December 15, 1997
MINUTES
The
regular meeting of the Pooler City Council was held on December 15, 1997. Mayor Buddy Carter called the meeting to
order at 6:24 p.m. (delayed due to the public hearings held prior). Present were Councilman Al DeFilippis, Bud
Jeffcoat, Jim Poteet, Wayne Seay, Marvin Strickland and Stevie Wall; City
Manager, Dennis Baxter and City Attorney, Wiley Ellis.
The
invocation was given by Mr. Baxter and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by
Councilman DeFilippis.
The
minutes of the previous meeting were approved as printed upon a motion by
Councilman Poteet and seconded by Councilman DeFilippis, with no opposition.
Report from the Standing
Committees:
FINANCE
Councilman
Jeffcoat presented bills for payment, and after discussion, made a motion to
approve these bills subject to funds.
Motion was seconded by Councilman Strickland and passed without
opposition.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Chief
Chan stated that Corporal Neal Owens is being recognized as Pooler=s police officer of the year by the Pooler Crossroads
Chamber of Commerce at their meeting on Tuesday, December 16th.
STREETS/SANITATION
Councilman
DeFilippis reported that the street and drainage department has performed
routine maintenance.
WATER/SEWER
Councilman
Poteet reported that the water and sewer department has performed routine
maintenance.
RECREATION
Councilman
Seay reported that basketball signups have ended, with participation up 50
children from last year.
BUILDING/ZONING
Councilman
Wall had no report at this time.
Mayor
Carter presented a certificate to the Honorary Councilmember for December,
Kelly Praino, thanking her for her service this month.
Mayor
Carter presented each of the three (3) wives of the outgoing Councilmen, Mrs.
Betsy DeFilippis, Mrs. Debbie Jeffcoat and Mrs. Gail Strickland with a silk
flower arrangement, thanking them for supporting their husbands during their
terms of office. Mayor Carter then
presented a plaque to Councilman DeFilippis in appreciation of his 12 years of
service as Alderman. He presented a
plaque to Councilman Jeffcoat in appreciation of his 8 years of service as
Alderman and Councilman Strickland a plaque in appreciation of his 10 years of
service as Alderman. Mayor Carter
thanked each of them for all they have done.
Under OLD BUSINESS, the
following was discussed:
1. Second Reading on amendment to subdivision ordinance
Councilman
Wall presented this amendment to the subdivision ordinance, requiring sidewalks
on one side of all marginal access streets within subdivisions and where a
subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial or collector
street, the Mayor and Aldermanic Board may require sidewalks to be installed
along these streets. Councilman Wall
made a motion, seconded by Councilman Poteet, to approve this amendment on
Second Reading. Motion passed without
opposition.
2. Second Reading on proposed 1998 budget
Councilman
Jeffcoat presented the 1998 budget, stating that a public hearing was held
prior. He then made a motion to approve
the 1998 budget on Second Reading and to amend on Second Reading, Chapter 19,
Article II, Section 19-21, Subsection (e) and Chapter 19, Article III, Section
19-61 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Pooler, by increasing the amount
of tap in fees for water and sewer from $300 to $500; to amend Chapter 19,
Article III, Section 19-46, Subsections (a), (b) and (c), by increasing the
variable rate for sewer service by $.40 per thousand gallons. Motion was seconded by Councilman Poteet and
passed without opposition.
Under NEW BUSINESS, the
following was discussed:
1. Mr. Jodi Hawks regarding Mulberry Grove Foundation
Mayor
Carter stated that Mr. Hawks was unable to attend the meeting.
2. Request for final PUD zoning on approximately 103 acres of the
Godley Tract
A public
hearing was held prior to this meeting.
Councilman Strickland made a motion, seconded by Councilman Poteet, to
approve the final PUD zoning of Towne Lake Village, a 103 acre tract of the
Godley Tract. Motion passed without
opposition.
3. Approval of sketch plan for proposed 160 lot subdivision south
of Pine Barren Road
and
west of Hunter=s Ridge
A
public hearing was held prior to this meeting.
Councilman Wall made a motion to approve the sketch plan for Mr. Fred
Williams= proposed 160 lot subdivision, south of Pine Barren
Road and west of Hunter=s Ridge, contingent upon Mr. Williams= agreeing to abide by any changes that are made to the
subdivision ordinance. Motion was
seconded by Councilman DeFilippis and passed without opposition.
4. Approval of final plat of Pinehurst Subdivision
Councilman
Wall presented this request from Mr. Jerry Wardlaw for final plat approval of
Pinehurst Subdivision, noting that one of the corrections had not been made yet
due to the rain. After discussion,
Councilman Wall made a motion to approve this final plat, contingent upon the
correction on Pinehurst Lane being complete.
Motion was seconded by Councilman Poteet and passed without opposition. Ms. Rebecca Benton stated that she objects
to this subdivision, adding that she blames the City for not having higher
subdivision standards, that this subdivision is too close to I-95 and that it will turn into a slum.
5. Approval of Right of Way Agreement with the DOT regarding
construction of
sidewalks
Mr.
Baxter presented an agreement with the Department of Transportation, for the
City to furnish sufficient title to provide 50' - 100' right of way for the
construction of sidewalks on S. Rogers Street at Hwy 80, ending at Pine Barren
Road; beginning at Rogers Street and ending at Hunter=s Ridge; and beginning N. Newton Avenue and ending at
Pooler Elementary School. After
discussion, Councilman DeFilippis made a motion, seconded by Councilman Poteet,
to approve this Agreement. Motion
passed without opposition.
