By Renee O’Quinn
At the regularly scheduled Baxley City Council meeting, held Tuesday morning, September 25, council members unanimously approved the City of Baxley’s FY2013 Budgets and the City’s Millage rate at 5.94 mills for the upcoming year. The General Operating Budget is $3,624,677.00. The FY 2013 budget goes into effect October 1 with a balanced general fund. The general fund is the city’s main operating fund.
City approves budgets with no millage increase
Utility revenues are budgeted at $1,604,025.00, while total expenditures for Water and Sewer are expected to be $2,016,674.00.
The council approved the City’s FY2012 Amended General Fund, Water/Sewer Revenue Fund and Altamaha Drug Task Force Budgets. The Altamaha Task Force balanced budget total was $340,102.00. The manager reported that the Altamaha Drug Task Force would cease to exist at the end of December.
Manager Jeff Baxley stated that in the FY2012 General Fund budget, under the Fire Department budget, the city paid off the new fire station. He also reported the Street Department spent $75,0000.00, which was on one half of a (sewer-vacuum) truck and other monies were spent for the CDBG cash match. Under the Airport budget funds were spent on the apron expansion project and terminal building at the airport after the SPLOST funds were allocated. The manager explained that under the Sewer budget $75,000.00 was spent on one half of a (sewer-vacuum) truck and a jack and bore costing $75,000.00, in addition to lift station repairs and five big pumps repaired or replaced. In the Water budget, a six-inch water line project was completed on Mauldin Street, a deep well repair in Industrial Park West and a SCADA system was purchased.
The manager announced that the FY2013 Budgets and the Amended Budgets could be seen online at www.baxley.org under press releases under City of Baxley.
Other business
Council members reviewed a draft ordinance amending the zoning ordinance for the city to permit churches in business districts, protect business establishments and for other purposes. After discussion the city attorney will make a date change in the ordinance and bring back to the next meeting for a first reading for possible adoption.
The council approved the second reading for an ordinance annexing the property owned by Woody Folsom Ford, at 1633 Golden Isles West, and establishing a Business (B-2) Zone.
Members approved a new water/sewer discount application.
Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Esco Hall asked the city manager how often the city checks on all water/sewer discount recipients to see if they are still qualified for the discount. Manager Baxley replied that they do not check on them unless they come in and let them know that changes have been made. Mayor Pro Tem Hall asked if the council could see a list of water/sewer discount customers in case anyone may be deceased.
City Manager’s report
Baxley stated he has received a letter from the Georgia Department of Transportation approving the city for LMIG (Local Maintenance Improvement Grant) funds (LMIG used to be known as LARP). The city will receive $58,000.00 annually. The projects have to meet DOT requirements.
The manager reported he met with County Manager Lee Lewis to discuss the possibility of converting police vehicles from gas to propane. The cost per vehicle for the conversion would be $6,300.00.
Baxley announced he read a “Dear Editor” article in The Baxley News-Banner concerning the animal control shelter located on Howard Brannen Road. He added that the city is looking into any possible solution that can be done to help with the problem of people dropping off dogs near the shelter. Baxley added that residents in the area are complaining.
Following a public hearing the city council went into a closed session to discuss potential real estate purchases. Preliminary action was taken in the closed session, which will be reported as soon as acquisition of property is bound.
(Editor’s note: Changes to Georgia Sunshine now allows meetings to be closed for the discussion of the acquisition or disposal of real estate, and to discuss settlements of lawsuits or claims against an agency. Nonbinding votes may be taken in a closed meeting. However, no vote on such matters shall be binding until the issue is disclosed in an open meeting and a vote is taken in an open meeting. O.C.G.A 50-14-3(b)(1).)
The council approved the City’s FY2012 Amended General Fund, Water/Sewer Revenue Fund and Altamaha Drug Task Force Budgets. The Altamaha Task Force balanced budget total was $340,102.00. The manager reported that the Altamaha Drug Task Force would cease to exist at the end of December.
Manager Jeff Baxley stated that in the FY2012 General Fund budget, under the Fire Department budget, the city paid off the new fire station. He also reported the Street Department spent $75,0000.00, which was on one half of a (sewer-vacuum) truck and other monies were spent for the CDBG cash match. Under the Airport budget funds were spent on the apron expansion project and terminal building at the airport after the SPLOST funds were allocated. The manager explained that under the Sewer budget $75,000.00 was spent on one half of a (sewer-vacuum) truck and a jack and bore costing $75,000.00, in addition to lift station repairs and five big pumps repaired or replaced. In the Water budget, a six-inch water line project was completed on Mauldin Street, a deep well repair in Industrial Park West and a SCADA system was purchased.
The manager announced that the FY2013 Budgets and the Amended Budgets could be seen online at www.baxley.org under press releases under City of Baxley.
Other business
Council members reviewed a draft ordinance amending the zoning ordinance for the city to permit churches in business districts, protect business establishments and for other purposes. After discussion the city attorney will make a date change in the ordinance and bring back to the next meeting for a first reading for possible adoption.
The council approved the second reading for an ordinance annexing the property owned by Woody Folsom Ford, at 1633 Golden Isles West, and establishing a Business (B-2) Zone.
Members approved a new water/sewer discount application.
Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Esco Hall asked the city manager how often the city checks on all water/sewer discount recipients to see if they are still qualified for the discount. Manager Baxley replied that they do not check on them unless they come in and let them know that changes have been made. Mayor Pro Tem Hall asked if the council could see a list of water/sewer discount customers in case anyone may be deceased.
City Manager’s report
Baxley stated he has received a letter from the Georgia Department of Transportation approving the city for LMIG (Local Maintenance Improvement Grant) funds (LMIG used to be known as LARP). The city will receive $58,000.00 annually. The projects have to meet DOT requirements.
The manager reported he met with County Manager Lee Lewis to discuss the possibility of converting police vehicles from gas to propane. The cost per vehicle for the conversion would be $6,300.00.
Baxley announced he read a “Dear Editor” article in The Baxley News-Banner concerning the animal control shelter located on Howard Brannen Road. He added that the city is looking into any possible solution that can be done to help with the problem of people dropping off dogs near the shelter. Baxley added that residents in the area are complaining.
Following a public hearing the city council went into a closed session to discuss potential real estate purchases. Preliminary action was taken in the closed session, which will be reported as soon as acquisition of property is bound.
(Editor’s note: Changes to Georgia Sunshine now allows meetings to be closed for the discussion of the acquisition or disposal of real estate, and to discuss settlements of lawsuits or claims against an agency. Nonbinding votes may be taken in a closed meeting. However, no vote on such matters shall be binding until the issue is disclosed in an open meeting and a vote is taken in an open meeting. O.C.G.A 50-14-3(b)(1).)
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