[0:00] session for September the 8th, 2026 at
6:30 p.m. held here in the council
[0:05] chamber at City Hall, 17 East Main
Street, South Hampton, Georgia. At this
[0:10] time, we're going to have invocation.
Pastor George Deubberry. Is Pastor
[0:14] Dubberry here? Oh, there he is. Hey,
Pastor Dubberry of Community Bible
[0:18] Fellowship Church. If you would please
all stand and join us in invocation and
[0:21] then we'll have our pledge of
allegiance.
[0:24] » Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much
for giving each of us traveling grace
[0:27] and mercy. We thank you Lord that you
allow us to do this great thing called
[0:31] government. Father you placed it in your
divine word that you allow this
[0:35] institution to help govern and direct
and to make sure that we do well within
[0:40] the communities in which we live. And
father we thank you for this board. And
[0:43] father we pray now that you would give
them wisdom, peace, and comfort to be
[0:47] able to make decisions on the behalf of
each of us so we may be able to continue
[0:51] to do this great thing you blessed us
with that is called life in Jesus name.
[0:56] Amen.
>> Amen.
[0:57] » Amen.
I aliance to the flag of the United
[1:02] States of America and to the republic
for which it stands. One nation under
[1:08] God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
[1:17] » Moving on to presentation and approval
of the city council agenda. I do need an
[1:22] amendment to the agenda this evening to
include the signing of an agreement
[1:26] between GOAD and the city of Hampton to
keep the rightaway on 20 which we are
[1:30] already doing. Can I get a motion to
amend the agenda to add that item?
[1:35] » I move we amend the agenda to add that
item. I have a motion by council member
[1:40] Meeks and a second by council member
Mitchell to amend the agenda to include
[1:45] that on agenda item
[1:50] 10
L.
[2:00] » All in favor
I have a 6.
[2:05] Moving on to agenda item, presentation
and approval of city council minutes.
[2:09] Public hearing meeting minutes from
August the 10th, 2026. I need a motion
[2:14] to approve or to deny.
>> I make a motion to approve.
[2:18] » I have a motion by council member
Duchaine to approve. Do I have a second?
[2:22] » Second.
>> Have a second by council member Meeks.
[2:24] Any discussion from the council? Any
discussion from the public? All in
[2:29] favor? I have a 6-0. Agenda item 3B,
special call meeting minutes from August
[2:36] 20th, 2026. I need a motion to approve
or to deny.
[2:40] » So move.
>> Have a motion to approve by council
[2:42] member White Williams. Do I have a
second?
[2:44] » Second.
>> Second by council member Cheney.
[2:46] Discussion from the council.
Discussion from the public. All in
[2:51] favor? I have a 6.
Presentation and approval of city
[2:56] council minutes for regular meeting
minutes from August 11, 2026. I need a
[3:01] motion to approve or to deny.
>> I make a motion to approve August the
[3:04] 11th meetings minutes.
>> Have a motion by council member Cheney.
[3:09] Second by council mayor pro Tim White
Williams. Discussion from the council.
[3:15] Discussion from the public. All in
favor? I have a 6.
[3:22] Acknowledgement of guest proclamations
and flag. So we do have a recognition
[3:26] this evening. We're going to ask that
our finance director and his team would
[3:29] come forth at this time. Recognition of
the financial departments for receiving
[3:33] the GFOA triple crown award for FY2024
2025 and GFO budget award for 20 for
[3:41] FY226.
Mr. Foresight, your entire team. Where's
[3:48] » Come on, ladies. Come on, ladies. Come
on.
[3:51] » Thank you. [applause]
[3:57] I I would like to make a couple of
comments. Um this is going back to 24.
[4:03] We applied for the first time to get the
triple crown. It takes almost a year. It
[4:08] goes through such a rigid um evaluation.
And at that time, this young lady here,
[4:14] she was the major the major the major
carrier [applause] of of everything. And
[4:19] now now that now that she has left, um
Katrina took her place.
[4:24] and she already got the 25 budget award
[laughter] and that's one leg of the
[4:29] three
>> for the for the next year 25. I've I've
[4:33] submitted the PAFRA and um financial.
Now let me explain quickly what it's all
[4:38] about. The financials basically talks
about your revenue expenditure and and
[4:44] your your net asset what you owe and who
you owe. And then the budget of course
[4:49] is like a policy. It it's it's a work
policy. It's a financial policy. It's
[4:55] also you you you you um judge how how
you're doing based on your budget,
[5:01] right? And one thing that we do and I
think it pays off a lot is um we
[5:06] monitor. We don't just don't wait till
the end of the year. We do it every
[5:10] quarter at least quarter. We like to get
on a monthly basis. But um staff um you
[5:15] know may not may not. Now I want to give
I would like to give the the council a
[5:21] lot of praise. The reason is you show
better governance than most governments
[5:28] in Canada and America. We in the 1%
>> 1% between America and Canada
[5:35] governments.
>> Okay. We're we're [applause] number nine
[5:39] in Georgia. Only n eight other cities
got it. And so the thing that I'm
[5:45] impressed with from my leaders, the
council and the mayor and the council,
[5:49] is your transparency.
You have financial reports. You have
[5:54] your your your monthly meeting. And um
and you you definitely honor performance
[6:01] like these ladies here. I couldn't do it
without them at all. They're the hard
[6:06] workers. I'm on the top trying to figure
out a couple of little financial items.
[6:11] You know what I'm saying? but they're
doing the the real labor. And the last
[6:15] one is use your community trust and you
involve the community and so there's an
[6:21] engagement that I would praise you with
and that's all I'd like to say.
[6:27] » Thank you so very much. [applause]
[6:32] So, I am very excited that um
the our financial department is an
[6:39] award-winning financial department and
has been since 2022. Uh each year
[6:44] they've gotten better and be better
better, the 2024 2025. They did the
[6:48] ultimate which was the trifecta award.
And that trifecta award measured many
[6:53] things and took into account our audits,
our budgets, uh how we manage money, how
[6:58] we're transparent with the with the
citizens, how we show everything out in
[7:02] the open. It just this these awards
measure those things. And to get it from
[7:08] GFOA, which is one of the highest govern
governance um financial um institutions,
[7:14] is a honor for our city. And as Mr. Of
course, I said, um, this is we're eight
[7:21] out of the state of Georgia. So, I think
that is a great great applaud to all of
[7:27] you workers that do the hard work uh and
make our city safe financially and sound
[7:33] financially and make sure that you take
care of our finance department. So,
[7:37] thank you so very much. Any comments
from the any other comments from the
[7:42] council? All right,
moving on to agenda item five, public
[7:48] comments. Did we have anyone signed up?
Michelle,
[7:52] she just
Okay, who is that one person?
[7:58] Who signed up for public's comments? You
can come forward.
[8:02] » Miss Han, Miss Han, did I see Miss Han
in the back? Yes, ma'am. Come on.
[8:18] I didn't.
>> Oh, you didn't?
[8:20] » I didn't know if I need to come up now.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[8:23] » Or when you all But I'm addressing the
O'Neal Cemetery. Do I need to wait
[8:29] » or go ahead now?
>> You can go ahead now. Okay.
[8:31] » Yes, ma'am. The last time I was here,
I uh um I introduced myself as Donna Han
[8:40] and I am a descendant of the O'Neal
Cemetery
[8:45] uh on my mother's side and my father's
side. I am from Inman. So, I want to
[8:52] show you all this picture.
>> This is my great uncle and this is his
[8:59] wife. They got married in O'Neal Church
>> and
[9:06] his sister is still alive. She lives up
in 1941 in
[9:13] Mar. So I just want you all to see that
this is my great uncle
[9:20] and his wife Dr. May. She's still
living. She's 95.
[9:26] She's over in this This is so touching
to me. She's over in a nursing home in
[9:32] Stockbridge
>> and she wants to share all about it, but
[9:36] I told I have to get to her when she
gets her hearing aids, her son bring her
[9:40] hearing aids. So, I want to let you all
know that
[9:45] with the new law that's out,
the goal is is the family
[9:53] can take care of that cemetery.
What rights
[9:59] do we have with the O'Neal Cemetery?
That's the question.
[10:06] How will this work in the city of
Hampton?
[10:11] » [snorts]
>> and things that have been done so far is
[10:15] very disturbing.
And I have reached out
[10:20] um to other resources that are willing
to help like honor our roots. Um,
[10:31] I just wanted you all to know that I'm
here
[10:36] and I represent
the family that are buried at O'Neal
[10:42] Cemetery
and the black community that was there
[10:48] back in the day. I like to call it J
Hall with the flying and I want to talk
[10:54] about the other stuff, but we were there
I was there
[10:59] and I just wanted to let you all know
that I'm here again. So, thank you for
[11:04] allowing me to share that. And I am a
person that is willing to work. Um I'm
[11:12] not a person, you know, the I could be
agreed or disagreeable, but at the same
[11:17] time,
[11:21] I know God is in control of all of this
and he sends help. So I appreciate all
[11:26] of our roots what they're doing and I am
standing firm with them as they preserve
[11:34] other cemeteries but this one yes I'm
here for that. Thank you.
[11:39] » Thank you miss
>> seeing that there no there was no one
[11:43] one we have one more. We have someone by
the last name of Lu Lou
[11:48] » Lou
>> at 11 for Drive.
[11:52] » Lou Lou
11 Fortsson Drive.
[11:57] Okay. Thank you very much.
Moving on to agenda item six, our youth
[12:02] council update. We have have we closed
out our youth council and we will be
[12:07] doing announcements for the new youth
council next month. Is that correct?
[12:14] No, we haven't.
>> We're leaving open to the 15th.
[12:17] » Okay. All right. So, youth council uh
applications are still being taken up to
[12:22] the 15th. I think we do currently have
seven participants as as already. Um but
[12:29] they have opportunity to go up to 10.
So, I guess they're trying to get all 10
[12:32] of them filled. Agenda item seven, our
city manager update.
[12:42] I'll have Mr. Foresight present the 2425
um Q3 presentation. Mr. Wall had to
[12:49] leave.
Thank you.
[12:54] Here I am again. Um,
I regret and I apologize for not having
[13:01] this done earlier, but I think it was
ready, but I think the schedule was
[13:06] tight and we had to put it off because
normally we would present this at least
[13:12] 45 days. We have 30 days to to get the
invoices for the last month and then we
[13:16] would present it. Anyway, here we go.
[13:31] Okay. Oh, wait.
Anyway, b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b
[13:34] b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b
b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b
[13:35] b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b
b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b
[13:35] b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b
b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b
[13:35] b b b basically on track and um we have
collected
[13:42] 90% of our revenue and the major reason
is property tax is collected up front
[13:49] and it's assigned to the year. So um
we we are in a very solid position with
[13:57] revenue.
Um license and permits were some some
[14:02] payments were made early. Um that's it
for revenue
[14:08] and expenses we we use 75 because
Mar June is is is nine months. So it's
[14:16] just it's it's either considered a 3/4
or 75%.
[14:21] » So we use that as a guide and with the
expenses
[14:26] you look down and see what was the
percentage versus budget and you should
[14:32] be concerned with anything over 75. I
mean and to answer your question earlier
[14:39] mayor admin was one of them that was
over the 75 82 and we know why. Right.
[14:45] Right.
>> Yeah. So, in total though, the total
[14:48] expense is 66%.
So, right right there, that's that's
[14:52] that's that's a saving of over a million
dollars. But be careful,
[14:58] this this shows uh 2.3 million net, but
remember, a quarter of that is still to
[15:07] be used in the in the last quarter.
>> So, you can't just take that number and
[15:12] run with it, you know. you have to watch
um the activities and
[15:18] uh fines for instance went up and um so
we we are in a very good position and
[15:26] the third page really is is all about
capital projects and we didn't we didn't
[15:32] collect that much and um of course you
can't spend you know so it it's not it's
[15:37] not very very very um
large numbers and basically that's it I
[15:43] And um I don't know if anyone has any
question, but that's it's really on
[15:47] target because I went back and I checked
I always check the year before just to
[15:51] see if anything looks out of line
>> and everything seems to be rolling
[15:56] along.
>> So,
[15:58] » okay,
>> that's about it for Well, that's general
[16:01] fund. I forgot about utilities.
>> Okay, with utilities.
[16:08] with utilities. Um,
it's very very very the same the same
[16:15] situation. It's 70%. But the the the
third quarter, I can guarantee you the
[16:20] revenue is going to go back to high
because it's been hot.
[16:24] » FE is going to, you know, I'm sure I've
I've heard outside my office people
[16:28] complaining about the electrical bill.
So, I know that was that's that's
[16:32] confirming what I'm believing and
seeing. So, um, with with with with with
[16:37] that I think we we're going to be okay.
Um, the the expenditure is 72% which is
[16:45] close because uh the more the higher the
the expense of power the more you have
[16:52] to buy. You know what I'm saying? And
the more but the more you collect. So,
[16:55] it's it's showing it's showing a a loss
of 200,000. But then I said, "No,
[17:01] there's got to be a reason." So I went
back and checked the prior year and what
[17:06] what it was is this year happened to be
the year where we need to refurbish
[17:14] our our supplies for for um our our
development. I think it's like 200,000.
[17:21] So it made me feel good. That explains
why I'm breaking even.
[17:26] » And um but that that that's what you got
to understand. And so we we've paid our
[17:32] bond debt and um we're if you back out
depreciation, we are one of the
[17:39] governments that budget for
depreciation. Not 100% close to onethird
[17:45] and we back it out to make sure you have
enough money to pay your debt service
[17:49] because it's required in the bond
document.
[17:53] » Uh that's that's about it. Again,
capital. We didn't do much at all in
[17:59] capital
>> and that's it.
[18:02] » Have any questions from the council?
>> Any questions from the public?
[18:07] » Thank you, Mr. Foresight.
>> You're welcome.
[18:10] » Next, police.
>> We'll have Captain Brown up for the
[18:14] police department.
[18:18] » Good evening, Mayor and Council.
>> Good evening.
[18:22] » Um, on behalf of the Hampton Police
Department for the month of September,
[18:30] We had 670 citizen contacts for the
month.
[18:46] ifications with their systems over
there. Um, but I assure you it was under
[18:50] five minutes, probably under four.
[18:56] Uh, only else we have coming up, we have
another citizen police academy from
[19:00] October uh 12th to November 23rd on
Monday nights from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30
[19:05] p.m. I mean 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. I'm
sorry. Um, and over the seven weeks
[19:09] we'll cover the command staff, crime
scene, traffic law, so on and so forth.
[19:14] and we are actively taking applications
until October 1st. So, if you guys know
[19:18] anyone, please have them sign up. Um,
this is posted throughout the city, more
[19:23] specifically in front of customer
service at this time.
[19:27] » Thank y'all.
>> Thank you, Captain.
[19:30] » We're going to go back and have Dan Soul
um he has a presentation on the the
[19:35] budget on the
>> Oh, on the audit.
