City Council - Regular Meeting

you Thank you. Thank you.

Good evening, everyone. I'd like to call the May 26, 2026 Council meeting to order.

and I'll ask the clerk to call the roll. Ms. Simmons? Here. Dr. Lee? Here. Ms. Mapp? Here. Ms. Pendergast? Here. Dr. Wills? Here. Ms. Shanholster?

Here. We have a quorum present so we can continue with the meeting. Please stand with me in prayer and then the Pledge of Allegiance. Heavenly Father, Lord, we take this moment to thank you. Thank you for this day, Father. And thank you for everything that you've done for us. Father God, we're so grateful for your kindness and your mercy, and especially for your grace, grace that is given to us and grace that we are allowed to use in so many ways when we're dealing with people every day.

And we're thankful for you for providing that for us.

father god we pray that everything that we do in this meeting is done decent and in order and according to your will we thank you for the citizens of millersville we pray and ask that you bless our armed forces we thank you for our governments father and we pray in us that they make decisions that are pleasing in your sight these things and more we pray in jesus name amen amen so I see that we don't have anyone signed up to for public comments so we'll move on with the meeting you all will receive a copy of the April twenty first twenty twenty six call work session minutes are there any corrections or amendments that need to be made hearing none is there a motion to adopt the April twenty first twenty twenty six work session minutes so moved mayor second okay we have a motion and a second I'll ask the clerk to call the roll please Ms. Simmons yes Dr. Lee aye Ms. Mapp aye Ms. Pendergast Dr. Wells aye Ms. Sheehan hostess aye the motion carries and the minutes are approved You all have received a copy of the May 5th, 2026, called work session minutes. Are there any corrections or amendments that need to be made to those? hearing none is there a motion to adopt the May 5th 2026 work session minutes so moved second we have a motion and a second I'll ask the clerk to call the roll please Ms. Sammis aye Dr. Lee aye Ms. Mapp aye Ms. Pendergast aye Dr. Wills aye Ms. Schanholzer aye The motion carries and the minutes are approved. You have received a copy of the May 12th, 2026 council meeting minutes. Are there any corrections or amendments that need to be made to those minutes? Hearing none, is there a motion to adopt the May 12th, 2026 council meeting minutes?

So moved. Second.

I'll ask the clerk to call the roll, please.

Ms. Simmons? Aye. Dr. Lee? Aye. Ms. Mapp? Aye. Ms. Pendergast? Aye. Dr. Wells? Aye. Ms. Schanholzer?

Aye. The motion carries, and the minutes are approved. You all have received a copy of the May 19, 2026, call work session minutes. Are there any corrections or amendments that need to be made to those? Hearing none, is there a motion to adopt the May 19th, 2026 work session minutes?

So moved. Second.

We have a motion and second. I'll ask the clerk to please call the roll.

Ms. Simmons. Aye. Dr. Lee. Aye. Ms. Mapp. Aye. Ms. Pendergast. Aye. Dr. Wills. Aye. Ms. Sheehan-Holster.

Aye. The motion carries and the minutes are approved. Under mayor's comments the mayor didn't give me any comments and I don't see I don't see any Georgia College and State University students in the office in the audience so at this time we'll move on to the city manager's report and I'll recognize Ms. Melva Hilson-Budds

Good afternoon, everyone. Um, what I would like to do at this time is to take a moment to kind of just go through some brief budget discussion items. I'm going to ask Miss Wilson if she could come up and give a brief overview on where we are.

