The Greene County Democrat

Tag: Councilwoman Valerie Watkins

  • Eutaw City Council agrees to declare the R. H. Young Community Center as surplus, as a step toward sale of the property

    Police Officer Tyler Johnson named ‘Officer of the Year” . L to R. are Councilwoman Tracey Hunter, Police Chief Tommy Johnson, Councilwoman Valerie Watkins, Officer Tyler Johnson, Mayor Latasha Johnson, Councilwoman Suzette Powell, and Councilman Jonathan Woodruff.

     

    By John Zippert, Co-Publisher

    In response to financial and budgetary pressures, the Eutaw City Council met on December 10, Dec. 17 and in a working session on December 12, to deal with several issues related to the projected deficit in the current Fiscal Year (2024-25) finances. Mayor Latasha Johnson and the Eutaw City Council differ on the best approaches to the financial problems.

    Councilmembers led by Jonathan Woodruff and Tracey Hunter feel the city must curb expenses, layoff workers and sell properties that are not financially sustainable, to avoid deficits. The Mayor argues that she has faith the city will grow and provide new revenues to sustain the workforce, make necessary improvements and hold on to properties like the R. H. Young Community Center. Mayor Johnson also argues that the mayor oversees “day-to-day operations”, which includes hiring and firing of employees to accomplish the on-going tasks of city administration.

    The Council voted unanimously at its December 17 meeting to declare the Robert H. Young Community Center as surplus property, so it can be sold. The City of Eutaw purchased the school from the Greene County Board of Education for $200,000 in the prior city administration of Raymond Steele. The Council’s intention was to develop the former Carver School as a community center, with spaces rented to community organizations and small businesses. While the school, especially the gymnasium has been used for meetings and funerals, the facility has not generated enough income to pay utility, maintenance and repair costs.

    The Mayor stated the city needs a community center and the Greene County Commission may be interested in buying the facility or working together with the city in its development as a community center for all county residents. Councilman Woodruff says, “There is a lack of trust between the city and county because the county did not honor its commitment to put up $70,000 for the matching funds for the Street Scape
    Project to remodel the sidewalks around the old Courthouse Square in downtown Eutaw.”

    Woodruff continued, “We are willing to sell the property to the County at its current appraised value, but I do not think we can work together with them since we have financial problems and no funds for a community center.” Many community residents feel the best way to proceed would be a joint effort of the city and the county seeking public and private grant funds to develop a comprehensive community center out of the old Carver school.

    The City of Eutaw was able to borrow funds from Merchants and Farmers Bank to cover the shortfalls in matching funds for the Street Scape and West End Avenue repaving projects. The City committed funds from its State of Alabama 4-cent and 7-cent roadway repair funds to repay the loan.

    The Mayor presented a revised fiscal year 2024-25 fiscal budget, where she moved expenses around from some funding to repair the old E-911 building and a fund to purchase or repair police vehicles to be able to retain all current staff. The Council voted not to accept the Mayor’s budget revisions and approved the original budget which requires layoff or not replacing vacancies in the street, water, sewer and administrative departments.

    The Mayor voted against this resolution and said the budget was a plan that could be revised based on needs. She asserted that she oversaw day-to-day operations and as long as her spending was within the budget requirements, she could keep staff needed to operate the city. Councilmembers Woodruff and Hunter said they would continue to monitor and evaluate the budget, expenses and the staffing of city departments. This remains as an area of disagreement between the mayor and the council.

    The Mayor said that the city attorney was working on negotiating an agreement with Alabama Fiber Network to sell them a 50 by 50-foot space to place their “middle mile broadband equipment” to facilitate expansion of fiber Internet access in the city and county. The legal paperwork for this sale will be provided by the attorney, for approval by the council, at a future meeting.

    A payment of budgeted support funding to E-911 was tabled until after the city receives its allocation of property taxes in January. E-911 provides dispatch services for city agencies like the police and ambulance services.

    In other business, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Approved travel for Police Chief Tommy Johnson to attend the AACOP Winter Conference in Montgomery on February 9-13, 2025.
    • Approved $150 membership dues for City Attorney, Zane Willingham, for the Alabama Association of Municipal Attorneys.

    • Tabled repairs to a manhole behind Ms. Suzzette Quinnie’s property until the ownership of the sewer line can be documented between the City and the Greene County Housing Authority.

    • Heard a presentation from Lamar Martin, of the Secure Wellness Group on a Self-Insured Medical Reimbursement Plan for city employees. The Council voted to provide information for a payroll census, without personal information, so he could develop a plan for the City of Eutaw and
    present it at a future meeting.

    Mayor Johnson indicated that City Hall would be closed on December 24 and 25, 2024, December 31, 2024 at 12:00 Noon and January 1, 2025, for the holidays.

  • Eutaw City Council tables most agenda items

    The Eutaw City Council tabled most items on its agenda for its regular fourth Tuesday meeting on August 27, 2024, pending further study and discussion. Many of these tabled items were deferred to a ‘work session’ to be held on September 5, 2024, to make additional decisions on these items.

