Brooklet City Council called the February 15, 2024 meeting to order at 7 P.M. Mayor Nicky Gwinnett welcomed attendees, and after the pledge of allegiance and a prayer, the council moved on to the items in the planning and zoning public hearing
PLANNING AND ZONING PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS
Will Marsh Properties submitted a variance application requesting a front building setback to be 26 feet instead of 35 feet (Section 5-2 of Article 5 on a minor street (2-51.2 of Article II of Appendix B-Zoning). The property is at 502 West Lee Street, Brooklet GA 30415.
There was no public comment, and minimal discussion from the council.
The hearing was closed and the Agenda was approved as presented.
Public Comments
Guests who signed up to speak included the owners of Jonny Boy Cookies and Michelle Wilson from the Farmers Market.
Hannah Womack recalled how she and her husband Jonny opened their first food truck in the city of Statesboro in 2016, opening their store front in the following year. She asked the council for the opportunity to test the Brooklet market, offering a coffee program and ice cream on top of their menu.
Womack says that their company is looking for more space to expand as they take on the wholesale market. They employ 72 part and full time workers across stores.
Jonny Womack told the council how he left his nursing job and took on his passion for making cookies. “There's not a whole lot of downside to it,” said Womack. Mayor Gwinnett agreed.
City Attorney Cain Smith recommended building a regulatory legal framework that would allow for the business to park their food truck.
Michele Wilson is a local farmer and the Vice President of the board of directors of the Farmers Market in Statesboro. She says that the small farms are essential to the community and can teach others how to grow their own food. She says we have lost the sense of community that comes with feeding yourself and neighbors with food you grow at home.
She says that Brooklet needs a farmers market so the city does not get left behind, and requested the help of the city to get it started.
Mayor Gwinnett said that he had no problem putting it on the next work session.
The minutes for the called and scheduled meetings on January 18 and 31 were approved
APPROVED - Consent Agenda
a. Recommendation Package - Brooklet Well and Well House #3 Project (PE22115)
b. Georgia Technologies Proposal for $1,495.00 for a new desktop computer for Police Clerk Lisa Tollison.
APPROVED - January Financial Reports
The current TSPLOST balance is $383,729.
Report from the City Engineer.
a. Wesley Parker
The EPD has made it mandatory for the public to know what the state of their service lines are and to be verified. The deadline to take inventory is October 2024. See item 15.2 in the agenda.
Report from the City Consultant
a. Matthew Morris - not present due to illness.
Report from the Safety Coordinator
a. Jim Stanoff
Stanoff submitted a grant to FEMA for generators and was contacted and told that Senator Warnock will be contacting the city to tell them that it has been awarded two generators.
“I certainly appreciate your hard work and persistence on this,” said Mayor Gwinnet.
Stanoff recently attended a safety seminar where he learned that there has been increases in liability claims in vacant property. He says he is concerned about areas that aren’t maintained.
Reports from Committee Members
a. Councilman Graham - Not present.
b. Councilman Anderson - Not present.
c. Mayor Pro-Tem Kelly - Mentioned downtown revitalization work program and electric vehicle charging stations in the future. Mentioned splash pads being introduced and says it's cheaper than building a park.
d. Councilman Harrison - Public Works budgeting and payscale is in discussion and underway.
e. Councilman Roughton - He says the new high school is coming sooner than people think. This will be the biggest high school in Bulloch county when the construction is complete.
Report from Police Chief
a. Gary M. Roberts says that there are no new crime patterns.
“I’ve got to say I was very proud of us getting our telephones.” He says he can track his officers now and it is a useful safety tool.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
15.1 Motion to Approve the request for Application VR2023-015. APPROVED
15.2. Discussion and consideration of a motion to approve the Brooklet Lead Service Line Inventory Proposal (PE23184) This is a paid version of 120 Water (PW Pro) for the lead service line inventory. Lindsey Bashlor with Parker Engineering recommends using them to aid in the inventory. APPROVED
15.3. Discussion and possible motion to approve a quote for the tree and limb clearing project for removing the trees from the right of way through the city. APPROVED
15.4 Discussion and consideration of motion to approve Attorney Cain Smith draft an ordinance to require concrete culverts for access driveways within public rights-of- way of municipal streets within the City of Brooklet to include fees. APPROVED
15.5 Discussion and consideration of a motion to approve Attorney Cain Smith to draft an ordinance for food truck vendors. APPROVED
15.5 Discuss and consider a motion to approve the quote from Springbrook/Qs1 for Utility Billing Training. APPROVED
15.6. Discuss catering and refreshments for meetings with Bulloch County held at Brooklet City Hall and what account would fund this expense.
Mayor Pro-Tem Kelly says that situations like these often result in violations and she wants to limit issues of charging incorrect accounts. One potential solution is opening a separate account to fund these kinds of expenses.
Mayor Nicky Gwinnett says that he feels it's appropriate to provide light refreshments to professionals that take the time to meet and discuss important city business and this account issue should be resolved. TABLED
The meeting was adjourned.