Good afternoon. Good evening, I would say. She's passing out a notebook that I prepared and put together for everyone so that you are able to view all of the changes, all the requests, and have any questions that you would like at a different time. But just to give you an overview, general, we're looking at Overall, in general, it's a 36% increase in the general fund as far as the expenditures with water and sewer. We're looking at a 4%, I'm sorry, water and sewer is a decrease in expenditures at 19%. Solid waste is a 4% increase. And then storm water is a 1% decrease. And when you go through your budget line items, you would be able to see how the comparison was done or how it came up with the percentages of changes. Most of your changes, when you looking through it, you will be able to see it does come from just the actual of the expenditures. So I kind of tried to look very closely at the revenue coming in, expenditures going out, align it very well, try to input everything in that departments are requesting. So I'm hopeful that, I'm hoping that when you look at the budget, y'all will see that I think that this is a well all around balanced budget. Okay. That's pretty much it. I just kind of wanted to give you all an overview tonight and then give you your study book so you can go home and look at it more in depth. And again, be able to just ask me any questions that you would like to ask before. Oh, and then the next thing will be your outside agencies. With the outside agencies, Allied Arts and the library has requested to stay the same and no. no they did not requested i mean allied arts requested to stay the same allied arts requested to stay the same the library um imposed in an increase due to um they're needing more revenue for their salaries um as opposed to giving them as uh what they asked for and we wanted to meet them in the middle of a medium and we are proposing that they get I don't have that number in front of me but I want to say it is 17960 as opposed to what they was actually asking And with the Boys and Girls Club, as you know, last year we did do an increase of $20,000. That was a one-time increase, so we're going to decrease them back down to the $10,000.

Are there any questions from the council at this time?

I know this is something that we all need to go home it looks good thank you it's not so small we can't we have to squirm to read it so I certainly do appreciate that what we will do is go home and it's over and we'll come next Tuesday we're in our budget work session with our questions or anyone that has questions can contact you or Ms. Butts before then to for clarification on anything that they see but we will have a full discussion next Tuesday about the things that you've gone over my only question to you is the projected revenue does it match the increases in in the in those in those areas that that that because of overall some of those come for the different funds that you gave us yes it does match the revenue does make the increase okay that's good to hear we have any wiggle room yes okay just want to make sure we if we have something that we can play with so that gives you all an idea with something that you can ask questions about what if we try this Because that'll be the time to do it so that we can get this done. I want to commend you and Ms. Butts and your staff for a job well done.

I did do this alone. We do have one other person on my team that has been helping me out tremendously with actually putting the presentation together. Her name is Ms. Adisha Dunlap. Hopefully, y'all will get to meet her next week. I did ask if she could stay. next week to just kind of introduce her and let everyone meet the backbone of me who will be kind of helping me with this.

Okay, that's great. It looks great, and we can't leave out Ms. Witherspoon either and her assistance. I know how much she's been working on it too, but thank you. This is a very nice little presentation. It's nice. It sure is. It certainly is. It's easy to follow. Yes, easy to follow and read. I can read it. We'll come with our questions next week, so be prepared. Yes, ma'am. Anybody else?

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

My only other thing is that I just want to share a card from Ms. Walden's family. She sent a thank you card. It says, your kind expression of sympathy was deeply appreciated and is gratefully acknowledged by the family of the late Wade Brooks Walden, Jr. And she says, thank you for the Subway meals that we provided. Your kindness and support during this difficult time is greatly appreciated. That's from Ms. Jeanette and family. I just want to share that with you all.

She did share with me how much it helped them because they didn't have any dishes or anything to return or anything. And she said the entire family enjoyed what the city did for them.

We aim to please.

Amen.

That's all I have for you all today.

Okay, thank you. So at this time, we'll move on to old business, which is part of the agenda. And I'll ask the clerk to read Ordinance O. 26 oh 5, there's 16 back caption.

Ordinance old as 26 oh 5, there's 16 an ordinance to a man chapter 22 of the code of ordinances city of Milledgeville Georgia to add a section to add a new section 22 days 1, 5, 7, to regulate the establishment and transfer of certain specialty retail businesses within the city limits. To define key terms including make shop full mark by smart and related products to prohibit new establishment of these business types. to prohibit transfer of ownership or relocation of existing businesses of these types to provide for enforcement and penalties and for other purposes.

This is the second reading of this ordinance, and we are able to adopt it tonight. Do I hear a motion to adopt Ordinance O2605-16? Motion to adopt O2605-16. Second. Is there any discussion?

Madam Mayor approach him. I did want to point out one thing that I appreciate Mr. Jordan and Miss Pilsen, but including as we brought it up during the work session, I was afraid that this might restrict or create food deserts in certain parts of the city. But I would like to emphasize that under the definition of food, Mark does not include traditional grocery store supermarkets or for our full service grocery retailers. thank you for that because that did worry me so I think that allays the fears of the council in terms of that that we can still license those those establishments thank you that's all I had madam mayor Pro Tem anybody else we'll have a motion and second at this time

roll time okay I'll ask the clerk to call the roll Ms. Simmons aye Ms. Lee Ms. Mapp aye Ms. Pendergast aye Dr. Wills aye Ms. Schamholzer aye we'll now move to new business part of the agenda tonight and I ask the clerk to read Ordinance O2605-17 by caption as a first read

Ordinance 0 dash 26 0, 5 dash 17 and ordinance to a man chapter to 62 of the code of ordinances city of millers feel Georgia to add a new section 62 dash 20 to establish a curfew for minors under the age of 16 and for other purposes.

