Here are point-by-point notes from the first LaFayette City Council meeting of 2011, with our commentary following in italics. Notes from the February meeting will be posted on Wednesday 05/11. The May meeting will be 7:30 Monday night May 9 at City Hall on Duke St.

January Meeting: January 17, 2011 (Postponed from Jan. 10 Due to Snow)

The regular council meeting is preceded by two public hearings about rezoning 510 North Main from B-2 to O-1 and rewriting the O-1 zoning ordinance to provide more guidance as to buildings and signs, trees, etc. to maintain the integrity of North Main. This zoning change was prompted by Bedazzled Salon setting up a clothing store inside its building at that location, which wasn’t allowed under the previous O-1 zone. Last year council temporarily rezoned Bedazzled to B-2, planning to later revise O-1. Bedazzled has since then stopped selling clothes so council recommends changing it back to O-1.

Council revises O-1 zoning. Changes place additional restrictions on sign sizes and lighting for businesses on North Main Street between Warthen and Hendrix. O-1 also prevents burned buildings in that stretch of road from being rebuilt in modern styles, limits tree cutting, and prohibits street-side parking to preserve the “integrity of the district.” Existing businesses in the area will not be effected, only new businesses or new buildings.

Some had hoped the council would change O-1 to allow in boutique non-chain retail stores like the one Bedazzled attempted to operate. As written, that zone blocks out everything except residences, salons, doctors, lawyers, and Edward Jones Financial Advisors (so far we’re up to two of those in a three-block stretch). It would be nice to have a decent clothing store or something selling art along North Main – but knowing LaFayette we’d just end up with another row of thrift stores.

Mayor Florence comments “every time we pave we break lines..”

It’s unclear why the mayor said that, since the city rarely (if ever) “paves” anything. He’s probably referring to other road and utility maintenance done around town and is probably right about breaking lines since the city has no idea where its water and sewer lines actually lie. City officials deny it now, but most of those records were lost in a New Years Day 2008 arson fire. That’s why the city didn’t take responsibility for last year’s South Main Street Sinkhole that wasn’t patched for six months, and why city water crews are often seen wandering the woods thumping the ground with sticks looking for lost water meters.

Regular meeting begins. Councilman Norm Hodge absent due to recent neck surgery. City Attorney Ron Womack and City Clerk Brenda Snyder also absent, respectively represented by “assistant” City Attorney David Gottlieb and utility clerk Susan Byrd. Invocation led, as always, by Andy Arnold, followed by pledge to the flag. Council votes 4-0 to approve minutes from regular meeting on December 13th and a December 23rd meeting that wasn’t announced to the public and has no agenda or minutes posted online.

Scheduled guest Ray Burnfin not present.

John Sweitzer from Sweitzer Engineering gives report on North Walker County water system project, upgrading LaFayette-owned water lines in Rock Spring. Bids for pipe and other material came in below budget, but engineering fees (from Sweitzer) will be higher than expected. Mayor Florence jokes with Sweitzer about “not keeping [his] part of the bargain,” so Sweitzer offers to write off half the additional cost. Councilman Arnold says three additional improvements can be added to the project due to lower price, but specifics for those projects are not discussed and council refers to documents not provided to note taker. Discussion reveals all water sold through system must first be bought from Walker County Water out of Chickamauga. As part of this project city must install fire hydrants for county use along right-of-ways. Councilman Arnold proposes submitting a revised project budget to GA Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), the state agency providing financing. Motion approved 4-0.

LaFayette’s WQCH radio does a good job covering city meetings and usually provides information not shared with citizens. The station later said those three unnamed projects were “REPLACING AN OLD, LEAKY WATER LINE ON HIGHWAY 95; INCREASING THE SIZE OF PIPE AT KAY CONLEY ROAD; AND INCREASING THE DIAMETER OF THE WATER MAIN FROM CHICKAMAUGA TO ROCK SPRING.” Work will apparently upgrade Kay Conley from inadequate 2-inch pipe to a 12-inch line. WQCH also reported that the project has been ongoing since 2007.

Sweitzer is also handling LaFayette’s wastewater treatment plant upgrade, which is costing city utility customers an extra $1 for every 3,000 gallons of water they use. It’s unclear at this time whether or not the water line upgrades are included in that project’s cost or being paid for separately, but both are being financed through GEFA. A portion of the water line upgrade and quite a bit of water are being given free to Rock Spring Elementary School in exchange for a worthless piece of swampland next to the old LHS football field where the city plans to bury what remains of Ross Abney Complex when they tear it down this fall.

Councilman Arnold nominates Norm Hodge as Mayor Pro-Tem. Motion seconded by Wayne Swanson and approved by all.

In January The Underground predicted Andy Arnold would be appointed to the Pro-Tem job since he’s apparently the current mayor’s choice to replace him in 2013. That was a short-sighted prediction – of course Mayor Florence isn’t going to step down this year; Arnold will be named Pro-Tem in January 2013 to pave the way for his planned election that fall. Meanwhile Norm Hodge gets to be the backup Mayor in 2011, probably because he’s the only one who didn’t attend the meeting. Having Hodge as pro-tem will benefit the mayor indirectly because Hodge’s bad attitude and record of self-interest will reduce the number of people praying against the mayor’s health or longevity.

Mayor appoints councilmen to the following committees: Arnold and Hodge to utilities, Swanson and Craig to finance, Tallent to airport, Craig to NWGR. NWGR is apparently a regional committee of city leadership.

