Politics & Government

Live: Council Approves Pay Increases, Budget, Additional Positions

Cartersville leaders are holding a regular business session following the work session.

8:01 p.m. That's a wrap on the meeting. The next is set for the first Thursday in July.

7:57 p.m. The council is now receiving a financial report.

7:56 p.m. Motion to add item to agenda approved. The city attorney recommended and the council approved the denial of an anti litem notice regarding Cedric Richardson.

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7:55 p.m. The council approved a $15,000 payment to Parker Systems LLC for its overpayment of fiber optics services. A billing issue between the city and a third party provider led to overbilling.

7:53 p.m. Leaders approved subject to the city manager's approval the purchase of Jacobs Engineering services not to exceed $432,000 for engineering of an emergency pump station on the Etowah River for the Water Department. A revenue bond will finance this service and all aspects of the pump station.

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7:51 p.m. Councilmen approved a purchase from Paragon Bridge Works of a bridge for the Pettit Creek Trail Phase II project in the amount of $23,801.

7:48 p.m. The council approved a contract with the Georgia Department of Corrections for five inmate work crews (three at Public Works and two at Parks and Recreation) at a cost of $39,500 per crew.

7:47 p.m. Leaders approved a contract with Travelers Insurance for various insurance products in the amount of $324,719.

7:42 p.m. Councilmen approved a contract with UNUM to provide employee life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. It’s a change from Fort Dearborn, which proposed a rate increase.

7:41 p.m. The council approved a contract with Spencer Bristol Engineering in the amount of $33,691 to provide lighting design services as part of the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.

7:37 p.m. Leaders approved the renewal of a contract with ICMA Center for Performance Measurement in the amount of $5,550.

7:35 p.m. The council approved a contract with the city of Emerson to provide an additional 1,850,000 gpd to facilitate the LakePoint sporting development.

7:33 p.m. Councilmen approved the following funding to the following organizations for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. They are:

  • Cartersville-Bartow County — Library $454,500
  • Bartow Juvenile Court — $15,000
  • Bartow Health Access — $2,000
  • Cultural Arts Alliance — $ 51,000
  • Good Neighbor House — $2,000
  • Downtown Development Authority — $85,000
  • Bartow County Library Inc. — $1,200

7:32 p.m. The council approved a joint resolution to allow the refinancing and consolidation of school system bonds.

School Board attorney Harry White said the school system will save about $500,000 and the measure will allow school system bonds to be paid off in 2015, when the school system could become debt free. Read more about the measure here.

7:27 p.m. Leaders approved a resolution that allows several changes to the State Route System numbering in conjunction with the SR 20 widening project and the U.S. 411 project. A map of the proposed changes is attached to this article in the meeting agenda packet.

The city will take a portion — less than 1/2 mile — of the SR 20 realignment, once it is constructed. The 1/2 mile is adjacent to the Clarence Brown Conference Center.

7:23 p.m. The council held the first reading of a rezoning request for property at the intersection of Porter St. and N. Erwin St. at 324 Porter St. for a special use permit to operate a salvage yard on the property zoned Heavy Industrial. The Planning Commission recommends denial of the request.

The applicant is unable to meet two of the requirements — buffering and property size — for special use, and has applied for variances on those.

No one spoke during a public hearing on the matter.

7:19 p.m. The council held the first reading of a rezoning/annexation request for property at the intersection of West Ave. (SR 61/113) and Euharlee Road from medium-use commercial to high-use commercial to allow for a general commercial development. The Planning Commission recommends approval of the request.

Representing the applicant, Jeff Watkins said the property was not zoned for the auto sales business there now. The business license was issued by the county, and the city discovered it due to a complaint. Recent road construction apparently caused some confusion.

7:15 p.m. Councilmen also approved a 5 percent increase in water and sewer rates. Officials say the hike will allow the city to continue maintaining the existing system as well as update the system by completing projects that are needed to fulfill the needs of existing customers along with any future needs of the water and sewer system.

For residential customers, the increase equates to $0.06 per 100 cubic feet consumed for city residents and $0.12 increase per 100 cubic feet consumed for outside the city limit residents. For apartments/commercial water customers, the increase is $0.10 per 100 cubic feet consumed for city customers and $0.15 per 100 cubic feet consumed for outside the city limit customers.  For sewer rates, the increase equates to $0.07 increase per 100 cubic feet consumed for city customers and $0.14 increase per 100 cubic feet consumed for outside city limit customers.

Leaders say a portion of the increase is mandated by the state for water conservation.

7:12 p.m. City leaders approved salary increases for employees and the 2011-2012 fiscal year budget, which is $157,729,545, or 10.72 percent higher than the previous fiscal year, and includes no property tax increase but an increase in staffing of 15. The city plans to fill positions in Public Works (one), Storm Water (one), Solid Waste (one for 1/2 of the year) and 12 firefighters in the Fire Department.

The 12 firefighters is due to the new public safety facility and fire station now in the works, Mayor Matt Santini said.

Councilman Lori Pruitt was the only to vote no on the proposed budget.

7:04 p.m. The city council approved necessitated by the 2010 Census following a public hearing in which no one spoke.

Officials say the small changes affected two wards, those of councilmen Dianne Tate and Lindsey McDaniel Jr. The ward map, which pending approval from federal authorities would be used in the upcoming election, is attached to this article in the meeting agenda packet.

7:02 p.m. Leaders approved the minutes from the last meeting.

7 p.m. The meeting begins following a closed session for "potential and pending litigation."


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