Sonya Alexander

The meeting was called to order, followed by an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. A roll call confirmed the presence of several commissioners. The primary agenda item discussed was an executive session for personnel matters, which ultimately could not proceed as intended due to procedural issues regarding reconvening. Consequently, a motion to adjourn the meeting was made and passed.

The meeting commenced with an invocation and pledge, followed by roll call and agenda approval. The agenda was amended twice: first, to add a discussion item regarding the city manager employment under new business (to be addressed in executive session), and second, to add a discussion item regarding the Darren Felton construction project. The body approved the minutes for the January 20th work session and the January 20th and February 3rd regular meetings, as well as the February 11th called meeting minutes. New board members were sworn in for roles including the Board of Zoning and Appeals and the Planning Commission. Key business items included the approval of alcohol license renewals, a resolution establishing a regulatory fee for mobile food vendors, and the second reading of an ordinance amending city code regarding motorized carts and personal transportation vehicles. Discussion also occurred regarding the first reading of an ordinance to declare a portion of a municipal street unnecessary, which prompted concerns from residents about access and property rights for an adjacent church and property owners.

The regular meeting commenced with opening ceremonies, followed by agenda and previous minutes approvals. Key discussions involved a public hearing concerning the tentative adoption of a millage rate of 11.0060 mills, which is the same rate used for the preceding five years. Department head reports covered several areas: Community Advancement discussed setting up a business incubator, attendance at local school and community events, and handling open records requests; Finance reported on ongoing collection efforts for delinquent bills and business licenses, and upcoming interviews for a utility billing clerk position; the Fire Department reported on completing annual training requirements, hydrant inspections, and apparatus testing, highlighting two recent 'saves' including a structure fire where B-shift successfully rescued a victim who regained a pulse; Human Resources provided updates on a retirement benefits session, flu vaccine availability, securing rabies vaccines for animal control officers, and placing a student intern in the City Clerk's office; Municipal Court confirmed timely submission of all required documentation to the state; and Planning & Community Development detailed restructuring pre-application meetings, developing a formal application workflow for planning and zoning modules, and preparations for the 2026 CDBG funding request. The Police Department reported on receiving a $1,000 donation for 'Shop with a Cop,' noting that this year's event will serve 72 children, marking the largest iteration to date.

The meeting commenced with an invocation and the approval of the agenda. A motion was made and seconded to amend the agenda to add a new business item regarding 'personal matter city management employment status,' which was noted to follow any executive session. The approval of the previous regular meeting minutes from January 20th was conducted. The Community Advancement Manager provided a report detailing the restructuring plan for the land bank, a marketing strategy for property disposal, and updates on a color-coded blighted property list (red for demo, yellow for significant maintenance, green for minimum maintenance). Discussions ensued regarding the history and pace of land bank operations, noting three vacant properties were transferred but sales processes were ongoing. The Finance Department reported on January sales tax receipts, showing total collections of $471,726.34 across local option sales tax, SPLOST, and TSPLOST. The financial summary for December included utility collections of $667,008.28, business license collections of $57,969.18, and property tax collections of $12,966.90. The Fire Department reported 78 calls during the reporting period (December 30th through January 22nd), including 45 medical assistance calls, two vehicle fires, one motor vehicle accident, two trash fires, and one structure fire. Accomplishments included hosting the Dooly County Volunteer Fire Department for a burn building exercise.

The meeting centered on the fiscal year 2026 budget, addressing potential adjustments to travel and education funds for elected officials, as well as a proposed increase in fees and services. Discussions covered the city's financial standing, the need for budget adjustments, and the importance of commissioner education and travel for city advancement. Concerns were raised about the impact of service fee increases on low-income residents. The commission also considered the restructuring of government positions to enhance efficiency and save costs, and the potential termination of the partnership with the IDC.