[19:38] » All right.
>> Hi.
[19:40] » How are y'all doing?
>> Doing well. Great.
[19:42] » Great. Well, thank you for having me,
Mayor and Council. Um, I'll keep this
[19:45] brief uh so that y'all can keep moving
with your um with your meeting. Um
[19:50] because the the audit went really smooth
um as it has the last few years. Uh you
[19:55] don't get the awards that the finance
committee has gotten um from having a
[20:00] messy audit. Um and so I I want to thank
Mr. for Scythe and his staff um for you
[20:07] know always being on top of things uh
answering our questions as quickly as we
[20:11] send them over. Um we haven't had very
many journal entries uh during the audit
[20:17] which is huge. Um so that means the
financial statements that you all see at
[20:22] the quarterly meetings or I'm sorry at
the monthly meetings um are are right on
[20:27] track with where they should be um based
on the audit. Um and so what I'm going
[20:31] to do is just hit a few highlights uh
and then and then let y'all get back to
[20:34] it. Um, [clears throat]
please keep in mind that that what I'm
[20:37] talking about here was as of September
30th, 2025. Um, so almost a year ago is
[20:44] uh the year end um for the audit. Uh, we
finished the audit a few months ago. Um,
[20:50] so please um I don't know any balances
uh up through now, so please don't yell
[20:58] um if if something doesn't sound right.
Um but the the city as of September
[21:03] 30th, 2025 was in a great financial um
position. Um the highlights from the
[21:09] financial statements, as you can see up
there on the screen, there was $74
[21:12] million of total assets of the city. Um
of that, just under 14 million was
[21:17] unrestricted cash, which is cash that
the city can use uh for operating
[21:22] purposes. Uh the the net position of the
city um was $60.6 million. Um, of that
[21:29] amount, 26.8 million was made up of
invested in capital assets. So, your
[21:34] infrastructure, your um, computers,
furniture, vehicles, those sorts of
[21:38] things. That's what all made up that um,
26.8 million. Uh, you had 15.4 million
[21:44] of that that was restricted for capital
projects, debt, federal and state
[21:48] programs, tourism, and law enforcement.
Um, that's like your SPLAS money that
[21:52] comes in that's restricted for those
capital projects. Um there's um you know
[21:58] money that's that's brought in for the
debt. Um all that stuff is restricted
[22:02] and can only be spent for that purpose.
Um and then there was 18.5 million of
[22:08] the net position that was unrestricted.
Again, that means the city can use that
[22:12] for operating purposes uh and what the
city decides to use that on. Um so that
[22:17] was at the citywide level. Uh talking
about just the general fund, uh the fund
[22:22] balance for that is 11.6 6 million. Um,
of that 11.1 million of that was
[22:27] unassigned.
Um, again, meaning that the city can can
[22:32] spend that how they need to. Um, so that
was the highlights of the financial
[22:36] statements. Not to bore you too much
with all the details. Um, but a couple
[22:40] of things I do want to mention. If
you've been around here, you've heard me
[22:44] mention these year after year. Um, but
the fund balance is something that's
[22:48] available. Um, but you want to be
mindful of spending that. um you don't
[22:51] want to rely on that to use for um like
daily operations, something like that.
[22:58] You want to use that for some type of
capital project. Um you know, something
[23:03] big that the city wants to do. Um so, so
you don't want that going towards, you
[23:08] know, covering payroll and that sort of
thing. Uh great news is the city, um
[23:13] again, as of September 30th, 2025 was in
good shape with uh that fund balance.
[23:19] Um, but we've seen that that's when a
lot of trouble starts creeping in
[23:24] because you want to spend it here and
there and the next thing you know it's
[23:27] dropped significantly. So, just want to
be mindful of that. Um, and then you
[23:31] also want to make sure that you're
spending the restricted money uh first
[23:36] before you start spending the unassigned
stuff. The reason for that is if you
[23:40] spend all your unassigned or
unrestricted money um all you've got
[23:44] left is your restricted money. You kind
of p yourself into a corner because you
[23:48] can't spend that restricted money on
other things that that you want to spend
[23:53] it on. It has to be spent for what the
donor restricted that money for.
[23:58] Um, in terms of findings and
recommendations, there were no findings
[24:02] uh during the audit this year. Um, we
issued a clean opinion, which is which
[24:08] is, you know, a good thing. Yes,
absolutely. Um and then uh another note
[24:13] I wanted to make was the city's worked
um really hard over the last several
[24:17] years to implement really strong
internal controls and processes. And so
[24:21] what that is is uh Mr. Forcy and his
team have worked um to segregate duties
[24:28] uh in the finance and accounting
department. So you don't have one person
[24:31] that can say create vendors and and
issue approvals for that vendor and then
[24:36] write checks and sign those checks.
everything's kind of spread out a little
[24:40] bit. Um, and so as the council, you want
to make sure that those sorts of things
[24:46] uh continue. Um, you know, you'd like to
keep the same staff forever, but
[24:51] sometimes uh the staff moves on or or
whatever may happen, but you you want to
[24:56] make sure that those things are still uh
staying in place um so that you know you
[25:02] don't increase the risk of fraud, you
don't increase the risk of
[25:05] misappropriation of assets. um whether
you know that that um misappropriation
[25:11] was by by accident, which sometimes it
is, you know, the person just came in
[25:15] and they did something, somebody wasn't
reviewing it and it got missed. Um but
[25:20] it'll it'll create uh an environment
where things like that get caught um and
[25:25] they can get corrected before um you
know, you get too far down the road. Um
[25:30] so with that, uh that's all I had for
this evening. Um again, thank you all
[25:35] for having me. Uh we really appreciate
the city. Uh we enjoy working uh with
[25:39] the city, the the council, the staff
here. Um and so thank y'all so much and
[25:44] I hope you have a great evening.
>> Thank you so very much. Council, do you
[25:47] have any questions?
>> Yes, I do.
[25:51] » Does this audit is it always a year lag
or because you said this is from 25 is
[25:56] there always a year lag in it? So the
the audit itself is not it's usually
[26:00] about six months because uh for
governments they have six months to get
[26:05] the audit filed. Um this year because of
the turnover that was here at the city
[26:10] um I think it I think it got finalized
in maybe April uh or May instead of
[26:16] March which is when it usually is done.
Um so we finish we usually finish it
[26:20] before March 31st and then we um come
when we're invited to the the council
[26:26] meeting. Um but this year it was a month
or two after that which we got an
[26:29] extension for or the city got an
extension for. Um so there weren't any
[26:33] issues with the state for submitting it
uh past that deadline. Um but usually it
[26:39] it has to be filed by March 31st.
>> Thank you.
[26:43] » Sure.
Any other questions? Any questions from
[26:47] the public? Thank you so very much.
Wonderful report. Great job team.
[26:52] » Thank you.
Next we'll have Louis King with public
[26:55] works to give the public works update.
[27:03] » Good evening, mayor, council, captain
citizens.
[27:07] Okay, as always, we had a busy month for
the month of August.
[27:14] Here is the uh
the rightway finally complete there at
[27:19] Circle K. There was some issues with who
the easement belonged to. We finally got
[27:24] that settled and we were able to finally
uh get that repaired.
[27:30] This was a completion of a project over
in Elm Station storm water repair. Uh
[27:36] the pipe that you see in the middle
there had collapsed and uh they had to
[27:42] get a header wall built, pre-cast, put
in place and then this is the uh final
[27:47] picture after everything was done. Here
[27:53] we're also doing another stormwater
project. This is over on Lisa Court. Um
[27:59] I'm sorry, Dana Court. There was an
issue there where it had sank in the
[28:03] ground, had been open for quite a while.
We were able to uh do that in house and
[28:08] we saved the city quite a bit of money
by doing it in house. And for the month
[28:12] of August, we had 143 work orders
completed.
[28:16] Street Sweeper swept 873 miles and we
had 21 citizen contacts.
[28:22] I'd like to make a note about the street
sweeper because I've received some
[28:26] concerns.
Just because you don't see the broom
[28:30] circulating, the street sweeper is
picking up the debris off of the road.
[28:34] You typically won't have that unless
there's actually debris in the gutter.
[28:38] You'll see that typically more in the
fall months when it's plenty of leaves
[28:42] out.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[28:46] Is there a schedule for the street
sweepers? Like on certain days it's on
[28:51] this in this community or
>> It goes by zones. Um and by Friday he's
[28:56] at zone five. So then he starts up again
the next week
[29:00] » unless we have an issue and sometimes
there's construction going on and
[29:05] » we may have to send it back out to
another area. Yes ma'am. I think it
[29:08] would be helpful to maybe have that
posted so the citizens are aware you
[29:13] know what day the street sweeper will be
in there.
[29:17] » Yes, I was just going to say that
because especially if there's street
[29:20] parking and maybe you know whether we
try to communicate with the HOAs to say
[29:26] keep the street you know the the cars
off the street on the days that the
[29:31] sweeper is coming through.
>> We can do that.
[29:33] » We'll get that in the newsletter. I
think it'd be a great time. Any
[29:38] questions? Anyone?
>> Any questions from the council? Any
[29:42] questions from the public? Thank you,
Mr. Lewis.
[29:44] » Thank you, Mr. King.
>> Before I go to the next one, I do want
[29:47] to go back and give a little bit of
credit to a council woman. Um, I
[29:52] received a call from Councilwoman
Duchaine. I was the assistant city
[29:56] manager and she said, "As a citizen, I
want to report the Circle K parking
[30:02] lot." [laughter] and she said, "Is there
anything that code enforcement could
[30:06] do?" Um, and then from there, first
thing I did was get with code
[30:10] enforcement and then work through Wanda
and the community development
[30:14] department. Wanda was a huge asset and
then got um public works involved,
[30:19] figured out exactly where the right away
was. So, it took, you know, she's a
[30:24] council woman, but it she called as a
citizen that day and that's that's what
[30:29] took action and I hope all our
residents, you know, take take a lesson
[30:35] from that.
>> If there's something that you want
[30:38] addressed, you know, engaged staff, and
that's that's what we're there for. So,
[30:43] thank you for for bringing it to our
attention and thank you to code
[30:47] enforcement and to Wanda and to public
works for
[30:50] » for getting it done.
>> We got it done within two weeks. So,
[30:54] next we'll have Wanda Moore with
community development.
[31:00] [laughter]
[31:04] » Good evening all.
[31:08] » Thank you.
Um so for the month of August we've had
[31:14] um 11 new um business license issued, 26
uh building permits, two zoning
[31:22] applications,
eight development projects are underway.
[31:26] We'll see that on the next slide. Um the
grants are the same and underway except
[31:31] for um this evening you guys will have
before you uh just the official
[31:35] acceptance of our latest grant which is
for the East King Mcdana and Rosenwall
[31:41] um improvement for the intersection and
it's the PE um phase so it it was it's
[31:47] designed nothing's been designed on it
yet.
[31:51] Um this is our go well just our um
desktop reporting of what we've done in
[31:57] the month of August. As you can see um
we've been v busy. Um we've collected
[32:04] over close to half a million dollars on
permit fees. Um
[32:13] and then this shows how AI has been
helping me [laughter] which has been
[32:18] good. Um so uh AI we don't have to pay
for that if we use it under a certain
[32:24] amount of time and it certainly has uh
assisted folks because everything is
[32:30] done online now we don't accept paper
applications.
[32:35] This I want to um update you guys um
that the city did receive a new concept
[32:39] plan review. It's called um Hilltop is
the developer.
[32:45] They are looking to go into the area
where a villa was. Um, and then also
[32:52] across the street kind of close to the
school. The concept plan has just been
[32:57] submitted. I have not completed the
review. Currently, they're showing 324
[33:04] apartment units and 176 town homes. Um,
as staff, I'll be looking uh for
[33:12] compliance with our DRRI plan that was
submitted and I can share that
[33:18] currently. Um, I have some concerns on
just what they're showing, but I did
[33:25] want you guys to know that we had
received that and um I'll be working
[33:29] through that concept um review. men to
drive.
[33:35] We provided them their last set of
redline comments. So hopefully they'll
[33:40] be ready to um resubmit and get going
probably within the next six weeks or
[33:46] so. That is a large development on the
west side.
[33:51] Madlin Park, I think I shared with you
guys last um
[33:56] last meeting that they have submitted
building permits although they haven't
[34:00] um followed the steps. I don't have a
plat. So, we're kind of working through
[34:05] process there. And um I'm trying
[clears throat] to think I don't think
[34:10] anything else has dramatically changed
since last month. So, I won't go into
[34:14] any detail unless you guys have any
questions.
[34:18] » Yes, ma'am.
>> Um the town home development that was
[34:22] approved I want to say December. Um
>> Yes, ma'am.
[34:26] » Is that on this list?
>> No, they haven't. Uh they've been um
[34:30] working with us. They've worked with
public works to go out and get water
[34:34] tests and pressure and all that kind of
stuff. They're um working on their
[34:39] concept plan and that's their first
step, but they have not submitted yet.
[34:44] » I have a question. The Subway
restaurant, is it standalone or inside
[34:48] the gas station?
>> It's actually next to the gas station
[34:51] that was um recently completed in front
of Liberty Square.
[34:54] » Okay.
>> What's happening with Floyd Road?
[34:58] Floyd Road. Um Floyd Road, as you're
aware, was part of uh uh development
[35:05] conditions that were part of a zoning
that was approved by mayor and council.
[35:09] Uh Floyd Road. Are you asking about the
actual road or the project?
[35:14] » The project.
>> Okay. Apologies. Um it's uh uh no
[35:19] activity has occurred.
>> So, do we give them a time that they
[35:24] need to do something or is like it just
sits in limbo? like what happens.
[35:28] » So, I think that's something that maybe
if you want to speak with the attorney
[35:32] about the there's provisions in the
ordinance for reversions of uh zoning
[35:37] districts. They have made so when I say
they the original developer has made um
[35:45] improvements on Floyd Road itself. We
had to pull the bond because they were
[35:50] not um they were trying to walk away.
So, we we have the money to finish the
[35:55] improvements on Floyd Road, but they've
paid water and sewer connection fees.
[36:01] Um, they were issued a land disturbance
permit and they were in process of
[36:05] headed that direction, but they have
sold the property.
[36:10] And as you're aware, part of the
conditions is that the development of
[36:15] Floyd Road, the lakes, the gates, the
lakes, gates,
[36:19] » gates. Thank you. Lake that that if they
were to sell it and somebody else wanted
[36:26] to develop, they would have to get
approval from mayor and council and so
[36:30] they have not sought. It's clearly in
the conditions of zoning and um they are
[36:36] the new folks are aware but
yeah
[36:40] » so the gates at Floyd Road was that the
um residential community?
[36:46] » Yes.
>> Okay. So are they building somewhere
[36:50] else because there's um
>> three now three or four houses.
[36:55] » Yes. And they're all on like five acres.
So, was that the same site or was that
[37:00] somewhere else?
