[0:00] it from here.

[0:13] » Let me return.

[0:18] As long as they can hear us, that's fine.

[0:20] » Okay. >> Be where it is.

[0:22] » All right. >> All right. Lyn, do you mind reading

[0:26] that? >> Yes. Okay. Okay, we're on resolution

[0:29] 2026-07

[0:32] pledge to practice and promote civility in the city of New Ellington. Whereas a

[0:37] recent national survey found that 93% of Americans believe that incivility is a

[0:41] problem with 68% of considering it a major problem and 74% believing that

[0:47] instability is increasing in America. Whereas the city council of city of New

[0:51] Wellington, the council, the governing body of the city of New Wellington,

[0:55] South Carolina, the municipality recognizes that robust debate and right

[0:59] to self-exression as protected by the first amendment to the United States

[1:03] Constitution are fundamental rights and essential components of dem democratic

[1:07] self-governance. Whereas the council further recognizes

[1:11] that the public exchange of diverse ideas and viewpoints is necessary to the

[1:15] health of the community and the quality of governance in the municipality.

[1:19] Whereas the members of council as elected representatives of the community

[1:23] and stewards of public trust recognize their special role in modeling open,

[1:27] free and vigorous debate while maintaining the highest standards of

[1:31] civility, honesty, and mutual respect. And whereas in order to publicly declare

[1:36] its commitment to civil discourse and to express its concern for the common good

[1:41] and well-being of all of its residents, the council has determined to adopt this

[1:45] resolution. Now therefore, be it resolved as follows. The city of New

[1:49] Ellington pledges to practice and promote civility within the governing

[1:52] body. The elected officials of the council enact this civility pledge to

[1:56] build a stronger and more prosperous community by advocating for civil

[2:00] engagement, respecting others and their viewpoints, and finding solutions for

[2:03] the betterment of the city of New Ellington. This pledge ensures all

[2:07] communication, both spoken and written, to be honest, open, honest, and

[2:10] transparent. As this will is vital for cultivating trust and relationships.

[2:16] This pledge ensures mutual respect to achieve municipal goals, recognizing the

[2:20] patients, tolerance and civil are imperative to success. This pledge

[2:24] ensures opportunities for finding common ground and engaging in civil discussion

[2:29] to seek solutions which while actively listening and thoughtfully participating

[2:34] adopted in this radio meeting.

[2:49] on the next um page is the pledge. And if you don't mind, let's all just read

[2:54] that together, please. That work. >> You want to do the motion first?

[2:58] » Yes, let's do that. That's a good idea. I'm sorry. Do I have a motion to

[3:04] Do I have a motion to approve resolution 2026

[3:10] civility pledge? >> I'll make a motion to accept

[3:17] resolution 20-206-7.

[3:23] » Do I have a second? >> Second.

[3:26] » Any discussion? All in favor?

[3:32] And I've passed out too. So

[3:36] » I think just just you know from my viewpoint I was talking just so y'all

[3:41] know you see so much going on at different community meetings and what we

[3:46] want to do is we always want to be open transparent to where we don't get any

[3:50] situations any situations. So we we don't get in one of those type things

[3:55] because we don't hide anything. We will have we will have a copy of this

[4:00] put out in the front lobby as well as in here so everybody will be able to see it

[4:04] and all will be able to um pledge it every u meeting after after the pledge

[4:09] of allegiance. [clears throat] >> Great. So, but today we're a little late

[4:12] in doing that. So, if y'all don't mind, would you council max

[4:16] pledge?

[4:20] I pledge to build a stronger and more prosperous community by advocating for

[4:26] civil engagement, respecting others and their viewpoints, and finding solutions

[4:31] for the betterment of the city of New Ed.

[4:44] Well, it's normally we wouldn't do that, but if you'd like to say something

[4:49] that >> Oh, yes, ma'am. We're gonna have it.

[4:52] » Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you.

[4:53] » We'll also get it on our Facebook and throughout our day distribution.

[4:59] » Thank you for that suggestion. >> Oh, yes. Um, we do this at every

[5:06] municipal association, too. So, this is good. All right. All right. Next on is

[5:12] the approval of >> I'm gonna mess his name up.

[5:17] » Tish >> Travis contract for impact fee study.

