CITY OF LANETT
REGULAR SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING
November 7, 2005
The City Council of the City of Lanett, Alabama, met in regular session on Monday, November 7, 2005, in the Council Chambers of the Lanett Municipal Complex at 6:00 P.M. The roll was taken and the following were found to be present: Councilmember’s Jamie Heard, Kyle McCoy, John Duskin, and Mike Yarbrough and Tony Malone. Mayor Oscar Crawley was present and presided over the meeting.
Reverend Horace Blount said the invocation and led the pledge of allegiance.
Councilmember McCoy made the motion to adopt the prepared agenda. Councilmember Heard and Councilmember Yarbrough seconded the motion. Motion unanimously passed.
Councilmember Yarbrough made a motion to dispense with reading and to adopt the minutes of the regular scheduled meeting of October 3, 2005. Councilmember Duskin seconded the motion. Councilmember McCoy made a motion to dispense with the reading and to adopt the minutes of the special called meeting October 27, 2005. Councilmember Duskin seconded the motion. Motion unanimously carried.
Councilmember Malone presented a Proclamation “Home Health Care Month” to Jennifer Whittaker and Elizabeth Johnson.
Councilmember Malone asked Police Chief Docimo if there is an ongoing investigation for mishandling of city personnel files and how many man hours has been put in to this investigation and who’s party to this investigation. Chief Docimo told Councilmember Malone no comment. Councilmember Malone asks so there is an investigation going on and Chief Docimo said no comment. Attorney Nix said this is a personnel matter. Councilmember Malone asked Chief Docimo what the process or procedures is in handling complaints taken from citizens when they have a complaint on a police officer and does the city keep them on file. Chief Docimo says that a written complaint is taken and turned over to the officers that investigate. Richard Carter usually handles these complaints, but he is out of town and Officers Teddy Morris is handling it. Councilmember Malone asked how long you keep these complaints on file. Chief Docimo explained that they keep them twenty five (25) years according to state law. Councilmember Malone asked if there is a complaint on officers it should be on file and Chief Docimo answered yes.
Councilmember Heard had nothing this evening.
Councilmember McCoy made a motion to adopt 11-05-01 “Adopt A Budget For 2005-2006.” Councilmember Yarbrough seconded the motion. Councilmember Malone asked when we had a meeting with the Mayor and Council to discuss the budget in detail with the full Council. Councilmember McCoy said that we had submitted a proposal on the budget and the finance committee made recommendations. Councilmember McCoy explained the budget is basically the same as last year and it has a 3% cost of living raise for the City of Lanett employees. Councilmember McCoy explained that the budget had gone up, because of $400,000.00 grant for the airport and the $600,000.00 grant for West Shawmut Sewer. Councilmember Malone asked a question and it was addressed to the Mayor. Councilmember Malone said that the Mayor and Council had not had a work session to go through and look at the budget. Councilmember Malone said in past administrations they had gone through the budget and it is not fair to vote on the budget. Councilmember Malone made a motion to table the Resolution 11-05-01. Motion failed due to no second on the motion on tabling Resolution 11-05-01. Attorney Nix said motion on tabling the Resolution 11-05-01 needs a second. Councilmember Malone asked when was the process of letting just two or three make a decision on the budget. Roll call vote as follow: Councilmember Malone – Nay, Councilmember Duskin – Yea, Councilmember Heard – Yea, Councilmember Yarbrough – Yea, Councilmember McCoy – Yea and Mayor Crawley – Yea. Motion carried.
Councilmember McCoy made a motion to adopt 11-05-02 “Authorize An Amendment To The Classification Plan Of The City Of Lanett, Alabama.” Seconded by Councilmember Yarbrough. Councilmember Malone questioned if the City of Lanett was going to ask Auburn University to assist in helping the City of Lanett with these changes. Councilmember McCoy explained that the City of Lanett has only one grade classification and all City of Lanett employee falls into. Councilmember McCoy explained that the City of Lanett is loosing good city employees to other cities, who are willing to pay more. Councilmember McCoy said what the City of Lanett is doing is to establish a pay grade for the police and fire department so the City of Lanett can be competitive with other cities. Councilmember McCoy said that the City of Lanett would look at other departments later. Councilmember McCoy said
this motion is only establishing three different pay grades at this time and it is not changing pay classification at this time. Councilmember Malone asked if this is all at one time. Councilmember McCoy explained that the City of Lanett wants to take a look at these departments, because the City of Lanett is loosing good police officers to other cities. Motion unanimously carried.
