Georgia Liquor License Application Form

							                               CITY OF CORNELIA
                              MINUTES OF MEETING
                                  JUNE 3, 2008



The Cornelia City Commission met in a Called/Workshop Session on Tuesday, June 3,
2008 at 5:00 p.m. at the City Hall Annex. Mayor Ballard called the meeting to order with
the following members present: Commissioners Don Bagwell, Tony Cook, Wes Dodd,
and Brenda Garcia. Also present: Better Hometown Manager Andrea Harper, City
Attorney Steve Campbell, City Manager Donald Anderson, Jr., City Engineer Brian
Rindt, City Planner Jeff Barron, Human Resource Manager Diane Feorino and Secretary
to the City Commission Janie N. Henderson.

The items on the agenda were discussed and opportunity was provided if further
explanation was needed by city staff. City Manager Anderson advised that Items #17 &
18 need to be removed from the agenda and add Right-of-Way Agreement with the
Georgia Department of Transportation.


The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:50 p.m. and they proceeded to the Regular
Meeting in the Municipal Building.




____________________________________ __________________________________
Janie N. Henderson, Secretary to the Margaret P. Ballard, Mayor, City of
City Commission                      Cornelia
                                CITY OF CORNELIA
                               MINUTES OF MEETING
                                   JUNE 3, 2008


The Cornelia City Commission met in Regular Session on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 7:00
p.m. in the Municipal Building. Mayor Ballard called the meeting to order with the
following Commissioners present: Don Bagwell, Tony Cook, Wes Dodd, and Brenda
Garcia. Also present: Better Hometown Manager Andrea Harper, City Attorney Steve
Campbell, City Manager Donald Anderson, Jr., City Planner Jeff Barron, Human
Resource Manager Diane Feorino, and Secretary to the City Commission Janie N.
Henderson.

Mayor Ballard gave the invocation.

Commissioner Dodd made the motion to amend the agenda by adding under New
Business the Right-of-Way Agreement with Georgia Department of Transportation and
removing Items # 17 and 18; seconded by Commissioner Bagwell. Approved
unanimously.

Commissioner Bagwell made the motion to approve the May 6, 2008 Commission
Meeting Minutes as submitted; seconded by Commissioner Dodd.      Approved
unanimously.

Public Forum – Dee Stavely thanked Jeff Barron for taking care of her request to improve
the signage in the Ingles Parking Lot. She said it is much better now.

Better Hometown Manager - Andrea Harper, BHT Manager, reported on the following
items: (1) On Wednesday, May 7th the Economic Restructuring Committee hosted a
“How to Survive Streetscape” Seminar at the Depot. She said she felt it went really well.
(2) Suzanne Brown with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Small
Business and Innovation Center visited Cornelia on 2 occasions in May. She works with
small businesses and industry. (3) Attended Honor’s Day on May 22 at the 6th Grade
Academy. (4) Economic Restructuring Committee has developed a helpful guide to
Growing a Business in Cornelia. The guide will be available on our website soon. (5)
The Design Committee met with Commissioner Bagwell to work on a new design for
entrance signs to the City. The Board will review and then the design will be submitted
to the Mayor and Commission for their input and approval. (6) Sandy Borrow owner of
McDonalds has donated several stained glass windows to the City. We are now trying to
figure out where to place them. (7) She advised that she would be attending a
Hotel/Motel Tax Seminar on Thursday in Suwanee.

City Engineer – Brian Rindt provided an update on the current status of on going
projects. Those 7 projects are: Water Line Replacement, Wastewater Treatment Plan
Improvements, Global Tech Outfall Sewer, Yates Street CDBG, Camp Creek Outfall
Sewer and Pump Stations to serve 3 schools, Camp Creek Restoration and Water Plant
Reservoir intake Structure Modifications to raise Lake Level. The Mayor and
Commissioners and the public were given an opportunity to ask questions of Mr. Rindt.
Cornelia City Commission – Minutes of Meeting
June 3, 2008
Page 2 of 5


