City Council - Regular Meeting

Well, Councilman Uglam says our clock. There it goes. 6 o'clock. So, we're official now. I will call the April 13th meeting of the mayor and council to order. So, if everyone stand, we'll have our pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

If you'll remain standing Dr. Land room, will you come forward and do our invocation, please? Bow your heads if you will. Gracious, wonderful almighty God, we come before you this evening with grateful hearts, thanking you for this day and for the opportunity to gather in service to this community. Lord, we lift up every councilman, every council woman, thanking you for their dedication, their sacrifice, and the precious time they give for the good of this city. Grant them wisdom in their decisions. Dear God, we ask a special blessings upon our mayor. And Lord, we cannot ignore the burdens that weigh heavier upon so many. We pray for peace all over the world where too many innocent lives are being lost. Touch the heart of leaders and nations that justice, mercy, and peace may prevail. Lord, we lift up everyone facing hardship, those struggling under the rising cost of living and the burden of high gas prices. Provide relief to them, dear God. And as people go about enjoying the beauty of this city, we ask that you keep them safe and protected. watch over families, children, and all who travel and gather here in this city. And as the meeting begins, we ask your presence to dwell in here. In the precious name of your darling son, Jesus Christ, I pray, let every heart say, "Amen."

Amen. Thank you, Pastor Lenny. Okay. Do we have any citizen comments? And having none, uh, do I have a motion to adopt the March 2026 meetings minutes? So move. Have a motion to have a second. Second. Have a motion and a second to adopt the minutes from our previous meetings in March. The next item on our agenda is our mayor and council announcement. Sorry, you didn't take a vote. You took a motion. Oh, I'm sorry. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I.

I. Any opposed? Same sign hearing? None. Motion count carries. Okay. The next item on our agenda is our mayor and council announcements and comments. And we will start with Councilman Uglum. Good evening everyone. Uh great to have a nice crowd this evening. I'd like to hope you went to the arts festival up on the square here a couple weeks ago. And we have a lot of exciting events at the cultural arts center coming up and at the amp before we know it. So get out and enjoy our beautiful city. That's it.

I just want to say good good afternoon to everybody. I hope you had a great spring break and that your week is starting well. Brett, I don't have anything tonight. Thank you. Councilman North.

Good evening everyone. I'd like to uh echo up on the prayer that um Pastor Landram did uh so eloquently uh deliver but also like to uh you know the country is at war and I like to make sure that we understand there's some brave women and men they're out there supporting it. No one likes war but it's they signed up for it and sometimes you have to do what you have to do. So, with that said, I'll appreciate the mayor issuing a proclamation for businessman Aubrey Winters, and it was wellreceived uh yesterday, and so we appreciate that. He's a good man. Yeah. And uh we appreciate you issuing that. You're very welcome.

That's about it.

Well, I just want to say um it's been a great few weeks and we've had some really pretty weather and we're very appreciative of it. Um, Councilman Ugler mentioned the art takeover on the square and also we had at the cultural arts center the writers guild and I don't know if any of y'all attended that or not and that was the first time I had attended and it was really interesting and there were a lot of uh authors there and they had their books for sale and then they actually had classes and they actually had speakers to talk about uh one of the speakers was an attorney journey and she said that in her secret life she'd always wanted to be a writer and she's had a couple of books published now. So, you know, don't ever give up on your dream no matter what you're doing. Uh, and I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. It's always great to celebrate um these kind of events. And we had um an Easter egg hunt. So, all the little kiddos got to hunt Easter eggs. So, um, we've just had a lot and it's it's going to be a great spring and summer here in the city and we look forward to it and our, as I say all the time, our best asset is our citizens and um, we will have a um an event at the lake on April 24th. Uh, so if you can come out, it's a a night to shine. It talks about mental illness and we'll have some vendors there and different people. It's um the city of Carolon, Southwire, and Tanner that will be uh sponsoring this. So, mark your calendars and come out and enjoy. Hopefully, it won't be 100 degrees. All right. It will probably So, you're probably right. Okay, Mr. Brooks.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I just uh we got a lot of exciting things going on in Carolton. It's great to be a part of it. I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to uh walk for the first time the the site that's been developed on the corner of Alabama Street and uh 27 the mixeduse development and uh the apartments and the the they're going to be super. The the view from whoever gets like the corner apartments of those mixeduse development, the view either back to our downtown area or across the street and it's just really really nice. So, uh that's coming along uh nicely. It should be finished as uh we have stated by the first quarter of next year, fully functional and and ready to go. And just want to thank again all of our staff members in the city of Carolton that keep this the keep the city moving forward and and look after all of our citizens and in many different ways. Make sure we got water and sewer and everything's working like it's supposed to and provide public service with police and fire and then recreation and all the great activities that we have throughout our town that they provide for everybody. We're just I just again just proud to be a part of it.