Councilmember McCoy made a motion to grant an application for pool table license for Waz-Zabi (Sawanee Gangeshan). Seconded by Councilmember Malone. Councilmember McCoy asked Building Inspector Jerry Thrower if it meets qualifications and he said it did. Motion unanimously carried.
Councilmember McCoy presented the Mayor and Council with the Alatax Contract. Councilmember McCoy made a motion to approve the contract. Seconded by Councilmember Malone and Councilmember Yarbrough. Motion unanimously carried.
Councilmember McCoy made a motion to adopt Resolution 11-05-04 “Airport Improvement Funding Agreement.” Seconded by Councilmember Duskin. Motion unanimously carried.
Councilmember Duskin presented a Proclamation “National Farm City Week.” Sheriff Lockhart, Darryl Bishop and Randa Henry (Miss Chambers County Agriculture) received the proclamation.
Councilmember Yarbrough made a motion to adopt Resolution 11-05-03 “Purchase and Installation of a Digital Video Recording System.” Councilmember Yarbrough explained this is purchased with a Homeland Security Grant. Seconded by Councilmember McCoy. Councilmember Malone asked where the video camera will be placed. Councilmember Yarbrough explained they are to be placed in the city hall, police department and fire department. Councilmember Yarbrough explained this is a Homeland Security Grant and has to be used specifically for that. Councilmember Malone asked how this can actually help the City of Lanett with homeland security. Councilmember Yarbrough explained that there is a great need when the City of Lanett has court. Motion unanimously carried. Councilmember Yarbrough said this is very touching because several citizens to donated money to the city. Councilmember Yarbrough said that Wal-Mart has donated $500.00 to the police department to purchase a radio and another donation for $5,600.00 from another Homeland Security Grant to purchase five (5) new computers for the police department. U. S. Department of Justice has donated $1,100.00 for hotel and tuition expense for Officer Matt Young to attend school on children safety, which includes internet safety. Councilmember Yarbrough said the only obligation would be for the City of Lanett has to pay is the transportation and meal expense. Councilmember Yarbrough wants to recognize Detective Teddy Morris and has been chosen to head up the Chambers County Drug Task Force.
Mayor Crawley commented that the City of Lanett has already received over $800,000.00 in grants from Governor Riley. Mayor Crawley explained that he and the City Clerk Deborah Daniel, and City Manger Holley went to Community Development Block Grant – Sewer compliance meeting in Montgomery, Alabama. Mayor Crawley wanted to personally thank Governor Riley. Mayor Crawley said that the City of Lanett hired an investigator on the Breaker Box Case and the report is complete. The ABI and FBI were contacted and chose not to get involved at this time. Mayor Crawley said that the City of Lanett had made a decision on the case. Mayor Crawley explained that he has been following the personnel policy manual with WestPoint Stevens for the past thirty-four years and Mayor Crawley said that he would follow the personnel policy manual with the City of Lanett. Mayor Crawley congratulated the Lanett Football team for winning in the play offs.
City Manager Holley received a letter from one of the seniors that went to the Master Games. The letter thanked Jane Farrar, Richard Ballard, Regina Malone, and Director Ronnie Tucker. The letter was from Agnes Parker and thanked the Mayor and Council as well.
City Manager Holley told the Mayor and Council that they were invited to Veterans Day program November 13, 2005 at 10:30 A.M. at the Lanett Nazarene Church.
City Manager Holley told the Media that the next council meeting will be the November 21, 2005 at 6:00 P.M.
City Manager Holley commented on how the sales tax is up because of the Dollar General Store in Huguley, Alabama.