The number of committees within city government isn’t clear, but we know Wayne Swanson previously served on the airport committee along with Darryl White, Kevin Ginny, and future county commissioner candidate Dr. Bob Shaw. There’s also a golf course committee but who serves on it isn’t known, and a cemetery committee headed by the mayor. Apparently committee assignments are handed out randomly, it certainly doesn’t seem to be based on any kind of experience or background qualification – ex-airport manager Wayne Swanson is a lot more qualified for the airport committee than GA State Patrol officer Tallent. In the interests of transparent government the city Web site should list committee participation along with each councilman’s somewhat incomplete profile.

Council votes to amend O-1 zoning per recommendations made in pre-meeting. Council also votes to rezone Bedazzled back to O-1, per earlier discussion. Council votes to “participate” in Georgia Municipal Association’s Georgia Cities week from April 17 to 23.

Councilman Tallent makes motion to renew Ameritas dental insurance plan for city employees. 2011 plan will cost the same as last year, $24.56 per month per employee with employees paying half the cost. Coverage caps out at $1,500 per year (per employee or city-wide..?) but unused coverage carries over to following year. Only half of city employees use the plan, 57 or 58 people. Brave Citizen in crowd asks why city provides dental insurance to employees, Tallent says most employers of any size offer some kind of dental coverage. Motion passes 4-0.

Apparently Eric Tallent hasn’t worked for very many non-government employers – these days most people consider themselves fortunate if they even get health insurance from an employer, much less overpriced rip-off dental coverage. The uselessness of that insurance is shown in the fact that only half of city employees choose to use it, although it’s quite possible only half the city’s employees still have any teeth. As with all employee benefits, councilmen and mayor are themselves eligible for city-funded dental coverage.

Council votes to officially raise insurance eligibility for dependents up to age 26, to comply with federal law. (Mayor Florence says this is “per Nobama Care” requirements). Tallent asks if change will make insurance more expensive, but it will likely only impact one city employee. After proposal passes, mayor directs City Manager Johnnie Arnold to inform employees of both the dental plan’s availability and the change in coverage to age 26 for dependents.

Councilman Eric Tallent makes motion to purchase new patrol car for LPD. Proposal from Chief Tommy Freeman requests $19,962 to purchase a new Chevrolet Impala cruiser from Hardy Chevrolet, along with $8,197 of equipment for the vehicle. Proposal also asks for $5,710 to replace two old VHS in-car cameras with newer digital units. Freeman makes an additional request not previously presented to the council or included in the current city budget: $5,200 for nine new bulletproof vests. (Freeman says several of the department’s existing vests had “expired” per manufacturer specifications.) The city will be reimbursed $6,000 towards the cost of cameras and vests through a state grant.

Eric Tallent makes initial motion and councilman Andy Arnold seconds, but before a final vote Wayne Swanson asks if the vehicle could be purchased from a local dealer. [There are two Hardy Chevrolets in Georgia, one in Dallas and one in Gainesville – it’s not clear from notes which one the city plans to buy from.] Council/City Manager tell Swanson no local dealer can match the Hardy Chevrolet price, but he asks City Manager to take bids anyway and accept any local offer within $500 of the one submitted from Hardy. Motion to buy vehicle, accessories, cameras, and vests passes 4-0.

A few years ago we figured out that the city had roughly 1.5 police cars for every LPD officer. Current statistics for department employees and vehicles aren’t readily available, but it’s hard to justify spending $28,000 for another patrol car right now. If every officer (and most city employees) didn’t take home their vehicles this wouldn’t be necessary at all. Even if the car is paid for with grant money or state/federal funds (notes don’t indicate that for the car, only for the vests and cameras) it’s not fiscally responsible to buy a new vehicle just because you can. Councilman Swanson’s suggestion about buying locally is appreciated but the rest of the council, mayor, and city manager seemed to only tolerate his comment without heeding it. Despite protesting, Swanson still voted to approve the amount requested, freeing the police chief and city manager from any responsibility to do what he requested.

Motion made to raise “sewer surcharge and pretreatment costs” for industries. Definition of the services provided and rate changes are in a document referred to by council but not provided to note taker. Price increase passes 4-0.

Without additional information it’s difficult to analyze this decision. The rate increase could be something mandated by an outside entity – in December the council raised water and sewer rates for all utility customers in order to qualify for a loan from GEFA. If the sewage rate increase for industrial customers isn’t required by an outside party then it just adds insult to injury for the city’s few remaining manufacturers, giving them yet another reason to pack up and leave town

In reports, councilman Andy Arnold notes electrical rates in the City of LaFayette are some of Georgia’s lowest. He says newly revealed information says only Dalton has lower residential rates in Northwest Georgia, and the city’s rates are seventh lowest in the state. He claims the city sells electricity for less than North Georgia Electric.

Council complements Public Works and Electric departments for good job clearing streets and keeping power on during the January snow storm. City Manager Johnnie Arnold says final figures for “overtime and materials used” will probably add up to 25 or 26 thousand dollars. City Manager notes that 10% of that would be paid for by the state if the governor declares a state of emergency, and 75% paid for by FEMA if the federal government decides our recent snow is worthy of emergency status.

In January the city claimed $45,037 in snow removal costs, a figure we expect was padded on purpose due to expectations of FEMA reimbursement. That prediction is partially verified by Arnold’s statement, but so far no such declaration has been made – meaning the city will have to eat all the extra overtime and “equipment costs” associated with the snow. What’s worse than being fiscally responsible with “free” money? Being fiscally irresponsible with free money you’re not guaranteed to ever get. Blame for this should fall solely on Johnnie Arnold.

Council holds moment of silence for Norm Hodge and victims of Tuscon, AZ shooting. Meeting is then adjourned.

Documentation: Official City of LaFayette Minutes From 01/17/11 Meeting