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20090827 City Council Minutes
Mayor Pro Tem Doyle called the Consent Agenda meeting to order at 6:30pm on Thursday,
August 27, 2009. Council Members present were, Barry Brown, Dick Smith and Paul Wolff. Councilman
Eddie Crone was absent due to illness and Councilman Charlie Brewer was absent due to business
commitments. Also present were City Attorney Bubba Hughes, City Manager Diane Schleicher and
Planning and Zoning Director Jonathan Lynn.
Mayor pro tem Doyle listed the following items on the Consent Agenda:
City Council Minutes for 8/13/09
One Day Alcohol License Application: Beer and Wine per event for the Tybee Veterans Memorial
Committee September 19th, 2009 at 404 Butler Ave.
Application for Alcohol License (Beer & Wine for Sale by Drink for consumption on premises),
Sunday Sales, License, and Entertainment License for J.J.’s Beach Café, LLC 1105 East Hwy 80
Applicants: James Davies and Jack Aleshire.
Special Event Application: Alee Shrine Fall Ceremonial-including Parade at 10:30am November 7,
2009, Tybee Gym-Memorial Park Pavilion. Including Waiver of Gym User Fees ($500)
Mayor Pro Tem announced this was being held in honor of Alfie Waite this year.
Approval of bid for paving approximately 15,000 feet of road surface including but not limited to
leveling courses, milling and raising manholes (44) for 2nd Ave., Cedarwood, Van Horne, 3rd
Street/East of Butler Ave., 9th Street/East of Butler Ave., and Meddin.
Budget Line Item # 100-4210-54-1410 Recommended low bidder -Carroll & Carroll for
$260,208.05
HGBD Engineering for Effluent Line Survey and Study-not to exceed $11,500 without prior
approval of the City. City will provide a boat and operator for the hydrographic survey part of
the study. Recommended by Infrastructure Committee.
Budget Line Item 505-4310-52-1202
HGBD Engineering Fee Proposal for Replacement for Force Main for Pump Station 3, Design is
not to exceed $19,500 without prior approval by the City. Fees for permitting and construction
phase services will be on an hourly basis. Recommended by Infrastructure Committee. Budget
Line Item 505-4310-52-1202
HGBD Engineering Fee Proposal for Replacement for Force Main for Pump Station 6, Design is
not to exceed $36,000 without prior approval by the City. Fees for permitting and construction
phase services will be on an hourly basis. Recommended by Infrastructure Committee. Budget
Line Item 505-4310-52-1202
Waste Water Treatment Plant and Lift Station Improvements:
Change Order #3: $18,302
Budget Adjustment: Deduct $18,302 from Water/Sewer Contingency 505-9000-61-
1000 and add $18,302 to Waste Water Treatment Plant 505-4310-54-1407 to fund
this change order. Infrastructure Committee recommended approval.
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MCCI Laserfiche Contract for software to be used for digital archiving $16,648
Budget Line Item #100-1535-54-2500
August Action Item List. Councilman Smith asked for items completed to be removed.
River’s End Financials Monthly Report. The next report will be the 2nd meeting in September.
Mayor Buelterman requested Tybee’s City Attorney send Letter of Request to John Hart to use
SPLOST Funds for construction of extension of Fire Department (Public Safety Building) of 1 or 2
new Fire Bays to Chatham County Attorney. He spoke to Pat Monahan and this is possible. The
referendum does not require the funds used for the Public Safety Building be only on one
building. Chief Sassers’ estimate is two bays would be approximately $100,000 and one bay
would be about $68,000. The fire department has acquired a lot of new equipment and a
temporary awning or canopy is not going to do the job. Brown stated you could probably get
one bay done for $40,000 or low $50,000.
Services of Beach Consultant per recommendation of Beach Task Force. Council asked city
manager to put out an RFP for professional services as recommended by Beach Task Force.
Study is to look at beach protection process and sand build up next to the pier.
Mayor Buelterman joined the meeting prior to last two items being added to the Consent Agenda.
Mayor pro tem Doyle adjourned the Consent Agenda.
Executive Session
A Motion by Councilman Wolff to go into Executive Session to discuss Real Estate, Litigation and
Personnel was seconded by Councilman Brown. The vote was unanimous.
A Motion by Councilman Wolff to end Executive Session was seconded by Councilman Smith. The vote
was unanimous.