[5:23] » Right. You want to talk about that? >> Um what the uh contract is about is to

[5:31] um have Tisha Vice who is a very um good company in doing this. Um, I've

[5:39] talked with two different companies and um, there there's several out there, but

[5:45] um, Advice is one of the top companies that can do this. They have done it, as

[5:51] you can see from the um, bios, they have uh, worked with a lot of company, a lot

[5:56] of cities throughout uh, South Carolina. Um, I've talked with several um, town

[6:03] managers um, about them and about their experience with them. um had a

[6:08] conversation over the phone with u teams with uh the mayor and mayor pro Tim in

[6:14] there um with them as well as our attorney. [clears throat]

[6:19] Um they uh have a very good repertoire um

[6:26] and know what they're doing. Um, this will what this will do basically is

[6:33] give us an opportunity to look at the types of developments that are

[6:38] coming in and what that's going to do changewise to us to the new Ellington

[6:45] and to help us figure out what are those things that we need from from all that

[6:51] development and from the new people and the more people that are coming in. What

[6:56] is that going to do to our services? What is that going to do to fire and

[6:59] police and recreation? >> And [clears throat] do we need to expand

[7:03] those services? Do we need to um you know, we we're going to look at a police

[7:09] station? How much is that [clears throat] going to cost? Are we

[7:11] going to increase recreation? How much is that going to cost? Are we going to

[7:15] need to look at providing those services or add to those services? So, that type

[7:21] of thing instead of putting it all on the taxpayers, the the people already

[7:25] here making um a development fee where the developers or the people that coming

[7:31] are coming in pay a portion of that instead.

[7:35] » Um so that's something that this impact fee possibly and towns all over South

[7:40] Carolina are doing this and are looking at it now.

[7:43] » So um it is something that we need to look at. Um

[7:48] » don't know what it's going to do for us. We don't know exactly what the the end

[7:52] result's going to be, but it's certainly going to be something that we have to

[7:57] look at. And um so that's that's where we are. And um that's the contract,

[8:04] that's the [clears throat and snorts] what they've provided us for what um

[8:09] [cough] for us to do that. And uh I think that it's going to be and I

[8:14] basically put it in the budget for us for this year too. So um

[8:20] » have we not had one before? >> No,

[8:23] » not this not this not this time. >> This has never been

[8:28] » not this one. We've never done this. >> But a lot of towns are doing this.

[8:34] » Yes. >> Because of the growth in South Carolina

[8:39] right now. are one of the fastest growing states right now if not

[8:42] » we are the fastest actually. Yeah. >> And that was one of the topics down

[8:47] there too. Yes. Everybody was doing

[8:51] » we actually there was a lot of conversations going around about this

[8:54] during our meeting at the municipal association this week that me and Elvara

[8:58] and Geneva were at.

[9:03] » All right. We'll have a motion to approve the

[9:07] contract for the impact fee study. >> I make a motion to approve the contract

[9:14] um for the impact um study. >> Do I have a second?

[9:22] » Any discussion? All in favor?

[9:26] [cough]

[9:30] Next zone is approval to have the retail strategies data updated. Uh cost is

[9:36] $7,500. >> All right. When talk to us,

[9:40] » you all remember this. [clears throat] You all did the retail strategies a

[9:45] number of years ago. This is um the last data that you've received was in 20 from

[9:51] 2021. That data unfortunately is out of date.

[9:56] » Yeah. um doing that. It's amazing how much

[10:00] that data is really out of date. >> Um so I have been talking um with retail

[10:05] strategies and for this amount we can get an updated amount this all that

[10:12] material that you received basically all that material updated just with all of

[10:17] the new data um all the new uh the the materials that you've received just

[10:23] all of that updated. Uh now she did mention that if you wanted to go deeper

[10:28] dive and really jump into it and get more um

[10:34] basically another academy type thing. Um you know she mentioned that she didn't

[10:39] know how many new people we had on it and I said well I'm not sure we that in

[10:44] the budget this year. She never [clears throat] did get back with me on

[10:46] that to see exactly what the cost would be. Um I'm not really [clears throat]

[10:51] sure that we're really ready to go ahead and do that this year. I think really

[10:54] need this data to see where we are and to kind of figure out

[10:59] » um >> what

[11:01] » yeah what other um commercial properties you know commercial aspects could be

[11:06] helpful um this would also help um some of the developers that are that are

[11:11] looking at our area as well >> yes absolutely um we did this actually

[11:16] it was me Alvara and went to reg strategy so we could actually share the

[11:23] information um when we >> and we could up, you know, show you the

[11:29] information we got, but now all that information that we got there and the

[11:33] training we got there and basically it was training to go out and reach out to

[11:38] these businesses that we wanted and and just really um promoting your town,

[11:43] which is what we've been doing. And I'm gonna tell you, after doing retail

[11:47] strategies, I mean, look at the things that happened. We were, you know, we

[11:51] identified what our our residents said they wanted to see come into our town.