>> Nobody's pulled a permit through um the
[37:04] city to build Oh, I know what you're
talking about on Floyd Road. Those are
[37:07] in the county. That lands in the county.
Yes, ma'am.
[37:11] » And that that's on sewer.
>> I mean septic tptic septic. Any more
[37:17] questions from the council for the
community development director?
[37:21] Any questions from the public? Thank
you, Miss Wanda. Now, we'll have our
[37:26] utility director, [clears throat] Mr.
West.
[37:27] » Moret again. Um,
[37:32] let's see. Okay, I want to draw your
attention to the picture at the top.
[37:35] We're going to be talking about this
later anyway. That is Woodlong, the
[37:40] inside of it, white. Um, that's how it
should look anyway. Um it wasn't that
[37:45] way until a while ago. But moving right
along, um leisure division, we had 61
[37:51] total work orders, three power outages,
installed a fault circuit indicators. Um
[37:57] we all recently had all the wooden poles
inspected. We had a total of 46 need to
[38:02] be replaced. Uh to date, the electric
department has replaced 26 of these
[38:06] poles with the remaining failed poles
scheduled for replacement. is an ongoing
[38:10] replacement program will help improve
the safety and reliability of city's
[38:14] electric distribution system.
Um wastewater treatment plant total 78
[38:19] work orders and cleaning clarifier
number two and water had 163 work orders
[38:26] total. Uh 53 leaks repaired and there's
currently one leak system. I don't think
[38:32] that's right. Uh that right there is
right next door next to in front of
[38:37] Hampton grocery store. [clears throat]
they put into services.
[38:41] I see anybody got any questions,
comments, concerns?
[38:45] » Any questions from the council? Any
questions from the public? Thank you,
[38:50] Mr. West.
[38:54] » Mayor, council, I was going to give you
an update on the roundabout at Hampton
[38:56] Oakrove Road. I know it's a hot topic
and you guys get it a lot. So, I want to
[39:00] give you as updated as we possibly
could. Start. This is the conceptual
[39:05] design that they're operating under and
that's what it'll it'll look like and
[39:10] wanted to show you what it looks like
today. Um speaking to the construction
[39:15] team, it looks like midocctober is when
it will be completed. um some of the
[39:20] delays just for when you guys get
questions. Um the utilities and there
[39:24] was also some compaction issues that
they encountered early on, but they're
[39:29] moving moving along very very good. And
just to orient you, if you're where the
[39:35] white SUV is at the bottom of the
picture, that is Macdonald Road. So
[39:41] that's that's where it'll come back in.
Any questions on the Hampton Oaks Grove
[39:46] Road roundabout?
>> Yes.
[39:47] » Yes, ma'am. Um, is there any um
plans where we see Go back to the
[39:54] » Oh, I'm sorry.
>> Um, so to right here, this long black
[39:59] whatever that is. Um, is that an
easement?
[40:04] » I'm If you could show me on the picture,
that that may help me.
[40:09] » That's silk fence.
>> That's silk fence. Just that's part of
[40:12] the construction to
>> to ensure that nothing's washing out.
[40:17] Okay. Is there any um I don't know,
maybe we could do something to help
[40:23] beautify like add some trees
>> because it is kind of like come although
[40:28] it's in our city limits
>> and I'll let Wanda speak to that just
[40:31] kind of the overall plan. Yeah. But I
will go back to
[40:35] » Yeah.
>> because I'm trying to see the split.
[40:38] » Go ahead.
>> So behind the silk fence there is a
[40:41] detention or a stormwater facility that
is looks like a long ditch. if you're
[40:46] right. That'll be planted with aquatic
um material as well as landscaped and
[40:52] then there'll be street trees along the
um
[40:57] the improvement area and then also
landscape on the interior of the island.
[41:02] So, yes, ma'am. It'll be [clears throat]
pretty
[41:07] [laughter]
I guess I'm I'm just a little confused
[41:10] because where is the split? Go back to
the picture before you see it's two
[41:16] Michael U. Where is the U at on the next
picture?
[41:22] » It's on the bottom.
>> It's that picture is upside down. This
[41:25] right here is North Avenue is about
where Miss Cheny's head is.
[41:31] » So the the kind of horseshoe loop that
you see on the on the black and white
[41:36] image,
>> can you can you come and point to the
[41:39] screen?
[41:43] I'll be tonight.
>> This that loop
[41:49] is going to go this this section of
McDonald Street is going to curve and
[41:53] come tie into the roundabout this way.
>> Okay.
[41:56] » Okay. And so all of this is going to be
grass and storm water.
[42:02] » Okay. Now that makes sense because I'm
like I don't see it here. Okay.
[42:05] » Thank you, Miss Wanda.
Any other questions on the hand close
[42:08] roundabout?
>> Nope.
[42:14] » That the only thing you had tonight?
>> Yes, ma'am.
[42:16] » All right.
>> Thank you so much.
[42:19] » All right. Thank you so very much for
the city manager's update. Thank
[42:23] everybody for providing us with the
information. Moving on to agenda item
[42:27] eight, a consideration and action on
acceptance of resolution 202661 on the
[42:33] vote regarding the ethics ruling for the
mayor tarpley during the August 11
[42:36] meeting. I need a motion to approve or
to deny resolution 202661.
[42:42] » So move second.
>> I have a motion by council member White
[42:45] Williams and a second by councelor Dasha
to approve resolution 2026-61.
[42:50] Discussion from the council. Discussion
from the public. All in favor?
[42:57] All oppose
[43:02] extension.
>> So um three
[43:08] » approved.
>> I
[43:12] three approved. Three abstain.
>> I abain last time. That's what I
[43:20] » No, you voted against it. Oh, okay.
>> What you can I mean what are you doing
[43:27] tonight?
>> Okay.
[43:29] » Abstaining.
>> I have a three 33 for resolution 202661.
[43:36] I don't understand what that means.
>> I don't know.
[43:39] » Bill,
>> I'm sorry.
[43:42] » The question whether or not the motion
passed.
[43:44] » Yeah,
>> the mot the motion passed. The
[43:46] abstensions don't count as as votes.
It's as if the council member is not
[43:49] there.
>> Okay.
[43:51] U resolution 202661 pass three um
approved three abstain. Moving on to
[43:57] agenda item 8B consideration and action
to approve ordinance 2026-15. This is a
[44:02] second read to index the certain
properties bearing partial
[44:05] identification number 010 010006021
and being 3.897
[44:13] acres plus or minus into the city
pursuant to the 100% method of OCGA
[44:18] 363621. And I need a motion to approve
it to deny.
[44:22] » Can I ask a question before we do that?
>> Uhhuh.
[44:24] » Since Henry County has put in their
objection, should we kind of table this
[44:30] to to hear what they're what's happening
with that?
[44:34] » We've already heard back from um ARC DCA
in regard. Go ahead.
[44:40] » From Yes, Mayor. From DCA, uh we
received a response that the the
[44:45] objection that was posted was
insufficient. Henry County does have the
[44:48] opportunity to amend. I believe that
runs sometime this this week, but
[44:53] nothing precludes you from making an
action. And in fact, nothing that DCA
[44:57] does can prevent this annexation. It it
can impact a zoning request, which this
[45:03] one doesn't have an accompanying zoning
request. So, you can move forward with
[45:07] the action. DCA currently there is no
objection.
[45:12] » Thank you. I need a motion to approve or
to deny resolution 202615.
[45:18] » Madame Mayor, I move that we approve
ordinance 202615.
[45:21] Second read.
>> I have a motion by council member Meeks
[45:24] to approve ordinance 2026-15 by council
member Meeks. Do I have a second?
[45:30] » A second.
>> Have a second by council member Mitchell
[45:35] to annex into the three. Any further
discussion from the council?
[45:40] Discussion from the public. All in
favor?
[45:46] » I have a
>> six
[45:48] » in favor.
>> I have a 6.
[45:51] Moving on to agenda item 8 C.
Considerate council to approve
[45:54] authorizing the mayor to sign resolution
202672 for the CD CBDG grant approved at
[46:00] the August 11, 2026 meeting. Need a
motion to approve.
[46:05] » So move.
>> Second. Have a motion by council member
[46:07] White Williams and a second by council
member Duchaine to approve resolution
[46:10] 202672.
Discussion from the council.
[46:15] Discussion from the public. All in
favor?
[46:19] I have a 6. Agenda item 8D.
Consideration and action for approval of
[46:24] an RFP to design a new city logo and to
allow citizens input.
[46:30] » So move.
>> I have a motion by council member White
[46:32] Williams.
>> Second. Second by council member
[46:35] Mitchell.
[46:38] » Discussion from the council.
>> So, this is going to before we say
[46:44] design, it's going to include the
public's first input or is it we're
[46:48] going to design and then show it to the
public?
[46:53] » Um, do you have numbers on how much
we've spent on the logo the first logo
[46:58] chief?
[47:01] » Yes, ma'am. They
It was done when Miss Woodard was the
[47:06] main street director and the amount of
receipts the amount of invoices I can
[47:12] find were right around 20 grand is what
it for the the complete
[47:18] not just you know the because we went
through a couple of iterations if the
[47:22] council will remember had a couple
different presentation I can find up to
[47:26] about $20,000 that we spent to design
the current logo if it's the will of the
[47:32] mayor and council. What I from what it
sounds like, we probably need to have
[47:38] some type of community input prior to
putting it out to an RFP to where we
[47:44] could we could give them some ideas to
if that if that's the will of the
[47:50] council.
And I don't I mean that's something I I
[47:55] certainly don't mind working through,
but I would have to get some direction
[47:59] on, you know, I don't
>> Well, I think To me, I think we should
[48:04] have a firm first, then have the firm
meet with the citizens and the count
[48:09] like and get the feedback
>> like an open house. Is that what you're
[48:13] saying?
>> Yes. Sure.
[48:15] » Yes.
[48:18] » Okay. So, that's the direction of the
council or if this passes to to do that
[48:25] with the city manager. Is that correct?
All right. So, I have a motion on the
[48:30] floor. Is there any discussion from the
public?
[48:35] So, I have a motion on the floor to
approve uh putting out for RFP a design
[48:40] for a new city logo to allow citizens
input by Council Member White Williams
[48:43] and the second by Council Member
Mitchell. All in favor? All opposed?
[48:49] I have a 512.
>> I'm sorry. I have 42. You said no. Okay.
[48:55] 42. Sorry.
Moving on to agenda item nine. consent
[49:00] agenda. Seeing that we have nothing
under the consent agenda, we will move
[49:04] forward to agenda item 10 A, new
business, consideration for council on
[49:09] the first read of ordinance 2026,
FY202627
[49:13] budget.
>> We're going to redo everything we did
[49:16] this morning.
>> Everything. [laughter]
[49:19] I do have
um if do we have that?
[49:23] » That was
>> Yes, ma'am. I'm just going to give the
[49:26] highlights of the 27 budget. We had a I
think a six and a half hour
[49:31] » budget workshop today.
>> So, thank you to the mayor and council
[49:35] for um all the diligent questions and
all of the response that we got. We got
[49:41] a lot of immediate response from you.
I'm sure there'll be some more.
[49:44] [clears throat] Um we will um we'll
incorporate those changes in a final
[49:49] read. Um certainly the ones that had
consensus and if there are other things
[49:55] that we we need to get changed, we'll
get corrected up before before you guys
[50:00] get a final read. Um but the highlights
was there was a 5% Henry County Water
[50:05] Association rate increase that was
passed through um an annual 2.5
[50:10] sanitation increase. We didn't have any
no utility rate increase to our our
[50:15] citizens. So that's a
um a benefit to our residents. No
[50:23] wastewater rate increase. Um we did have
a huge increase in liability insurance.
[50:27] I know that was talked about a lot
during the the budget the budget
[50:31] workshop. Had a 10% increase in
workman's comp, a 10% increase for the
[50:36] wages for hourly public works staff,
public works and utility staff. Um we
[50:42] had no increase in taxes and we
presented you a a balanced budget before
[50:46] the changes today.
All right. So, we have all been educated
[50:51] today for about six to seven hours on
our budget. Um, of course, this is just
[50:56] the first read of the budget. So, I need
a motion to approve the budget as
[51:00] presented as of today.
>> I move that we approve first read of
[51:05] ordinance 2026-16.
>> I have a motion by council member Mix to
[51:10] approve ordinance 202616 FY2026 2027
budget. Do I have a second?
[51:16] » A second. have a second by council
member Cheney. Any discussion from the
[51:20] council?
Yeah, I would like to
[51:26] um say that I would like it the next
read to come back with seeing the
[51:31] director's salaries frozen as discussed
that during our
[51:39] » so freezing the director salaries
>> and making sure that all the the uh
[51:46] hourly workers that are making less than
20 dollars is making at least that 19
[51:51] whatever.
>> Yes, ma'am. That's that's in there. Um I
[51:54] will I will meet with council and make
sure we have a consensus before but but
[52:01] I will certainly bring that to everyone.
>> That's just for me.
[52:05] » Yeah, I I was going to say because I I
think that the directors deserve a a
[52:09] raise just like everybody else. That's
just my opinion about it. And um
[52:15] » the freeze you're talking about is the
cola and the merit.
[52:18] » Yeah.
>> Yes, ma'am. I won't.
[52:19] » That's a cost of living raise and their
merit raise based on their performance
[52:23] of what they do for the city. And we're
going to we're not going to give them a
[52:27] raise. We give everybody else a raise.
>> I would like to see what their uh
[52:33] percentage on our scale. What where
they're are they at 50%, what where are
[52:38] they landing in that scale?
>> Oh, you mean on the the stepping grade?
[52:45] » Stepping grade.
>> Yes, ma'am. I I will certainly um talk
[52:48] to all council members to make sure I
have a consensus and the those and some
[52:54] other changes that you guys requested
this morning.
[52:56] » Well, I think the council needs to weigh
in on it now. Okay.
[52:58] » Yeah. I I because I don't want it to be
said that one said something that let's
[53:05] just make a decision on whether or not
if we are going to give everybody a pay
[53:10] raise including the directors. that I
think that's the question that is on the
[53:16] table. Am I right, Council Member
Duchaine?
[53:20] Any discussion from the council?
>> Yes. Um,
[53:23] » yes, ma'am. Miss Brooks,
>> in order to make that decision, I would
[53:26] like to see the impact on the budget for
department heads withholding the merit
[53:34] cost of living uh in the merit increase.
What impact will it have on the budget?
[53:40] and maybe a list of of salaries.
>> So, we have the list of salaries
[53:46] » and that's one thing I did provide
everybody's salaries was provided to
[53:50] every
>> in our booklet, but maybe a spreadsheet
[53:54] that kind of shows, please.