Mayor Buelterman called the regular meeting of the City Council to order at 7:00pm. Those
present at the Consent Agenda were also in attendance for the regular meeting. Rev. Eddie Adkins gave
the invocation and everyone recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Mayor Buelterman presented a Proclamation to Lawrence “Bubba” Edgerly, for heroic bravery in a
rescue in Florida, and declared August 27th, 2009 as Lawrence “Bubba” Edgerly Day on Tybee Island.
Mr. Edgerly spoke and thanked mayor and council; his wife, whom also assisted in the rescue; his family;
Chief Sasser; and veteran firefighters who helped train him. Edgerly dedicated the proclamation to the
honor of his father who had also been a firefighter.
Mayor Buelterman thanked the firefighters and marine rescuers for the outstanding job they had done
this past week-end.
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Department Head Quarterly Reports-included in agenda packets
Chantel Morton spoke and announced “Come down and Clean Up” at the Seven Flag Park on Saturday.
To help pitch the trash on the south end and get ready for Labor Day week-end. The fundraiser is
continuing to raise funds for the holiday banners for Tybee.
Jonathan Lynn gave a PowerPoint Presentation on the last quarter of the fiscal year for the Community
Development Department.
Hillary gave a PowerPoint Presentation on the YMCA’s summer. She also thanked the city for the recent
renovations and announced an Open House on September 14th at 6:00pm.
Committee and Board Reports
Councilman Wolff introduced Savannah College of Arts & Design Professor, Ms. LaRaine Montgomery.
Her Architecture class had taken on Tybee’s Public Safety Building as a class project. Three of the
students; Maria Otero, Reefve Ridgeway, and Megan Purin gave presentations on conceptual plans and
designs for the future building.
Citizens to Be Heard
Richard Adams gave a presentation on new Wayfinding signs for the island. The concept is to have the
signs in the shape of a turtle. Colors would be turquoise and white on the front and tan on the
underside. Wording would be on both sides. Also additional signs would be attached below the turtle
shape indicating parking, etc. After consulting with Chief Price on the post and collision possibilities a
break-a-way section was added to the bottom. The black color was changed to silver for more visibility
at night. Councilman Brown asked about size. Adams stated the final signs would be about 25% or 30%
larger. Councilman Wolff asked about DOT requirements on heights or size. Adams responded they
would be high enough for pedestrians or a bike to go under. Doyle confirmed they would be placed at
about 22 sites. She expressed appreciation for all the hard work the Arts Association had done. Council
asked the city manager to look at funding possibilities. Adams stated he would like to have the project
completed by the time of the movie release to be ready for extra visitors. Mayor Buelterman asked Mr.
Hughes if council could choose this contractor to do the work. Hughes responded yes but reminded
council of DOT issues and easements depending on location. Councilman Smith asked if the $50,000
needed for this project could be addressed in the letter of request for SPLOST funds for the public safety
building. Hughes responded no but he would look at the referendum. Smith then asked if we could look
at funds that might be available thru the transportation grants. He approved of the signs as his concerns
have been addressed with the new changes. Councilman Wolff confirmed the locations would stay at
the recommended sites from the consultants. Adams agreed. Wolff asked if other signs would be
removed or consolidated to keep congestion down. The city manager stated they would look at that.
Doyle stated the association would need 50%, approximately $25,000, to get started. In order not to
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have such a delay, maybe we can find those funds in DPW. Mayor stated also get the process started
with DOT. Wolff stated if we found the start up funds, there are also sites that won’t require DOT input
that they could begin with. Adams stated he would like to get started in the next 30 days so project
could be completed by spring. Brown asked if the city manager could look for the funds and address
issues with the DOT and bring back to council the first meeting in September. The city manager agreed.
Mayor Buelterman asked Mr. Adams to explain the makeup and rust resistance of the chain post.
Adams explained they are made of high density aluminum, 41- 65 aluminum. Automotive grade paints
are used with a matte, non-glare sealer. He estimates they should last about 20 years with virtually no
repairs needed. Brown asked about the oxidation time. Adams will research. Wolff expressed
concerns about vandalism and theft due to being bolted down. Adams stated they would weigh about
300 pounds each and besides using special bolts there wasn’t much else they could do. He did not see
this as a big problem. Council thanked Mr. Adams for a great job.
Public Hearings:
Adoption of Millage Rate with Resolution
Mayor Buelterman opened the public hearing.
Mayor Buelterman explained the millage is a little different this year in that the roll back number is
actually higher than the current millage rate of 3.738. The roll back rate is really a roll up rate at 4.139.
This means the value of property on Tybee has dropped and in order to maintain a steady revenue
stream we have to bring the millage up to the 4.139. This is a unique year. We had budgeted
conservatively, anticipating this was going to happen. We projected bringing in $2 million. If we kept
the millage the same we would bring in just a little over, about $240,000 more. If we go to the roll back
rate it would go up to $2.4 million.