[11:56] You know, when we were walking the streets and we were campaigning and even

[11:59] after when we had town hall meetings, some of the things that people were

[12:03] saying, we need a hardware store, we need a bank, we need a um you know, they

[12:09] want more food in um they they wanted um an automotive. We now have [cough]

[12:16] [clears throat] the virtual teller. The full select bank will come in [snorts]

[12:21] the future, but at least we got the virtual terrorist, so we had banking in

[12:24] our town again. Um, we were able to take the old um Popeye's, which is now where

[12:30] the virtual teller is. >> The old KFC um that was falling down is

[12:36] now O'Reilly. >> We have an Ace Hardware in our shopping

[12:41] center. >> Um we have um

[12:45] I mean, we have a couple new restaurants. We have a new gun store.

[12:49] Let me I don't I don't even know what all we've got. We've got um Atomic City

[12:54] Billyards is turning into a Joyful Cafe, which will be more of the home

[12:59] homecooked meal type thing. So, a lot's going on in the town. And I have to say,

[13:03] I think this right here when we did retail strategies, it really helped us

[13:09] to identify and it also gave us contact information

[13:14] for those places that we wanted in our So, um, [clears throat] we've changed a

[13:19] lot >> since we did this. So, I I I can't wait

[13:23] to see the difference in what we what we've got here. Um, because they not

[13:28] only study just our area, but what we can attract outside of New Wellington in

[13:33] the winter and the Jackson area and all that to come together, right? So, um, so

[13:38] anyway, um, I think I think that most of you seen the impact that that retail

[13:43] strategies helped us get in this town and they were great to work with. You

[13:49] could call them. I mean, are they still willing to take our phone calls as

[13:53] they're doing this update? >> I think so.

[13:55] » They're so nice. I know if we called them, they would do it. So, um, so yes.

[14:00] So, anyway, that's my two cents worth on that.

[14:05] Did you want to anything to that because you did that um program too.

[14:09] » Yes. And what I like about it, they gave us the um data say like for our region

[14:17] um say like we want to um for straight cut what what the haircut place just

[14:23] different restaurants they are located. Yeah. They're available that we can

[14:28] actually contact them. We have a book the number and everything. So it's not

[14:32] nothing that we got to reinvent the wheel. They got everything there. It It

[14:36] is helpful because when we went I was amazed and um say like a lot say when

[14:44] you go to the um gym when you come out the gym you want to go to grocery store

[14:49] go get your haircut and that's why all these businesses lined up like that

[14:53] because that's what people look for when they're [clears throat] um everyday

[14:57] thing when when they want to um do something. They don't want to go way

[15:01] over here to go over there. They want everything right there

[15:04] » and we don't want them to go anywhere. We want them to stay in our community. I

[15:08] think one of the biggest things about this right here though is once they

[15:12] completed all this data for us, I was able to take this and give it to the

[15:17] realators that I knew had property here that they were trying to sell. Like for

[15:22] instance, the shopping center, it was not um it had been on the market for a

[15:28] really long time [snorts] and but they weren't pushing it. I I actually um know

[15:34] um I had worked before alongside [cough] [clears throat] the guy who was um over,

[15:39] you know, leasing that property and trying to sell it. And let

[15:43] [clears throat] me tell you, he had just quit because nobody's interested. I um

[15:48] was able to give this information to him, ask him to go back one more time

[15:54] and just take this information um that that they had done for us with this with

[16:00] this document and others and then tell him what we were seeing already with the

[16:05] developments that were becoming interested us in the beginning and he

[16:09] put it back on the market and instantly we had somebody ready to purchase that.

[16:14] So, um it helped us in other [cough] too. Um, is doing that shopping center.

[16:20] I mean, there's still a lot of work to do at that shopping center, but we have

[16:23] a new owner and there has been some progress there.

[16:27] » All right. Um, so moving on. So, do I have approval

[16:33] to do I have a motion to approve retail strategies data updated at the cost of

[16:40] $7,500? [clears throat]

[16:42] » I'll make a motion. >> Okay.

[16:45] And do I have a second?

[16:51] » Any discussion? All in favor?

[16:56] Unanimous. Thank you. Okay. And last for new business is the

[17:02] first reading of ordinance 2026-04, the approval of code of ordinance.

[17:09] » Lyn, thank you so much for working so hard on that. No,

[17:14] » very deep. Yes, [snorts] >> it was a lot of hours. Um,

[17:23] like I said, of course, you know, this has to go through two readings. Um, we

[17:27] will put this on the website. Um, [clears throat] there's a lot of changes

[17:31] in the ordinances. Um, just updates that need to be updated. uh things that had

[17:37] to be updated because it's been a lot of years since some of them have been

[17:42] updated. >> Yes, it has.

[17:44] » Some of them unfortunately are not completely updated. Um as I was telling

[17:49] um Miss Alvara and Jeff and Carter earlier that uh we not quite completely

[17:57] there yet. Some of them are so involved we've had to change. we've had to

[18:04] [snorts] we got to we've got to really delve into them and and do write some

[18:08] new ordinances and we just did not have time to do some of those. Um so some of

[18:14] them are still a little antiquated. Uh sewer the sewer um ordinance is one.