This ordinance was drafted by the city attorney's office and was then provided as a draft to mayor and council requesting input and any proposed revisions. The proposed revisions have been incorporated into the ordinance as a first read. If there are any additional revisions, please bring those to the city manager's attention or to the city attorney's attention so they can be presented and discussed at the second read. Next I'll ask the court to read resolution are 26 so 5 just 13 by caption.

Resolution are this 26 oh 5 this 13. The resolution to authorize a master service agreement between the city of millage bill and the CCM infrastructure Inc for professional services for caring to was late and inspections.

You've heard the resolution is there a motion to adopt.

So move. Second.

Is there any discussion? I'll ask the clerk to call the roll, please.

Ms. Simmons? Aye. Dr. Lee? Aye. Ms. Smith? Aye. Ms. Pendergast? Aye. Dr. Wells?

Aye.

Ms. Shanhoster?

Aye. OK. We have one alcohol application to consider this evening. And I will ask the clerk to present it at this time.

The alcohol license on behalf of Little Tokyo Milledgeville, Georgia LLC doing business as Little Tokyo Sushi and Steak located at 2588 North Columbia Street. for beer, wine, and alcohol consumption on premises.

OK. You've heard the application. Is there a motion to adopt? Motion to adopt. Second. Is there any discussion? I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.

Ms. Simmons? Aye. Dr. Lee? Aye. Ms. Mapp? Aye. Ms. Pendergast? Aye. Dr. Wells? Aye. Ms. Schenholzer?

Aye. Well, this concludes the items on the agenda. Does anyone on council have questions or comments they'd like to make? I do. If you don't mind. Thank you. Go ahead.

Well, I would like to visit a few topics of discussion that I was met with from some of the residents of my district. There's an ongoing concern about our yearly financial audit that is overdue for our city's financials. I believe we brought this up before. And to put my fillers out there again, for the possibility of a forensic audit due to the fact that our previous city manager abruptly resigned back in the fall and that millions of dollars from the SPLOST and TSPLOST funding that was due to us was overlooked for quite some time. Also, during the April 21st council meeting, it was said that trash disposal contracts for the city would be listed for bids with a request for a proposal. Do we know if this has happened? I didn't see it listed because bids do serve as a catalyst for us attempting to give our city the best possible service options as possible. On another topic, the fire hydrants that are covered with black trash bags across the city that are not in working order, this is a huge concern for the residents as well. The hydrants serve as a safety net for our citizens. None working fire hydrants can cause catastrophic delays in firefighting, leading to significant increase in property loss, massive water pressure drops for firefighters, and potential loss of life. and it directly hinders the ability to control fires, protect personnel, and rescue victims, turning manageable incidents into widespread disasters. So let today's meeting reflect these highly important topics. Thank you, and that is all.

Okay, is there anyone else that has any comments? I'm just going to say to miss Simmons that that type of information would be easily responded to with a one-on-one conversation with your city manager. And I'll leave that at that. Instead of up here in the meeting, it would be better answered one-on-one.

Well, the people would like to come to the meetings to express their concerns, but some of them do not have the capacity to be here. So, therefore, I work for the people, and I bring that to the dais for the people.

If you get it from the city manager, you can take it back to the people. Absolutely. They won't get a response in this meeting. Thank you. But if you work with the city manager, you can take it back to the people because you're right, that is your responsibility to find out the information. Thank you so much. She doesn't have access to all of her information while we're up here in this meeting. If there are no other comments, I'll ask for a motion to adjourn. So moved. Second. I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.

Ms. Simmons. Aye. Dr. Lee. Aye. Ms. Mapp. Aye. Ms. Pendergast. Aye. Dr. Wills. Aye. Ms. Schenholzer. Aye.

well we didn't we're not having everything for closed session and there are no appointments so thank you