City Manager Report – Donald Anderson, City Manager, reported on the following: (1)
He has been working with Duncan Hughes of the Soque Watershed Association on a
grant application to get technical assistance to clean up Hazel Creek. The grant would go
to the Watershed Association, but it would benefit us since we pull the majority of our
water from Hazel Creek. (2) The paving project should be complete this week except for
the striping which cannot be done for 30 days. (3) He has met with Brad Stuart with the
Department of Community Affairs and they are going to take on the Level Grove and
South Main Street Corridors as a Quality Growth Resource Team Project. This will
provide the city with free planning for these areas and we will be able to implement in the
future. The Public Meeting on this project will be June 30th at 6:00 p.m. at the Baldwin
City Hall. The meeting will be held in Baldwin because our project will be tied in with a
project that DCA is doing for Baldwin. (4) The DOT has replaced the exit sign on Hwy
365 at mile marker 45 to include Cornelia instead of Helen. (5) He has spoken with
Michael Hardin of Waste Authority about providing curb side recycling for those citizens
who are interested in the service. He needs to know how many residences are interested
so that he can determine the price. There is a form on the back of this month’s water bill
and you can stop by City Hall and let us know by June 15th if you are interested. (6)The
Mayor and Janie have been working with the Probate Judge to get our polling location
moved back to the Cornelia Community House. We received word that it has been
approved and starting in November the elections will be conducted at the Community
House. (7) We received word that our GEFA Grant was approved for $100,000 to help
with the Yates Street Sewer Project which will be bid later this year. (8) Longhorn’s
Steak House is coming to Cornelia across from the Lowe’s Store on Carpenter’s Cove.
(9) Department Reports were given for the month of May.

Commissioner Dodd made the motion to approve Ordinance 05-08-03, Conditional Use
for Compass Pest Management, with the noted conditions recommended by the
Municipal Planning Board; seconded by Commissioner Bagwell. Jean Patrick of the
Better Hometown Board came forward to speak in favor of the business. Approved
unanimously.

Global Tech Sewer Outfall Project – City Manager Anderson advised that Higgins
Construction was the low bidder for the project, but there was a conflict with the One
Georgia Authority because Mayor Higgins has not been out of office for 12 months. One
Georgia Authority will not grant us an exception. City Manager Anderson and City
Engineer Rindt recommended that we award the contract to the next lowest bidder, Allen
Pipeline for $383,269.50, which is still under budget. Mr. Rindt said he did contact Allen
Pipeline and they are still interested in the project for their bid amount. Commissioner
Bagwell made the motion to award the contract for the Global Tech Sewer Outfall Project
to Allen Pipeline for $383,269.50; seconded by Commissioner Dodd. Approved
unanimously.
Cornelia City Commission – Minutes of Meeting
May 6, 2008
Page 3 of 5

Re-Codification of the Municipal Code – City Attorney Campbell advised that this makes
our Code uniform and it will be available online to the public. Commissioner Dodd made
the motion to adopt Ordinance 05-08-01, Re-Codification of the Municipal Code;
seconded by Commissioner Cook. Approved unanimously.

Water & Sewer Rates – City Manager advised that just like most of the cities in North
Georgia we are experiencing a revenue shortfall. He advised that the ordinance does
allow for Senior Citizens to apply for a 30 discount and we will research what other cities
are doing about individuals with disabilities. Commissioner Dodd made the motion to
adopt Ordinance 05-08-02, Amending Chapter 20 of the Code, Increasing the Water &
Sewer Rates; seconded by Commissioner Cook. Approved unanimously.

Mayor Ballard opened the Public Hearing on a Proposed Historic Preservation
Ordinance. City Manager Anderson advised that he feels we need more input from the
public into the development of the ordinance. He recommended that he be allowed to
appoint an interested committee to work on the ordinance and conduct public hearings for
input prior to posting of the ordinance.

Commissioner Dodd made the motion to table the Proposed Historic Preservation
Ordinance and to authorize City Manager Anderson to form a committee to develop the
ordinance and to hold public workshops with those concerned; seconded by
Commissioner Bagwell. Approved unanimously.

Mayor Ballard opened the Public Hearing for the Comprehensive Plan Update – City
Manager Anderson said the plan is available at City Hall, the Cornelia Library and on the
City and County’s Website through June 10, 2008. The resolution is to approve sending
the draft to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Georgia Mountains
Regional Development Center for review.

No comments were heard from the public.

Mayor Ballard closed the Public Hearing. Commissioner Dodd made the motion to adopt
the Resolution sending the Comprehensive Plan Update for review; seconded by
Commissioner Bagwell. Approved unanimously.

Resolution for Joel Rodriguez Day – Mayor Ballard asked Reverend Rodriguez to come
forward and she read the Resolution Declaring June 15, 2008 as Joel Rodriguez in
Cornelia.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Project – City Manager Anderson advised that the original
bids for this project came in over budget so we changed the scope of the project but stuck
to the improvements that are mandated by the EPD. The new bid results are within our
budget and he recommended that the contract be awarded to Southern Champion
Construction for $2,140,400.00. He also noted that we received a $1.8 Grant for the
project.
Cornelia City Commission – Minutes of Meeting
June 3, 2008
Page 4 of 5

Commissioner Dodd made the motion to award the contract for the Wastewater
Treatment Plant Project to Southern Champion Construction for $2,140,400.00; seconded
by Commissioner Bagwell. Approved unanimously.

