HomeMy Public PortalAbout19790214CCMeeting1
1
50
Tybee Island, Georgia
February 14, 1979
A regular meeting of the Tybee Island City Council was held on
February 14, 1979, at 3:30 p.m., with Mayor M. J. Counihan presiding. The
following members of Council were present: William C. Fleetwood, John J.
Owen, Jr., Edward Jung, Karen Losey, Jerome Bettencourt, and Nick Alexander.
The City Attorney, W.Lance Smith, III, was also in attendance.
The first visitor to appear before Council was Mrs. Pat Marlin
who congratulated Council on having made many of the needed repairs to the
Community House. She assured Council that the club she represented, the
Opti -mrs. Club, plans further improvements.
The second visitor was Earl Anderson, President of the Optimist
Club; he invited Councilman Bettencourt to speak. Councilman Bettencourt
presented a plaque to Mayor Counihan, commemorating Youth Week, which was
sponsored by the Optimist Club, and in which the Mayor and Council played an
active part. Mr. Anderson then presented a plaque to Councilman Bettencourt
honoring his participation in this event.
Ms. Linda Williamson then spoke before Council, and petitioned
that damages to her car which occurred in the vkinity of the police station
be considered by Council. The Mayor referred her petition to the Police
Committee, requested that they investigate this claim, and make a decision as
soon as possible.
Councilman Bettencourt then recognized Dr. and Mrs. Charles
Peterson, who were instrumental in planting trees and shrubbery in Jaycee
Park, for the beautification of the area.
The Mayor then opened the meeting for business legally presented.
51
The minutes for the meetings of January 10, 1979 and February
7, 1979 were approved as written.
Bills for the month of January were approved as follows:
General Government - $4,202.83, Water Department - $4,720.96, Sewer Department -
$3,712.26, Police Department - $4,041.06, Meter Department - $43.70, Fire
Department - $213.27, Recreation & Ceramics Department - $323.94, Public
Works Department - $3,551.43, and Sanitation - $648.85.
Dr. Fred Marls of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
appeared before Council to speak in favor of the State Shore Assistance Act.
City Attorney Lance Smith spoke in rebuttal, stating his opposition to the
bill. Councilman Fleetwood then read a resolution in support of the bill.
Following this reading, Councilman Fleetwood moved the adoption of the Resol-
ution; the resolution died for lack of a second.
The Tybee Island Planning Commission recommended approval of
a map amendment to re -zone Lot #14, Ward 4, Tybee Island from Residential to
Commercial. This lot is immediately adjacent to a service station on 14th
Street and Butler Avenue, and the petitioner, Henry Buckley, Jr., has requested
permission to erect a fast food restaurant at this location. A motion was
made by Councilman Owen that this petition be granted, and was seconded by
Councilwoman Losey. Councilman Fleetwood spoke briefly explaining the petition;
he stated that he was personally opposed to spot zoning, but that the location
was such that rendered it unsuitable for a residential dwelling, and that, for
reasons of tax revenues, it is in the interest of the City to see that the lot
is utilized. A vote was taken by secret ballot and the motion passed by a vote
of five to one. The re- zoning of this lot was approved by Council.
The second reading of an ordinance on animal control was read as
follows:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TYBEE ISLAND
CHATHAM COUNTY, GOERGIA THAT SECTION 4 -1(1) OF THE TYBEE ISLAND CODE OF ORDINANCES
1
1
52
BE AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1 - ANIMALS: ANIMALS SHALL MEAN HORSES,
PONIES, MULES, CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, SWINE, DOGS, CATS, RABBITS, GUINEA PIGS,
HAMSTERS AND SIMILAR ANIMALS. SECTION 2 - ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES
IN CONFLICT WITHITHIS ORDINANCE ARE HEREBY REPEALED.
After the reading of the above ordinance, Councilman Fleetwood
moved its adoption; it was seconded by Councilman Jung, and carried unanimously.
Councilman Jung gave a preliminary report on business license fees
for the coming fiscal year. He recommends that licenses begin with a minimum of
$25.00, and that percentage increases of 10% to 15% be enacted to cover all
license fees that are above that minimum. The Council accepted the report, and
a new ordinance will be written to incorporate these guidelines.
The City Attorney made a report on codification, and the clerk read
the bids that have been received for updating the Tybee Island Code of Ordinances.
It was decided unanimously that further study should be undertaken before a
decision is reached.
Councilman Fleetwood read a letter from the Mayor to Mr. James
Dunbar of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural
Resources, requesting an extension of time prior to closing the present landfill
so that the City may investigate further the possibilities of private contracting
for garbage and trash removal.
The City Attorney reported that negotiations for a Cable Television
contract are nearing completion. Mr. David Steele, representing the Cable TV
company, was present, and concurred that the franchise should be ready for
signing in the near future, hopefully by the March meeting.
A proposed housing inspection budget from the Chatham County
Housing Inspection unit was read. The contract calls for expenditure of city
funds in the amount of $1068.38 for fiscal 1979. The Mayor stated that it is
his desire that the City Marshall accompany the County officials on these
inspections. After discussion, the contract was approved as proposed.
1
1
1
Councilman Fleetwood proposed that, in the future, all building
permits be signed by the property owners, rather than the contractors. This
is necessary to be sure that the property owner is bound to abide by the stated
specifications of the building permit.
Mayor Counihan requested that Councilman Jung instruct the police
department to check on those contractors who are conducting business during the
weekend periods when the City Marshall is not on duty. It is believed that many
of these contractors are operating on weekends to avoid paying business license
fees.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned until
the next regular or special called meeting.
CLERK OF COON IL /Lc. J
53