Greene County Democrat

Tag: Financial Adviser Ralph Liverman

  • Eutaw City Council meets July 9; declines to approve new expenses requested by Mayor

    Eutaw celebrated two milestones on June 29th, 2024: Wilma Wedgeworth’s 40 years as custodian and Assistant Chief Smith’s retirement from EPD. We appreciate their dedication and hard work. Eutaw Police Department

    In its first regular meeting for the month, on July 9th, the Eutaw City Council continued its efforts to control expenses by rejecting several requests for new expenses proposed by Mayor Latasha Johnson. Councilman Larrie Coleman was absent, all other members were present.

    Under Old Business, the Eutaw Council voted to disapprove travel, registration and per diem expenses for Angelia Bonner and Barbara Collins to attend the AL E-911 Gulf Coast Conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama from October 13-16, 2024. The Council did not feel the travel expense was justified based on the program agenda provided. The Mayor argued that the two employees needed to get the information and training because it relates to do their jobs effectively.

    The Council also rejected approval of three contracts for persons employed by the city. One contract was for Sara Leavelle to serve as Utility Clerk at the Water Department. Ms. Leavelle had announced that she was leaving her city job for higher pay in a neighboring municipality but changed her mind and wanted to stay with the City of Eutaw. The Mayor offered her a contract at a higher salary because she decided to stay. The Mayor also had prepared contracts for City Attorney, Zane Willingham and Joshua Swords, City Judge, for approval by the Council.

    Speaking for the Eutaw City Council, Councilwoman Tracie Hunter, said it was unfair to give an increase to one employee rather than evaluate all the employees for a raise at the start of the next fiscal year. Hunter said she felt all the city employees were doing a dedicated job, above and beyond the call of duty. Councilman Jonathan Woodruff said the contracts the Mayor proposed were for four years and would have bound the next elected Mayor and Council that may wish to employ others in these positions.

    The City Council did approve payment to Harbin and Stough PC for $31,000 for the FY2023 Audit report. They approved $300 for a full-page ad in the Black Belt Folk Roots Festival program booklet. The Council also agreed to support “Fun Day” for youth at the R. H. Young Community Center. No specific request was submitted so the staff were asked to find out what was needed and the cost of sponsorship. The Council also voted to pay outstanding bills.

    In the Public Comments section of the meeting, questions were asked about fixing the holes in the street at the City’s Lock 7 Park. The Mayor said she was still working on fixing the potholes and until that was done the park gates would be locked for safety reasons. Councilman Woodruff requested a time when the City Finance Committee could meet with Financial Adviser Ralph Liverman to work on the next fiscal year’s budget.

    In response to a question from this reporter, the Mayor said that the Council had approved a plan to increase water and sewer rates as of October 1, 2024. The Council still plans to hold a public hearing on the rates, but the new rates were passed in an ordinance in the last meeting. The Council voted to suspend the rules and pass the ordinance with one reading, rather than two readings, that we reported in a prior newspaper.

    This led to a question of when they were going to raise garbage rates which are billed on the same statement as water and sewer usage each month.

  • Eutaw City Council meets on Nov. 28, 2023 opens bids for restroom repairs

    The Eutaw City Council met for its regular second meeting of the month on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. The Mayor and four council members: Jacqueline Stewart, Tracey Hunter, Valerie Watkins, and Larrie Coleman, were present.

    Joe Powell, Assistant City Clerk, opened bids for repair of two rest rooms at the Robert H. Young Community Center (former Carver School).
    There were two bids, and the Council awarded the bid to M&H Construction Company for $17,500. He also opened bids for repair of one rest room at the National Guard Armory. M&H Construction was again the low bidder at $7,500 for this work.

    The Council asked the Mayor and staff to carefully check the bonding and insurance qualifications of the low bidder to make sure they were in compliance with the bid requirements and specifications before award the bids.

    The Council also approved advertising for sale of a used Greyhound bus using the city’s website, to determine if there is any interest in purchasing this surplus item.

    The Council tabled a sale of land on Boligee Street to the Greene County Commission, for construction of a water park. There were questions about the nature of the proposed water park and the inclusion of a redemption clause in the sale if the project is not built within a reasonable period of time.

    An offer of $6,000 from Freedom Rock Church to purchase four acres of city owned land, was rejected by the Council for being below the fair market value of the land. The church proposed to purchase land on the Lock 7 Road, near the City Park, for construction of a church and community building. The Mayor said, “We are supportive of building the church and community facilities, but we want them to pay a fair price We will try to get an appraisal to show the fair market value of the land.”

