HomeMy Public PortalAbout19691015CCMeeting5
Savannah Beach, Georgia
October 15, 1969
The regular monthly meeting of Council was called to order at
3:00 P.M. today with Mayor Michael J. Counihan presiding. The
councilmen in attendance were Jack Daniels, Edward Jung,
Dr. Cr Louis Hohenstein, Milledge C. Jones and George Schwarz.
Also present was City Attorney, Bart E. Shea.
Mr. Richard Grosse, Chairman of the Savannah Beach Planning
Commission, was a visitor at the meeting.
The Minutes of the Meeting of September 17, 1969 were approved.
Bills of the various departments were approved as read.
Councilman Edward Jung made a report on the Treasury Bills,
stating that in June of this year we purchased $80,000 worth of
these bills which matured in September. He added that since we
needed some funds to operate on, citing some obligations we had
to meet later on in the year, we had withdrawn $40,000 of the
original $80,000 investment which has been deposited in the
general fund checking account and that the other $40,000 had been
re- invested on a 30 -day basis. He stated that this would yield
$160.11 in interest for the 30 -day period. He said that if the
principal was not needed at the end of the 30 -day period, it
would be re- invested again.
Councilman Jung read excerpts from the latest financial state-
ment, reflecting the financial condition of the city as of
September 30, 1969, stating that we were still in a good, sound
financial condition; and that we showed a surplus at the end of
September of $128,109.00 as we head into the off - season. He
further stated that it was our hope and intention to make it
through another year without having to borrow any money.
Councilman Jung also made a progress report on the codification
work being done for the municipality by the Municipal Code
Corporation in Tallahassee, Florida.
In regard to this codification work,.. City Attorney Shea informed
Council that Mr. Meade White of the Code Corporation, had been
instructed to omit our present charter from this compilation,
feeling that it was foolish to print and put into our code this
voluminous charter when we were seriously considering general
revision of it. Council was in unanimous agreement that, due .to
the fact that the old charter had been amended and revised so
many times, we should begin work immediately on a new one and
"get it ready for the legislature when it convenes. Attorney
Shea stated that we must, of necessity, change our election
laws due to the enactment of the new election code.
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With reference to the theft of the dueling pistols from the
museum, which pistols were the property of Sgt. North who had
leased them to the town, Dr. Hohenstein asked Council what
position they were taking with Sgt. North about this matter.
It was the opinion of the members of Council that the Town was
paying rent on these articles and protecting them to the best
of their ability and that Sgt. North should accept the
responsibility of the. loss.
Dr. Hohenstein spoke on the tremendous amount of erosion suffered
by our beach recently and in particular the area in the vicinity
of our campground and also the area near Sixth and Seventh -
Streets. He asked what could be done about this.. A new groin
was suggested for the Sixth Street area and Mayor Counihan stated
he would confer with Mr. Reed on this. Attorney Bart -Shea
stated that, in his opinion, the only way we can get state aid
is to have it declared a disaster area.
Councilman Jones gave a report on the work being done on the
water tank. He stated that the crew had come down from Atlanta
and finished part of the work contracted for but left before
the entire job was complete. Council was assured that the
crew would be back and finish the job in a satisfactory manner
when the weather was better. It was suggested by Councilman
Hohenstein that we, in some way, ._. let future administrAtions
know about the problems we encountered by the tank not being
inspected periodically and doing what work was found to be
necessary so that they could profit from our experience since
it was our intentions now to have the tank inspected at regular
intervals and maintained properly which had not been done in the
past.
Councilman Jones stated that he had received a request from
Mr. IT: L. Hariey,i. asking the town to quit -claim a portion of
a street adjacent to his property to him. Attorney Shea ruled
that, due to a restrictive proviso in our charter, which states
that before we can do anything with our public streets, we must
have a majority vote of our electorate. The Clerk was, therefore,
instructed to inform Mr. Harley that we would be unable to grant
this request.
Mayor Counihan informed Council that he had instructed Mr.
Reed to close off the end of the fishing pier, that part which
is attached., to the shore and appears to be solid, in order that
those who desire to fish there may do so. He further stated
that the problem of disposing of the other part of the pier was
being studied.
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Mayor Counihan requested-Councilman Jones have the Department
of Public Works prepare about . thirty boards painted white
which will be used for making signs. He said that these signs
were needed to keep dogs off the beach and for other uses.
The Clerk was instructed to have them lettered when they were
ready and as they were needed.
Councilman Daniels announced that, beginning in- early :.April,
the Police Department would. budget the necessary money to hire
a special beach patrol to take care of the dog and litter
problem.
Councilman Jones reported on the findings of his committee,
after, they had investigated the request of Dr. Hollingsworth
for parking space on Butler Avenue. He stated that it was
the recommendation of his committee that Dr. Hollingsworth
be given one free parking space. This was agreeable to
Council and the Committee's recommendation was unanimously
accepted.
It was recommended by Mayor Counihan that our City Hall
auditorium be given a face - lifting. He stated that no work
had been done on it in a long time and it had gone down and
looked bad. It was felt that the ceiling should be lowered
and new lighting installed; also, refinish the floor and
panel. the back of the stage., Council agreed that this work
should be done.
Councilman Schwarz, noting the absence of former Mayor Jimmy
Brown's picture from the council room, stated that he felt
that his picture should be there with the other former mayors.
Several_ members of Council stated that Mr. Brown had been
asked to have a picture made at the expense of the town fear
this purpose. Council requested that Mr. Brown be. reminded
of this again.
Mr. Richard Grosse, Chairman of the Savannah Beach Planning
Commission, appeared before Council to give them a progress
report on the accomplishments of the Commission thus far and
its aims and objectives for the future. He stated that Mr.
Bill Greer, Director of the Georgia Southern Area Planning
and Developing Corporation, who has been working closely with
the local Planning Commission since its inception, will be
calling on Council in the near future with an application for
certification for the City of Savannah Beach under the
Workable Community Program which is sponsored by HUD.
(Housing and Urban Development) This, he stated, will make it
possible for Savannah Beach to make individual plans and to
make the city eligible for certain grants under the program.
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City Attorney Bart Shea reported on the two legal cases now
pending against the Mayor and Councilmen. He stated that in
the Buckley Case, which enjoins the sale of a street, the city
is taking the position that the law is what the law is; and
that is all that the 'plaintiffs. really want anyway. He further
stated that he has advised them that the section of our: present
charter which pertains to this will be modified if we are able
to get a new charter approved by the next session of the
General Assembly. He stated that he would recommend to
Council: that this section be modified because as it is at the
present time it states that you must have a majority of the
voters; and, nothing we tried to do otherwise would prevail
over that.
With reference to.the mandamus petition of:Messrs. Smith. and
Deaux, Mr...:_Shea stated._that the issue was now. a jury question
and the trial date was now;tentatively.set for Tuesday,
November_18th.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned
subject to the call of the Mayor.
CLERK OF COUNCIL
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