combining the reported tonnages from
garbage companies with what KPTCB had collected, Peachtree City was diverting more than
25% of the waste stream from landfills through recycling.
Learnard asked about the Code Enforcement monthly report and the difference between reactive
and proactive actions. Police Chief H.C. "Skip" Clark said the report differentiated between
complaints from the public and issues found by the officers while patrolling.
Consent Al!:enda
1. Alcohol License - NEW - Flying Biscuit, 2874 Highway 54 West
2. Appoint Alternate to the Planning Commission - Frank Destadio
Fleisch moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Learnard seconded. Motion carried
unanimously.
Old Al!:enda Items
There were none.
New Al!:enda Items
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04-11-04 Consider Police False Alarm Ordinance
City Manager Jim Pennington asked Council to continue the item to the second meeting in May,
saying he had obtained some new information that staff needed to review prior to having Council
consider the ordinance. Sturbaum moved to continue discussion of the Police False Alarm
Ordinance to the May 19, 2011, agenda. Learnard seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
04-11-05 Consider Addendul11 to T~\l(;reen Cont~llct
Public Services Director Mark Caspar said staff was following up on an item discussed at the
Retreat, when Council suggested bringing forward costs to modify the contract in the current and
future year. Caspar also reported on the 2011 and previous citizen surveys and the changes in
satisfaction levels with mowing.
Caspar noted that citizen satisfaction was highest in early 2009 (with grass cutting in 2008).
Numbers decreased significantly in 2010, in assessment of 2009. However, in 2010, staff
improved the external contract that had been implemented in 2009, and citizen satisfaction came
back up somewhat in 2011.
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Caspar then reviewed the potential costs for adding several services to the current year's
contract. The options included one additional service of subdivision landscape areas, enhancing
subdivision entrances, landscaping maintenance and/or new landscaping installation at the Police
Station, seasonal color ( flowers) at City Hall in the spring and fall, two additional trimmings
along primary roads, two additional trimmings along secondary roads, trimming along the 93-
mile path system, curb and gutter spraying, and landscaping and mowing at the four fire stations.
The cost for the entire package would be an estimated $98,209.46.
City Council of Peachtree City
April 21, 2011
Page 3
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Caspar said staff felt trimming along cart paths ($11,500) could be handled internally, but asked
for Council direction on the other services.
Fleisch asked, if approved, whether the seasonal color at City Hall could be installed prior to the
May 12 Georgia Planning Association conference. Caspar thought that was feasible. Fleisch
asked what curb and gutter spraying entailed, and Caspar explained that it helped to prevent
weeds from growing between the curb and pavement, which adversely affected the City's
stormwater program in addition to being unattractive.
Fleisch clarified that Council could. choose "a la carte" at this meeting from the list of items to
implement in FY 2011, and Caspar confirmed this.
Haddix asked, with the reductions in the tax digest, how Council envisioned paying for any
changes in the current year. Caspar said his understanding was that any changes would come out
of reserves. Imker asked when the TruQreen contract ended, and Caspar said the contract was in
its third year and would be rebid at the end of the year.
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Learnard asked if the complaints coming in to the City about landscape maintenance and
mowing compared to what the Citizen survey seemed to indicate. Caspar said he felt it was
fairly close, adding that, toward the end of the 2010 mowing season, after the City increased the
mowing cycle, the complaint calls went down. Changes now could be evaluated in terms of
complaint calls to see how the improvements were working before finalizing the 2012 contract.
Sturbaum asked which two items on the list were most important to Caspar. Caspar said the curb
and gutter spraying was important. Imker asked what items would have the most impact on
decreasing complaint calls, and Caspar responded that the majority of citizen calls related to
mowing and subdivision entrances.. Those two items were totaled $41,000.
Fleisch asked that any items not selected that night be included in the 2012 bid. She felt mowing
was the priority, and asked if any pre-emergent's had been put down. Caspar said they did not
do pre-emergents for weeds.
Fleisch favored implementing the increased mowing, curb and gutter spraying, and City Hall
seasonal color, and Imker asked what the cost would be for just those items. The estimated total
was $44,674.00.
Haddix said his concern remained. that they were increasing spending at this time for anything
other than a necessity such as the curb and gutter spraying, and using the City's reserves to pay
for the increased service. He said (jould not support the other items.
