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CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Knight called to order the regular meeting of the city council on the above date. Council members Brenda Thompson, Chad Cook, James Bratcher and Bill Spann were present as were members of the public.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Brenda Thompson made motion to approve the minutes of the June 18th meeting as submitted. James Bratcher seconded, all voted in favor and motion carried. James Bratcher made motion to approve the June 25th minutes as submitted. Bill Spann seconded, all voted in favor and motion carried. James Bratcher made motion to approve the minutes of the July 2nd meeting as submitted. Brenda Thompson seconded, all voted in favor and motion carried.
WATER SEWER RATES – JIMMY VANDIVER
Jimmy Vandiver was present and stated that he had read in the paper that the city planned to increase the rates 10% and he thought that to be excessive. He said years prior to this the council decided to increase rates 2% each year for five years and that would put the city where it needed to be. He said the last increases were in 2005 and 2007. If we need to get back in line I think you should restructure your rates. He stated the minimum and maximum is not going to make much difference. I asked for some paperwork to do a cost analysis but did not get it until today so time did not permit me to do that. He stated I took water pumped from well 5, 6, 7 and water from Madison and there are a few issues. You are taking money monthly and allocating to water/sewer. Mayor Knight advised Mr. Vandiver that there are only two wells on line. Mr. Vandiver stated that the garbage fees were not being put in the water fund. He also advised that former employee Jody Moss’s salary was split 30% water sewer and 70% general and that she was an operator. He stated that the guys spend time cutting grass and that a time clock would be the way to go. Mr. Vandiver said that too much of the clerk’s salary was coming out of water sewer and you need to break out how much time is actually spent in water sewer jobs. Debbie Kilgore stated that she spends the majority of every day taking payments for water bills and answering the phone with people needing meters re-read or most of the time asking questions about their bill. She said we generally only have one council meeting per month. She said the guys spend only 30 minutes per day on the water tests. Jimmy stated that the guys could clock in the mornings and clock out in the evenings. Mayor Knight said he was not worried about the guys that everyone in town could see them working. Jimmy said he did not see them. He said a time clock keeps people honest and that was the way to go. Mayor Knight said lets get back to the water. Brenda Thompson stated you are here to discuss the water rates not if the employees are honest or not. Jimmy stated that anyone could get on the computer and see what other cities are charging for water and sewer and their rate structure. Mayor Knight asked him if it showed what they were purchasing water for. Jimmy said it did not include that. Chad Cook stated that we would need to see what they are paying for water. Mayor Knight said we are paying Madison $3.97 and selling it for $4.00. Debbie Kilgore advised that Madison had raised the rates three times since 2008. Jimmy stated that someone obviously had dropped the ball why did the city not negotiate with them. Mayor Knight stated that the city had discussed things with Madison. Mayor Knight asked Jimmy what was his argument and where was the city wasting money. He said the employees and council keep the costs down to a minimum. Jimmy stated when you have 200 barrels of chemical sitting around that is waste. Debbie Kilgore advised him that the invoice he was looking at was for 200 lbs of chemicals not 200 barrels. Jimmy discussed adding new customers and charging the large state accounts more and we should restructure the rates. He said we should not be paying two operators. Mayor Knight explained to him that we did not have but one operator. Mayor Knight thanked Jimmy for his time.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Tom Strott was present and said what you need to look at is can you balance the budget without raising the water rates. If you can, then don’t raise them, but if you have to raise taxes to transfer money to water then raise the water rates. I don’t think the homeowners should subsidize the citizens outside the city who have water. Raise the water rates and not the property taxes. Jimmy Vandiver stated there was a lot of money on salaries. Mayor Knight asked him who he thought they should get rid of. He said I am just saying there is a lot of money spent on salaries. Bill Spann advised Jimmy that he was not here to discuss employees and restructure the whole city of Rutledge that has nothing to do with water sewer rates. He said you have had 45 minutes and that is enough. Public Comment ended.
Mayor Knight said that item 6 and 7 would not be discussed.
RESOLUTION TO ADOPT HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
Brenda Thompson advised that she had worked with Gwen Ruark of Morgan County. She said we are required to have a plan in place should there be a disaster. We have to update the plan so we are eligible to receive money if there were a disaster. Brenda Thompson made motion to adopt the resolution of the Rutledge City Council pursuant to the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 authorizing adoption of the Morgan County Hazard Mitigation Plan. James Bratcher seconded, all voted in favor and motion carried.
Brenda Thompson made motion to adjourn. Bill Spann seconded, all voted in favor and motion carried.
MEETING ADJOURNED.
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