A Motion by Councilman Smith to go to the rollback rate was seconded by Councilman Wolff.
Councilman Wolff confirmed if we kept it at the current level we would still have additional
revenue of $245,000 to $268,000. Buelterman responded assuming we do get all the money
with foreclosures etc. Wolff stated we could keep it the same and avoid the tax increase and we
wouldn’t need all the public hearings because it is not a tax increase. Buelterman stated you
would not have to have the three public hearings if you rolled it up to the 4.139 as the state
does not consider this a tax increase. Attorney Hughes confirmed this is a rate increase not a
tax increase because of the difference in the digest. The laws that require the three public
hearings deals with what is called a back door increase where you leave the millage the same
but because the assessments have gone up you’ve actually increased. Councilman Wolff and
Mayor Buelterman confirmed if you rolled up to 4.139 you would not have to have the public
hearings. If you go to 4.140 you would. Buelterman stated all the people with Stephens Day,
even though you’re not calling it an increase will be paying a little more because their property
value has not gone down as such that it catches up to how low it was when they locked in on
Stephens Day. This is a huge chunk of the Island. Wolff stated then they would be paying the
same. Buelterman stated some people would be paying less that are not Stephens Day and
went down, and they would ultimately be paying less to the city of Tybee. Councilman Brown
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stated it would normally affect the businesses and investors with second homes here. This
doesn’t affect Stephens Day. The bulk would be businesses. Doyle stated for a lot of years we
have not been able to help business owners. Their taxes have just gone up and up. They don’t
come under Stephens Day. This is an opportunity to help them, if we leave it at the current
millage. Smith said it may be but some assessments were lowered a lot.
The vote was Smith in favor and Brown, Doyle and Wolff opposed.
A Motion by Councilman Wolff to go to a roll back rate of 3.939 failed due to lack of a second.
A Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Doyle to leave roll back rate at 3.738 was seconded by Councilman Brown.
Councilman Wolff asked where we were going to get the funds for the signs. Buelterman
answered from the $240,000 additional revenue.
The vote was Brown, Doyle and Wolff in favor and Smith opposed.
Consent Agenda
A Motion by Councilman Wolff to approve the Consent Agenda was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Doyle.
The vote was unanimous.
Consideration of Bids, Contracts, Agreements and Expenditures
Mayor Buelterman asked Mrs. Schleicher if she was asking to hire a staff person in lieu of paying a
consultant. Schleicher stated we continue with the contract with OMI and look for a treatment operator
that can supervise and train a trainee at the same time. Once that person is on board we will give 30
day notice and cancel the contract. This would be more cost effective giving us eight hours of
production a day in lieu of 4 hours a day with the contract. This has been recommended by the
Infrastructure Committee.
A Motion by Councilman Brown to approve the OMI Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator Contract
for Professional Services- Amendment No. 3 for Twelve Months for $70,772 was seconded by
Councilman Wolff. The vote was unanimous.
A Motion by Councilman Wolf to put out an RFP or advertise for Water and Sewer Superintendent for
Plant Operations at a starting salary of $46, 222 was seconded by Councilman Brown. The vote was
unanimous.
The late arrival from SCAD gave a presentation on the public safety building. Councilman Wolff
explained even though the presentation showed the project in Memorial Park they were aware that site
had been eliminated from the consideration.
Mayor Buelterman thanked the professor and students and asked about future projects.
City Manager’s Report - Diane Schleicher
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Mrs. Schleicher gave an update on “The Last Song” movie. A financial report has been provided to
council and the movie has finished filming on Tybee. This was a wonderful success. Businesses have
indicated this was their best July ever. Council and staff cooperation together added to that. The
success of this one has led to other films coming to our area. Councilman Brown commented for future
reference including rentals for city vehicles in the filming packages. Schleicher stated we could visit this
in the future for film companies and others.
Mayor Buelterman stated the film company told him this had been the best experience with any
municipality.
Executive Session
A Motion by Councilman Wolff to go into Executive Session to discuss Personnel was seconded by
Councilman Brown. The vote was unanimous.
A Motion by Councilman Wolff to end Executive Session was seconded by Councilman Brown. The vote
was unanimous.
Adjournment
A Motion by Councilman Wolff to adjourn was seconded by Councilman Brown. The vote was
unanimous.
_______________________________________
Jason Buelterman, Mayor
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Vivian Woods, Clerk of Council