Nicholson Council Meeting Minutes
Monday – August 2, 2021
6:30 P.M. Community Center
Call to Order – 6:30 p.m.
Attending: Mayor Jan Webster, Council Members – Thomas Gary, Mike Barfield, Dusty Durst, Lamar Watkins, Debbie Fontaine-City Clerk, Sherry Lewis -Mainstreet News – City Attorney-Jody Campbell
Pledge of Allegiance – All
Minutes: Mike motioned to approve the July 12, 2021 Council Meeting Minutes; Dusty seconded. All were in favor. Motion Approved.
Financials: Dusty motioned to approve June 2021 financials, Mike seconded. All were in favor. Motion was approved.
NEW BUSINESS:
Sign Company Bids – Thomas motioned that the city choose Davis Sign Co. bid to erect a new city sign in front of Nicholson City Hall; Dusty seconded. A vote was taken and all were in favor. Motion approved.
Council Members Pay – Jan read the Ordinance recently adopted to change the city charter in order to allow council members pay to be changed, she voiced her opposition in regards to such. Mike motioned to approve, Lamar seconded. A vote was taken and all were in favor. Motion was approved.
2021 Budget Amendment – Jan told council members that the 2021 Budget needed amending to increase the revenues for this FY. Debbie told council members that on-line sales had a positive effect on local option sales tax, which has trickled down to the local level. She also mentioned that a library employee, Sherri Stephens, would become full time due to a couple part timers taking jobs elsewhere. After a few questions over budget items, Mike motioned to approve the budget amendment, Dusty seconded. A vote was taken, all were in favor. Motion approved.
OLD BUSINESS:
Sprinkler System – Dusty motioned that the city approve the bid proposal sent from Fire Systems Inc. to put a sprinkler system in Benton Hall for a total cost of 107,849. This includes ductile piping. Lamar seconded. All were in favor; Motion was approved.
Jan read the most recent email from Jennifer Daugherty from USDA which confirmed that the application for grant/loan funds is ready for the next step in the grant process, which is approving the letter of conditions (LOC).
Road Paving – There will be a possible “change order” to add Church Street. Mike made a motion to accept Garrett Paving bid as proposed, without Church Street. There was not a second to the motion, therefore the motion died for lack of a second.
Dusty motioned to approve Garrett Paving which included Church Street, Lamar seconded. A vote was taken, Dusty, Thomas, and Lamar were in favor. Mike opposed. Motion was passed by a majority vote.
MAYORS REPORT:
- Farmers Market was a great success.
- Part time employee will become full time. The library help continues to find work elsewhere. Sherri Stephens will begin full time employment and although it will not show in the amended budget, it will show in the 2022 Budget.
LIBRARIANS REPORT: Per Library Manager
- Summer Reading Program ended well. We gave the last prize out today.
- Our Adult Summer Reading Program also went well. We are waiting for the last person to pick up their prize.
- Passports are picking up due to the length of time of receiving one.
- Hotspots usually go out every week.
- We attended both EJES and SJES Open Houses. We emphasized what we had to offer. We had flyers and bookmarks to give away. We also had a drawing for books and gift cards for each site.
- We are gearing up to have our Fall/Halloween Program and the Labor Day Festival.
- We were the busiest lunch bus stop in Nicholson this year.
- We will have a quilt for a raffle this year at the Labor Day Festival. Tickets are available at the library. $1 per ticket or 6 for $5. This happened late so not sure how much money we can raise.
- Rhonda also talked about Sherri Stephens, (part time Library employee changing to full time). She told council members how valuable she is to the Library and thankful for her to get to work full time. .
CITIZENS REQUESTING TO SPEAK – Jerry Mills -Ambush Baseball addressed the city council, introduced himself again and thanked the city for the use of the baseball fields. He now has 9 baseball teams that are doing great and attributes much of their success to the city for the use of the fields. Jerry asked the city about the small field in the back. He has two young teams, a boy team and a girl team that need the small space for practice. Jerry is willing to donate $2500 of his own money to have the field completely redone. There needs to be fill dirt brought to the field as well as leveling and making the field safer. Council members asked varying questions regarding fence condition, fill dirt – from cemetery, and city involvement with funding assistance. Mike asked if the city could fund the improvements but the supervised ball practices are not open to public, therefore is best to allow Ambush to handle.
Adjournment: Mike motioned to adjourn, Lamar seconded.All were in favor, motion approved.
Meeting adjourned at 7:25PM.
Announcements:
- Next Work Session August 26, 2021
- Next City Council Meeting in September 7, 2021
Approved by City Clerk for Website