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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19740717CCMeetingSavannah Beach, Georgia July 17, 1974 The regular monthly meeting of City Council was held this evening at 7:00 P.M. in the main auditorium of Savannah Beach City Hall with Mayor Michael J. Counihan presiding and a quorum consisting of the following councilmen present: Mr. Ernest Hosti, Mr. Richard DeLoach, Mr. Edward Fahey, Mr. Joe Agnew, and Mr. James Bond. City Attorney Lance Smith was also present. The meeting was held in the auditorium and a large crowd was in attendance. Before formally opening the meeting, Mayor Counihan allowed the visitors and petitioners present to speak. The first to request the floor was Mrs. Eleanor Strain. She stated that she had understood that the new animal ordinance would be passed and that she and Mrs. Mood of the Humane Society were interested in making sure that the necessary provisions were in the ordinance to compel pet owners to take proper care of their pets. Mayor Counihan then declared the meeting open for business legally presented. He requested the Clerk to read the minutes of the meeting of July 3, 1974. The minutes were approved as read. Councilman Joe Agnew, Chairman of Finance and General Government, informed Council of the increasing amount of delinquent taxes which were accumulating and becoming larger each year. He then moved that the necessary legal steps be taken to collect these delinquent taxes. He stated further that these taxes should be levied upon only after proper notification had been extended to the delinquent tax payer. Councilman Edward Fahey seconded the motion and it was unanimously carried. Councilman James Bond told Council that we were also having similar problems in our effort to collect delinquent water bills on which the water was already cut off. Councilman Bond informed the Mayor and Council that if these back water charges are not collected then we had no alternative except to increase our water rates. He then made a motion that we write a letter to the people who were behind in their bills and make an effort to collect these charges and if we are not successful in this, then, in accordance with our Water and Sewerage Ordinance, we levy on the property and collect this money. The motion was seconded by Couuncilman Hosti and unanimously carried. Councilman Jim Bond announced that the City had received a request from a group of residents in the vicinity of Laurel Avenue, outside the city limits, for sewerage service in that 30 -2- area. He stated that he had conferred -with Mr. Hutton on this problem_to run a sewerage line down Laurel Avenue but it was not feasible at this time due to the high cost, which was ap- proximately $12,000.:00. He stated further that we had plans to re -work the majority of our sewerage lines and this area was included in the plan. He stated it was, therefore, his sug- gestion that we hold off on this work for the time being. _Mr. Bond then moved that at the present time we hold off on any sewerage line construction on Laurel Avenue until construction starts on all of the sewerage lines that are included in the Grant. The motion was seconded by Councilman DeLoach and unanimously carried. - Councilman Joe Agnew stated that it was his understanding that the preceding Council had gone on record.as approving the sale of the city -owned property commonly referred to as the "Tybrisa Property." He said he therefore felt that another motion to sell this property would not be necessary. Mayor Counihan stated that he felt another motion, approved by the new Council, would be in order because this Council was not bound by any commitment of the former Council. Councilman Agnew continued stating that he and Councilman John. Wylly had taken a good look at the property recently and that it was their unanimous opinion that the property should be disposed of by a sale. He then moved that this property be sold by the City and that to help do this two FOR SALE signs be posted on the property -one on Sixteenth Street and one on Butler Avenue and that anyone interested could contact City Hall and show the telephone number. This motion was seconded by Councilman Fahey. Under discussion, the_ question was raised as to whether or not. an asking price be shown_on the signs. Mr. Agnew stated that it was his opinion that at the moment we were not in a position to set a price that we would take for this property. He said he felt this would come about by subsequent action and that his purpose in offering this motion was to get as much exposure as we could between now and September with these signs. The vote was then taken and the motion was unanimously carried. Councilman Ernest Hosti gave a report on the State - County Paving Project for Van Horn Street in Fort Screven stating that it had now received final approval and was being scheduled for some time in the near future. Councilman Hosti reported further on two other projects that we had working. (1) A Traffic Study by the Department of Transportation at the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Highway 80 (FIRST STREET) with the view of curbing the high incidence of traffic accidents at that location; and, (2) laying culverts in