[18:21] The building codes is still another one that we're having to some of it is

[18:27] updated but not all of it. Um, and the parks recreation is another one

[18:32] that really needs to be updated. There's a few in there that need to be tweaked

[18:36] as well, but um, for the most part, a lot of it got updated and changed. So,

[18:44] um, we just needed to get this completed with this company and then we will start

[18:50] updating ordinances um to and then we'll send it back off to the company and and

[18:55] have them redo it and update it as it as we go.

[18:59] » Okay. >> As each ordinance gets updated, but um

[19:04] still it's it's a lot that uh that had to be changed and and done.

[19:10] And saying that, what what timeline we um looking at um since we got

[19:16] [clears throat] the meat of it already done, what timeline um remaining for the

[19:21] other couple of them? What we >> um the S ordinance may take a couple of

[19:26] months because we've got I've got the engineers actually [clears throat]

[19:29] looking at that. That's going to take us a little while to get those kind of

[19:33] figured out. There's a few things we want to add to that.

[19:36] Um the building code one, um there's some

[19:41] things we got to double check with the county on to make sure that we're doing

[19:44] everything >> that's the same as that what theirs is.

[19:48] So we got to make sure that we've got those right.

[19:51] » Um the others [clears throat] are are just tweaking and just changing up. So

[19:56] » but we've got to get this one all the way through its second reading and done

[20:00] first. So after that, you know, hopefully by December we'll at least

[20:04] have some things done. >> All right,

[20:08] » sounds good. >> Come a long ways.

[20:10] » Now, Lyn, do you need to read this? >> Just by title. Just do by title only.

[20:15] » Okay. >> And I can I can I'm okay to just go and

[20:19] do that by title or do I need to have a vote to

[20:21] » You still have to do it by um motion, second by title only. And we'll

[20:26] [clears throat] >> do I have a motion to read by title only

[20:29] ordinance 2026-04.

[20:33] I'll make a motion to read by title only. Do I have a second?

[20:37] » I'll second. >> Any discussion?

[20:40] All in favor?

[20:44] Ordinance 2000-26 2026, excuse me, 4. an ordinance

[20:51] enacting a code of ordinances for the city of New Wellington, South Carolina,

[20:55] revising, amending, restating, codifying, and compiling certain

[20:59] existing general ordinances of the city of New Wellington dealing with subjects

[21:03] embraced in such code of ordinances.

[21:17] Do I have a motion and first reading to approve um ordinance 2026-04

[21:25] approval of code of ordinance?

[21:32] I make a motion to approve the um ordinance 2026-04

[21:39] for the code or >> do I have a second?

[21:45] » Second. [clears throat]

[21:47] » Any discussion? All in favor?

[21:54] All right. And that is all for new business today. So, we're going to look

[21:58] at some updates. Let's start with administration.

[22:02] Okay. Um

[22:07] the uh final title searches are being still worked on uh for the demo project,

[22:13] but I think there's just a few more left. Um we're also waiting on commerce

[22:18] to clear uh the environmental review. And so once that's done, we'll be ready

[22:23] to notify property owners and move forward for that project. So, we're just

[22:28] kind of waiting on a couple of things and then hopefully property owners will

[22:31] start getting notified for those. >> I have a question with that. Have we had

[22:36] any of the property owners contact us? >> We've had a few.

[22:40] » Oh, okay. >> Yeah, we've had a few. Um, I've actually

[22:44] been in contact with one property owner that's been very very helpful in trying

[22:48] to because they want certain they want a couple of the um, mobile homes that are

[22:53] on theirs that they on their property that they don't own and they're trying

[22:56] to get they want to get rid of them. So, >> so with that being said,

[23:02] um, how many that we need to go ahead on and start? How many property owners

[23:10] approval do we have need to have in order for us to start with the demo?

[23:15] » Well, uh I'm not really sure. They'll probably um seek at least probably

[23:23] » three or four at least, maybe six. >> Okay.

[23:26] » To get a contractor to actually start a demo

[23:29] » for that because I have to um bid it out.

[23:32] » So, I'm not really sure how many that would do. They would do. kind of got to

[23:36] do it in phases. >> I guess it kind of depends on how many

[23:39] they [clears throat] think they can get. >> Um

[23:45] you may have seen some updates here at city hall recently. Um

[23:49] » we're working on a little beautifification along with

[23:52] fortification to the front area of the building. Um we're also and thanks to

[23:58] our public works department for helping out with that. Uh we're also checking

[24:04] into several possible requirements for the building to be updated. So stay

[24:08] tuned for that. Um there's also going to be some new signage going up um to

[24:15] assist the flow of traffic coming into the parking lots. So look,

[24:18] » that's what that big sign out there is for.