Level Grove/Wayside Street Sidewalk Project – City Manager Anderson advised that we
budgeted $30,000 to begin working on this project this year. He said he has talked to
RDC and DOT regarding possible funding for this project. They feel certain that the
project will qualify for the DOT TE Grant Program with applications due by April 2009.
We must have engineering drawings to accompany the grant application so we received 2
quotes for the engineering services. He recommended approval of the contract with JM
Smith Engineering for $20,750 which includes the survey, utility location, and
engineering design. Commissioner Bagwell made the motion to approve the contract with
JM Smith Engineering for $20,750 for engineering services; seconded by Commissioner
Garcia. Approved unanimously.

Bids for Replacement of the 1986 Ford Tractor – City Manager Anderson advised that
our current tractor will not finish the season as we had hoped. He said even with engine
repairs made at the beginning of the year it is no longer capable of producing the PTO
power needed to pull the bush hog. We did spend some of the money budgeted for this
purchase earlier this year for a backhoe, but we do have the funding available to make
this purchase. We still have $5,600 left in the budget for the tractor; there is $5,000
budgeted for a rock hound that we will not be purchasing this year; and $10,000 budgeted
for a lawnmower that we were able to purchase last December for less than that amount,
for a total of $20,600. Quotes were received from 3 dealers for a 75HP and 90HP Tractor
with trade in allowance. City Manager Anderson asked for approval to purchase the new
tractor for the best price for no more than the lowest quote of $19,552 and to approve the
necessary budget adjustments for the purchase. Commissioner Dodd made the motion to
authorize City Manager Anderson to purchase a new tractor and not to exceed $19,552;
seconded by Commissioner Cook. Approved unanimously.

Commissioner Dodd made the motion to approve the budget adjustment of $15,000
moved from Building & Grounds Division # 340-54.2100 to Street Division# 160-
54.2100; seconded by Commissioner Bagwell. Approved unanimously.

Downtown Development Authority Boundaries – Mike Armstrong, Chairman of the
DDA, came forward to speak on behalf of the DDA Board. Mr. Armstrong said they
began looking at this over a year ago and they wanted to make sure that any potential
commercial sites at the entrances to town fall under the DDA. Commissioner Bagwell
made the motion to approve the new boundaries as requested by the Downtown
Development Authority and included in the attached legal description; seconded by
Commissioner Dodd. Approved unanimously.
Cornelia City Commission – Minutes of Meeting
June 3, 2008
Page 5 of 5


Lower Beer & Wine and Liquor License Fees for the CBD – DDA Chairman Armstrong
stated they had been looking for incentives to attract businesses back to the Downtown
area. He said if we could get a nice upscale restaurant to locate in the downtown area
then that would increase the foot traffic for the shops and give them a reason to stay open.
They feel one way would be to lower the license fees for alcohol in the Central Business
District. Mr. Armstrong recommended the Beer & Wine License be $500 instead of
$1,500 and the Liquor by the Drink License be $2,000 instead of $3,000. City Manager
Anderson advised this would require a text amendment to the Alcoholic Beverage
Ordinance. He said this would not encourage bars because our ordinance is written to
require that 50% of revenues have to be from food sales. Commissioner Bagwell made
the motion to approve to post Ordinance 06-08-01, Amending the Alcoholic Beverage
Ordinance; seconded by Commissioner Bagwell. Commissioner Cook voted in favor.
Commissioner Garcia voted against. Motion to post passed 3-1.

Georgia Department of Transportation Right-of-Way Agreement – City Manager
Anderson said we need to install 2 new lights on Hodges Street for the Streetscape
Project and Georgia Department of Transportation is requiring that an agreement be
signed. City Attorney Campbell recommended the agreement be changed to remove the
requirement under Article VI, Insurance, Section (e) Professional Liability (Errors and
Omissions) Insurance and to change Article XI, Work Plan, installing 2 lights instead of
1. City Manager Anderson asked that Mayor Ballard be given permission to sign the
Agreement once the verbiage is corrected. Commissioner Bagwell made the motion to
authorize Mayor Ballard to sign the Right-of-Way Agreement with the GA DOT;
seconded by Commissioner Dodd. Approved unanimously.

The July 1st Meeting is rescheduled until July 8th because of the July 4th Holiday.

Commissioner Dodd made the motion to adjourn the meeting at approximately 8 p.m.;
seconded by Commissioner Bagwell. Approved unanimously.




________________________________           ____________________________________
Janie N. Henderson, Secretary to the       Margaret P. Ballard, Mayor, City Of
City Commission                            Cornelia