the 12th Street drainage ditch 1 -3- to retard the street erosion at the intersection of Jones Avenue and 12th Street. He stated that this project was being done entirely at the expense of the State Highway Department. Councilman Edward Fahey, Chairman of the Police Committee, stated that he was in receipt of an application for the transfer of a malt beverage license from Mrs. Georgia Sivils of Tybee Marina to T. A. Bradley, III. He stated that Mr. Bradley had been investigated by the Police Department and had received a favorable recommendation. He also had the transfer fee of $25.00 in hand and would, therefore, move that this license transfer be approved. The motion was seconded by Councilman Ernest Hosti and unanimously carried. Police Chairman Edward Fahey also reported that, as instructed, Mr. Samuel Weatherly had undergone a physical examination and given a clearance by the examining physician and was sworn in as a Police Lieutenant of the Savannah Beach Police Department on the 10th day of July and is now presently employed on the Savannah Beach Police Department. Councilman Richard DeLoach, Chairman of the Fire Depart- ment, reported to Council that "beepers" for the Savannah Beach Fire Department had been purchased by the preceding administration. He stated that at the time this purchase was authorized, it was the intention of the Fire Department to let the police dispatchers be the dispatchers for the "beeper" system -but now there appears-to be some conflict in this, he stated, since the Police Department had now moved to Sixteenth Street and there was no one at the Fort Screven Police Station except a jailor and he was there only at times when they had someone in jail. So, he said, now the problem is where should the base station for the "beeper" system be installed. Mayor Counihan stated that in order to resolve this problem and get the work moving, he was referring the matter to a committee composed of Councilmen Fahey, DeLoach and Agnew to make a study of this and report back at the next regular Council meeting. BILLS OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS for the month of June were approved for payment. Councilman Bond requested and received permission to make a statement concerning water charges and addressed it to all Savannah Beach Water users, particularly those who live in the area between Butler Avenue and the beach. He stated that a lot of these folks are getting some extremely high water bills and some of them are supposedly not even down here. Chariman Bond stated further that the water was definitely flowing through the meter and said he would therefore suggest that all of the residents in this area who have been experiencing high water bills should remove their hoses to prevent usage by bathers coming from the Beach. -4 - Councilman Edward Fahey, Chairman of the Savannah Beach Police Committee, read into the record a letter he had received from Mr. Tom Coleman, Chairman of the Chatham County Commission, dated July 12, 1974, concerning L.E.A.A. Funds, as follows LETTER FROM COUNTY COMMISSIONERS This letter was received as information. Councilman Richard DeLoach, Chairman of the Fire Department, read a letter from Mr. James D. Foley addressed to the Mayor and Councilmen following his inspection of fire plugs at the beach. It showed some leaking, one needing replacing, one needing moving, etc. Mayor Counihan stated that he noted a copy of this letter was sent to the Water - Sewerage Department and that he felt Mr. Bond and his committee would take care of these items as soon as possible. Mr. Dwight Davis appeared before Council complaining about the flooding of his property when it rains. Councilman Bond of the Water and Sewerage Department answered the complaint stating that this matter had been turned over to the Water and Sewerage Department and was being handled by them. He also complained about a parking meter that is in a bad position near his property and could cause a terrible accident there. Councilman Edward Fahey placed on first reading an amendment to our Code of Ordinances so as to change the day and hour for holding the regular monthly Council Meeting from the third Wednesday of the month at 3:00 P.M. to the third (3rd) Monday of each month at 7:00 P.M. Council accepted this amendment on first reading. The Clerk read a letter from Mr. Everett Stokes requesting a refund of $915.00 for alcohol licenses purchased from the City of Savannah Beach which he was never able to use due to the fact that his application for state licenses were denied by the Department of Revenue. The refund was authorized by Council upon return of the original city licenses. The Clerk read a letter from Mr. Bill Saxman of the Metropolitan Planning Commission in regard to two recommended amendments to the City of Savannah Beach Zoning Ordinance. Council's attention was particularly called to the request by the Metropolitan Planning Commission for a meeting with the Mayor and the members of City Council to discuss this and several other projects. Mayor Counihan stated that a meeting would be set for one night in the near future. The City Clerk then introduced Mr. Bob Savadge, former Executive Director of the Metropolitan Planning Commission who had requested time