>> Okay. So, that's Miss Melissa. She she
[53:59] wants what Mr. Shane want. What about
you, Marty? Madame Mayor, uh first of
[54:03] all, I'd like to applaud the 10%
increase for our hourly hourly
[54:08] employees, plus the cost of living, plus
the 2.5 merit. I think that is welld
[54:14] deserved. When I ride by and see these
guys and gals out in the hot sun or out
[54:19] in the cold weather or down in a mud
hole, I appreciate what they do for
[54:25] everybody in this city. And I thank you
for putting that into the budget. And I
[54:30] think everybody deserves a raise.
>> Okay. Council member Mitchell.
[54:45] [clears throat]
[54:54] » I will stand as it is at this time.
>> I'm sorry, sir. Stand as it is at this
[54:59] time. stand as it is. Yes, sir.
>> Like it to stay like it is like it was
[55:03] presented to us. Okay. Council member
White Williams.
[55:07] » Um
>> so I know we said the 1950 I think that
[55:12] was
>> I think it was 1990 was the correct
[55:15] number. I think it averaged out to 1990.
I believe it's still a thing.
[55:22] » 1979 is the the minimum starting for
hourly workers.
[55:28] » Okay. And I know earlier in in the
meeting today, we talked about
[55:32] compression. Um,
by putting every all of anyone less than
[55:39] $20 an hour from 1979
to $20,
[55:46] how much of a compression would we see?
>> No, you went with just adding 11 cents.
[55:52] » Okay.
>> To or 21 cents, I apologize. that if you
[55:55] wanted it to go up to 20, we certainly
could make that adjustment in the budget
[55:59] just so you had that that number of $20
an hour. But where the compression that
[56:04] I was speaking of would happen if you
only did it for your your starting pay,
[56:10] then anyone had been here say three
years who started at 1762,
[56:16] that salary compression would occur. You
may have somebody that been here three
[56:20] years and may only be at $20
an hour. That's where the compression
[56:27] would occur. The adding 21 cents an hour
would not do that if we added it to the
[56:35] the people who came in at whatever the
17
[56:39] » 1970.
>> No, no, no. But 17 what? 1762 or
[56:43] whatever that was. If you wanted it to
go up that 21 cents an hour, that
[56:47] doesn't compre
does not attribute it to a compression
[56:51] issue.
>> Okay. So, I I would I would I think we
[56:55] should just put everyone that's less
um that's at the 1762. That's less than
[57:03] $20 an hour. I just think we should put
them at 20.
[57:08] » Um the 21 cents is not going to make us
or break us. Um while I do believe that
[57:15] um the directors are they made
significantly more um like I said
[57:22] earlier based on our city size you know
we're a small city even though we're a
[57:27] metro we're still small um if if it
comes down to all or none like if if
[57:38] either everyone gets a raise or or cost
of living in and two and a half or no
[57:43] one gets it. Um I would support the
budget the way it is. Yes.
[57:49] » Um but I I definitely would like for our
employees that are less than 20 bucks an
[57:57] hour for that to be their minimum their
minimum rate. Can
[58:01] » can I start back over Miss Brooks? Are
you okay with that? And the 21 cents an
[58:04] hour to get everybody at 20. Mr. Meeks,
>> Mr. Mitchell, Madame Mayor,
[58:11] Mayor Pro Tim,
Miss White, I mean Miss Duchain, and
[58:16] Miss Shane.
>> Absolutely.
[58:17] » Okay. So,
>> I think they deserve
[58:19] » So, our So, what you're in essence
saying is that our new minimum start pay
[58:25] is $20 an hour.
>> It's going to be $20 an hour. Yes,
[58:28] ma'am.
>> And I think that number matters to our
[58:31] employees.
>> And that is across the board in every
[58:34] department.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[58:35] » Okay. Not just public works. Not just
not just public works. That's right.
[58:38] Every department
>> because customer service is making
[58:41] better.
Yes, ma'am. We will if we need to I will
[58:45] I will meet with department heads
tomorrow to make those necessary just
[58:48] for the to finish it up. Mr. Shane,
that's you started so I'll go to Miss
[58:52] Cheney.
>> Um I support the budget as it was
[58:56] presented. Um these directors and
everybody works hard. Um they're working
[59:02] day and night. you know, just like
Michael Jackson, they got me working day
[59:05] and night and I know they work um the
utilities department, the water
[59:10] department, and I looked at some of
these salaries and I cringed, you know,
[59:15] in the low30s. You I mean, you can't
hardly feed your family for that amount
[59:21] of money. And I was home Friday and they
were working in our community in a
[59:26] ditch. It was 100 degrees.
>> Yes, sir. And I was like, Lord, I'm not
[59:30] even gonna ride that way because, you
know, I I felt them like even in my car.
[59:36] So, I support the raises. I support the
budget adding the everybody starting at
[59:43] $20 per hour. I support that.
>> Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
[59:46] » And I I will give credit, you know, Mr.
Meeks, thank me for putting it in. I
[59:51] will give credit to Mr. West and Mr.
Connor. they did all the back work to
[59:55] provide the information of of why that
10% was warranted. So, um they they
[1:00:01] certainly and then Mr. King, you know,
jumped on with them. So, the department
[1:00:06] heads did exactly what they're supposed
to and looked out for their folks.
[1:00:09] » Okay. So, I just want to make sure we we
all clear everyone, not just public
[1:00:16] works, because $36,000 in public works
and $36,000 in customer service is the
[1:00:22] same $36,000.
They shop at the same stores. They have
[1:00:26] the same bills. So, I don't I don't want
us to just focus on one department. I
[1:00:30] think if we're going to do it,
>> we do it across the board for everyone.
[1:00:34] So, like I said, I'm in favor
>> if it's all or none. I'm gonna have to
[1:00:40] go with
>> the all.
[1:00:42] » All all full-time employees will start
new starting salary will be set at the
[1:00:48] $20 range. Department heads will receive
a raise cola and
[1:00:53] » merit
>> merit raise as well.
[1:00:55] » Yes, ma'am.
>> Everybody,
[1:00:56] » I confirm with Miss Katrina we only have
one non-public works employee that is
[1:01:01] currently would be affected, but we'll
make that change in the final
[1:01:04] presentation to you guys.
>> All right.
[1:01:06] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[1:01:12] I have a motion on the floor to approve
the FY2026 2027 budget by Council Member
[1:01:18] Meeks and a second by Council Member
Cheney as presented um with the
[1:01:21] [clears throat] adjustments that was
just discussed. All All in favor?
[1:01:26] All opposed?
I have a 51.
[1:01:32] 10B. Consideration and action by the
city of Hampton mayoring council for the
[1:01:36] purpose of proposal of approving
resolution 202660 concerning the
[1:01:40] transmitt of the city of Hampton 2025
annual CIE reporting covering FY25
[1:01:45] capital improvement elements update to
ARC for review. I need a motion to
[1:01:50] approve.
>> Madame Mayor, I move we approve
[1:01:54] resolution 2026-60.
[1:01:58] » Second. Have a motion by council member
Meeks and a second by council member
[1:02:01] Mitchell to approve resolution 2026-60.
Discussion from the council.
[1:02:07] Discussion from the public. All in
favor? I have a 6.
[1:02:12] Moving on to agenda item 10.
[1:02:21] » Kind of weird. Is it
[laughter]
[1:02:26] » go C consideration and approval of
resolution 202662
[1:02:30] authorizing execution of a license
agreement between Central of Georgia
[1:02:34] Railroad Company and the city of Hampton
for the installation of underground
[1:02:38] transverse crossing of an 18inch steel
casing containing one 10-in duct tile
[1:02:44] iron force mane sewer carrier at the
near mport S6 I mean 261.4
[1:02:51] 14 Georgia Division latitude 33.3778
longitude 842928
[1:02:58] in Hampton Henry County, Georgia. I need
a motion to approve or to deny.
[1:03:03] » Um I make a motion to approve resolution
20 2642
[1:03:08] » 62. Uh
>> oh 62.
[1:03:10] » That is
>> I have a motion by council member Cheney
[1:03:13] to approve resolution 202662 and a
second by council member Meeks.
[1:03:18] Discussion from the council.
>> Yes. No,
[1:03:21] » sorry.
>> Located discussion
[1:03:25] » where's so where's this going to affect
where's this exactly
[1:03:29] » piping running up
>> ma'am what what question you
[1:03:34] » where is this location that it's going
to h where is this happening at
[1:03:37] » uh it's it's got the mile post so it'll
be on this end uh the new force man for
[1:03:42] uh Henderson Farms phase two it'll it'll
go on a railroad track just standard
[1:03:47] railroad fair they make everybody jump
through hoops to anything.
[1:03:50] » Is it going to affect traffic?
>> It will not. You won't even see it. You
[1:03:54] won't see it.
>> Okay.
[1:03:55] » Okay. Any discussion from the public?
All in favor?
[1:04:00] » I have a 6.
Moving on to agenda item D,
[1:04:05] consideration and action on the
appointment of a Main Street economic
[1:04:09] development director, Mr. Rodri Wallace,
at the recommendation of the city
[1:04:12] manager.
>> Yes, madame mayor. Um,
[1:04:17] » started in October, Mr. Wallace
interviewed with the city of Hampton. Um
[1:04:21] he initially interviewed with myself and
Miss Atwater. Um
[1:04:26] with timing the way it was, then the
subsequent interview was not done until
[1:04:31] after Mr. Baker got here and then Mr.
Baker and Miss Atwater started. Um just
[1:04:37] to give some of the highlights, he was
um a development executive with EN
[1:04:42] International. Um he worked for Athens
Clark County for Atlanta Housing. Um,
[1:04:48] Atlanta Housing, he was the director of
devel development and neighborhood
[1:04:52] revitalization from 2018 through thou
2023.
[1:04:56] And from 2005 to 2016, he was the
executive director of um development,
[1:05:04] director of public and private
partnerships. I recommend that the mayor
[1:05:08] and council appoint Mr. Wave as Main
Street director or
[1:05:15] community economic development director
Main Street.
[1:05:21] » I need a motion to approve the
appointment of Main Street director, Mr.
[1:05:25] Rodick Wallace, as recommended by the
city manager.
[1:05:28] » So move.
>> Second.
[1:05:30] » I have a motion by council member White
Williams and a second by council member
[1:05:33] Meeks to approve Mr. Wallace as the main
street economic development director.
[1:05:38] Discussion from the council. Discussion
from the public. All in favor?
[1:05:45] All oppose?
I have a 42.
[1:05:50] Moving on to agenda item 10E,
consideration and action to approve
[1:05:54] resolution 202663 to accept GOT
competitive funding proposal for the
[1:05:58] transportation alternative and
congestion mitigation and air quality
[1:06:02] improvement program for the inspection
realignment for East King Road,
[1:06:06] Rosenwall Drive, and Mcdana Street
project for the preliminary engineering
[1:06:09] and design phase. The project is
approved to receive $640,000 in MCAQ
[1:06:16] funding for the PE phase with 20% match
funding of $160,000. I need a motion to
[1:06:23] appro to deny resolution 202663.
>> Madame Mayor, I move we approve
[1:06:28] resolution 2026-63.
>> Second.
[1:06:32] » I have a motion by Council Member Meeks
and a second by Council Member Mitchell
[1:06:35] to approve resolution 202663.
Discussion from the council.
[1:06:41] Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the
intersection where Rosenwald, Mcdana
[1:06:46] Street, and East King.
>> That is right.
[1:06:50] » And it is
>> where we got two stop signs. Three three
[1:06:52] stop signs.
>> It's been dangerous ever since it was
[1:06:55] paved.
>> That's right.
[1:06:56] » Yes. Thank you.
>> All right. Any discussion from the
[1:07:00] public? All in favor? All opposed?
I have a 6. Agenda item 10F,
[1:07:07] consideration and action for approval of
resolution 202670 RFQ for consulting
[1:07:12] services for the city of Hampton
Rosenwell City Park. Need a motion to
[1:07:15] approve or to deny.
[1:07:20] » Madame Mayor, I move we approve
resolution 2026-70.
[1:07:25] » I have a motion on the floor by council
member Mix to approve 2026-70.
[1:07:29] Do I have a second?
>> A second. I have a second by council
[1:07:34] member Cheney. Discussion from the
council.
[1:07:39] Discussion from the public. All in
favor?
[1:07:44] All opposed? I have a 6. Moving on to
agenda item 10G, consideration and
[1:07:49] action to approve resolution 202664, the
for the issuance of the city of Hampton
[1:07:55] 2026 RFQ for professional engineering
services. I need a motion to approve
[1:08:00] resolution 202664.
[1:08:04] I have a motion on the floor by council
member Brooks to approve resolution
[1:08:07] 202664. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
[1:08:10] » Second by council member Mitchell.
Discussion from the council.
[1:08:14] » So are
engineer are we going to send these up
[1:08:17] for architect?
>> That's right. So we're opening up our
[1:08:20] RFQ for engineering services. So um you
know we were under where we had five
[1:08:27] that were providing the service. Now
we're just going out to bid so that we
[1:08:30] can get some additional, you know, uh,
engineering firms so we can put them on
[1:08:34] our list to be able to use so that they
then will have an opportunity to bid on
[1:08:39] our projects.
>> We open the floodgates.
[1:08:44] » Well, we want to we want to get some
some more firms. We want to give some
[1:08:48] more firms opportunity.
>> Is this going to be a 30-day like what
[1:08:50] is this?
>> Just wonder is this a 30 or 45 day RFQ?
[1:08:55] » I have to advertise it two weeks. Okay.
Two weeks.
[1:09:01] » Okay. All right. Thank you. Any
discussion from the public? All in
[1:09:06] favor?
I have a 6. Agenda item 10H,
[1:09:11] consideration and action of resolution
202665
[1:09:15] for the extension of agreement ITB
2025200 annual contract for paving and
[1:09:21] milling construction with DAFF concrete,
Inc.
[1:09:26] Need a motion to approve or
[clears throat] deny.
[1:09:27] » Madame Mayor, I move we approve
resolution 2026-65.
[1:09:33] » Do I have a second?
[1:09:37] » Second.
>> Have a second by council member Mitchell
[1:09:41] to approve resolution 202665.
>> These are the same that have paved all
[1:09:47] the streets that have been paved in the
recent years.
[1:09:52] » Not not paid.
>> Not paid. Um they are
[1:09:54] » Oh, the milling
>> the milling and storm water.
[1:09:57] » Okay.
>> Gotcha.
[1:10:02] » Any other discussion?
Discussion from public. All in favor?
[1:10:09] All oppose? I have a 6-0. Moving on to
agenda item 10. I consideration and
[1:10:14] action to approve resolution 202666 for
judicial al alternatives of Georgia
[1:10:21] which is JAG probation services
agreement. This is a um we're re
[1:10:30] this is the probation company that we
use to monitor. Doesn't cost the city
[1:10:34] anything. They as they put people on
probation, they monitor them and then
[1:10:40] they submit payments to us but to the
city like for the fine amounts and
[1:10:45] things like that. It's just a
continuation of that contract.
