City Council Meeting (2025-03-11)

Attendees: Ms. Tracy Andrews, Mayor Mr. Kevin Russell, Mayor Pro-Tem Mrs. Linda Cain, Council Member Ms. Cheryl McCall, Council Member Mr. Leonard Blount, Council Member Others Present Were: Mrs. Patrice Tanner, City Administrator Ms. Sherry Snell, City Clerk Mr. Guy Lane, Asst. City Admin./Public Works Director Mr. Michael Richter, Police Chief Mrs. Michelle Jordan, City Attorney The data reflected in these proceedings constitute an extrapolation of information elicited from notes, observations, recording tapes, photographs, and/or videotapes. Comments reflected herein are sometimes paraphrased, condensed, and/or have been edited to reflect essential subject matter addressed during the meeting. Parties interested in receiving a verbatim account of the proceedings are responsible for coordinating with the City Administrator and providing their own representative and equipment pursuant to Chapters 119 and 283, Florida Statutes. A. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mayor Andrews at 5:00 p.m. B. PRAYER AND PLEDGE Prayer was given by Council Member Russell and Mayor Andrews led the pledge to the American Flag. C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Andrews added regular agenda item #6 Washington County Phenoms – Carlon Smith, Jr.; added #7 Tree Maintenance. A motion was made by Council Member Russell and seconded by Council Member McCall to approve the agenda with the additions. The motion passed unanimously. D. CITIZENS REQUEST The City of Chipley welcomes you to this meeting. This is time set aside for the Citizens of Chipley to address the City Council. This is not a question and answer period, it is not a political forum, nor is it a time for personal accusations and derogatory remarks to/or about city personnel. If you would like to address the City Council please raise your hand to speak, state your name and address for the record and limit your comments to no more than three (3) minutes per Florida Statute 286.0114. To ask a question via phone; dial *9 and wait to be recognized/unmuted. If you are attending via webinar, there will be an onscreen option to ask a question during the public comment portion of the meeting. Your participation is welcomed and appreciated. No citizen requests. No further discussion. E. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Regular Council Meeting – February 11, 2025 Ms. McCall stated she would like the wording changed on agenda item #8. Mrs. Tanner stated the change would be made. Discussion ensued. A motion was made by Council Member Russell and seconded by Council Member Cain to approve the minutes with the change. The motion passed unanimously. F. PRESENTATIONS 1. Proclamation – National Red Cross Month. The City Council honored Mr. Wayland Patterson, Red Cross Volunteer, with a Proclamation for National Red Cross Month. 2. Proclamation – Music in Our Schools. The City Council honored Sevdelina Twining, Kate Smith Elementary School; Sam Toole, Roulhac Middle School; and Shad Steptoe, Chipley High School with Proclamations for Music in Our Schools Month. City of Chipley Council Meeting Minutes March 11, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

3. Proclamation – Theatre in Our Schools. The City Council honored Justin Conley, Chipley High School with a Proclamation for Theatre in Our Schools Month. G. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 1. Special Event Application – Community Easter Egg Hunt 2. Special Event Application – Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Florida 3. Appointment of CRA Board Member – Kevin Yoder 4. Award of Bid No. 2025-03 – Chipley Mongoven Building – Phase 2 - Arris General Contractors, Inc. Mr. Russell asked about #4 and pictures of the plans of what will be done. Mr. Brent Melvin, David H. Melvin, Inc. stated Phase 2 is the stabilization only. Phase 3 will be the concept drawings for the actual site improvements which will come to Council for approval hopefully next month. Discussion ensued. A motion was made by Council Member Blount and seconded by Council Member Cain to approve the consent agenda items. The motion passed unanimously. H. AGENDA ITEMS 1. Ordinance No. 992 (First Reading) – Amendment to Chapter 16 – Fire Prevention and Protection. Mrs. Tanner read Ordinance No. 992 by title: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CHIPLEY, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 16 – OF THE CITY CODE RELATING TO OPEN BURNING, REGULATIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, CONFLICTS, AND FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Chief Aycock stated his concern was the liability of giving burn permits. This will get away from that and go back to state laws where it clearly states what you can and can’t do. No further discussion. A motion was made by Council Member Russell and seconded by Council Member McCall to approve the first reading of Ordinance No. 992. The motion passed unanimously. 2. Resolution No. 25-24 – FDOT MSCOP Application Submission. Mrs. Tanner explained this resolution will allow the submission of an application for funding for the Municipal Small County Outreach Program for Pecan Street. This will include improvements to Pecan Street from CR 273 (South Blvd) to Church Avenue (approximately 0.738 miles). We have increased the distance from South Blvd instead of just to SR 90 on to Church Avenue due to expected growth in the near future at the industrial park. FDOT gave us a suggestion to apply for the entire project through MSCOP and we have also separately applied for legislative appropriations in the amount of $750,000. If we are able to get both approved then the legislative appropriations will offset the total cost. Discussion ensued. A motion was made by Council Member Russell and seconded by Council Member McCall to approve Resolution No. 25-24. The motion passed unanimously. 3. Purchase of Rope Rescue Equipment – Fire Department. Mrs. Tanner explained the rope rescue equipment was cut from the Fire Department budget this year. Chief Aycock stated he has looked for alternative ways to fund this. We have several pieces of equipment at auction right now and we would like to use those funds for the purchase. No further discussion. A motion was made by Council Member Cain and seconded by Council Member McCall to approve the purchase of the rope rescue equipment with the funds from the auction. The motion passed unanimously. 4. Florida Commerce M0014 Stormwater Grant – FGT Gas Line Relocation Agreement. Mrs. Tanner explained there have been some changes to this just today. This was referencing a reimbursement not to exceed $25,000 just for FGT to prepare the design of the relocation of the natural gas pipeline located on Griffin Road. Then the relocation would be included as part of the grant funding. They have agreed not to charge us the 50% for the design of the relocation. We will just have the construction dollars coming from the grant funds. Mr. Brent Melvin, David H. Melvin, Inc., stated the box culvert under Griffin Road is the major constriction point for the drainage along Railroad Avenue and behind City Hall. We have 90% plans completed for an expanded box culvert, as part of that, the pipeline currently impedes stormwater mitigation work that the City is currently undertaking. These funds will be reimbursed by the Florida Commerce CDBG-Disaster Recovery Grant No. M0014. Discussion ensued.

