MINUTES OF A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE

CITY OF TALLASSEE, ALABAMA

NOVEMBER 10, 2020

 

 

 

 

The Mayor and the City Council of the City of Tallassee, Alabama convened in regular session on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. at the Tallassee Municipal Complex. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Hammock and the following were recorded as present:

 

Mayor                          John Hammock

Council Members         Jeremy Taunton

Sarah Hill

Damian Carr

Bill Hall

Terrel Brown

Bill Godwin

Fred Randall Hughey

 

John Smith was present as city attorney and City Clerk Whitney Pitchford acted as clerk for the meeting.

 

Mayor Hammock presented the minutes of the council work session held on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. There were no additions or changes. Upon motion of Council Member Hill and second by Council Member Taunton, the minutes were approved by a unanimous vote.

 

Mayor Hammock presented the minutes of the regular council meeting held on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. There were no additions or changes. Upon motion of Council Member Brown and second by Council Member Hughey, the minutes were approved by a unanimous vote.

 

Mayor Hammock presented the minutes of the council work session held on Monday, November 2, 2020. There were no additions or changes. Upon motion of Council Member Taunton and second by Council Member Carr, the minutes were approved by a unanimous vote.

 

Mayor Hammock presented the minutes of the regular council meeting held on Monday, November 2, 2020. There were no additions or changes. Upon motion of Council Member Hall and second by Council Member Carr, the minutes were approved by a unanimous vote.

 

Item 1: Mr. Troupe couldn’t be at the meeting. His attorney Mike Harper presented his friend Gordon Davis, a civil engineer, to answer any questions that the Council may have about the structure of the Hotel. Council Member Brown stated that he wanted the Council to be proactive and not reactive. Council Member Taunton stated that there has been years for progress to be made on the Hotel and nothing had been done. Anytime the Council had asked Mr. Troupe to present a plan or bring an architect to a council meeting, Mr. Troupe had failed to do so for various reasons. The Council stated that they had seen no improvements to the Hotel. Council Member Hill made a motion to deny the appeal, seconded by Council Member Brown. The motion was approved by a majority vote with Council Member Hughey voting nay.

 

Item 2: A Resolution concerning a Public Nuisance located at 412 Freeman Avenue was discussed by building inspector Andy Coker. The owner has not responded to any attempt to contact. Council Member Taunton made a motion to adopt the Resolution and make 1 cut, seconded by Council Member Hall. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote. Resolution 2020-666 was adopted.

 

Item 3: The November 24th meeting was discussed and will continue as usual.

 

Item 4: Chief Higgins recognized recent Police Academy graduates Brad Rutland and Lane Rigsby.

 

Item 5: The Appointment to the EMS Board was discussed during the work session. Council Member Hill made a motion to appoint David Rogers to the EMS Board, seconded by Council Member Taunton. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote.

 

Item 6: James Oliver was a no show.

 

Item 7: Mayor’s Reports.

Council Members Hughey and Brown wanted to swap from Council Member Hughey being on the Building & Grounds Committee to being on the Cemetery Committee. Council Member Godwin made a motion to put Council Member Hughey on the Cemetery Committee and Council Member Brown on the Building & Grounds Committee, seconded by Council Member Taunton. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote.

MCR Sewer Plant (Multi Channel Reactor).

Laney Lift Station (671,000) is about to start construction.

Sewer Rehab in Emfinger Subdivision getting ready to put out for bid.

We will need to look at replacing main trunk line from Laney lift station to the new sewer plant. Cost estimates are $385,000 because of directional drilling and we will use HDPE pipe because of the soil.

We are wrapping up the Tallaweka Tank Project. Just need to remove the two old tanks.

Wrapping up the cast iron gas line project for 2020 that touched wards 4, 5, and 7.

We have finished the design on the Whatley Drive project and I and James Garner with the public works department are reviewing it and we will soon put that project out for bid.

We are still doing Title searches on the 27 unsafe structures for the CDBG project.

We have the green light from the Federal Highway department and ALDOT on the TAPS grant for Downtown Tallassee and we will be advertising for bid soon on that project.

We just completed a side walk project in front of Restoration 49 to make them ADA compliant before they open in January.

We are working with Core Civic and Caddell construction along with Elmore County on Infrastructure to the Rifle Range Road prison site.

I signed an NDA 2 weeks ago with a company that is looking at Tallassee and another location in Florida for Economic Development.

I have a meeting with a Hotel Chain tomorrow.

I am working with ADEM on a Phase 2 assessment that will start in January at the Ease side mill site. Andy Coker will get Asbestos test.

Proclamation for Homecare and Hospice. Council Member Hill made a motion to adopt the proclamation, seconded by Council Member Carr. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote.

December 22nd Council Meeting? Council Member Hall made a motion to cancel the December 22nd meeting, seconded by Council Member Carr. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote.

December 31st are we going to let nonessential city workers off? Council Member Godwin made a motion to let all nonessential workers off December 31st, seconded by Council Member Hall. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote.

Veteran’s Day tomorrow at 10AM at Veteran’s Park.

Alabama Power Company contract. Council Member Hill made a motion to accept the contract from Alabama Power, seconded by Council Member Carr. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote.

 

Item 8: Council Reports:

 

Ward 1: Congrats to the new officers.

 

Ward 2: Same.

 

Ward 3: Congrats to the new officers, echoing what Council Member Taunton said.

Ward 4: Thanking the current officers and congratulating the new officers.

 

Ward 5: Wanted to second what Council Member Hall said. We are very appreciative of our officers.

 

Ward 6: Wanted to echo what other council members had said, thank you to the new and current officers.

 

Ward 7: Wanted to commend the rookie officers and thank the fire department for their work on Funtastic Fort.

 

Item 9: There being no further business before the Council, upon a motion made by Council Member Hill and a second by Council Member Hall, all Council Members present voted to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

 

 

 

_____________________________________________

JOHN HAMMOCK, Mayor

ATTEST:

 

 

_______________________________

WHITNEY PITCHFORD, City Clerk