[1:10:47] » Okay. I need a motion to approve of
today resolution 202666.
[1:10:52] » May I make a motion to approve?
>> I have a motion by council member
[1:10:55] Mitchell to approve resolution 202666
and a second by council member Duchaine.
[1:11:02] Any further discussion from the council?
Any discussion from the public? All in
[1:11:07] favor? I have a 6-0.
Item 10J, consideration and action to
[1:11:14] approve resolution 20267, appointing a
firm to search for the next city
[1:11:18] manager. I need a motion and a
appointment for this particular firm. I
[1:11:25] make a motion to approve resolution
202668
[1:11:30] » 67. Oh, I'm I'm going too fast. 67. Uh,
the appointment is Sumpter Consultant.
[1:11:36] » Sumpter.
>> All right.
[1:11:41] » Second.
>> I have a motion by council member Cheney
[1:11:44] and a second by council member Meeks to
approve Sumpter
[1:11:48] as a cons as the consulting firm for the
city manager to search for the city
[1:11:52] manager. Discussion from the council.
>> Sumpter was the first one.
[1:12:01] So, um, the second firm, I can't
remember their name. Um,
[1:12:06] » developmental
[1:12:10] » I think that they
>> I like them better.
[1:12:12] » I think they would do an ex like I mean
we would
[1:12:18] I don't even think we need to interview
after they [laughter] what they like
[1:12:22] they're like they were
>> they were good. They were good.
[1:12:27] » Um,
>> I know they were more expensive,
[1:12:31] » but
>> Well, I think that their services out.
[1:12:36] » Yeah, I think with that that
>> there is no
[1:12:41] guess second, you know, I mean, second
guessing.
[1:12:43] » Yeah, I I would agree.
>> Madam Mayor, the only thing I want to
[1:12:47] make sure that at
>> it's an unbudgeted item. So if part of
[1:12:52] this if you tell me where to pay for it
out of.
[1:12:55] » Okay.
>> So um with that unbudgeted item since
[1:13:00] they said that it would take at least 60
days to
[1:13:06] um find even I guess start the process
of putting it out there. Can we just
[1:13:12] take that um the cost from the city
manager's salary?
[1:13:20] Um because it's only what how many days
left in the fiscal year? Not many. Is
[1:13:27] that something we could do since
>> So we're not going to pay them until our
[1:13:30] next fiscal budget cuz that's when they
said that they act well.
[1:13:34] » Maybe I'm incorrect, but I think what
Miss White Williams is saying is instead
[1:13:37] of taking it somewhere else, use the
savings that we had from what we didn't
[1:13:42] pay the city manager because I still
come out of the other side. So I think
[1:13:47] » in the upcoming budget.
>> No, in this current budget.
[1:13:49] » In this current budget,
>> you want to encumber.
[1:13:52] » Well, not not really encumbering. What
we would do is we would transfer out of
[1:13:57] the personnel of the city manager to
professional services. And we would have
[1:14:04] to do a budget amendment because anytime
we move from one section to another
[1:14:08] requires you guys' approval. But we
could come back and
[1:14:12] » so
the you we won't have to do a budget
[1:14:16] amen amendment from line item to line
item. However, what I'm saying is that
[1:14:21] they're not going to get paid until our
next budget and you're trying to pay
[1:14:26] them out of this budget.
>> Either budget that you you tell me to
[1:14:30] get it out of, we could do it. We could
do it out of the 26 or we could do it
[1:14:34] out of 27 because there will be two
months.
[1:14:36] » Yeah.
>> Of that is not paid. So I could do it
[1:14:39] either way. Now that that may be a
question for the company. They may not
[1:14:43] start until we submit payment.
>> No, they don't. They I mean they told us
[1:14:47] they told us that
>> payment up front.
[1:14:49] » They a little Right. But the main
payment is at the end at the end of it.
[1:14:54] » We could do it out the 27 budget out the
city manager's budget.
[1:14:57] » Yeah. Because I mean we
>> So it depends on which company we go
[1:15:01] with because we're still not going to
have enough money.
[1:15:03] » Well, no. This second the first company
had a schedule breakdown of how they
[1:15:07] wanted to get paid. The second one said
that they were going to bill at the end.
[1:15:12] » They just take incidentals.
>> Yeah. Inc. And then
[1:15:15] » payment at the end.
>> Um
[1:15:19] » if if y'all y'all pick one and then you
is if you're telling me to take it out
[1:15:23] of the city manager.
>> Can it? I think we can do that.
[1:15:26] » Can it be done? Because our fiscal year
starts October 1st. if they aren't even
[1:15:34] going to have any candidates for us to
interview until maybe I'm gonna say
[1:15:39] January because anything after um
November 15th is January 1st.
[1:15:45] » So that's almost three months of a
salary that we're not having to pay.
[1:15:51] » Yes, ma'am. Um,
>> so we will have it. Yeah,
[1:15:54] » we would have it.
>> Plus, they're going to have, you know,
[1:15:57] they're going to have to do the job book
and they're going to engaged with us and
[1:16:02] directors and citiz.
>> Okay. So, so let's let's tackle one
[1:16:07] thing at a time. Who are we hiring? And
then um we already done figured out it
[1:16:11] can come out of the city manager sign.
>> So, with that being said, I will make
[1:16:16] the motion.
>> We have a motion on the floor for
[1:16:18] Zumpter.
>> Okay. by council member Cheney and
[1:16:21] council member Meek. So let's let's vote
um and yeah let's vote for
[1:16:28] » that one. Any further discussion from
the council? Discussion from the public.
[1:16:33] » How much?
>> Uh how much?
[1:16:36] » Um you have a question from the
audience?
[1:16:38] » Yes. Can we please please don't yell
from the back? Mr. Charlie, come to the
[1:16:41] podium.
[1:16:46] Apologize
[1:16:53] for that. Um, how how much is this going
to cost?
[1:16:57] » Yes, sir.
>> Because there's a couple of things on
[1:16:59] the agenda tonight that y'all approving
stuff, but we don't see what it's going
[1:17:02] to cost the city. So, be nice to know,
you know, on the agenda. If you're going
[1:17:07] to hire a company to do work, we ought
to know how much it's going to be that
[1:17:11] you're going to get paid him and you
know what we're going to be paying them
[1:17:14] for the service. That's all.
>> Can I make a comment?
[1:17:18] » One second. We're going to let Chief
provide the numbers for both of those
[1:17:22] companies.
[1:17:26] » I'm going on memory, so not can't give
exact. I believe the first one was
[1:17:33] around 18,000. The second was around
32,000.
[1:17:38] » Yeah.
>> And y'all would remember the names. I
[1:17:40] just remember the order.
>> Right.
[1:17:42] So Sumpter was eight right around 18 and
uh development was around 32.
[1:17:46] » Yes, ma'am.
>> Right.
[1:17:48] » Council member Cheney.
>> Um I'm making my decision based based on
[1:17:52] the second consultant. I was engaged. I
really he you know he did an amazing job
[1:17:58] talking about the IQ EQs setting up
modules but being a good steward of the
[1:18:06] citizens money 18,000 versus 30,000
um and I read the first um Sumpter's
[1:18:15] information because I didn't have a face
to face with him but the second one you
[1:18:20] know they did a good presentation but
me.
[1:18:25] I can't see paying $30,000 for
consultant to hire a city matter. That's
[1:18:30] just me.
>> Thank you. Any further discussion from
[1:18:33] the council? I have a motion on the
floor to approve Sumpter as the U firm
[1:18:38] that will provide the services for the
next city manager by council member
[1:18:42] Cheney, a second by council member
Meeks. All in favor?
[1:18:48] All oppose?
[1:18:52] Did you vote?
>> Oh, I'm I'm in favor.
[1:18:55] » All in favor? 42.
>> Sumpter.
[1:18:58] » Sumpter. So, Sumpter passes 42 and we
will we will get the money out of the
[1:19:05] city manager's budget. Moving on to
agenda item 10K, consideration and
[1:19:10] action on resolution 202668, authorizing
the city to maintain the O'Neal Church.
[1:19:15] I need a motion to approve or to deny.
>> Church or cemetery. I mean cemetery.
[1:19:22] » I make a motion to approve.
>> I have a motion by C May Pro Tim White
[1:19:27] Williams. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
[1:19:30] » Second by council member Cheney to
approve resolution 202668.
[1:19:37] » Discussion from the council.
>> Yes, I do have discussion. Okay. What
[1:19:40] does that mean? Uh the city to maintain
O'Neal Cemetery. Have all the legal
[1:19:48] assessments, financial assessments been
made? I mean, does that mean we're going
[1:19:52] to own it or we're just going to
maintain it?
[1:19:55] » So, Mr. Deal, can you please explain to
council what they have in their package?
[1:20:00] » Yeah, the the the resolution is only to
maintain and and maintain is defined in
[1:20:05] in the statute. Essentially, it means
that we can preserve the property. uh we
[1:20:10] can do some some kind of general
cleanup, but we can't disturb any of the
[1:20:14] of the ground or any of the uh
headstones or or any of the other
[1:20:17] features of the cemetery. So, it is
essentially to to protect and then to to
[1:20:22] do some basic maintenance.
>> Okay. And I believe in on the 22nd that
[1:20:28] budget read will add to that to actually
do adopt the resolution like we had u
[1:20:33] for the Thompson's um
Thompson Cemetery here in the city of
[1:20:39] Hampton. There's a resolution that um
actually gives the city the authority to
[1:20:44] be able to um
>> Okay. Although I've sent our packet, I
[1:20:49] thought it was important that the public
knew exactly what maintain meant. Yes.
[1:20:54] because they don't have our packets.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[1:20:56] » So,
>> and
[1:20:57] » I'm sorry.
>> There there is a budget outline item for
[1:20:59] cemetery that's in the public works
budget. the the role will be to preserve
[1:21:07] um and with the aids of that cemetery
and talking to the DOT archaeologist,
[1:21:14] there will be very little upkeep that
city staff does just because of the the
[1:21:20] the potential for for disturbing grave
sites. So, we will work closely with the
[1:21:27] historic preservation committee and
ensure that everything's done to in the
[1:21:32] interest of preserving. I know they're
they're attempting to get it on the
[1:21:36] national registry um and the state
registry. So, staff will work closely
[1:21:41] with with the historic preservation
committee to make sure we're doing it
[1:21:45] the right way.
>> Okay. So,
[1:21:49] does that mean the historic preservation
will be the only one? Um I know we have
[1:21:54] the honor the roots.
>> No, we we would be the city would be
[1:21:57] open to work with anyone. Okay.
>> Who has the same interest in preserving
[1:22:02] and protecting the
>> I would like for Miss is it Miss Hand
[1:22:09] Miss Han, you know, and for us to try to
find more descendants of the folks that
[1:22:17] are buried there. Um, so we know exactly
where where the sites are. I don't I
[1:22:23] just don't want us to go in there and,
you know, disturbing and we're not we
[1:22:27] haven't done any homework on where these
sites are and so on and so forth. So I I
[1:22:33] am I am in favor of us,
>> you know, preserving the cemetery but
[1:22:39] without disturbing
>> um the cemetery. So, so we have done
[1:22:44] quite a bit of of research and we have
quite a bit of the history of the O'Neal
[1:22:49] Cemetery. We have quite a bit of the
records. The HHPC has been gathering
[1:22:54] information for at least a year in
regards to that cemetery. And so, they
[1:22:59] do have quite a bit of it. They know
some of the markers. They know some of
[1:23:03] the people that's laid to rest there.
Now, there has not been any outreach to
[1:23:07] family members or anything of that
nature. Of course, usually if it's your
[1:23:12] family member, you would be the one that
would, you know, come and visit. But so,
[1:23:16] but um so we do have quite a bit of that
information that they have worked
[1:23:21] diligently to put together for this
cemetery. And so just like with the
[1:23:26] Thompson Creek at the on Main Street
here,
[1:23:31] because of the law, it had been
abandoned. And with it being abandoned
[1:23:35] and now inside of our city limits, the
law said that we, you know, kind of fell
[1:23:40] on us to start to maintain it and and
keep it up. And as the chief just said,
[1:23:44] we don't want to disturb it. We
definitely don't want uh according to
[1:23:47] the G dot [clears throat] um
archaeologist, we don't want to go and
[1:23:51] start, you know, messing with the
headstones and things of that nature
[1:23:54] because we don't want to break anything
and we don't want to, you know, mess
[1:23:57] anything up. Um some of the markers are
unique in who made them. So they found
[1:24:04] out all that information about those
markers. So um I think that this is the
[1:24:09] first step. Next step would be the
resolution to to actually you know for
[1:24:14] the city to to take it over.
>> I would like
[1:24:19] » this is the that resolution for us to
>> right take it take
[1:24:23] » to take it over. Yes ma'am. I would ask
you guys to work with
[1:24:26] » with Miss Hy
um in regards to what you know I mean
[1:24:32] just
>> to include
[1:24:34] » one second one second I'm sorry
>> just just to have some sort you know you
[1:24:37] don't want to be alienating every like
>> you know just get some input as to the
[1:24:42] family
>> you're not alienating
[1:24:43] » no but I'm just saying alienating
>> um
[1:24:48] » for clarification the Thompson cemetery
was abandoned and state law requires
[1:24:55] that we assume the responsibility for
it. I believe Miss Han spoke earlier
[1:25:02] saying that her relatives are there and
she's willing to assume responsibility
[1:25:09] with the help of various groups. Are we
legally entitled to proceed?
[1:25:16] » We are. The the statute says that it if
there is any cemetery that shows uh that
[1:25:23] it is not being maintained that that we
have the option not the obligation in
[1:25:29] this circumstance the option to protect
and preserve the cemetery and that that
[1:25:34] again is is limited say that we're not
taking possession of the of the
[1:25:38] cemetery. Uh all we are able to do is to
maintain it to to keep up the the area.
[1:25:45] that says that we can do fencing uh or
something along those lines. I think I I
[1:25:50] don't know that any decision
particularly has been made as to fencing
[1:25:53] but it's just a maintenance obligation.
It is not we are not in acquiring the
[1:25:58] property in any way.
>> Thank you.
[1:26:01] » Okay. Is there an owner of O'Neal
Cemetery?
[1:26:04] » We became the owner.
>> We
[1:26:09] This does not give us ownership rights
at all. And I I've done a I know
[1:26:15] historic preservation committee's done a
lot of research. The last known honors
[1:26:20] is is a trust a three threeperson trust
that was last established in or last
[1:26:29] heard of in 1957 in Louisiana was the
last that anybody can find of where the
[1:26:35] trust was active. So still trying to
locate I mean that but I think that's
[1:26:42] part of what the council by asking the
by the city we're simply preserving and
[1:26:49] we're not doing anything to certainly
not to damage but not to we're not
[1:26:54] undertaking a let's you know go in and
redo it. We're preserving and part of
[1:27:01] preserving is we will work with the
historic preservation committee honor
[1:27:04] thy roots. anybody who can has a if we
can get that trust who actually owns it,
[1:27:11] we would love for them to take it over
and the city be able to step back and
[1:27:14] and not have a role in that. But I think
you know the the only role that the city
[1:27:19] needs to have is to preserve it until we
get it to the next phase.
