HomeMy Public PortalAbout19730726SCMeeting4`
Savannah Beach, Georgia
July 26, 1973
A Special Meeting of City Council was held this evening
at 7:30 p.m., for the purpose of:
1. Arriving at a method of operating the town owned
concession stand in Jaycee Park.
. Making- changes in the Chairmanship of. Certain.
standing. Committees.
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The meeting was presided over by Mayor Hendrix and a
quorum consisting of the following Councilmen was present:
Edward Town, Perry Zittrauer, Walter Parker, Earl Anderson and.
Edward Jung. City Attorney Fred Clark was also present.
VISITORS: Visitors at the meeting were Mr. Gene Badger',:
Mr. Wayne Yeo, Mr. James Price, Jr., Mr. James Stettler, Mr.
Jim Bulluck, Mr. Paul Jackson and Mr. George Ganin.
Mayor Hendrix opened the meeting stating that at the
Council Meeting on July 18th, a lot of confusion seemed to
exist as to just exactly what was proposed and by whom. So,
he said, it was decided to postpone any action on the subject
until tonight. He then called for discussion on the - subject
and requested Councilman Towns,whom he said was aware of what took
place on this subject at the last meeting, to give his opinion.
as to the course of action the City should take in regard to
the operating of the concession stand at Jaycee Park.
Councilman Towns stated that now, in looking at the
situation in retrospect, he did have some reservations on this
concession stand being operated by the City and would prefer
some type of lease arrangement which would completely eliminate
the City from the picture. He said.further that he did' feel
the Jaycee proposal was something we could hang our hats on.
Much discussion followed and the concensus of opinion was that.
the City would be better off and have less headaches with some
sort of, lease arrangement with either the Jaycees or Mr. Rogers.
Mayor Hendrix asked City Attorney Fred Clark for his opinion
on the two alternatives - either the City leasing it or running
it themselves. Mr. Clark stated that it would be entirely legal
for the City to operate it by hiring an employee to run it or
to lease it out. However, he said if the latter course is
chosen, it must be put out on bids. Councilman Zittrauer, who
made the original proposal, stated that in the interest of
harmony and for the best interests of the City, he would move
that the concession stand be set up for bids to lease with the
specifications to be set by the Savannah Beach Recreation
Committee which is headed by Councilman Zittrauer. This motion
was seconded by Councilman Anderson and unanimously carried.
Mayor Hendrix stated to Council that he was faced with
the problem of having to come forward and do something which
he disliked to do. He said that our Sewer, Water Department
had gotten into pretty bad shape, at the last time he checked
having something like $4100.00 in outstanding, uncancelled
water -sewer charges. He said further that the department did .
not seem to be properly organized. Several weeks in a row he
stated there were eight or nine men on the payroll which he felt. -
.
was unnecessary. He mentioned also about the misuse of expensive
rental equipment which he saw sitting in the streets over
holidays and week - ends; also, the fact that the Chairman saw fit
to violate one of our ordinances by allowing a water tap outside
the City Limits to be made for a charge of $175.00, . when the
price actually should have been $262:50. Mayor Hendrix said
further that he could go on and on and cite numerous instances
where Mr. Anderson, the present Chairman of the Water and Sewer
Department, had not been fair to the City taxpayers in his
operation of this Department.
Mr. Anderson stated that he would answer the charges
one by one. First, he said, he takes exception to the charge
concerning the $4100.00 in past due water bills. He stated that
this was an outright lie. He said $1781.00 of this amount was
what we refer to as stand -by charges where the water has been
cut -off and there is no way that we can force the people to pay.
Per. Anderson stated further that when he took over the Water
Department, past due charges amounted to $10,000.00. Referring
to the alleged violation of the Water Ordinance concerning the
cost of the outside - the - City - limits water tap, Mr. Anderson
stated that the Mayor was fully aware of the facts surrounding
this case. That the incident occurred at the time the petitions
were being passed around for annexation and the individual
involved was told that he could pay the $175.00 (inside the City
rate) but if the annexation proposal did not carry in the election,
he would have to make up the difference of what the higher rate
would be. Mr. Anderson further accused the Mayor of countermanding .
his orders to the foreman of the Water - Sewer Department on many
occasions. He said this was the source of most of our problems
in this Department. Mr. Anderson also accused the Mayor of not
releasing $40,000.00 which was included in our bond issue for the
purpose of maintaining the old collection system lines until
they could be rebuilt. Mr. Anderson then informed the Mayor that
he seemed to have more than what he could do but if it was his
desire to remove him from chairmanship of the Water -Sewer
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Committee, to go ahead and do it.
Mayor Hendrix then stated that the violation of an
ordinance was a serious thing and that he wanted the $87.50
additional fee for the outside - the -City installation collected.
within 30 days. He stated further that, as of today, he was
removing Mr. Anderson as Chairman of the Water and Sewer
Department and since he did not, as yet, have anyone to replace
him, at the present time, he was appointing Councilman Hosti
to .the Committee and he would also act on it himself. The
Mayor stated. further that Mr. Anderson would be left in the
Health Department.
Councilman Anderson then referred Council to Section 56
of the City. Charter which states as follows:
Sec. 56. Committees of Council.
The city council may provide by ordinance for such committees
as they deem necessary for the administration of the municipal affairs,
prescribing the duties of such committees and defining their respective
authority.
He also cited Chapter 2 of the codified ordinances,
Section 2 -3 PERMANENT COMMITTEES.
(a) There shall be six (6) permanent committees to be
appointed by the mayor immediately after he takes his oath of office
for the operation of the city as follows:
(1) Finance
(2) Fire
(3) Police
(4) Public Works
(5) Water- sewerage
(6) Recreation
(b) The mayor shall name each councilman as chairman of one of .
the committees, and there shall be three (3) councilmen on each committee.
Each councilman shall be on two (2) committees other than the one of which
he is chairman. The mayor shall be an ex officio member of each committee.
Councilman pointed out that there was.no"Health"
Committee mentioned in that section.
Councilman Anderson continued with a further discussion
of Mr. Kent charging that he had hired Mr. Kent and the Mayor
had seen fit to change his status to contract basis. Mr. Anderson
stated further that this was the real reason he was being removed
from the Chairmanship of the Water-Sewer Department.
Councilman Perry Zittrauer stated that he was personally
in favor of keeping Mr. Kent in some capacity because he had
knowledge of our water & sewer system which would be beneficial
to the City. Councilman Towns also felt that I4r. Kent was
well qualified to handle some supervisory capacity for the City.
Mayor Hendrix's answer was that we should look at this as a
business; and, as a business we cannot hire disabled people
and put them in a position and pay them a hundred and fifty
dollars a week.
There being no further business,, the meeting was adjourned,
t o. the next regular or special called meeting. -
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MAYOR
CLERK OF COUNCIL