    The Council, which has vacated the District 2 seat of LaJeffrey Carpenter, agreed that December 6 was the deadline for residents of the district to send a letter of interest in the position; and that the Council will interview applicants on December 11 for the position, so an appointment can be made, and the position filled at the December 12 next regular meeting of the Council.

    The Council received several financial reports from Financial Adviser Ralph Liverman on the status of city bank accounts. They also voted to pay bills that had been processed by staff for payment.

    In the public comments section, there were several comments from residents, including Faye Tyree and Vivian Carpenter that the City of Eutaw was not moving forward as quickly as they wished.

  • Eutaw City Council meets to handle financial matters

    By: John Zippert, Co-Publisher

    Most of November 14, 2023, meeting of the Eutaw City Council was devoted to financial matters and a review of the revised budget for the Fiscal Year October 1,2023 to September 30, 2024. Three City Council members: Larrie Coleman, Valerie Watkins and Jacqueline Stewart and Mayor Latasha Johnson were present.

    The first item considered was leasing of a new 2023 John Deere Cab Tractor for 5 years, from Sun South LLC for $96,852, with 60 monthly payments of $1,926, a five-year warranty and a $1.00 buyout at the end of the lease. Mayor Johnson said it was critical for the city to get a new tractor for grass cutting. The old tractor is often in the shop and costs more to repair than the monthly lease on a new tractor.

    Councilwoman Valerie Watkins said she was reluctant to vote for a major capital expenditure without studying the revised budget to make sure funds were available. Financial Adviser Ralph Liverman explained some changes that he had made to the budget to meet state requirements and said the funds for the new tractor were included in the budget, along with other road and street improvements.

    Liverman said he reduced the General Fund budget by $300,000 for the new fiscal year, because the City was no long receiving funds from electronic bingo. “If these funds are restored, you can place them in the Capital Improvements Fund and fix more city roads and bridges.

    Liverman also said he reduced the General Fund by $450,000 to account for being required, by the State of Alabama, to move these funds to a new separate bank account. He indicated that the funds could be used for street and road improvements and that he had also moved some expenditures for road projects from the General Fund to this new fund for the local gas tax. Liverman also indicated that the city’s share of local gas tax collection increased from $70,000 to over $400,000 annually, since Love’s Truck and Travel Center was operating in Eutaw.

    After this discussion, it was moved by Councilwoman Stewart and seconded by Councilman Coleman to lease the tractor. The motion passed 3 to 1 with the Mayor’s vote in favor. A resolution was also approved to contract for Living Water Services to handle operations and analytical services for the City of Eutaw Lagoon for $1,850 a month, A resolution was also approved to pave a portion of the Lower Gainesville Road in the City of Eutaw.

    The Council was informed that two cadets sent to the police academy by the Eutaw Police Department were graduating on November 16th in Tuscaloosa. Several police officers and city employees plan to attend the graduation to encourage the cadets to join the city workforce.

    Mayor Johnson proposed that the City Council reinstate the old policy that police and other city employees can drive vehicles home to be ready to come to emergency situations quickly. After questioning, the Mayor said she never did implement the change in the policy, because the Council did not set dates and timetables for implementing the policy. The Mayor said that she was requiring the drivers to keep mileage and maintenance logs to take care of the cars.

    The Council heard a presentation on setting up a Greene County Saddle Club to encourage horse riding in an organized way. Once set up the Saddle Club would like to use the facilities in the City Park at Lock 7 for horse shows and other events. The Council asked the group to make a specific proposal that they could take action to implement.

    The Council passed a resolution declaring vacant the District 2 seat, held by Lajeffrey Carpenter, who pled quilty to the felony of using city property for personal gain. The Mayor said residents of District 2 could submit their names and a letter of interest in the position, so the Council could fill the position, within the next sixty days. The Council also voted to remove Carpenter’s name from all bank accounts on which he was a signatory.

    The Council approved resolutions for the revised budget for the FY2023-24 and opening a new account for deposit of a local gas tax funds.

    In other actions, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Approved Thanksgiving holiday for staff for November 22 (half day) and all of Nov. 23 and 24.
    • Approved Police Chief Tommy Johnson request purchasing 4 VHF Motorola, two-way radios, at a cost of $880 each radio.
    • Tabled payment of a $1,500 claim for Gloria Mobley.
    • Approved payment of bills for October 2023.
    • Agreed to hold a Council Work Session on November 27, 2023, at 3:30 PM, before the next regular City Council meeting on November 28, 2023.