City Manager Holley read the report on the canine activity for the month of October 2005 was total of thirty-seven (37) animals. The City of Lanett received a letter from the American Canine Case filed a
Notice of dismissal in their case against us. This case could possibly go to federal court and it is possible that it would come back to the state court.
City Manager Holley stated that the City of Lanett has some tips on the City of Lanett web site (www.cityoflanett.com) and at city hall on utility savings. Mayor Crawley, City Clerk Deborah Daniel and City Manager Holley went to the Community Development Block Grant – Sewer in Montgomery and discussed a way to help the citizens of Lanett. City Manager Holley wants help from the mayor and council. The idea is to change from three cycles to two cycles and this will help the citizens in cycle two (2). The cycle 1 will be from the 5th of the month to 20th of the month and cycle 2 will be from 20th of the month to the 5th of the month. This will give the citizens of Lanett fifteen (15) days to pay their bill instead of ten (10) days.
City Manager Holley said he has come up with another great idea. One of our citizens brought City Manager Holley some information and checked on this through the Internet. There is a company in Houston, Texas that puts out something called econo heat and they have been selling it in Europe for the past fifteen (15) years. The company has brought it to North America, because four (4) or five (5) years this company saw fuel prices going up. City Manager Holley talked with individuals and bought several heaters for himself. The econo heat consists of a panel, which is two (2) foot by two (2) foot is about 3/8 inch thick and sixteen (16) pounds and you plug it in to an outlet. The idea behind this is it takes five (5) minutes to install and you put it up against your wall eighteen (18) inches above your floor and plug into outlet and it is four-hundred-twenty-five (425) watt heater. Ten percent (10%) of the heat it produces usage is by radiant heat and it means the front will get hundred-sixty-five (165) degrees and that is bath water temperature. The other ninety percent (90%) heat is through convection. It basically takes the cold air from the floor and passes up behind the heater, because you leave a one (1) inch space behind the heater. The heater will heat a ten (10) by ten (10) rooms and it keeps the room sixty-eight (68) degrees at three (3) cents an hour. The City of Lanett could get the heaters and get them at a good price. Our utility department could install the Econo heaters for $80.00 to $85.00.
City Manager Holley asked for help from the media. Department head Mike Bass street signs are being stolen. City Manager Holley states the other day someone ran over a fire hydrant and drove off.
City Manager Holley stated that he has an update from Mr. Fred Bennett on the J T Greene project called the Garden Greene senior apartment. They have applied for a grant and applied in August 2005 and should know something in December 2005.
City Manger Holley said that Mike Bass has given him figures on what the City of Lanett has picked up six-million-two–hundred-twelve-thousand-seven-hundred-twenty (6,212,720) pounds other than household garbage this year and seven-hundred-twenty-five (725) pounds of junk garbage other than household garbage for every man, women, and child in the City of Lanett. The tipping fee for the City of Lanett is $58,301.00 and the City of Lanett wants to save on that to.
City Manager Holley and Recreation Director Ronnie Tucker need some input from the Mayor and Council, because it is time to register for the recreation department. The policy has been $25.00 per family per year and Recreation Director Ronnie Tucker suggested that the charge be $25.00 per child. The other cities around charge $25.00 per child for football, $20.00 per child for baseball, and $15.00 per child for basketball. Councilmember McCoy states that the City of Lanett used to charge $25.00 per child and the City of Lanett was trying to help by enrollment by the $25.00 per family.
City Manager Holley stated that there will be a pre-design meeting November 14, 2005 for the Highway Fifty Lift Station with the engineers.
City Manager Holley states the City of Lanett is ready to close on the Langley property at the airport and the construction can get started on the west end project of the airport.
City Manager Holley states the City of Valley is pushing and he needs some direction on the hanger project. This project will tie into the downtown development project. This will get the City of Lanett utility barn moved from downtown.
There being no further business to come before this council, motion duly made, meeting adjourned.
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Oscar Crawley, Mayor
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Deborah Daniel, City Clerk