[24:20] » Yes. >> Okay.

[24:23] » Um I'm also waiting to hear back from lower Savannah Council Governments on a

[24:27] proposal to work with our planning commission on a draft of land

[24:30] development regulations. This is another one of those things that we need to get

[24:35] done going on for the developments and land development regulations is

[24:39] something that is um in our comprehensive plan, but it's not

[24:43] something that it's something that's suggested in our comprehensive plan, but

[24:46] we don't have one and it's something that we have realized we need

[24:51] desperately here in Newton and we don't have one. We don't have it. So, um,

[24:57] [clears throat] uh, it will take a process of working on

[25:00] those with the planning commission to prepare them for the approval from the

[25:03] council. So, um, we'll be waiting I'm waiting to hear from them hopefully

[25:08] within the next couple weeks to get a proposal from that and see how what

[25:12] that's going to take and how that's going to go.

[25:16] We also have a new IT company um, that's been working with the city. Um, we're

[25:22] waiting on the re their recommendations for any new or updated hardware that is

[25:27] needed and our email migration which should be done within the next few

[25:31] weeks. That company is Asset Technologies Group.

[25:35] I think that's all I have right now.

[25:41] All right. Next up is um Oh, well, let me start with this. Thank you, Lyn, and

[25:46] the team all for working on the ordinance so much.

[25:50] and working to move this demolition forward. We appreciate all yall do.

[25:55] Thank you so much. >> Um, Chief Towns,

[26:00] » good evening. How's everyone? >> Great. [clears throat]

[26:03] » Um, just a couple notes. Um, so now, um, finally received some, uh, pretty good

[26:11] updated, um, expected revenue from the tax assessor's office as far as from a

[26:18] fire fee perspective. So, I think maybe Lynn might have mentioned last month

[26:23] that y'all would look and [clears throat] do a budget amendment

[26:26] mid year or something like that. So, um I'm probably about $40,000 off on

[26:33] expected revenue to the good. Um so, if that if that does happen, there's um so

[26:39] there's a couple line items and stuff that I'll do maximum amendments to. Um

[26:44] last month, we received 132 calls for service. Um as normal medical is

[26:50] definitely the bigger volume of that running at about 87% with 13% fire

[26:55] related calls and then a good thing is um on the tail

[27:01] end of what I just said initially about with the fire fees and [clears throat]

[27:04] expect revenue we closed out fiscal year um 63026 by transferring a little over

[27:12] $180,000 over into our contingency fund. Um

[27:18] obviously the reason for that is uh the trucks that we paid off in the previous

[27:22] years. [clears throat] Um but with the truck that we still have on order. Um so

[27:28] that money was left in the debt service line item and it's just you know going

[27:32] to get rolled over from budget year to budget year until um until that that

[27:37] payment starts having to get paid. Um and then um we we'll use that to build

[27:44] and either buy our air packs or pay a big payment down on the on the truck

[27:48] itself. Um but the LGIP account that's in probably made about 15 $16,000 in re

[27:56] and interest uh last year. So it does it does pay off have that money in that LG

[28:02] LG account. So and um obviously with what we just added to it this fiscal

[28:08] year be [snorts] even better. Quick update for me. Any questions?

[28:12] » Yeah. Um when you say that um the revenue that was um a line item of

[28:20] $40,000 um and y'all have $180,000

[28:26] being transferred. How much would that be going towards this um offline item

[28:32] for the 40,000? the the 40,000 is when I when I gave her

[28:38] anticipated revenue that we would bring in for this budget year,

[28:42] » I'm on the low side of about $40,000. >> Okay.

[28:45] » So, I expected our revenue, I think it was like 713,

[28:49] $723,000 >> based off of the the report that I just

[28:54] received uh from the treasures office. um with with this year being a new tax

[29:00] assessment year and everything, >> those fire fees should be around one

[29:04] about 750 to 752 is what it's showing on the report.

[29:08] » Yeah. >> So that's why I'm saying um if we do if

[29:12] we do that then I could up the up the revenue side which also would would

[29:16] would up some expenses that I can show. I already know I'm going to run over on

[29:21] uniforms this year. We got behind on uniforms.

[29:24] » Not, you know, good thing is we've had influx of some new people coming in. A

[29:28] dress uniform we may wear two, three times a year, but I want everybody to be

[29:32] in one for our banquetss and that sort of stuff, you know, and unfortunately if

[29:35] we have to go to a funeral, >> head to toe, they're about 600 bucks,

[29:39] » you know, stuff like that. So, and then the 180,000 that I'm talking about. So,

[29:43] we ended the um I try to close out the budget year with a specific dollar

[29:50] amount every year. And that's easy for me to u basically track our expenses

[29:56] from December or excuse me from July to December, which is in our cold time of

[30:02] the year where we really don't get a whole lot of revenue.