A motion was made by Council Member Russell and seconded by Council Member McCall to approve the FGT Gas Line Relocation Agreement in the amount of $25,000.00. The motion passed unanimously. 5. Football League for Adults – Brad Holt. Mr. Holt stated he is proposing to bring an Adult Flag Football League to Chipley this summer. He has organized teams and competed in flag football leagues and tournaments over the last 20 years and brings the experience and contacts necessary to make it a successful venture. He would like to use the large field at Jim Trawick Park which would be marked and maintained by the city. They would sign the rental agreement provided by the city to rent the field and lights. The dates would be Sunday afternoons and evenings in June, July and August. Each player would sign a liability waiver to participate. Once the league is established he will contact food trucks, bounce house companies and vendors to attempt to create an event for children near the end of the season. Discussion ensued. A motion was made by Council Member Russell and seconded by Council Member Cain to approve the Football League for Adults. The motion passed unanimously. 6. Washington County Phenoms – Carlon Smith Jr. Mr. Smith, founder of the Washington County Phenoms; Jessica Simmons, Program Director; and NaQuitta O’Neal, Financial Advisor & Treasurer, addressed the council regarding the use of the field located by the T.J. Roulhac Enrichment Center. Mr. Smith stated the field could be a resource for the community to bring our kids closer together and build a family environment through the sport of football. They would use 7 on 7 which is the structural foundation of football without pads in which you run routes and different coverages and learn how to throw and catch a football. The basic necessity that a kid needs in order to be successful in the game of football. We have an insurance package, sponsors and donations in order. Mayor Andrews stated to clarify this, the T.J. Roulhac Enrichment Center is the facility up front and the City of Chipley owns the field. Mr. Blount stated there is discrepancy with the management of the field. Mayor Andrews stated the field belongs to the City of Chipley. She added that they could put port-o-lets on the field or ask for permission from T.J. Rouhlac Enrichment Center for the use of their restroom facilities since there are none on the field. Mr. Blount mentioned that originally the county owned both and gave the property to the T.J. Roulhac Enrichment Center and the City of Chipley. Mayor Andrews stated we could research the history of the property ownership. Mrs. Tanner stated the City of Chipley owns the field. Mr. Blount stated there is discrepancy in who manages the property. Mrs. Tanner stated that she could do research to see what exactly took place. Mrs. O’Neal stated they would like to get their guys to mow and weed eat to teach them how to do maintenance on the field and make it part of their job in order to play. Mrs. Valerie Sheffield, T.J. Roulhac Board Member, stated her concern was parking. Mayor Andrews stated they could pull into the field area by the tennis courts and would not have to park in the lot in front of the T.J. Roulhac Enrichment Center which is located inside the locked fence. Mrs. Tanner stated that no one has been utilizing the property and that public works has mowed and checked for holes and would make sure it is safe for them to play on. Once their guys start doing the mowing, public works will still check periodically to oversee. Mr. Russell stated his concern was parking. Mrs. Tanner stated they would need to park on city property and if they could direct them to the appropriate area that would help. Discussion ensued. A motion was made by Council Member Cain and seconded by Council Member Russell to approve the Washington County Phenoms to use the field located at 1196 Church Avenue. The motion passed unanimously. 7. Tree Maintenance – Discussion. Mrs. Tanner stated there have been issues over the years with the trimming of the crepe myrtles in the cemetery and downtown as well as the Bradford pears and Dogwood trees. We stopped a few years ago from trimming the trees downtown, but now they are touching some of the buildings and that is an issue. We need to consider doing something with them and in the past they were not trimmed correctly. We could hire an arborist to come in and trim but at a cost. Ms. McCall stated there are master gardeners next door at the Ag Center that could help advise on how to trim the trees. Mrs. Tanner stated we are working on reaching out to FDOT to get them to come up with a plan for us and then we could apply for beautification funds, but in the mean time they are getting large. Mr. Russell stated the trees at the cemetery don’t look good after being cut back. Mrs. Tanner stated she needs council to decide what to do because some like them cut back and some don’t. Mr. Lane stated there are 66 trees in the cemetery. Mrs. Cain stated to take care of the trees downtown first and leave the trees at the cemetery alone until next year. Discussion ensued. Attorney Jordan asked about the issue with headstones at the cemetery and the discoloring. Mr. Lane stated he had discussed it with Mr. Rustin at Rustin Vault and it was mildew. Mrs. Jordan stated the maintenance crew has hit the headstones and damaged them. Mrs. Tanner stated she has had complaints that some have been driven over and cracked and we are going to have to work with the contractor. Mr. Lane asked if people don’t want the headstones sprayed or weedeated, what do we want to do so he knows what to discuss with the contractor. Mrs. Tanner stated some people think the spray is discoloring the headstones but it’s mildew. Mayor Andrews stated we need to let the contractor know we are still getting complaints about the weedeating and there has to be an improved difference out there. Mrs. Tanner stated they would talk to the contractor about the issues.

I. OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. J. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned by Mayor Andrews at 6:07 p.m. City of Chipley Attest: Tracy L. Andrews, Mayor Sherry Snell, City Clerk