LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Gray City Council members talked about water rates and sewer capacity among their business items for their all-committees meeting.
The March 20 meeting was called to order by Mayor Ed Barbee. All council members were present except Councilman Benny Gray.
The first report was from Councilman and Finance Committee Chairman Terrell Fulford. He said 97.73 percent of 2022 taxes had been collected, totaling $1,038,944, leaving an unpaid balance of $24,173.
Councilman David Tufts said the city needed to raise its water rates due to an unexpected increase in water rates from Jones County. City Superintendent Cheyenne Morgan said the proposed increase would mirror the rate increase the city received from the county.
Morgan explained the rate increase was from $3.76 per thousand gallons to $4.44 per thousand gallons, which is significant because the city purchased 104 million gallons in 2022.
That equates to an increased cost to the city of more than $70,000. He said the rate increase was on the Feb. 23 invoice from the Jones County Water System.
Tufts said it was not fair to get the unexpected increase after the city had set its budget. The superintendent said he received no notice from the county of the rate hike. Morgan commented that the increase busted the water cost line item of his budget.
“We have to raise our rates. We can’t pay more for water than we are selling it for,” he said.
Jones County Water Superintendent Brandon Stark said in a March 21 interview that the increase was adopted by the commissioners last summer but did not go into effect until January. He said the notice of the increase had been printed on water bills for several months.
City Clerk Cindy Yancey said the city receives its bill from the county by email, which could be the reason the notice was not received.
A check of the previous county commission meetings revealed that the water rate increase was approved at the county’s Aug. 16 meeting. Water rates were increased across the board for water customers, which included the city.
The county rate increase was the first in six years by the commissioners. The resolution for the increase stated that the rates would be reviewed every five years.
Tufts suggested, at the committees meeting, the city send the county a letter asking to be notified of any future increases. Council members agreed to place the letter on the agenda for their April 3 meeting.
Tufts brought up an issue with a property on Dolly Street having sewer line issues. He said the owner was afraid of their service being cutoff. Morgan was familiar with the problem, which he said was a lateral line on the customer’s property.
“The homeowner will have to deal with it. We can’t go on private property to replace the line,” he said.
Tufts asked if the superintendent would meet him at the property to discuss the issue with the homeowner. Morgan said he would.
City Attorney John Newberry talked to council about a letter requesting access to water and sewer services from the city. He said the company asked for the letter, but he wanted to make sure it was understood the letter did not guarantee capacity.
Newberry stated that the city had a moratorium on new sewer service until the new wastewater treatment plant is complete. Morgan estimated that would be in March of 2024.
“You can expect to get requests from other developers. We can say there is access but not capacity until the treatment plant is complete,” he reiterated.
Tufts agreed that was something for council members to keep in mind.
Main Street Director Ashley Roberson thanked council members for their support of the open container ordinance for Main Street events.
Plan Committee Chairman and Mayor Pro Tem James Collins said council can vote each month for the Fridays on Main events. Newberry said, when the open container ordinance was approved, it was stated each event would be voted on.
Roberson said she would like to have a test run before the April 15 Hometown Spring festival at the March 31 Fridays on Main event.
Collins suggested a called meeting prior to March 31 to vote on the event, and council members agreed by consensus.
Under the Streets Committee, also chaired by Tufts, Attorney Bert King talked about the need for a handicapped parking spot in front of his office. King said some of his clients have a hard time and he would like to designate one of the parking places in front of his office as handicapped.
Council members discussed the issue briefly and agreed to place it on the April 3 agenda for a vote.
For the Public Safety Committee, Fire Chief Keith Eisele said membership for the fire department is good, and he announced the department’s receipt of a grant from Morris Bank for a car seat program. He said the program included training for car seat technicians and free car seats to those in accidents or needing a car seat.
Eisele said smoke detectors would be received April 1.
Gray Police Chief Adam Lowe said the city would be getting nine Flock safety cameras, hopefully by April 5. He said the cameras would be placed at every entrance to the city with a couple of extras.
Lowe said the cameras would add to the coverage in place in Jones County. He said the cameras are already in place in Baldwin and Monroe counties, and he anticipates them soon in Bibb County.
Developer Scott Jackson spoke to council about future plans and options for home construction on Allen Green Drive.
With nothing else on the agenda, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of Gray’s City Council is scheduled April 3.