All right. Uh at this time I have um the next item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda items for consideration. Um do we want to amend it? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. We need to amend it to add the agenda. Uh resolution 01-2026 Georgia Cities Week is item number one, please. Yes. Okay. All right. So, do I have a motion to approve the agenda items for consideration with an amendment to the agenda to add resolution 012026 for Georgia C's week as item number one? So, move. Okay, I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I.

Any opposed? Same sign. Hearing none. Motion carries. So the agenda will be added and our first item is a resolution to support Georgia C's week. It says a resolution of the city of Carolton recognizing Georgia C's week's April 20th through 25th 2026 and encouraging all residents to support the celebration and corresponding activities. Whereas the city government is the closest government entity to most citizen and the one with the most direct daily impact upon its residents. And whereas city government is administered for and by its citizen is it dependent upon public comment to an understanding of its many responsibilities. And whereas city government officials and employees share the responsibility to pass along their understanding of public services and their benefit and where as Georgia cities week is an important time to recognize the significant role played by city government in our lives. And whereas the city week offers an important opportunity to spread the word to all the citizens of Georgia that they can shape and influence this branch of government which is closest to the people. And whereas the Georgia Municipal Association and its member cities have joined together to teach students and other citizens about municipal government through a variety of different projects and information. And whereas Georgia C's weeks offers an important opportunity to convey to all the citizens of Georgia that they can shape and influence government through their civic involvement. Now therefore, be it resolved that the city of Carolton declares April 20th through 25th, 2026 as Georgia's city's week. Love your city. Be it further resolved that the city of Carolton encourages all

citizens, city government officials, and employees to do everything possible to ensure that this week is recognized and celebrated accordedly. Adopted this 13th day of April, 2026, the mayor and council of city of Carolton. And I will sign it. Our next item on the agenda is a proclamation for donate a life month and sorry I'm sorry on that. All right. Got them out of order here. Okay. Um I can't I'm sorry. Madame Mayor, you need to take a motion on your resolution.

Oh, okay. All right. So, do I have a motion to approve the resolution 01? Second. Okay, I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I.

Any opposed? Same sign. Hearing none. Motion carries. Okay. Um there's nothing I don't think any harder to have to endure is to see a child abused and um that is something that unfortunately is growing. Um I spoke with a director um of our child advocacy center recently and he just asked me he says what's going on? the numbers just keep growing and growing and growing and um it's so sad to think about that. But anyway, the month of April is child abuse prevention month and our youth are our future and we've got to protect them. So I'm going to read this proclamation and then we have some staff members, some board members here to accept it. Whereas children are essential to the future strength, prosperity, and quality of life in the city of Carolton. And whereas every child deserves a safe, stable, and nurturing environment in which to grow, learn, and reach their full potential. Whereas preventing child abuse, neglect requires strong families, encou engaged citizens, and sustained collaboration among public safety, schools, health care providers, courts, and community organization. And whereas the Carol County Division of Family and Children Services serves as the frontline child protection agency, investigating reports of abuse and neglect, ensuring child safety, supporting families in crisis, and pursuing safe and permanent outcome for the children. And whereas Carol County CASA courtappointed special advocates

provides dedicated volunteer advocates who ensure abused and elected children have a voice in court and promote safe and stable nurturing placement so that Carolton's children may grow free from violence, abuse, neglect, and maltreatment. And whereas Carol County Family Connection convened schools, nonprofits, faith communic faith communities, civic leaders, and business to align prevention efforts and strengthen families before crisis occur. And whereas the city of Carolton and its public safety partners participate in the care of the child at risk evaluation initiative, enhancing early risk identification, improving multi-disciplinary communications and support timely datainformed decisions making focused on child safety. And whereas the West Georgia Child Advocacy Center headquartered here in Carolton works in close partnership with DEFATs, CASA, law enforcement, and the prosecutors to provide traumainformed forensic interviews, family advocacy, evidence-based therapy, coordinated medical response, and structured multi-disciplinary case review. And whereas child abuse is preventable and through prevention, protection, and innovation, the partnership, the city of Carolton affirms its commitment to safeguarding children and strengthening families. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the mayor and council of the city of Carolton, Georgia, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as child abuse prevention month and encourage all residents support the agencies and volunteers dedicated to child safety. And it's signed by Mayor

Betty Kase. All right. Thank you. Y'all want to come down and I Thank you.

Thank you. I got two. Oh, thank you.