6. Approval of resolution
regarding Emergency Management Ordinance
Mr.
Baxter presented a resolution authorizing the application of the Emergency
Management Ordinance of Chatham County to the areas within the City of
Pooler. After discussion, Councilman
Poteet made a motion to approve this resolution. Motion was seconded by Councilman Strickland and passed without
opposition.
7. Approve request for funding from the Rape Crisis Center
Mr.
Baxter presented this request from the Rape Crisis Center for funding in the
amount of $1200. He stated that the
City has allocated this in the past.
Councilman DeFilippis made a motion, seconded by Councilman Jeffcoat, to
approve this funding. Discussion
followed, wherein Chief Chan stated that the State mandated a victim witness
fund to be collected on certain fines, which he believed was going to the Rape
Crisis Center. He then asked the
Council to consider tabling this matter to further investigate this matter. Councilman DeFilippis withdrew his motion;
Councilman Jeffcoat withdrew his second.
Councilman Wall made a motion to table this item. Motion was seconded by Councilman Strickland
and passed without opposition.
8. Adopt 1998 millage rate
Mr.
Baxter stated that the proposed 1998 millage rate is the same as the last
several years, 4.5 mills. Councilman
Wall made a motion to adopt the 1998 millage rate at 4.5 mills. Motion was seconded by Councilman Poteet and
passed without opposition.
9. Approval of Tindol & Company, CPAs, to perform 1997 audit
Mr.
Baxter presented a letter from Tindol & Company, CPAs, offering to perform
the City=s 1997 audit with an increase of 3% from last
year. After discussion, Councilman
Jeffcoat made a motion to approve Tindol & Company to perform the 1997
audit. Motion was seconded by
Councilman Poteet and passed without opposition.
10. Request for legislation to approve a convention & visitors
bureau authority
Mr.
Baxter stated that after researching the records, the Council had not yet
approved to have a bill drawn up to allow for a convention & visitors
bureau authority. This bill would then
be given to the State Representative to be introduced to the Legislature. After discussion, Councilman Wall made a
motion, seconded by Councilman Strickland, to approve the City to draw up this
document. Motion passed with Councilman
DeFilippis opposing.
11. Request to change date, time and place of first organizational
meeting in
January
1998
Councilman
Wall stated that the first organization meeting (at which time the 1998
Inauguration ceremony would take place) needed to be changed in order to not
conflict with other municipalities=
inaugurations. He made a motion to
change the date to Tuesday, January 6, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the Mighty Eighth
Air Force Heritage Museum. Motion was
seconded by Councilman Poteet and passed without opposition.
12. First Reading on proposed ordinance regarding
aid-to-construction fees for
water
and wastewater systems improvements
Mr.
Baxter presented an ordinance allowing for the City to charge aid-to-construction
fees for the areas in the Godley Tract, Pine Barren Road and S. Rogers
Street. These fees will be used to
recoup the cost of extending water and sewer lines to these areas. After discussion, Councilman Wall made a
motion to approve this ordinance on First Reading. Motion was seconded by Councilman Poteet and passed without
opposition.
Mr.
Robert Drewry, Chairman of the Planning & Zoning Board, addressed Council
in regards to the subdivision ordinance changes the Board has been working on. He asked for the Council=s consideration in hiring a professional to help with
this project. Councilman Wall stated
that Mr. Howard Bellinger, who is retired from the Metropolitan Planning
Commission, will be contacted.
Mr.
Ron Roberts, President of the Pooler Crossroads Chamber of Commerce, Inc.,
presented the Council with a financial statement of the festival held in
November. He stated that there were a
few bills that he was still waiting on.
There
being no further business to discuss, Councilman Strickland made a motion to
adjourn at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Motion was seconded by Councilman Jeffcoat and passed without
opposition.
Public
Hearing
Three
(3) public hearings were held on Monday, December 15, 1997, prior to the
regular City Council meeting. Mayor
Carter the first hearing to order at 5:30 p.m.
Present were Councilman Al DeFilippis, Bud Jeffcoat, Jim Poteet, Wayne
Seay, Marvin Strickland and Stevie Wall; City Manager, Dennis Baxter and City
Attorney, Wiley Ellis.
The
purpose of these hearings were:
5:30 p.m. - to discuss 1) the
Branigar Organization=s request for final PUD zoning on approximately 103
acres of the Godley Tract, known as Towne Lake Village. Mr. Chuck Mitchell, Senior Vice President of
Branigar, gave a short presentation of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) that
is planned for the area. Mr. Rick
White, resident, addressed the Council with his concern over the fact that the
City=s minimum lot sizes (10,500 sq. ft.) were not being
met under the PUD zoning. He asked the
Council to consider the fact that the Planning & Zoning Board has not
signed off on this request. He then
stated that these new minimum lot sizes will have to be permitted for other
developers also. Ms. Holly Young
questioned whether protective covenants would be required for this development
and whether or not an ambulance could get through to any of the lakes if need
be. Mr. Mitchell stated that each
developer would provide covenants for their subdivisions and that there was a
15' access to the lakes.
2)
Mr. Fred Williams= request for approval of a sketch plan for a proposed
160 lot subdivision, south of Pine Barren Road and west of Hunter=s Ridge Subdivision - Mr. Williams presented the
Council with a sketch plan of this proposed subdivision, stating that he has
agreed to abide by any changes being made to the City=s subdivision ordinance.
5:45
p.m. - to discuss the proposed 1998 budget - Mayor Carter stated that this
hearing was being held to discuss the proposed 1998 budget.
There
being no further business to discuss, the hearings were adjourned at
approximately 6:16 p.m.