[1:27:23] » He has a question. Since there may be a
trust, what legal option do we has to
[1:27:28] get involved into it?
>> It's abandoned.
[1:27:31] » It's abandoned.
>> Yeah. If it is abandoned or neglected,
[1:27:34] the cemetery, we don't necessarily have
to have title to the property. We can go
[1:27:39] in to protect and preserve the the
cemetery.
[1:27:44] » I I do I Miss Hannah.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[1:27:49] » I just have a question. Um, I
I'm a dosent with the Fed County
[1:27:57] Historical Society and I've had a lot of
training in preserving cemeteries being
[1:28:04] abandoned.
So, I would get a phone call, can would
[1:28:09] you please come and help us show us what
we're supposed to do, the dos and the
[1:28:15] don'ts? Long story short, so at the
O'Neal Cemetery,
[1:28:22] the way it has been disturbed is very
disturbing to me because there are
[1:28:28] people out there that do not have
experience or know what to look for. So
[1:28:34] if the city is their job is to only come
out to preserve and help clean up,
[1:28:42] what about the family? I know that the
you're saying that they have done
[1:28:48] research on the cemetery, but my thing
is the family that is still alive.
[1:28:57] A lot of people did not know about the
cemetery because a lot of the members
[1:29:03] are dead and gone. So I'm this person
I'm advocating for my family that when
[1:29:12] they saw the fence they were like oh so
we can't go in we can't go see our
[1:29:18] family members the city has taken it the
data center has taken it so we have no
[1:29:24] rights and with this new law is it 146
is that so we're supposed to be able to
[1:29:33] go out and to deserve the cemetery
and of course if there's if it's going
[1:29:40] to be a marker there that's good and
fine but
[1:29:45] my thing is I just feel like the city is
pushing me out and not no one is asking
[1:29:53] us questions until I just hear a little
bit now
[1:29:58] well what part do I play in
>> and I I guess
[1:30:02] » what say do I
I guess for me that's what I'm trying to
[1:30:06] figure out. How much is the city going
to be involved with
[1:30:13] the historic preservation, the city of
Hampton, um the family members, and any
[1:30:18] other organizations that want to help
preserve? Are we saying we're going to
[1:30:24] be the sole providers of preserving this
cemetery without
[1:30:29] um input from um outside organizations
as well as family?
[1:30:38] » Madam Mayor,
>> that's a council member. Would it be a a
[1:30:42] consideration to meet with
Miss Hand and the group that sponsors
[1:30:51] and backs her and prepare a memorandum
of understanding, some type of
[1:30:57] agreement?
>> I'd be happy to sit down with them. some
[1:30:59] type of agreement to where they would
say what they would like to see and then
[1:31:04] the city reciprocate
the city's position from the entire
[1:31:09] we're not trying to take over the
cemetery. We're trying to preserve and
[1:31:11] protect and the idea of putting a fence
up was to protect it from the things
[1:31:16] that they were concerned with and it
certainly was in no way ever to to keep
[1:31:21] anyone out. It was never a locked
facility. It was never anything like
[1:31:25] that. I understand how that can make you
feel, Miss Ham, but that wasn't the
[1:31:28] intention at all. But I will make sure I
exchange um numbers with um Miss Hand
[1:31:33] and whoever else she wants to be a part
of that and I'll facilitate that
[1:31:37] meeting.
>> I think
[1:31:39] I just want to make sure because I I
think there's some legal going on in
[1:31:44] this arena as well.
>> Yeah. So So I I I think that we can have
[1:31:47] the discussion. I don't know that I'd
necessarily frame it as an as anouou,
[1:31:51] but but certainly have having a
discussion and an understanding of of
[1:31:55] each person's role in the city's role. I
think that's beneficial. I just I don't
[1:31:59] want to tie contract terms to that.
>> But understood.
[1:32:03] » Okay. So, based on all of the
discussions
[1:32:08] um that I've heard, I would like to
resend my motion um
[1:32:13] um for the consideration in action for
the city to authorize u the maintaining
[1:32:18] of the O'Neal Cemetery until more
conversation and discussion can be had
[1:32:24] and we can figure out how this is going
to go.
[1:32:32] » All right. So, Council Member White
Williams has rescended her motion for
[1:32:36] resolution 202668.
Do I have anyone that would like to make
[1:32:40] a motion for 2026
to approve it or do are we going to wait
[1:32:45] on further discussion?
>> Madame Mayor, I move that we postpone
[1:32:50] resolution 202668
until some type of agreement can be
[1:32:56] reached between the parties for the
cemetery.
[1:33:00] I have a motion on the floor floor to
postpone um resolution 202668
[1:33:06] by council member Meeks.
>> Second by council member Duchaine.
[1:33:11] Discussion from the council.
>> Yes.
[1:33:14] » Um my name is Penny Williams. I'd like
to add something uh for consideration
[1:33:19] with regard to the cemetery. Uh if
there's going to be any type of
[1:33:22] maintaining, there are employees of the
city. They need to be aware of what and
[1:33:26] how it needs to be maintained because
when you have employees, they may just
[1:33:30] go out and get a rake and start scraping
things up and disrupt. So I think
[1:33:34] training needs to be a part of this
maintaining factor of the cemetery so
[1:33:40] you have people like yourself um the
archives whomever
[1:33:44] » I think they need to be trained properly
so that there is not further disruption
[1:33:49] within the cemetery.
>> Please consider that.
[1:33:52] » Thank you.
>> Thank you. Any more discussion from the
[1:33:55] public? All right. I have a motion on
the floor to postpone resolution 202668
[1:34:01] by council member Meeks and a second by
council member Desane. All in favor? All
[1:34:05] opposed? I have a 6. Moving on to agenda
item 10L, consideration action to ratify
[1:34:11] water tank maintenance agreement
resolution 202671.
[1:34:16] Um I need a motion to approve the
ratification of water tank maintenance
[1:34:21] agreement.
You guys are going to discuss and tell
[1:34:25] us.
>> No, we'll let you go.
[1:34:27] » Okay. Madame Mayor, I move that we
approve resolution 202671.
[1:34:32] » Second.
>> I have a motion by council member Meeks
[1:34:35] to approve resolution 202671 and a
second by council member Mitchell. Guys,
[1:34:40] yes,
>> mayor and council. I'm sorry. I
[1:34:44] » was going to say, tell us about this.
>> Yes, ma'am. Um, one thing that I
[1:34:48] discovered when we started the budget
process was this contract. Um, Mr. West
[1:34:53] was in through through the budget
preparation requesting I think it's
[1:34:58] $84,000 yearly in a line item. And I'm
like, "What are you, you know, what are
[1:35:04] we talking about?" He said, "That's our
tank maintenance." And I was like,
[1:35:08] "Okay." And a little bit of research and
discovered a contract that um previous
[1:35:14] city manager signed in March.
in March to procure the services. Um,
[1:35:23] couple things that I did. I had Mr. West
do he he had provided Mr. Baker with two
[1:35:30] quotes, one verbal and one um written
quote and also the one that Mr. Baker
[1:35:38] and Mr. West ended up going forward
with. I immediately brought it to the
[1:35:43] city attorney. Um got a well I got a
copy of the contract from the clerk. um
[1:35:48] took it to the city attorney and the one
thing Mr. West was adamant with was
[1:35:54] for the level of the what [snorts] we
needed for those two tanks. This is one
[1:35:58] of the only companies that can do it and
it was a
[1:36:05] far far superior service than the other
people would have would have provided.
[1:36:10] So he advocated to Mr. Baker to approve
that. Um, I I immediately went to Mr.
[1:36:18] Deal and said, "And all right, what do
we do?" And one of the things that he
[1:36:22] recommended, he said, "If that is a
provider that y'all want to continue to
[1:36:25] do business with, it would need to be
taken to the council and ratified." So,
[1:36:29] that's what brings us here today. Um,
Mr. West can speak if if you have
[1:36:34] questions on why American Tank
>> it was chosen, but that's what brought
[1:36:41] us here today.
So, so the what I hear you saying is
[1:36:46] that the procurement policy was
>> not followed or followed some what
[1:36:54] because it didn't come back before the
council.
[1:36:57] » I think the procurement policy by the
letter of it was followed but I do think
[1:37:01] the signing of the contract should have
came back to the council and that's why
[1:37:05] I engage with Mr. Deal.
>> And what's the amount? 80
[1:37:09] » 84,000 yearly. And the one thing we will
we will do with that contract if if
[1:37:14] approved by you guys, Mr. Deal has made
some recommendations, we will have the
[1:37:19] company before getting anybody to resign
it, we will have some language put in
[1:37:24] that makes Mr. Deals comfortable to
where it is not a 13-year contract
[1:37:33] » right
[1:37:36] » 13 years. Yes, sir.
>> Could we put it back out for for our
[1:37:42] » and that that's why we we certainly
could do that. They have already started
[1:37:46] they they performed um the first tank
and you've seen the work that I think
[1:37:52] they've done two to this point.
>> We certainly could if that was the
[1:37:55] choice of the mayor and council
>> but they already started. They've
[1:37:58] already done the work.
>> They and they've already done you know
[1:38:02] and that the
>> So how do they get paid
[1:38:06] » that miss? It was they were paid
>> for
[1:38:11] every quarter.
>> So they so it being paid by by not
[1:38:15] approved
>> by the council.
[1:38:17] » The the contract was not approved by the
council and that's why we're here.
[1:38:21] » Okay.
>> I'm seeing Madame [clears throat] Mayor
[1:38:25] I'm seeing on page 147 of our agenda.
>> I believe it's the second page of the
[1:38:31] contract. It says the agreement shall be
managed by contract years. Contract year
[1:38:35] shall be defined as consecutive 12 month
periods beginning April 1st 2026. The
[1:38:42] annual fee for those years 1 through8
will be 45775
[1:38:48] per year. The contract years 910 11
shall be for 25109. Is that per tank or
[1:38:56] is that
>> per tank? Per tank. That's per tank.
[1:38:57] Tank. Yes sir.
>> The other tank I think is a little bit
[1:39:00] less is how we came up with the 84
number.
[1:39:03] » Thank you. two three Mr. West, what was
the uh verbal um or was this the verbal
[1:39:10] or the
>> That was not this. So, this was the last
[1:39:14] uh provider I called and they were the
first to come. Um they were the only
[1:39:18] ones that actually inspected the tanks.
We had a hole in top of North 40 tank
[1:39:23] that big around nobody knew anything
about. They repaired it. Uh the outside
[1:39:27] gauge didn't work. You know, it's got
full empty. They fixed that. uh wood
[1:39:33] lawns been painted inside. Well, you saw
the inside of it and uh they're just a
[1:39:39] far, you know, they cleaned up their
mess. Nobody else did it. The the verbal
[1:39:42] ma'am.
>> So, in other words, this is the if you
[1:39:45] had to choose, this would be the firm.
>> Oh, yeah. Hands down. Uh they had a
[1:39:49] failure in Griffin a few years ago. They
were covering that tank. When that tank
[1:39:53] failed, they they were placed and
repaired at no cost to the city because
[1:39:57] it was under their their their care. So,
I wouldn't choose anyone else. So, it
[1:40:01] seems like we need to ratify the
contract and um move forward with it
[1:40:05] with the contract not limiting future.
>> That's right. I I'd just like to clarify
[1:40:10] the contract term provision. That's
that's the biggest issue that I want to
[1:40:14] make sure is cleared up because there is
that annual provision, but there's also
[1:40:17] a provision that says it's a 13-year
contract, which obviously we can't do.
[1:40:21] So,
>> okay. All right. Right. So, I have a
[1:40:24] motion on the floor to approve
[clears throat] or ratify the water tank
[1:40:28] maintenance agreement resolution 202671
by council member Meeks and a second by
[1:40:32] council member Mitchell. Any further
discussion from the council? Discussion
[1:40:37] from the public. All in favor?
I have a 5.
[1:40:43] Council member.
[1:40:47] » Yeah, she she disappeared.
[1:40:53] Moving on to agenda item 10 m M
consideration and discussion or
[1:40:57] discussion on the recent EPD violation.
So it's not really recent.
[1:41:02] » No ma'am. Uh it's a actually it's three
violations dating back to 52925 at Elm
[1:41:09] Streetville.
Um
[1:41:13] we have one 13126
[1:41:17] 21726.
So, it's a combination of three
[1:41:21] violations. Um, we knew at some point we
were going to be getting a fine. We just
[1:41:26] didn't know when. I received an email on
721.
[1:41:32] Um, in in that email, you you have 30
days to pay the fine. There is no if,
[1:41:38] ends, or buts. If you don't, then it
just it just increases. That's just how
[1:41:42] the EPD works. And quite frankly, I was
expecting to be three or four times the
[1:41:46] amount it was.
>> How much was it? It was $15,455.
[1:41:51] » So, did that come to council for
approval?
[1:41:54] » No, ma'am. It did not.
>> So, is that something that has to be
[1:41:58] » I uh I approached the city manager
about, you know, I expressed him the
[1:42:01] urgency of getting it taken care of.
>> So, that that is why I asked for it to
[1:42:06] be put on the agenda.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[1:42:09] » Because it was over the $10,000
threshold. Yes, ma'am. that the city
[1:42:13] manager had authority, the former city
manager had the authority to approve.
[1:42:18] » Yes, ma'am. And it was time sensitive.
>> And that's fine, but per our policy, if
[1:42:25] it's over $10,000, it has to come to
council. We could have had an emergency
[1:42:30] special call meeting
>> and it it did not come to council. The
[1:42:35] check has been cashed because we paid
it. So, I'm just trying to figure out
[1:42:42] how this breakdown [snorts] and our
procurement policy that we just got
[1:42:46] through talking about, how did this
happen? I understand it was urgent, but
[1:42:51] we've had
special call meetings for things less
[1:42:55] urgent. Um, so I I'm just Who gave Mr.
Baker the authority to write to pay it?
[1:43:04] Um, who signed because you need two
signers. Who signed those checks?
[1:43:10] » I will.
>> And why did it not come to council for
[1:43:13] us to go ahead and give? Because it's
not even on the agenda for us to go back
[1:43:18] and ratify. This was just going to be
swept under the rug. Had I not asked for
[1:43:22] it to be on the
>> I'm miss when councilwoman Duchain
[1:43:26] brought it to my attention, she asked me
um with and I like I the way I thought
[1:43:33] it was the check had not been done. Um,
so I did some research. Um, did find
[1:43:40] that it was Miss Hood and Mr. Baker
signed the check. Um, the check was
[1:43:46] dated August the 10th. I went back a
little bit further. Um, I spoke to Mr.