[30:05] » Um our check may be there's a couple months it may be like $2,000.

[30:10] And then um November will be probably around a 30

[30:15] to $40,000 check. >> And then December is where is the first

[30:19] good check that we'll get. Okay. >> So basically I have to carry money over.

[30:23] You can't be at a zero balance. I have to carry money over for us to operate

[30:27] off basically almost seven months. >> But I use that number I get back down

[30:31] through our historical data and what we have spent through the years. I know

[30:35] what we need to have come June 30th to carry me through say December 1st.

[30:40] » Right. Okay. [snorts] >> So

[30:43] everything over that $300,000 I transferred over into our LGPI account,

[30:48] our contingency account. So, one, it's sitting there. Main thing is, so it's

[30:52] making us money. So, our money is making us a little bit of money.

[30:55] » Good. >> And then we we would just use it and

[30:58] keep building. We've never had a savings account or whatever you want to call it,

[31:02] a contingency fund or whatever. We've never really had a savings account or

[31:05] anything like that. If you didn't have it operating money right then and there.

[31:09] So, you know, if we was to lose a motor in a truck that's say 75 $80,000,

[31:14] » we would have had to go buy, you know, borrow money to to be able to replace

[31:18] the engine, you know. a motor in one of fire trucks or

[31:21] something like that. >> We've got good insurance, but if we lose

[31:24] one and it's totaled out, they're only going to pay so much back on that truck,

[31:28] » right? >> So, you know, so that's the reason why I

[31:30] want to build that contingency fund for unfortunately a rainy day. And we've got

[31:35] air packs that we'll have to buy in about four years.

[31:38] » Um when we bought them in 2015, they were around $190,000.

[31:43] And um it's probably give or take right now

[31:48] probably about $275 to $280,000 now to buy the same. So what I'd love to do is

[31:55] be able to buy those and pay cash for them and not have to go back in debt or

[31:58] anything like that or not have to raise fire fees. So that's why anything we can

[32:03] do now to save a dollar at a time, you know, it just helps really push off any

[32:08] kind of rate increase. >> Great.

[32:10] » Obviously growth is has has made growth in our areas, right? You know, y'all

[32:14] seen it inside city limits and I'm definitely seeing it

[32:17] » within the whole fire district. >> So, growth in the area has been able to

[32:20] do that. That's correct. >> And that and have the revenue, the

[32:23] additional revenue. We haven't raised fire since 2018.

[32:26] » That's correct. >> And and the only reason why I think we

[32:28] would do anything like that now >> is and I've briefly mentioned that to

[32:33] y'all a couple of times before is if we were going to

[32:36] » do a true paid staff fire department. >> Right. Right.

[32:41] So I question >> you did and that's good.

[32:45] » Thank you >> chief.

[32:47] » Thank you chief.

[32:51] [clears throat] [snorts]

[32:54] » All right. >> And as far as county council goes,

[32:58] » um I don't know if y'all are receiving any. So um so this is the negative side

[33:04] of me saying that I'm like $40,000 under revenue. Um, I don't know if you're

[33:10] receiving any kind of phone calls or anything from disgruntled people yet

[33:13] about they've, you know, I've seen this uh calculation or the tax assessor

[33:18] letter or whatever. um they if if if an individual doesn't agree with the

[33:25] assessed value that's been uh applied to this new assessment, there is a a

[33:31] process that they can go through >> um to to uh basically um um what's the

[33:37] word I'm looking for? >> Yes.

[33:39] » Appeal. >> Appeal it. Um you know um but if it

[33:44] hasn't, if I understand right, it's only it can only go up so much. So if it

[33:48] hasn't if it hasn't changed hands or if you haven't refinanced anything like

[33:52] that and you you know it's only going to the value is going to be assessed and be

[33:58] applied to the structure but yet it's only 15%

[34:01] » the tax the tax revenue or the tax percentage that it can go up it's only

[34:05] going to go up so much on >> so um

[34:10] I know we're getting a lot of it at the county side

[34:13] » and um so I don't know if y'all are seeing much of it yet or anything like

[34:17] or maybe they're just all going to the county not coming here because

[34:20] ultimately it was done by the county session just so if they are getting

[34:24] anything like that that's really where they need to go is up toward the county.

[34:27] » Okay. >> Thank you.

[34:29] » Okay. >> Yes ma'am.

[34:33] [clears throat] >> Chief Sman

[34:38] got a few things to go over here tonight. Want to start tonight before I

[34:43] start going over everything else. I want to introduce Lieutenant Raphael Keles.

