Winder council reins in spending control

“I want to see this city council lead by example and motivate this community to come together,” he said, complaining that his previous requests about protecting and improving the city’s historic district have gone unanswered.

“I have asked for tree ordinances,” Lewis said. “I have asked about code enforcement and creation. I realize I can go speak to the city workers and request this on a one-on-one basis, but I should not have to. If concerned citizens voice their opinions at this and other city council meetings, then that should be the mandate needed for action to occur.”

Lewis urged the council to adopt the Livable Cities Initiative Plan and even held up $100 in cash he wanted to be used to kick-start a community fund for the implementation of some of the consultants’ recommendations.

“We may need the Atlanta Regional Commission for funding, but we can do some of this work ourselves,” he said. “I challenge this group of residents, whether they be council members or not, to push the LCI forward and to think with a sense of community.”

The public’s strong presence at the council meeting was due in large part to the pending vote on the LCI plan, as well as the planned vote on whether to commit $729,000 in local funds in order to be considered for $500,000 in federal funding for the rehabilitation of the historic granite hotel.

The large turnout also was a consequence of the weather-related postponement of the voting session that originally was planned for March 2, which was one night after the issues were discussed at a council work session. The one-week delay allowed local newspapers a rare window of opportunity to report about the issues discussed during the work session, but before the actual votes.

After thorough debates Tuesday night, the council approved both the LCI plan and the financial commitment for the hotel restoration. However, the votes were not blanket approvals.

The council voted to require Mayor Chip Thompson and city administrator Bob Beck to come back for further council approval before spending any staff time or money to implement any of the LCI plan’s recommendations.

And the council voted to limit the city’s financial exposure on the granite hotel project to $729,000 on top of the potential $500,000 in federal funding. An architect has provided a preliminary project cost estimate of $1.2 million.

NEW COUNCIL TONE
The council’s unusual retention of spending control over the two initiatives is further evidence of an internal power struggle over control the city government. That struggle became apparent at the March 1 council work session, when some council members were unusually vocal about some of the issues.

The three who spoke out on March 1 – David Maynard, Sonny Morris and Bob Dixon – seemed even more resolute during Tuesday night’s discussions.

It was Maynard who made the motion requiring additional council approval prior to any use of resources for projects in the LCI plan.

And it was Maynard who cast the lone “no” vote against federally mandated commitment to the granite hotel.

He said that while the LCI consultants pointed to Lawrenceville as an example of how beautiful an old downtown could become, improving the buildings there has been no guarantee that the nicer space would attract paying tenants.

“Downtown Lawrenceville is beautiful, but is has a brand new nice building that is totally empty,” Maynard said, noting that the city could spend over $700,000 more on the hotel and have it sit empty for 4-5 years.

“I don’t want Winder to be ugly and torn down either, but I don’t’ want us to be broke,” he said.

Morris, in making his motion to approve the financial commitment for the hotel, said he wants further council approval if the project’s costs rise. The council did authorize the administration to obtain engineering services.

The actions on the LCI plan and the hotel followed a discussion of the city’s finances.

Finance director Leslie Ginn Henderson said revenues and expenditures at the end of February were on target with budget projections.

But Dixon opened up the discussion, saying that based on his calculations of the $43 million city budget and available cash, the city government has less than three months of reserves on hand.

However, the mayor said Dixon was mistakenly including in his calculations budgeted capital costs that are not actually spent unless the money becomes available during a fiscal year. He said actual spending this year will be about $29 million.

The mayor said the year-end financial statements may show a shortfall of $500,000 due to depreciation that must be included in the statements.

As far as cash on hand, the city government now has more than $9 million, though that can fluctuate, he said.

Also discussed Tuesday night is an automated phone-answering feature that soon will be used at city hall.

IT director Alex Wages said programmers are continuing to work on the software to support new utility bills that will for the first time disclose specific information about the city’s water and natural gas charges. Those changes will occur after the city notifies the public through inserts in utility bills and notices on the city web site and in newspapers, he said.

In other business, the council approved:

•An amendment to the Code of Ordinances to remove the requirement for a four-inch layer of gravel underneath concrete slabs installed directly on the ground. The amendment now requires the gravel layer only when a city building inspector “deems it necessary for the safety and stability of the building.”

•A proclamation in support of the 2010 U.S. census.

•A permit for the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life 5K event.

•A pawnbroker’s license for Title First Title Pawn at 64 E. May St., Suite 2.

•An auctioneer’s license for Larry’s Auction at 354 E. Broad St.

•A beer permit for Hondumia LLC, which is doing business as El Arco Iris #2 at 232 N. Broad St.

•And a rezoning application by Carol Ann Soukup-Grealish and Debora Frost of .54 acres at 104 S. Broad St.