And as one of their fundraisers for anybody that would like to participate, they have a calendar that you can buy a space on. Have all those days been sold? Oh, well great. That's awesome. We have um a calendar that business or whoever wants to can actually buy a day to advertise on the calendar. And thank goodness they've all been sold, which is awesome because it we have a lot of volunteers and board members and they do an outstanding job and we're so fortunate to have this group in our community. All right, the next one, let's see if I can get this one right, is donate life month. And I was sharing, I saw on the news this weekend where there was a a young man, six years old, that had gotten a heart transplant at Choa. And um he was um so proud. And I mean, it just makes your heart happy to know that this child has another chance. and and that's great. So this is National Donate Life Month. Whereas one of the most meaningful gifts that a human being being can bestow upon another is the gift of life. And whereas more than a 100,000 men, women, and children await life-saving or lifeenhancing organ transplants which reach nearly 3,000 reside in Georgia. And whereas 49,64 a record number of transplants occurred in the calendar year 2025 thanks to the generosity of 23,789 deceased and living donors of which 1,676

transplant patients and 679 deceased and living donors also a record number where Georgia were from Georgia and whereas more than 2.5 million people throughout the country and in Georgia benefit annually from tissue trans transplantation thanks to the thousands of tissue donors. And whereas the need for organ, eye, and tissue donations remains critical as a new patient is added to the national waiting list for an organ transplant every eight minutes. and millions more could experience improved quality of life through tissue transplantation. And whereas critical donor shortages remain a public health crisis as an average of 13 people die daily due to the lack of available organs. And whereas organ, eye, and tissue donations can provide families with the comfort of knowing the gift of the don donated organ and tissue. endows another person with renewed hope for a healthy life. And whereas donating life through organ, eye, and tissue donation is the ultimate act of generosity and kindness, we the city of Carolton citizens can perform. And whereas nearly 3.8 8 million Georges have already registered their decisions to give the gift of life at donatelifejah.org when getting or renewing their driver's license or state identification card at a driver's license office or getting a h hunting or fishing license through the department of natural resources. And whereas LifeLink of Georgia, the nonprofit organization dedicated to the

recovery of organs and tissues for transplantation therapy in Georgia with a vision to maximize the gift of life while giving hope to donor families and transplant patients and our mission to honor donors and save lives through organs and tissue donation. And whereas the city of Carolton supports the lifesaving mission of LifeLink of Georgia. And now therefore, we the mayor and council of the city of Carolton do hereby proclaim April 2026 as donate life month in Carolton, Georgia to honor all of those who've made the decision to give the life gift of life to focus attention on the extreme need for organ, eye, and tissue donation to encourage all residents to take action and sign up on Georgia donor registry at donatelife gorgah.org to discuss the miracle of transplantation as a family and to make a family commitment to organ, eye, and tissue donations on this 13th day of April, 2026. And hopefully if you haven't done that, you will because that the greatest gift of giving is the gift of life. Okay, so our next proclamation, I promise this is the last one, but it's the most important one because this affects us on a daily basis. And we have some guys sitting back there and they can attest to this. It's Carolton Safe Digging Month, April 2026. Whereas thousands of times each year, the underground infrastructure in Georgia is damaged by those who do not have underground lines located prior to digging, resulting in service interruption, environmental damage, and threat to public safety. And whereas in 2025, the Federal Communication

Commission designated 811 to provide contractors and homeowners a simple number to contact utility operators to request the location of underground lines at the intended dig site. And whereas the West Georgia Utility Coordinating Committee, a stakeholder-driven organization dedicated to the pre prevention of damage to underground utilities in Georgia, promote the National 811 Notification System and the Georgia 811 in an effort to reduce these damages. And whereas damage prevention is a shared responsibility, by using safe digging practices, the contractors and homeowners of Carolton can save time, money, and help keep our infrastructure safe and connected. And now there therefore I Betty Kase, mayor of the city of Carolton, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of this Carolton, Georgia, to hereby proclaim April 2026 as Carolton's safe digging month and encourage contractors and homeowners to always contact 811 before digging. Safe digging, safe digging is no accident. I have here and to set my hand and caused the seal of the city of Carolton to be affixed this 13th day of April 2026. Signed Mayor Betty Kasein. And we have our public works department U director and some staff members. And we have Carol EMC. So if you guys will all come up, we'll present this to y'all because I know these are both very important agencies.