[34:49] He started today. He's going to be covering our school resource officer

[34:54] position for the time being until we can fill that. Um he comes with a plethora

[35:00] of knowledge and experience. I'm going to let him introduce himself to the

[35:05] council. Just a quick little introduction. Again, I'm helpless. Um a

[35:12] little bit about me is have about almost six years in law enforcement. The last

[35:17] two and a half years I spent as an investigator with the A County Sheriff's

[35:20] Office. I specialized [snorts] in special victims, so all juvenile law as

[35:26] well as internet crimes against children. I was also a crisis and

[35:30] hostage negotiator for the county as well.

[35:36] » Welcome to the team, sir. >> Thank you for joining us. Thanks for

[35:40] definitely going to be a great asset again from previous meetings where we

[35:46] have gone forward with the internet crimes against children. Uh he's going

[35:51] to be heading that. So we're going to be proceeding with that.

[35:57] So since our last meeting on June 15th, we've

[36:02] conducted seven incident reports. I believe that's going to be a typo. That

[36:07] is a much lower number. I know for a fact we've gotten a lot more. Um, there

[36:11] have been 95 calls for service with 20 assisting other agencies, 45 citations

[36:17] issued, 23 warnings issued. Um, we can go ahead and up that arrests. We just

[36:22] made an arrest just a little while ago right before this meeting started. So,

[36:26] five arrests have been made. One collision report has been completed.

[36:30] As we all remember, Cadet Andrews is at the academy. He will be there. He is at

[36:36] his halfway point as of this Friday. So we will be waiting his regulation set

[36:42] for August 21st on four weeks from now on Friday.

[36:48] We have mentioned prior to a training with other smaller municipalities they

[36:55] can we have completed that um waiting to meet with them to make sure everybody is

[37:01] in agreement on the verbiage of that before we present it to our

[37:06] representative council bodies to move forward with that. Again, that's just

[37:11] going to be for training within the county with these other municipalities.

[37:17] Um we're trying to get all that set forth because we're set to do firearms

[37:21] training with each other in September. >> Awesome. What um what class is he taking

[37:29] this week? >> So he is working on legals, too.

[37:32] » Yeah. So this is going to be >> that means he passed legal.

[37:35] » This is going to be one of the tougher ones and hopefully it's all downhill

[37:41] from here.

[37:45] Thank you. Thanks for that update. Thanks for all your hard work. Welcome

[37:49] to the team. We're so glad you chose me. Thank you.

[37:53] » I like your background. [clears throat] >> Great. Thank So, we're just gonna he's

[37:59] going to just be filling in as the SRO right now until

[38:03] » until we can find someone to place in that position.

[38:07] » Okay. >> As a set position. Um, again, he's going

[38:12] to just be covering that. >> Once we hire somebody to take that

[38:16] position, he will be coming back to the road.

[38:18] » Okay. >> And we will be doing the rotation

[38:21] schedule better, more adequate coverage to our citizens.

[38:27] » Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am.

[38:29] » All right. Streets, roads, and sewer. Jason, what you got for us today?

[38:34] » Uh, not a whole lot. Third project at sewer plant, the sprayfield project.

[38:39] They're they're checking along with it pretty well. They got the main trunk

[38:42] line in. Um right now they're doing the um valve feed lines. They're starting to

[38:47] run those um and putting all their I guess um valves and stuff in. There's a

[38:53] little hiccup on the ordering of the valve, so they had to go with a

[38:57] different company, but they got it all coming in.

[39:01] So we should be sitting pretty good out there before long. Um

[39:05] other than that, we did remove all the bushes and stuff around

[39:09] or community center up here. Um we'll put some sod around it. The bushes up

[39:15] there just want to hold up. Um just to try to make that look a little bit

[39:19] better and then that's about it start getting ready for

[39:24] football. Um I believe they're practicing up here today. Um having

[39:29] football down there. >> Thank you. Thank you so much.

[39:38] All right. Um, uh, parks and directs. Do you have any

[39:42] updates on that, Lyn? >> I don't. Um,

[39:46] I know that she's been working with, um, football and everything, getting it

[39:51] ready. Um, and I talked to her last week, but I

[39:55] hadn't had it. I thought she was going to be here tonight, but I haven't talked

[39:58] to her today. >> First day of school.

[40:01] » Yeah, there's no telling. >> Yeah, there's no. All right. How How

[40:06] about the 75th anniversary celebration? [snorts]

[40:09] » Um I know that uh Brandy has sent out some uh email information to all the

[40:15] schools uh for the um logo contest that we've got going on.

[40:20] » Okay. >> I've also uh been talking to uh Linda

[40:24] Caldwell who works with our banner program and she's got a contact um at

[40:28] the Aken he's one of the Aken schools and he's

[40:33] art teacher and so I've got a contact there that I'm trying to um get some

[40:37] more information out to them too. Um so tried to just get the word out about it

[40:44] and uh so we're working on that part of it.

[40:47] » I do know she had several vendors sign up.