    The work session on September 5th at 11:00 AM will also allow the Council to interview two applicants for the District 5 seat vacancy on the council. Jacqueline Stewart resigned effective August 15, because she moved out of her residence in the district and purchased a home in another part of the city.

    Ralph Liverman, Financial Adviser sent the city council members a memorandum suggesting that they restrict travel requests and expenses for the period of mid-August to mid-November, due to limited cash flow, in the General Fund, during this period. Several agenda items, dealing with travel requests for staff and council members were tabled.

    The Council received another communication from Financial Adviser Liverman that he had requested $30,000 from the Sheriff, from the bingo funds that he controls, to pay for the increase in engineering costs on the Street-Scape Project. The Sheriff agreed to the city’s request for $30,000.

    There was a discussion with a member of the Dangerous Divas’ Social and Savings Club concerning their request to use the Robert H. Young Community Center and adjoining park for a Class Night Out program to be held in October. The Council tabled discussion of this agenda item until the upcoming work session, to recheck the prices and deposits charged for use of the city facilities.

    The Eutaw City Council did approve the Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, scheduled for February 21 to 23, 2025.The council also approved a reimbursement of $3,500 to Robert Rose for a mathematical error on a building permit charge. They also approved payment of bills.

    The Council tabled a claim from Dave and Ethel Black for some repairs to their fence and property caused by the city. The claim was tabled because there was no specific amount requested. Later in the public comment session, Ms. Black said that until the city removes some tree branches from the fence that she could not determine the amount of damages
    She urged the city to do their part, so she could determine the damages.

    The Council agreed to a motion presented by Councilwoman Hunter to repair the roads in Branch Heights that had been damaged by work on sewage pipes. Mayor Latasha Johnson said there was a long list of roads that needed to be fixed, and some were in worse shape than the ones in Branch Heights. She felt the Council should prioritize the list of repairs and seek funding on that basis. Th Council ignored this recommendation and approved the resolution.

    Councilwoman Valerie Watkins spoke up about dealing with vacant lots like the one at Roebuck and Edwards Drive that she has been complaining about for years. She also said something had to be done about people  taking care of their property on O’Neal Street.

    City Attorney Zane Willingham said the new procedures for dealing with vacant lots in the city that had not been maintained was pending the receipt of citations that could be issued by police to landowners who were not taking care of their properties. After the official citations were given, the owner would either clean-up or the city would clean-up at the owner’s expense.

    The Council tabled the final item on the agenda for a discussion of raising Mayor and Council salaries in 2025 for further discussion at the work session.

  • Eutaw City Council takes small steps to remedy possible financial deficits

    At its regular meeting on June 11, 2024, the Eutaw City Council took some small, measured steps to increase income and reduce expenses to complete the fiscal year on September 30, 2024, without a deficit.

    In the Old Business section of the agenda, the Council reaffirmed its decision not to allow city vehicles, including police cars, to be driven home by city employees. Councilman Woodruff also asked if the city’s insurance coverage covered the police car used for special patrols at the RockTenn facility. Chief Tommy Johnson said that RockTenn was providing insurance coverage for the special patrols. Woodruff asked that evidence of the coverage be provided by to City Attorney.

    The Council agreed to allow not profit organizations, with a 501c 3 IRS status, who are holding a non-public event, to use the R. H. Young Community Center space at 50% of the regular fee, twice in a 12-month period, after providing documentation of their tax-exempt status.

    Agreed to provide up to $65 a month toward the utilities expenses for the Storm Shelter on the Lewiston Road. The shelter is in the Eutaw fire district. The shelter can accommodate 125 people and can serve people driving through the area in case of a storm.

    The Council received financial reports, compiled by staff and Financial Adviser, Ralph Liverman, on all bank accounts for the first seven months of the fiscal year ending April 30, 2024. All accounts show a positive balance.

    Ms. Giles made a request on behalf of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives to use the cafeteria/kitchen part of the R. H. Community Center (former Carver School), including the cold storage area, to process and package vegetables from local farmers and cooperatives for sale to commercial buyers. The Council requested that the Federation provide a detailed written proposal for the space they need, improvements they plan to make and the financial compensation they are proposing to pay the city for use of the space..

    In other actions, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Received a proposal from the Mayor to Sheriff Benison for matching funds for state approved road construction projects, including $30,000 for the Streetscape Project and $ 196,873 for the paving of 1.34 miles of the Lower Gainesville Road from Highway 11 to the city limits. The City requested a total of $226,873 in electronic bingo funds from the Sheriff.

    • Agreed to a $200 sponsorship for the Miss Black Alabama Talented Teen Pageant to be held at the Renaissance Theater in Eutaw.

    • Agreed to purchase U. S. and Alabama flags for the council room and outside flagpole.

    • Agreed to travel, registration and per diem for Angela Bonner and Barbara Collins to attend AL 911 training at Gulf Shores in October 2024.

    • Approved paying of the outstanding bills.