on the agenda of this meeting. The Clerk stated that Mr. Savadge was now the head of his own 1 1 -5- Planning Agency, Metroplan, Inc., and had been commissioned by the merchants on 16th Street to do a traffic study for them of the 16th Street area. He stated that his purpose in addressing Council this evening was to bring to light for the .benefit of the Mayor and Council some problems in traffic circulation which exist in the Savannah Beach central business district. Mr. Savadge stated further that he was appearing before Council as a professional planner and did not want to get involved in any Savannah Beach politics -past, present or 1 future. He stated that he was appearing before them, hopefully, to be able to make some recommended modifications in the Savannah Beach central business traffic flow. He stated that these changes, if adopted, could affect all the people of Savannah Beach (not just the 16th Street Merchants) and could also affect the revenue accruing to the Town. Mr. Savadge then distributed copies of his recommendations; together with a map of the area, to the Mayor and Councilmen and explained the study and recommendations in detail. Following this detailed_pre- sentation by Mr. Savadge, Mayor Counihan thanked Mr. Savadge for his presentation' and stated these recommendations would be taken under consideration. • City Attorney Lance Smith informed Council that near the end of the term of the previous Council he was requested to look into the problem of the dillapidated and_run ®down housing on the beach, that which was unsafe and considered a health hazard and unfit for human habitation. He mentioned one case where the owner of the run -down property lived out of 'town, he had written her about it and had the letter returned marked "unclaimed" and most of the others contacted just ignored his request. He stated that, as a result of this, he met with Mr. Tom Coleman, Chairman of the Chatham County Commissioners, in an effort to get some assistance in this regard. He stated Mr. Coleman advised him to put this in :the form of an official request, which has been done, that he would make available a health officer from Chatham County who would be put on the pay roll of Savannah Beach on a temporary basis for the purpose_of surveying and determining which property needed to be condemned and the owners notified. Mr. Smith stated that the purpose of this report was to let Council know that he had made written request of the County Commissioners for this help and merely wanted to bring them up to date on what was being done about this. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned to the next regular or special called meeting. CLERK OF COUNCIL MA 0 34 1 I, SAMUEL WEATH RLY, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully discharge the duties devolved upon me as a police officer on the Police Department of the City of Savannah Beach, Tybee Island, Georgia. That I will faithfully execute and enforce the laws and Ordinances of the City of Savannah Beach, and of the State of Georgia to the best of my ability, skill and knowledge; that I will support and uphold the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America and the Laws of the State of Georgia, SO HELP ME GOD. Sworn to and befo e - thi. 10th d. y •f JULY ,1974 SAMUEL WEATHERLY inn. LANCE SMITH h I Judge Savannah Beach •• •er's Court J. TOM COLEMAN, JR. CHAIRMAN IMISSIONERS WILLIE E. DROWN FRANK O. DOWNING CLEVE FOUNTAIN WALTER W. MATTHEWS ROBERT L. McCORKLE ALBERT A. SADLER L. SCOTT STELL. JR. J. E. LAM3RIGHT COUNTY ADM INIBTRATOR ANTON R. SOLMeti, JR. COUNTY ATTORNEY 1 COMMISSIONERS of CHATHAM COUNTY P. 0. BOX 8161 SAVANNAH. GEORGIA 31402 July 12, 1974 Mayors of Incorporated Municipalities Within Chatham County In Re: LEAA Grant Applications GEORGE A. MERCER, IU VICE•CHALI M.AN Gentlemen: For your information and for LEAA grants and matters relating , thereto, it is hoped that the following information will be help ful. The Georgia Crime Commission in Atlanta which approves, dish . approves, or modifies grants has a contract with the Coastal Area Planning and Development Commission of which Chatham County is a part, under the terms of which all grant applications forwarded to the Commission must be routed through and be submitted by the CAPDA in Brunswick. However, because about 65. per cent of the entire population of the CAPDC and most of the grant requests originate in Chatham County, the governing authorities of the county and City of Sav annah have reached an internal agreement within the CAPDC regard- ing LEAA matters origination within Chatham County. By this agreement, the Metroplitan Planning Commission through its criminal (justice planner will provide service to all agencies within Chatham County. This includes information on grants avail- able, preparation of applications, conforming with eligibility reguirements, etc. When an application =has been completed it will be forwarded by Troy Coleman, MPC criminal justice planner, to CAPDC in Brunswick for review and forwarding to the Commissiondn Atlanta. Adherence to this procedure will facilitate and expedite the handling of grant applications. Copy: Howard Bellinger MPC Vernon Martin CAPDC Sincerely, Q� rW- •°°)', Ct' ao . Tom Coleman Jr,