RUNDOWN: Statesboro City Council – 05-18-21

The Statesboro City Council met for the second regular council meeting in May on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. The following agenda items were discussed.

You can find supporting documents for the agenda items here.

Call to Order
Invocation & Pledge by Councilwoman Venus Mack

Recognitions/Public Presentations

• Presentation of a Proclamation recognizing May 16-22, 2020 as National Public Works Week
• Presentation of a Proclamation recognizing May 12-18, 2021 as National Police Week
• Presentation of a Proclamation recognizing May 18, 2021 as CASA Volunteer Day

Public Comments (Agenda Item)

None.

Consideration of a Motion to approve the Consent Agenda

Approved.

Public Hearing to solicit input on the proposed FY 2022 Budget for the City of Statesboro

• Total budget is $73,832,758
• The budget objectives include tax base growth, emphasis on redevelopment and clean up, and retaining and recruiting talented employees
• 4% of the property in the City limits is non-taxable, which makes up 23% of the assessed value for real and personal property.
• This budget is a 1.05% increase from FY 2021 amended budget and a 3.49% increase in the General Fund.
• The budget does not require a rate increase or a proposed property tax increase a 3% pay plan adjustment, pay for performance, and a proposal of no increase in employee premiums. Items not funded for FY 2022 are eight new police officers and equipment. We would have to increase millage rate to fund these new positions and right now, it is hard to find eligible employees to be police officers. Chief Broadhead has authorization to hire three more officers if all vacant positions are filled and he has a full staff of the approved 77.
• A review FY 2022 proposed property tax rates between the Board of Education, Bulloch County and the City of Statesboro and of the three, the City has the lowest rate.
• Includes 9 positions for the Dire Department with hopes of landing a grant that will pay for an additional 12

No one from the public was present to speak for or against the budget.
There was no council comment.

Second reading and consideration of a motion to approve Ordinance 2021-02: an ordinance amending the Statesboro Code of Ordinances Chapter 6, Sections 6-5(0) and 6-7(e) extending eligibility for distance waiver permits to pubs and low volume licensees.

This was discussed at the first May meeting, where Council voted 5-0 to advance to the second reading.

O.C.G.A. § 3-3-21(b)(3)allows local jurisdictions to regulate distance requirements for on premises alcohol sales. Currently distance waiver permits may only be applied for by licensees operating as restaurants. Mayor and Council directed drafting of revision at April 20, 2021 work session.

This matter passed 4-1 with Councilman John Riggs opposing.

Public Hearing & Consideration of a Motion to approve application for an alcohol license Sec. 6-5

Sai 218 Inc DBA Sym Food Store
218 N Main St
Statesboro, GA 30458
Owner: Radhika Amin

No one was present to speak for or against this matter.

Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve: Application RZ 21-03-04

Valnoc, LLC & PDC Statesboro LLC requested a zoning map amendment from the R-4
(High-Density Residential) zoning district to the PUD (Planned Unit Development)
zoning district on 64.93 acres of undeveloped property in order to construct 209 attached
single-family dwellings (townhomes) and 30 detached single-family dwellings on Cawana Road.

• Staff recommended to Council DENYING this request due to the lack of consistency with annexation conditions.
• Francys Johnson and Steve Rushing were present to speak in favor of the request on behalf of the developers.
• This was approved 4-1.

Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve: Application RZ 21-04-01

Southern Coastal Investment Properties, LLC requested a zoning map amendment from the
R-20 (Single-Family Residential) zoning district to the R-4 (High Density Residential)
zoning district, in order to construct 18 single story townhomes at 10 Briarwood Court

• Staff recommended to Council DENYING this request due to the lack of consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and the presence of wetlands in the area
• This was approved 4-1 with Barr opposing.

Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve: Application RZ 21-04-02

Jessica Hermmann requested a zoning map amendment from the R-15 (Single-Family
Residential) zoning district to the O (Office) zoning district, in order to open a real estate
office on the site located at 110 South Zetterower Avenue

• Staff recommended APPROVAL of this request
• This was approved 5-0

Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve: Application SE 21-04-03

Jamie Lynn Stowbridge requested a special exception to locate a trailer on a 0.3 acre
property located in the R-10 (Single-Family Residential) zoning district on a property
located on Lewis Street.

• Staff recommended DENYING this application for an exception due to the precedent it would set
• This item was removed from the agenda

Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve Application AN 21-04-04 & Application RZ 21-04-05

• Application AN 21-04-04: Adams Property Group requests an Annexation by the 100% method of 8.72 acres of vacant land for the purposes of constructing a self-storage mini warehouse facility on Veterans Memorial Parkway
  Staff recommended APPROVAL of this request
• Application RZ 21-04-05: Adams Property Group, LLC requests a zoning map amendment from the R-40 (Single-Family Residential) zoning district to the CR (Commercial Retail) zoning district to allow for the construction of a self-storage mini warehouse facility on Veterans Memorial Parkway
  Staff recommended APPROVAL of this request
• Approved 5-0

Consideration of a Motion to approve Resolution 2021-019

A Resolution amending the job position classification and compensation plan to reclassify one Code Compliance Officer Position to Senior Code Compliance Officer

• This would increase the salary range from Grade 14 ($35,950- midpoint $44,938) to Grade 16 ($39,682 – midpoint $49,603)
• Approved 5-0

Consideration of a motion to approve change orders #7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, and 15 with John Lavender & Associates, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $107,136.00 for the Luetta Moore Park and Grady Street Park improvements project and authorize the Mayor to execute contract document amendments.

• Approved 5-0

Consideration of a motion to purchase a new mini skid steer with attachments for the Public Works and Engineering Department in the amount of $39,431.00 from Vermeer Southeast using Sourcewell Member #33094, Contract #062117-VRM

• Approved 5-0

Consideration of a motion to approve a joint resolution with Bulloch County to authorize payment of proceeds from 2019 SPLOST to the City of Statesboro in the amount of $480,331.73

Bulloch County and City of Statesboro entered into SPLOST IGA July 31, 2018. Portion of SPLOST funds was to be used to establish countywide P25 radio system and provide compatible radios to local jurisdictions. City had already purchased P-25 radios from non-SPLOST proceeds. Purpose of joint resolution is to essentially reimburse City for not receiving this SPLOST benefit. Received funds will be deposited in City general fund and shall not be restricted to SPLOST purposes.

$480,331.73 will be deposited into the general fund.

Approved 5-0

Consideration of a motion to approve a Memorandum of Agreement with GDOT for roadway and pedestrian crosswalk maintenance on State Route 73 (South Main Street) between Tillman Road and State Route 67 (Fair Road) for the Blue Mile Streetscape project.

GDOT will not allow decorative concrete crosswalks unless the local government agrees to be responsible for repair, replacement, and liability of these crosswalks. In addition the city proposes to install black coated pedestrian signal poles and bases that conform to the pedestrian poles already installed along this corridor. GDOT will only allow standard aluminum finish poles and bases unless the local government agrees to be responsible for supplying replacement poles and bases as needed due for repair or replacement.

This will be paid for with TSPLOST funds.

Approved 5-0

Other Business by Council

City Manager Comments

Public Comments

Executive Session

Adjournment