[1:43:52] Baker's um,
he's he's still our assistant finance
[1:43:57] director and asked him if he had any
knowledge of it. He did. He printed some
[1:44:01] emails for me where Mr. Baker forwarded
the notice to him and instructed him um
[1:44:09] which line item to get it out of and
that was on August the 6th um at 248.
[1:44:15] So I just I'm not sure you know I know
there was an urgency but that's that's
[1:44:21] what I was able to find out. So, is
there a reason why
[1:44:26] » any either one can answer is there a
reason why this wasn't on the agenda for
[1:44:31] us to go back and ratify because it was
I know we had a short amount of time to
[1:44:36] pay. When did it come in?
>> It came [snorts] in on
[1:44:40] » the 10th.
August,
[1:44:42] » but when did the violation come in?
>> I got you. Um on July 21st.
[1:44:46] » So, we had a done August the 6th.
>> We had a council meeting
[1:44:51] » on August 11.
>> I didn't but I didn't find out until
[1:44:56] Miss Duchain brought it to my attention
on August the 15th, I believe, or 17th.
[1:45:02] And
>> so, Mr. Baker didn't put it on the
[1:45:04] August agenda.
>> He did not. It was not on there. And
[1:45:06] then I didn't know that it needed to. I
I certainly let Mr. Deal know. I don't
[1:45:12] think it's something y'all have to
ratify um because it's not a ongoing
[1:45:16] service. It's, you know, obviously a
issue with the procedure that was
[1:45:23] followed, [snorts] but I don't
>> So, where's you correct me if I'm wrong?
[1:45:26] » Is that a budget amendment we have to
make? Where's the payment come from?
[1:45:29] » There is a line item in the in the
budget for EPD fines and permits. And
[1:45:36] that's where um it looks like Mr. Baker
had R.J. take it out of.
[1:45:42] » And what was the fine for?
the it was for the three spills that Mr.
[1:45:48] West talked about. He can
>> one spill the station one that was a 525
[1:45:54] » spill of just water like what is it
>> and those were all of those when that
[1:45:59] spill occurred the um Mr. West
department this is I only know this
[1:46:05] because he told me they did all the a
proper notification they put it on the
[1:46:09] website what all did y'all do? Yeah, we
notified the city downstream everything
[1:46:14] EPD requires. They came
>> Yeah, they came and checked uh we had
[1:46:19] put notices on the actual stream mile
away from the plant. So, they came and
[1:46:24] checked on May the 11th. Uh they paid us
a visit. They looked at site Parkway and
[1:46:29] they came and checked the you know see
if we had corrected those mistakes. Let
[1:46:35] » me say something. Um this is very
disturbing to me.
[1:46:40] Mayor, did you
>> I am going to say this once.
[1:46:43] » If this ever happen again,
>> I personally going to recommend
[1:46:48] termination anyone across the board.
>> I am serious.
[1:46:52] » Now you're saying for a spill or what?
Let me
[1:46:55] » violate the policy policy.
>> I ain't doing that.
[1:46:58] » Yeah. Well, well, I want to say
>> even even
[1:47:03] I I understand
>> know the procurement policy better know
[1:47:06] it
>> because I'm tired of coming here and
[1:47:10] ratifying special call meeting phone
calls to fix these issues
[1:47:15] » and it's it appear that um you don't
take us very seriously.
[1:47:21] You don't if you don't take us very
serious, I'll make you sure I'm very
[1:47:24] serious about this.
I I think just even even just to get a
[1:47:30] consensus that or even just to let us
know that it happened. Um
[1:47:37] as council we have a duty and
obligation. So the the spill last year
[1:47:43] we were aware of that that spill. We got
an update on that on 2020 25. these that
[1:47:49] happened in the beginning of the year we
were not privy to we didn't we didn't
[1:47:54] know about it until they they just you
know told us about the
[1:47:57] » right but the fine came from did the
fine come from the two this year or just
[1:48:02] from the
>> so combination of the two
[1:48:05] » yes so one one came on um February 17th
>> right
[1:48:10] » uh that's Bear Creek uh the cause was
the broken chemical line I don't even
[1:48:15] want to know what that what that consist
of um the second one was May 29th, 2025,
[1:48:24] the lift station number one on Elm
Street.
[1:48:27] » Um and then the third one was January
[clears throat]
[1:48:33] 21st
>> 31st 2026 Bioolids annual report SE
[1:48:39] received. I'm not sure what that is, but
I'm I'm just saying I understand the
[1:48:44] urgency, right? Because it's not like
you know,
[1:48:49] utilities went out and and we needed
some equipment or or materials and we
[1:48:56] needed it the next day to get everything
back up and running. This is urgent, but
[1:49:01] these violations happened over a year
ago. But for us to not even be made
[1:49:06] aware
that the violations came in and we
[1:49:10] weren't told that the check had been
cut, sent and cashed and it still wasn't
[1:49:19] on the agenda tonight. Even if council
doesn't have to ratify it according
[1:49:23] [snorts] to the procurement,
we still would not have known unless I
[1:49:28] had asked for this item to be on the
agenda.
[1:49:31] So I I think
>> because it is a budgeted item. I mean
[1:49:34] because we have a line item before but
that was over.
[1:49:37] » I don't know. I'm just I was just saying
that that
[1:49:40] » that's why he was able to do and I can't
speak for anything that happened before
[1:49:45] before I'm the interim city manager. I
can assure you I ain't sign no check for
[1:49:49] nothing.
>> No, but I'm just saying it's coming
[1:49:52] back. the pro the process that we put in
place because it was my understanding
[1:49:58] regardless of what it was the city
manager had to bring anything over
[1:50:03] $10,000 to council for approval
>> if it was not a budgeted item
[1:50:08] » that's not what we were doing every
everything even Mr. Last month Mr. King
[1:50:15] bought items
>> that was not budgeted.
[1:50:17] » They were not budgeted.
>> They were not budgeted. They were not
[1:50:20] budgeted.
>> I I notify
[1:50:22] » I want to say something.
>> Only budgeted items.
[1:50:25] » I've been on in the a council woman
since January and I'm seeing patterns of
[1:50:32] not following policies and the
procurement policy has been one of those
[1:50:38] uh areas. It's just like the policy is
not in place. it's it was ignored. Um,
[1:50:47] and we brought Mr. Baker in, but some of
the things that he did and didn't get
[1:50:53] council approval,
you know, I I don't approve of it. You
[1:50:58] know, some people thought he was the
latest and the greatest. I'm not
[1:51:01] speaking negative about him or anything,
but we have policies in place for a
[1:51:07] reason. So, why are we ignoring
policies? We have to follow these
[1:51:11] policies.
>> But it goes well. It you can't just put
[1:51:15] all the blame on Mr. Baker. You have to
put the blame on
[1:51:19] the people that process the payment, the
people that signed the check, the people
[1:51:25] that knew about it. Even if it even if
this is a budgeted item, council still
[1:51:32] didn't know about it. We should know
something like this. Hey, EPD sent us a
[1:51:36] fine for $15,000. We didn't know and our
citizens didn't know until tonight
[1:51:42] either or when they saw the agenda that
posted. So all I'm saying is we need to
[1:51:48] follow the policy and we need to be
transparent. And if something like this
[1:51:53] happens again, I don't care if it
happens the day after a council meeting.
[1:51:57] If we need to pay it and before the next
time we have a council meeting, just
[1:52:02] have a special call meeting.
>> We did know about the one in 2025. We
[1:52:06] knew about that. We
>> yeah,
[1:52:10] » we didn't know the f we didn't know when
the fine was coming.
[1:52:13] » The one thing I would like to get some
clarification talking about firing and I
[1:52:17] don't don't need that in my life. Um
budgeted items like as we look say y'all
[1:52:22] pass the budget on October 1st. If it is
a budgeted item not now I understand I
[1:52:27] mean I think hope y'all can appreciate I
notify y'all about everything. I mean, I
[1:52:32] I send y'all text and email about
everything and I'll I'm going to
[1:52:36] continue to do that. But as that October
hits and there's going to be budgeted
[1:52:41] items, like let's just say public works
is buying a a truck that's approved in
[1:52:46] the budget. It's under state contract.
So, all procurement policies are
[1:52:50] followed. You guys approve the budget.
Are y'all
[1:52:55] » y'all okay with that? Okay. Now, but I
understand if there this right here, I'm
[1:52:59] not comparing those. But with Mr.
Mitchell's talking about firing people,
[1:53:02] I got to make sure that I don't do
anything before y'all get this.
[1:53:05] » You said that, not me.
>> No, but and I don't blame him. I I
[1:53:09] certainly understand.
>> It was only for if if you everybody goes
[1:53:12] back to the resolution that was passed,
it was only for items that were not
[1:53:17] budgeted in the budget. Mhm.
>> If if it was not in the budget, he had
[1:53:22] to bring it back before council if it
was a past that $10,000 mark.
[1:53:26] » That's right.
>> That's what I'm talking about.
[1:53:28] » I I'm just want to clarify.
>> I'd like to say something because this
[1:53:35] involves me also. So, because I'm a
check sign and council member, you said
[1:53:40] um that the people that signed the
checks should take blame too. So, I
[1:53:45] don't feel that I should take blame for
the check that was signed because when
[1:53:49] the check gets to me, it's going to went
to the appropriate people and my thing
[1:53:54] is to verify that the paperwork is
matching up after it come from the city
[1:53:58] manager to me. So, how am I to know what
I'm not supposed to sign because I don't
[1:54:03] know exactly everything that city
manager do.
[1:54:06] » So, I'm and and that's why I didn't end.
I I think there's enough to go around.
[1:54:13] you did what you were told to do, right?
But I also feel that there's an
[1:54:17] obligation when something like it's this
is a EPD fine, right? This is for sewer
[1:54:24] spills. These [snorts] things need to be
told to council. Hey, we got a violation
[1:54:29] although we knew that the violation
happened in May of 2025. We actually got
[1:54:34] the invoice for the violation. That was
not told to us. Budgeted or unbudgeted,
[1:54:40] you did what you were told to do. And
I'm not I'm not trying to throw shade.
[1:54:43] I'm just saying I think there was a
communication breakdown from the city
[1:54:47] manager on down to
>> finance on down to the check signers,
[1:54:52] whoever that may be. And I I mean I I
will speak for the city manager's office
[1:54:56] because I'm in the office now that
that's where the pro to Miss Hood's
[1:55:00] point and to your point it is the city
manager's responsibility to let let the
[1:55:06] mayor and council know once he signs off
just you know Miss Hood I wouldn't
[1:55:12] expect Miss Hood or anyone else to know
it's the city manager's job if he signs
[1:55:16] off that this was a budgeted it's his
job to let the mayor and council know he
[1:55:21] reports to you But he
>> No, I understand. But I I can tell you
[1:55:26] between now and and the time y'all get
somebody else in the door. I promise.
[1:55:31] » I get it. I'm just saying we just need
to be made aware.
[1:55:33] » Yeah. And I want to pick it back off
what you said, chief. The city manager
[1:55:37] is the one that gave them directives. So
it goes back to him. He knows the
[1:55:43] procurement policy. So it he gave he's
their supervisor. He gave them the
[1:55:48] directives. But council member Cheney,
if the city manager instructs an
[1:55:53] employee to do something that goes
against policy,
[1:56:00] » I don't know that she would know it's
against
[1:56:01] » and I'm not saying in this case, but if
just because the city manager gives the
[1:56:06] directive, if it goes against
>> policy, uh charter, you
[1:56:12] » would you do it?
>> Right.
[1:56:13] » Oh, no. I'm not going to lose my good
paying job. Right. [laughter] But
[1:56:16] » but that but he told you right and you
you know
[1:56:21] » I would say let me check you know but
you know there's a lot lot of over we've
[1:56:26] been had a lot of turnover and just a
lot of moving parts. So it's his it's
[1:56:32] the city manager's yard. It's not your
yard your yard or someone else's yard at
[1:56:37] the end of the day
>> play with stuff like that. So it's his
[1:56:39] yard and I accept responsibility for my
whatever that may be. I do have a
[1:56:44] question.
>> Council member Rex.
[1:56:46] » Yes. Uh is it the policy when things
like this happen, spills,
[1:56:52] uh should council be notified? Because
uh in the past we had a public works
[1:56:58] director to be fired for perhaps
covering up things, but not nothing
[1:57:05] quite as bad as spillage. But I I don't
know going forward when we have a spill,
[1:57:12] should council be notified or the public
should be notified.
[1:57:16] » So I think the public is everybody is
notified based on what he said. I mean
[1:57:22] I'm I'm not talking about council. I'm
talking about the public. I'm public.
[1:57:26] » It was put on the website and the
citizens were notified under EPD
[1:57:30] guidelines. But to your point, Miss
Brooks, absolutely. You should be
[1:57:35] notified. And if if it happens between
now and the the time somebody else gets
[1:57:39] here, that's the responsibility of the
city manager that you know, I'm not
[1:57:44] casting aspersions on anybody who hasn't
given you notice, but absolutely you
[1:57:50] should be that as a governing body, you
should be notified.
[1:57:53] » Can I say something
>> and you will be
[1:57:55] » you know um I'm piggyback
>> if the citizen knows before us is a
[1:58:01] problem.
>> I agree 100%. And can I say something?
[1:58:06] » Who's checking the website? I don't have
time to just go to the website to see,
[1:58:11] oh, do we get a violation from EPD yet?
So, I think I know it's public, but
[1:58:18] we're not checking unless we know. I
understand.
[1:58:20] » And we there what is the what is the
procedure for us to know to even go to
[1:58:25] the website?
>> It's going to be you're going to get a
[1:58:27] text and an email from me the way I
notify you when we have a water leak or
[1:58:31] a gas pane leak. Are you going to say
boil your water?
[1:58:35] » Whatever whatever I need to say. I I
assure you I'm going to notify you
[1:58:39] because you know I do think it's that is
something important. I mean and y'all
[1:58:45] could absolutely call me out and say Bo
you would tell us if we had a you know
[1:58:49] » you do
>> um whatever you know small issue that
[1:58:52] you notified us you could have let us
know about EBD fine. I'm going to let
[1:58:55] you know about it and I think you should
because that's y'all's responsibility as
[1:58:58] a governing body to know all those
things in real time. I do appreciate
[1:59:02] your
>> How are you going to know? Public works
[1:59:03] will notify you.
>> Oh, if they don't you you're not going
[1:59:06] to have to worry about because you're
not going to be able to talk to Mr. West
[1:59:08] because you won't be here. [laughter]
>> It's not an option just like last time I
[1:59:12] did.
