HomeMy Public PortalAbout19781108 CCMeeting34
Tybee Island, Georgia
November 8, 1978
A regular meeting of the Tybee Island City Council was held at
3:30 p.m. in the City Hall auditorium. The following members of Council were
present: William C. Fleetwood, John J. Owen, Edward Jung, Karen Losey, Jerome
W. Bettencourt and Nick C. Alexander. Mayor M. J. Counihan presided, and the
City Attorney, W. Lance Smith, III, was also present.
Immediately prior to the beginning of the meeting, the Mayor
acted as host to a Youth Council, sponsored by the Tybee Island Optimist Club.
The following youths participated in this event: Mayor, Michael Stanfield,
Council members, Michelle Saunders, Sharon Hollenbeck, Karen Leach, Mary Ellen
Bryan, Elizabeth Buckley and Monica Cusanelli; Clerk of Council, Denise Harrison.
Mayor Counihan led the Youth Council through a discussion of the following
question: Should the Tybee Island City Council repeal the Tybee laws pertaining
to the beach and notify the state authorities that Tybee Island will not be res-
ponsible for free services? Should the state, as legal owner of Tybee beach,
underwrite all expenses and pay for protection? After a discussion by the Youth
Council, the vote was unanimous in favor of asking the state to assume financial
responsibility for beach - related services.
The meeting was then opened for discussion and several members of
the audience spoke favorably of the Youth Council, and praised the Optimist Club
for their sponsorship of this event. Among those present who spoke were both
principals of the local elementary schools, and the former Superintendent of
Education, Dr. Harrison.
Immediately following the adjourning of the Youth Council, the
regular meeting was opened to a Public Hearing to discuss Revenue Sharing funds
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for the period beginning October 1, 1978 and extending through September 30, 1979.
There being no active participation from the public, the Mayor requested that
each Council member consult his department, and report their requests for funds
at the next Council meeting.
The meeting was then opened for regular business legally presented.
The first visitors to appear before Council were members_of the local Jaycee Club
who expressed their interest in lighting for the Jaycee Park ballfield. The
President of the Jaycees, George Rentiers, spoke of the need for this lighting,
followed by Jim Lanier, another member of the Jaycees. Both expressed the willing-
ness of the Club's membership to help with this project.
The next visitor was Mr. Matthew Doyle who wished to petition
Council to grant vacation pay to a former employee, Ut Van Bui. The Mayor instructed
the City Treasurer, Phyllis L. Cary, to check into this request, and to grant it
if it proved to be a reasonable request.
The minutes of the meeting of October 11, 1978 were adopted as
read.
Under Communications, the Clerk read a letter from Richard Grosse,
who presented a plan for the beautification of Taylor Street. The Mayor asked
that Nick Alexander, Public Works Chairman, assume responsibility for this matter.
Also under communications a letter was read from James Talley
of the Department of Natural Resources to the City Attorney. This letter stated
that the Department of Natural Resources feels that the location of the Public
Safety /Bathhouse facility should be decided on a local level and that the Department
of Natural Resources does not have any objection to an alternate site for this
building.
The bills for the month of October, 1978 were presented and
approved as follows: Public Works- $2,838.14, Sanitation - $2,527.73, Recreation
Department - $534.09, Ceramics - $100.66, Fire Department - $631.51, Water
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Department - $1,625.62, Police Department - $863.54, Sewer Department - $4,348.20
and General Government - $877.85.
A contract for a study of the Tybee Island sea wall was discussed.
Councilman Alexander announced a planned meeting with United States Representative
Bo Ginn on November 16, 1978. He suggested that the decision regarding the study
of the sea wall be deferred until after this meeting, and the Council concurred.
Councilman Owen suggested that Colonel Creel and Mr. Ben Williams of the United
States Corps of Engineers be invited to attend this meeting, and the Clerk was
instructed to invite them.
Councilman Alexander explained that a proposal had been received
from the McCuskers who wished to donate a parcel of land for the construction of
the proposed Public Safety /Bathhouse facility. Council voted to reject the
current proposal which the McCuskers suggested, which involved placing the building
on Butler Avenue, and extending the McCuskers the opportunity to donate land on
Sixteenth Street, east of the Wilson Hotel. A motion that a letter to this effect
be written to the McCuskers by the City Attorney, giving them a limited amount of
time to reply was unanimously carried.
The City Attorney reported that the Planning Commission is currently
studying subdivision regulations and hope to report to the Council at the next
meeting. Councilman Fleetwood reminded Council that he would be ineligible to vote
on this matter, as he has a financial interest in a proposed subdivision plan.
Councilman Owen reported that the United States Corps of Engineers
is currently engaged in a tidal flow study of the South End of Tybee Island. He
stated that the Corps will inform the City of the findings as soon as the study is
completed, and that this study will affect the future of the beach renourishment
project.
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Councilman Fleetwood stated his continuing interest in lowering
the fire insurance rates for the City. He stated that he is investigating the
possibility of 24 -hour fire department coverage by dispatchers. The Mayor ex-
pressed his personal interest and asked Councilman Fleetwood to report to the
Council when his investigation has been completed.
Councilman Jung reported that the committee to investigate the
establishment of ambulance service on the island has met and is in favor of
instigating such a service. He favored the possibility of using Revenue Sharing
funds for this project, and stated that there are several E.M.T.'s living on the
island who might be employed part -time by the city for this purpose. No action
was taken pending further investigation.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned until
the next regular or special called meeting.
//e,
CLERK OF COUNCIL
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