    The Council tabled consideration of raising Water, Sewer and Garbage rates until the next work session to allow for studying prior proposals to raise the rates gradually over the next five years to cover all expenses of the water and sewer systems. The Financial Adviser has urged consideration of an increase in these rates to cover expenses for these city services.

    Mayor Johnson announced that there will be a ribbon cutting for the new Eutaw mural on the side of a building adjoining City Hall at 9:00 AM on June 12, 2024. She announced a retirement celebration on June 28 at 11:00AM for Wilma Wedgeworth, long time custodian at the City Hall and William Smith, police officer. She also announced that Police Officer Carter would be issuing citations for residents who have not maintained their properties and for abandoned vehicles that do not have a current license tags, parked on the streets or in lots.

    Councilwoman Valerie Watkins said she paid back the city for travel reimbursements she received for trips that she went on riding in other’s cars. She said it was unethical for council members to receive mileage for trips that they did not drive their vehicle to attend.

    Residents raised questions as to why the Lock 7 City Park was closed. Mayor Johnson said they were trying to patch holes in the road and until then it would be locked. She said they have ordered the materials to fix the road at the park, but the materials have not been delivered to the city yet.

    The Chamber of Commerce announced that they were having a movie night on the Courthouse grounds on Friday June 21st at 8:00 PM.

  • Eutaw City Council moves forward, secures help with finances and operating water system

    Tommy Johnson take oath of office as new Police Chief of Eutaw on Nov. 2, from Judge Josh Swords; his wife holds Bible.

    By John Zippert,
    Co-Publisher
    The new Mayor and City Council of Eutaw met for its first regular meeting on November 10, 2020 at the Carver School Community Center gymnasium. The City Council held an Organizational Meeting on November 2nd after they were sworn-in to handle procedures and appointments.
    Mayor Latasha Johnson said that she had spent most of the past week learning about the operation of the City’s water system and securing a needed permit from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, which had expired in the Spring of the year.
    Mayor Johnson indicated that she had received help from Kathie Horne of Rural Water Management, a consulting firm, that the previous mayor had barred from working at the City Hall. “We worked most of last week and weekend with ADEM to secure the permit to operate our water system. We were about to incur fines of $10,000 a day for being out of compliance but we have resolved this issue,” said Johnson.
    Johnson, City Clerk Kathy Bir and Assistant Clerk Joe Lee Powell have worked with Rural Water Management, the computer softwear company that handles the water billing and others to begin to unravel the billing and water loss problems of the Eutaw Water System.
    Powell said, “By January 2021, we should have a pretty good handle on the water meters, billing and revenues; in November, we billed for over $90,000 water, sewer and garbage bills. We are also enforcing a “no cash policy” which means residents must pay their bills with checks or money orders.”
    Johnson presented a proposal from former City Council member, attorney and financial management consultant to York and Livingston, Ralph Liverman, to provide financial management services to the Eutaw City Council including preparing a budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, monthly financial reports, a four-year capital and infrastructure improvement plan and budget. Council approved this agreement with Liverman, which will cost no more than $1,500 a month.
    The Council appointed Mayor Latasha Johnson as “City Water Superintendent” for a compensation of $800 month in addition to her salary as Mayor. When asked, how the City was going to pay for all these expenses, Mayor Johnson said, “We have found and deposited over $30,000 in checks and cash this week, that was casually lying around in the office, in drawers and cabinets. Also, we are expecting better revenues from the Water Department, as we straighten it out and there are some positions we discontinued and will not fill, until we are sure we can afford them.”
    In other actions, the Eutaw City Council:
    • Received a proclamation from Alabama Governor Kay Ivy extending the state “Safer at Home” health order, which includes mandatory mask wearing, from November 8, 2020 to January 7, 2021. Councilwoman Tracie Hunter suggested that the City check with local businesses and urge them to enforce the mask mandate because some are not requiring mask wearing.
    • Agreed to advertise available city positions for 3 weeks in both local newspapers. The positions include: Utility Clerk, Assistant Utility Clerk, UCR Clerk and Assistant Clerk, Water/Sewer Workers and Street/Garbage Workers.
    • Approved a new City employee pay scale which will raise wages for most employees.
    • Approved purchase of an overnight deposit bag for Merchants and Farmers Bank.
    • Agreed to celebrate Veterans Day (November 11) as a paid holiday for city employees.
    Chief of Police, Tommy Johnson introduced has staff of new officers and said all would wear unforms rather than other forms of dress.
    Mayor Johnson asked Council members with resident’s complaints about streets, drainage and other concerns, to put them in writing and submit them, so she and the city staff can be sure to respond and correct any problems.
    Councilwoman Jacqueline Stewart asked that the City Council members be informed between meetings of any new hires for city positions so that they would know before their constituents questioned them about new people.
    Councilwoman Valerie Watkins asked for a training in Robert’s Rules of Order, so they would know the proper way to make motions and conduct city business.
    Councilwoman Tracie Hunter asked the audience “To pray with us and for us and be patient as we learn how to be a good City Council.”