Danielsville names new council member

In other business, city clerk Susan Payne reported that the city has reduced its expenditures by $11,244 so far this year. Council members continued in that vein, opting for new health insurance coverage with United Health Insurance for city employees that will save the city $105 in premiums per employee, per month.

The new plan will include a $1,000 deductible for employees, though the city will pay the first $500 with a “deductible buy down” plan.
Higdon recommended the new plan, saying the city wants to continue to help employees in any way it can.

No action was taken on seasonal help for the maintenance department, after Higdon told the council that no funds had been budgeted for it.

“I’m not sure why this was not in the budget this time,” Higdon said, explaining that the maintenance workers would soon be overwhelmed with grass cutting and other upkeep during the summer. Temple, who was in the audience, told the council that the city has not had seasonal help, ever.

But Higdon pointed out that maintenance department head Josh Lester said there was help during the summer when he was employed previously with the city for six years. The council agreed to table the matter to discuss further at the April 30 work session.

The council voted to send a payment of $1,082 to the Georgia Department of Labor as reimbursement for unemployment drawn by former police chief Rodney Christian.

The council also agreed to amend and revise the water rate ordinance for rental property accounts, the commercial sewer (grease trap) policy and to revise the utility application and financial policy to increase reconnect fees.

The council also increased fees at memorial gardens for those who live outside the city limits, while decreasing the fees for city residents. The city will now charge $650 for a single grave for city residents, down from $750; and $600 for two or more graves, down from $700. Fees for Madison County residents who live outside the city limits are now $850 for one grave, or $800 for two or more. Those who live outside the county will be charged a $1,500 flat fee for gravesites. The city will charge $475 to open and close gravesites and $250 for a cremation gravesite.

Higdon pointed that all these fees are “one-time charges” while the maintenance department must continue to maintain the cemetery. He said the fees were being lowered for city residents, since they pay city taxes.

In a related matter, the council heard that Lester is obtaining price quotes on repairing gates and the fence at the cemetery, which are in poor condition.

The council agreed to purchase a secure drop box for utility payments to be mounted at city hall at a cost of $273. Higdon said the city would save approximately $2,400 in bank fees by allowing residents to drop their payment off at any time at city hall, instead of paying it at BB&T. This new payment system will be effective June 1.

The council voted to give a Madison Street exit access to the school system at the high school to help lessen congestion there once construction has begun. Higdon pointed out that it will not increase traffic on Madison Street and that all work will be paid for by the school system.

The council discussed, but took no action on who will head the city’s fall festival, but agreed to discuss it further at the April 30 work session. Higdon said he had been contacted by former council members and former mayor Philip Croya about their continuing to run the festival as a committee. He said members of the group had asked for the funds in the checking account to begin work on the festival, but that he told them those funds belong to the city. He said they were eager to begin working on the vendor list “immediately.”

The council agreed to invite them to the work session to discuss the matter further.