>> Yeah. And see as far as reporting EBD,
[1:59:16] same way
>> and they check. So it's not I can't hide
[1:59:19] it. Won't hide it. Won't try to. I'm
going to follow the letter. also you
[1:59:23] know anytime anything like that happens
that could be u you know has anything to
[1:59:27] do with public safety or you know health
issue
[1:59:31] » I know I know
>> one second one second council member
[1:59:34] dash
>> so
[1:59:36] um based on everything I've been hearing
as we've been sitting here
[1:59:42] um I don't think it's fair for us to
kind of throw the previous city manager
[1:59:48] under the bus to make it seem that he
did something incorrect if it was a
[1:59:54] budgeted item and it didn't need to be
come to for approval because it was
[2:00:00] budgeted
and everything I'm hearing is you knew
[2:00:05] about it cuz they came to you.
>> You know what I'm saying? In the sense
[2:00:09] of communication belongs to everybody.
You know what I'm saying?
[2:00:13] » Yes, ma'am.
>> So, in the sense of you could have said
[2:00:16] something, hey, you know, we have
something or he could have said, you
[2:00:19] know what I'm saying? they come.
>> So I didn't know about the the January
[2:00:22] this this year.
>> No, I the invoice because we well the
[2:00:27] invoice just came in. So they told me
about the invoice when it came in like
[2:00:32] Yeah. So
>> but the reason is because we had already
[2:00:36] gotten the update on what I was thinking
that invoice was. That's the reason I
[2:00:42] didn't say anything to anybody else
about it because we had already got an
[2:00:45] update on this field. We knew about it.
We knew we were going to get a fine to
[2:00:49] associate it with it because it was told
to us. We just didn't know when.
[2:00:52] » Right. But the rest of council didn't
know.
[2:00:54] » And to be fair, that fine could take up
to a year.
[2:00:56] » And that's fine, but it's just in the
sense of communication belongs to all of
[2:01:00] us. All of us communicating what we
>> um on a final note of this. Um well,
[2:01:06] thank you very much for your
>> your not your taxes. Let us know and
[2:01:12] continue.
>> We have one more item.
[2:01:14] » Yes, sir.
>> Um let's move on to agenda. I mean, is
[2:01:18] there any any further discussion?
>> Any discussion from the public regarding
[2:01:23] this matter? Yes.
>> Yes. Miss Miss Oliver, come to the
[2:01:27] podium.
>> Only regarding this.
[2:01:31] » Yes, ma'am.
>> This EPD. Yes, ma'am.
[2:01:36] » Okay. Um,
I just want to say I think that you all
[2:01:42] should consider putting this uh water
tank and all of those
[2:01:49] moving parts and things because we've
had problems
[2:01:53] many years ago
>> with that and we were fine and under the
[2:01:58] EPA e Yeah.
>> Yeah. for a long time. We were
[2:02:04] » and uh like I forgot who it says
somebody was five, but y'all know who it
[2:02:09] was.
>> So, it seems to me that there's some
[2:02:14] problems with that water take and
whatever feeds into that that needs to
[2:02:20] be addressed
so that it doesn't continue to happen.
[2:02:28] And I think you should put it on your
agenda to discuss it and see can't y'all
[2:02:33] come up. You may have to buy another
tank. Who knows? I don't know. But
[2:02:38] anyway, it needs to be addressed because
this patching
[2:02:42] and getting fine
every what 10 years. That is not
[2:02:48] working.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[2:02:50] » All right. That's all I got to say.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[2:02:52] » All right.
I have another public comment.
[2:02:57] » Just a quick question. What are the SOPs
say? There seems to be a lot of
[2:03:01] confusion with the processing of
information with the checks and
[2:03:06] different things, but aren't there SOPs
in place for when something happens and
[2:03:11] occurs for the proper channel for it to
flow?
[2:03:15] » So, there are policies and procedures.
Each department have has their their way
[2:03:19] of processing it once it gets to them.
Mhm.
[2:03:22] » So it is a multi-chain factor. So from
the finance department, they do it in
[2:03:27] their department according to their SOP
and their standards. When once it moves
[2:03:32] to the check signers, it that process
goes through. And so that is usually how
[2:03:38] it is handled here in the city of
Hampton.
[2:03:41] » But it sounds like it's been broken with
the issues with the checks being signed
[2:03:46] that they're not being followed
properly. So, as council member Shane
[2:03:51] just pointed out in regards to the check
being signed for this, because it is a
[2:03:56] budgeted item, and even though it was
over the $10,000, if it is a budgeted
[2:04:01] item, it does not have to come back
before the council because it's
[2:04:04] budgeted. The money has already been
allocated in the budget to pay for fines
[2:04:08] or anything like that. So, there was no
breach in that when it came down to the
[2:04:12] city manager. He had the authority to be
able to go ahead and pay that fine.
[2:04:16] » Okay. So, everyone just needs to
understand what the SOPs are. That's
[2:04:18] right. Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
>> All right. Moving on to agenda item 10,
[2:04:24] consideration and action on resolution I
put 202672 because that's the next one
[2:04:29] up. Um to allow the mayor to sign the
agreement between the city of Hampton
[2:04:34] and G dot for the rightway maintenance
of Highway 20. Can I get a motion to
[2:04:38] approve or to deny?
>> I make a motion to approve. I have a
[2:04:40] motion by council member Mitchell
>> to approve
[2:04:44] » and a second by council member Meeks
>> to approve resolution 202672 for the
[2:04:50] agreement between Hampton uh city of
Hampton and the Georgia Department of
[2:04:54] Transportation to continue the maintains
maintenance of the rightway on Highway
[2:04:59] 20. Any discussion from the council?
>> Yes, ma'am. We've been doing it.
[2:05:04] » We've been doing it for several years
now
[2:05:06] » and now we're going to get paid.
>> Now we're going to get paid for it. Yes.
[2:05:10] [laughter]
[2:05:12] » Any discussion from the public? All in
favor?
[2:05:16] » All oppose? I have a 6.
>> Got Miss
[2:05:20] » Oh, Miss M. Oliver, I'm sorry.
[2:05:27] » And then it slipped my mind. Time.
[laughter]
[2:05:32] » I'm sorry. Oh, I I wanted to know if
this um search the the company that
[2:05:38] you're hiring to uh search for the city
manager, is this going to be a
[2:05:44] nationwide search?
>> Yes, I am.
[2:05:45] » Okay.
>> Yes.
[2:05:47] » All right. Positive happenings. Positive
happenings. Council member Cheney.
[2:05:52] » All right. Positive happenings. I have
to say kudos to uh Council Member
[2:05:56] Duchain for Circle K. I went there a few
days ago and they were like, "Where have
[2:06:01] you been?" and I said, I'm not I wasn't
going to tear my car up in this driveway
[2:06:06] parking lot. Um, so it does look good.
Thank you all for, you know, doing those
[2:06:12] repairs. It really looks better. Also,
um, the praise fest I sat in my car
[2:06:19] because it was too hot, but it was nice.
It was it was very nice and well
[2:06:23] organized. So, those are my positive
happenings. Thank you,
[2:06:27] » Council Member Pash. So, my positive
happenings are the circle K. Thanks for
[2:06:34] getting it done so quickly. Um, also,
um, the 5% increase we received on the
[2:06:43] water and sewer that we're not passing
on in the budget. So, I'm that's a
[2:06:49] positive for me. The the no increase to
the utilities or to the water.
[2:06:54] » We didn't We did it.
>> We did.
[2:06:57] » [laughter]
[2:07:03] » take that back.
[2:07:07] » And the 10% increase to the hourly
workers
[2:07:11] » or not, it's more than 10% because now
we're going to go to 20 to $20.3 for the
[2:07:17] lowest level.
>> Okay.
[2:07:21] » Um, cops day. I thought I was going to
see something on the screen. What
[2:07:25] happened, Captain Brown Lee?
>> What happened to cops day?
[2:07:28] » Oh, I didn't know y'all want to know,
but we did have corn dogs.
[2:07:33] [laughter]
>> Can I tell you a secret with her?
[2:07:37] » Can I tell you a secret?
>> She don't even like corn dogs, y'all.
[2:07:41] She was so excited. But, uh, cops day.
Um,
[2:07:45] the praise fest was great. Um, good job,
um, Main Street apartment. And um I am
[2:07:52] happy that we confirmed Mr. Wallace um
for the economic development director.
[2:07:59] Um I've had the opportunity to go to a
conference with him, get to know him a
[2:08:04] little bit better. Um and he has already
hit the ground running to help secure um
[2:08:13] federal funds for the city and the
downtown development authority. So, I'm
[2:08:18] excited to have him here.
And we haven't been here for six hours
[2:08:23] for our regular meeting, but we've been
here for six hours.
[2:08:27] » Hey, council member.
>> Well, I want to um [clears throat]
[2:08:32] » give thanks to the main street team for
the wonderful work they've been doing
[2:08:36] international day for the first time,
cough days, I guess combined. also for
[2:08:41] Chief Turner
who's
[2:08:46] doing a wonderful job. I would say that
his communication is is pretty much on
[2:08:52] top. And also for the city attorney,
I felt comfortable with you. Um I I
[2:09:00] talked to you and I listen to your your
your reason and I think you'll be a good
[2:09:05] person.
>> Sure. Council not getting fired.
[2:09:09] [laughter]
[2:09:11] They stole about half of mine. I was
just going to say I'm thankful that it's
[2:09:16] not 9:00 yet.
>> And [clears throat]
[2:09:22] I know, but it's still
>> and I am grateful for the department
[2:09:26] heads and their work to get this budget
presented
[2:09:32] and get it.
[clears throat]
[2:09:36] I have being in the construction
industry
[2:09:41] labored and then had someone come and
tear my work apart
[2:09:46] » and just pick and slice and criticize.
So I my heart goes out. I know
[2:09:54] everybody's putting their best effort
forward and I just appreciate it. I
[2:09:59] really appreciate the spirit that we
have now. I really appreciate the spirit
[2:10:06] that our council, our city, I think
we're on the right direction.
[2:10:12] » Council member Rex.
>> Okay, mayor. I have at least 10 items.
[2:10:18] Um,
[laughter]
[2:10:20] » go
ahead council.
[2:10:25] » She wants to bring it in. First, I want
to um give a shout out to Michelle
[2:10:30] Arthur on birthing her new baby
and um Tova for a great job that she's
[2:10:38] done with all of our events. I attended
the praise on Main Street. I did not sit
[2:10:44] in my car like Cheney, but
>> I was out there in it. It was really
[2:10:49] nice. That was my church that did the
craze. It was really good. Um also, I'm
[2:10:56] happy our city attorney.
>> I'm happy to have you here uh having you
[2:11:02] engage with questions that come up and
uh so that's really good. And also I'm
[2:11:08] happy about the direction that we're
headed and um as
[2:11:14] Pam Duchain stated, communication
belongs to us all. So I hope that we
[2:11:19] will continue to be transparent and um I
would like to ask that on the agenda
[2:11:26] items for the public safe because you
know we get the packet I don't know if
[2:11:30] the packet is all out there on the
website that maybe um numbers can be
[2:11:36] added just
>> yeah just the amount
[2:11:40] » okay
>> you're not going to talk about our our
[2:11:42] relay race in the cop days through that
through that
[2:11:45] » oh yeah by the way um I participated in
a relay race and we lost because Pam
[2:11:53] » [laughter]
[2:12:00] » My team lost because um well, I'm not
going to say it was Pam's fault,
[2:12:06] » but
>> but it was [laughter] lost.
[2:12:10] » I'm taking responsibility.
>> Yes, ma'am. I am I am grateful for the
[2:12:14] staff. The
department heads put a lot of work in,
[2:12:18] but it was not just the department
heads. It was all the people that work
[2:12:21] for them. Um, I know I'm interested in
the budget, Wanda Moore. The amount of
[2:12:26] work, the amount of work that Wanda
Moore put into the budget just
[2:12:32] it it blows you away at the dedication
of of the staff to Samantha Kingsley, my
[2:12:38] executive assistant. She is she has
taken the role of both sides and she is
[2:12:45] she she shows up every day and that
that's a lot to be said for that. So,
[2:12:50] and I'm certainly appreciative of the
direction of the council. It it feels
[2:12:54] like that we're moving forward and
that's that it's great to be a part of.
[2:13:00] » I ditto everything that was said um on
the council, but I want to just give the
[2:13:06] kudos to our finance department for
being an awardwinning financial
[2:13:10] [applause]
team.
[2:13:14] We
It's important that people do know that
[2:13:20] their money is going to good use and
that it is being appropriated
[2:13:25] appropriately and that um you have a
team that is um masters in their field.
[2:13:34] So they are subject matter experts and
we are thankful for them um putting the
[2:13:40] energy and effort that has gone into
actually making sure that the city of
[2:13:44] Hampton has been recognized as an
award-winning city in the finance
[2:13:48] department for government finance. Um
can I say one second? So I drove by on
[2:13:55] Monday and I thought I saw Miss Wanda's
car and I was like there's no way in the
[2:14:00] world she is here on a holiday night.
Yeah,
[2:14:04] » she was paying her customers.
>> She would be here. She would be and
[2:14:08] that's that's really that's the
dedication and commitment that we have
[2:14:12] from our executive leadership. you know,
[2:14:18] if people really knew the time that
these individuals put in, and you know,
[2:14:26] I know they get paid the big bucks, but
this is that's nothing unusual for Miss
[2:14:33] Moore to be here on days off, holidays,
midnight,
[2:14:39] you know, um these first nine months
everybody was leaving the office at
[2:14:45] 5:00. We kind of went back to where we
were at. We're clicking on firing on all
[2:14:50] cylinders, you know, Tova um Main
Street. God, I don't even know how
[2:14:59] um
[2:15:03] I don't know how you have done it over
these months and months and months. I am
[2:15:09] thankful for Mr. Wallace being here. I
don't know how much help Mr. while it's
[2:15:12] going to be to you though. [laughter]
You we good. But I'm just saying cuz you
[2:15:18] know Tova workaholic and a perfectionist
and so um we appreciate the work that
[2:15:24] you put in over these months and and the
time and commitment because when
[2:15:29] everybody else has gone home, you're
here. She's here.
[2:15:31] » You're you're here. And um
>> it doesn't always show up in comp time
[2:15:36] and and things of that nature. So we we
appreciate that and we thank everybody
[2:15:40] for from the bottom of our hearts for
loving the city of Hampton
[2:15:45] » for loving the city of Hampton for being
willing to pour your heart and soul your
[2:15:50] time your energy and your effort and
your expertise into our city. So I need
[2:15:55] a motion to adjourn to executive session
for the purpose of real estate legal
[2:15:59] personnel and cyber security.
>> I made a motion.
[2:16:01] » I have a motion by council member
Mitchell to move into executive session
[2:16:05] and a second by council member Duchaine.
All in favor? I have a stick.
[2:46:47] She's talking again.
>> I need a motion to come out of executive
[2:46:51] session.
>> I made a motion.
[2:46:52] » I have a motion by council member
Mitchell. Do I have a second?
[2:46:55] » Second.
>> Council by Mayor Pro White Williams. All
[2:46:58] in favor? I I have a six.
Thank you guys. We are I move we
[2:47:14] All right. Take care.