Thank you. Okay. The next item on our agenda is the land lease for Carolton Presbyterian Church. Mr. Brooks. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, as uh talked with you guys a couple of months ago at at our work session, uh, been the Presbyterian Church been in contact with us. We've had an agreement with them for over 20 years to use the parking lot right outside. Um

we've had an agreement with the Presbyterian Church for uh um over 20 years to use this parking lot right outside the the building here. Um our police department use it, court our court services use it. And uh and for 20 years, 20 plus years that uh uh lease that we've paid them $600 a month. So uh they have come back and asked uh to redo the lease. um they they're going to up the price to $1,200 a month, which in one shot might seem like a a big jump, but over 20 years, that's, you know, that's that's not very much. So, and we desperately need the parking. Um so, they they sent over a land lease agreement uh for us to look at. Um uh Miss Griffith has looked at it, um and just had a couple of basically grammatical edits to the document. We uh sent it back. They were good with it. So, we're asking that you guys approve to enter into this land lease agreement for the use of that parking lot um below this building for the amount of $1,200 per month. It starts it become effective June 1st, 2026 and it will run through May 31st, 2029 at which that time we will renew it and I'm sure there'll be a smaller increase at that time.

Okay. All right. You've heard the request. Do I have a motion to approve the land lease with the Carolton Presbyterian Church? So move. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion or questions? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Same sign. Hearing none. Motion carries. The next item on the agenda is the city of Carolton employee health insurance.

Thank you, Madame Mayor. As Dr. Clifton's coming up to the podium to uh make this presentation and recommendation. I just want to personally say thank you to to Dr. Clifton and the work that she has put in to really help look at not only what I we can do to help our insurance costs next year, but for years to come because obviously at the rate that we're going you we can't sustain the percentage of increases that we're getting year after year after year. So, um she's put a lot of time and effort into it and I really appreciate the work she's done. At this time, I'll let her come to you guys with uh the recommendation and why we why we uh decided to go in this direction.

Thank you. And good evening, mayor and council. Um as you're well aware, for the past several months, we've really done a deep dive analysis into the city's health insurance expenditures. And as we shared at the last work session, our health benefits represent one of the largest and fastest growing line item expenditures in our budget. Our plan costs are on track to be about $7 million this year and within five years potentially they could hit over $11 million. And so staying with our current level funded model is really no longer fiscally um sustainable. And so we're essentially renting a health product. and um it provides us a lack of transparency and being able to make decisions in the best interest of the city but also in our employees. And so to address these challenges, we recommend a strategic pivot and how we manage our healthc care risk. And so first we need to make sure that we have the right partner who's guiding us through this process as we prepare for 2027 and beyond. So, we would recommend appointing Marsh McClennon Agency as our new benefits advisor. And this move really offers us some immediate advantages. They are um proposing a 30% lower service fee immediately, which combined with some lower cost in our premiums of the plans that we already have in place will initially save us $50,000 um in fixed cost immediately. Likewise, they specialize in supporting our self-funded models where we would be unbundling all of the different components of our health care plan and that will shift us so that we can truly

see what the needs of our staff and employee base is and being flexible in that as well. And so just unbundling our pharmacy cost for example, we anticipate $150,000 in savings and then $380,000 in rebates um annually. And so over the next five years, this strategy could potentially save the city over $10 million. And then lastly, they have a local office here. And so they work here, they live here, they pay taxes here in our community. And so they very much have a vested interest. So tonight we're asking for your approval to appoint Marsh Mlennon Agency as our new broker of record and to grant the city manager and myself as the human resources director the authority to implement the most fiscally responsible insurance model such as being self-funded and then the potential of a captive which is a memberowned insurance group. So, we're committed first and foremost to our staff. So, we'll conduct a usage study to ensure that their doctors and their needed services are accessible to them. So, our goal is to really move the city from being a buyer of insurance to a manager of health and that is how we can best meet the needs of our staff and so we respectfully ask for your consideration. Thank you very much. Thank you for all your hard work.

Really detailed.

I'm sorry. I I want to thank you for all your hard work because I know this has been a real cumbersome task to have to go through and we appreciate what you've done. So, we've heard the request uh for Marsh Mlen to become the um provider for us as uh as stated and also to give the authority to uh to Dr. Clifton and to city manager Brooks to um make the necessary changes and um deal with these as all these requests and entering these contracts with these different facilities and different providers. So, do I have a motion to that?

So, move. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Have a motion and a second. Is there any questions or discussions? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. Any oppose? Same sign. Hearing none. Motion carries. Thank you again, Dr. Clifton and Mr. Brooks because I know this has been something that they've been working on because insurance kind of like gas prices. It just keeps going. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. No other items coming before this council. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? So move. Have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Have a motion and second. All those in favor say I.

I. Any oppose? Same sign. Hearing none. Motion carries.