[40:49] » Yeah, we got a lot of vendors for the atomic city festival is coming in.

[40:52] » I've had a lot to me about it. So yeah, >> so they're they're coming in.

[40:56] » Oh yeah, >> tonight's

[41:03] we'll make sure we're going to [clears throat] have a meeting with

[41:04] Anyway, we've got that set >> because there's going to tell them how

[41:09] many more people that might not come to nothing and couldn't know a lot about

[41:13] the town, >> right? Yeah.

[41:14] » Be a lot of good information. >> Yeah, we're we're really willing to set

[41:17] that up anyway because that was part of the what we wanted to do at the festival

[41:21] was to do some of those >> those recordings and things.

[41:24] » Recordings. >> Awesome.

[41:26] » Wonderful. Um Chief, does um martial arts start back

[41:31] this week? >> Yes, ma'am. It starts back Thursday.

[41:34] Okay. >> If you haven't already, you know someone

[41:37] that wants to join our martial arts program here, it does start back up this

[41:42] Thursday at the community center at >> It begins at 5:30.

[41:48] » 5:30. Okay. >> And ends at 6:30. So, we do ask that

[41:53] when you come in, please remain as quiet as possible to allow the students to

[42:00] receive instruction. Again, they're are quite a few new

[42:06] » students in there. Give them the respect of being able to learn

[42:11] » again in that respect. >> You're getting some good participation

[42:14] in that. >> Absolutely. It was not only from a

[42:19] students aspect, but actually having the parents and grandparents show up and

[42:24] support those children as well. >> So again, you know, that was the only

[42:28] issue we ask that you turn all phones on silent when you come in there because it

[42:32] is a raction to those kids >> trying to learn that set of skills that

[42:37] they're being taught. >> We have kids not only from New Ellington

[42:42] but also in a coming here enjoying it. I suppose that is good. Finally rolls are

[42:48] reversing here. >> All right. Um and I think that is

[42:54] everybody. I um >> All right. I want

[43:00] » I didn't have anything for you all. anything. That's it.

[43:04] » I'll bring some updates next week. And only thing I want to say, I want to

[43:08] thank the city for allowing us to go to the municipal association this year.

[43:14] Thank you so much, Lyn, you and Maria, and what all y'all do. And I want to uh

[43:19] talk to when we was in the short meeting, I just was so excited to see

[43:24] the um the beautifification of our front um building right there. Thank for Lyn

[43:31] and Jason and all of them who was involved in that project. It looked very

[43:36] nice. That's just the beginning of what we got going on and I have some updates

[43:41] next meeting. >> Lyn, that email that we got um turnup

[43:46] seed, I talked to him about it, how the company who's doing our sewer,

[43:51] » can you mention that real quick? That email that we got that they wanted to

[43:54] use us. >> Oh, um

[43:59] case study. >> Yes, for the case study.

[44:01] » Um, yeah, we they want us the I think it's the not the Springfield, but the

[44:08] other >> I'm trying to remember which which

[44:11] project one of the projects that we we've got the RA project the um funding

[44:16] for. Um we are uh they want to use us as one of

[44:21] the case studies that they have in something that they're publishing or

[44:25] doing. Um so we We're honored for it and we're we're

[44:31] giving the information. The only problem is they've asked us for pictures and we

[44:34] don't really have anything to show them yet because it's not it's still in

[44:38] process. So we don't we won't really have anything until this fall late this

[44:42] fall before we'll have anything to show them. I don't think so.

[44:45] » Um we've asked her what do you want to get from us right now?

[44:50] » Um if we can send picture I don't know how soon they'll want all this

[44:54] information. So we're waiting to hear back from her on that.

[44:57] » Great. I ran into Justin at the municipal association and we were

[45:01] talking about that. So, thank you. Thank y'all for handling that and working on

[45:05] that. And again, thank y'all for allowing us to go. It actually was one

[45:08] of the best meetings that I have been to in the four years I've been

[45:12] » I've been going. So, it was very informative and all of that. It was very

[45:16] good. Um, we we sat through some long classes, let me tell [laughter] you. But

[45:20] it was good. It was really good. >> That's right.

[45:25] » Yeah. And um we'll share more at the next meeting.

[45:29] Do uh thank thank you. Thanks everyone for coming out. We appreciate you being

[45:33] here and participating and spending some time with us this evening. And you're

[45:37] welcome to stick around if you'd like to talk to one of us. And with that being

[45:41] said, do I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? I'll make a motion to adjourn

[45:47] the meeting. >> Do I have a second?

[45:49] » I'll second. >> Okay. Any discussion? All in favor?

[45:54] All

[46:00] right, y'all. Don't go anywhere. I got >> I'll get your sign, Dad.

[46:04] » Yep.

City council meeting 7.20.26

Transcript