Sturbaum said he saw the point that the increased effort to market the City meant having a nice
appearance at City Hall was important, and the curb and gutter spraying was a need. He was
willing to give it a chance over the next six months to see. what happened.
City Council of Peachtree City
April 21, 2011
Page 4
Learnard asked who would maintain the seasonal color at City Hall, and Caspar said that was
part of the contract.
Vrana noted that there was approximately $4,500 of Council Training money that could be
utilized if Council so desired. Sturb~um felt reallocating the money would help reduce the use of
reserves and asked for the appropriate budget adjustment at the next meeting.
Haddix asked Peunington for input regarding the outlook and options for the year's revenues.
Pennington said staff was working on some concepts to create additional revenue that was
already in the budget, with the goal of presenting those concepts to Council in June.
Fleisch moved to approve the contract addendum with TruGreen for additional mowing services,
City Hall seasonal flowers, and the curb and gutter spraying in an amount not to exceed $45,000.
Sturbaum seconded. Haddix reiterated that he was uncomfortable until he saw more budget
numbers. Motion carried 4-1 (Haddix).
04-11-06 Reclassification of Position at Amphitheater/CVB
Staff was requesting that Council reclassify the Box Office Supervisor/Staff Assistant position
(Grade 76) to Events Services Coordinator (Grade 77). Imker moved to approve the
reclassification. Sturbaum seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
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04-11-07 Consider Special Encroachment Permit and Mowing & Maintenance
Agreement for SR 74 S Landscape Enhancement Project
Staff was requesting approval for the Mayor to sign the Special Encroachment Permit and
Mowing and Maintenance Agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation as part of
the process for the GATEway grant landscape enhancements on SR 74 South. lmker moved to
approve the permit and agreements and authorize the Mayor to sign. Fleisch seconded. Motion
carried unanimously.
04-11-08 Consider Resoluti()n Requesting the Governor to Veto HB179
Haddix said House Bill 179, passed in the 2011 legislative session, allowed for clear cutting in
front of billboards. He said the legislation was a win for the billboard companies and a loss for
the citizens of Georgia. Learnard noted that Sandy Springs had passed a similar resolution
asking the governor to veto the legislation, and she felt Peachtree City should also make the
formal request for a veto. Sturbaum also expressed his support for the resolution.
Fleisch moved to adopt the resolution. Sturbaum seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
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Council/Staff Tonics
Hot Topics - Pennington reported that staff was ready to present two concepts for the MacDuff
Tunnel at the May 3 meeting. Public Works was reconstructing the path in front of City Hall,
and had been working to keep access available during construction. The project was moving
forward, but might generate complaints.
City Council of Peachtree City
April 21, 2011
Page 5
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Staff was also concerned about the lower level~ntrance of the library. A crack developed in the
stairwell tower wall, and following an assessment, the entrance has been closed for safety until it
could be restabilized. Pennington said having the entrance closed was certainly an
inconvenience, but safety was paramount.
Learnard reported that the Master Gardeners of Fayette County had sent a letter to Council
thanking Nikki Vrana and Mark Caspar for their assistance with getting water to maintain one of
the beds by the Amphitheater.
lmker asked if there was an update on Lake McIntosh burning. Pennington confirmed burning
had been ongoing for a month, and would end due to the burn ban on May 1. Burning would
resume on October 1.
lmker addressed the HotellMotel Tax Increase Resolution that the City sent to the Legislature
this session. The bill had passed in the House but had died in the Senate. This was going to
leave the City short an estimated $130,000 in the upcoming year. He said he had emailed
Senator Chance to get a definitive answer on why the legislation had not moved forward but had
not received a reply.
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Fleisch said the City had been getting great response to the May 7 Great Peachtree City Path
Cleanup, and encouraged everyone to participate.
Executive Session
Sturbaum moved to enter into Executive Session at 8:05 p.m. to discuss pending or threatened
litigation. Learnard seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
lmker moved to reconvene in regular session at 8:25 p.m. Sturbaum seconded. Motion carried
unanimously.
There being no further business, Imker moved to adjourn the meeting. Sturbaum seconded.
Motioo 0='00 =""",,,=ly. Tho mooting 00;0=00 a / L/4
Don Haddix, Mayor
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