A new meeting format is now a way of life for Milledgeville City Council.
City leaders had discussed the idea of incorporating their work session into the regular action session and holding just one meeting as opposed to two meetings.
“This has been voted on, and this is our first attempt at doing so,” said Steve Chambers, mayor pro tem, last Tuesday night.
City Council also has changed its meeting times. The joint work session and action session will now begin at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday nights of the month.
“The new order of business will be as follows: We will open the meeting with a call to order,” Chambers said in the absence of Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan. “Then we will call for the prayer and pledge of allegiance to the flag. Then, we will recognize anyone who has signed up for public comments to discuss items that are on the agenda or pertinent to the governing of the city of Milledgeville.”
The adoption of City Council minutes will then be approved before the mayor makes comments or presents proclamations or awards.
City Manager Hank Griffeth will then address members of city council with various comments related to the day-to-day operations of city government.
Old business will then be conducted and discussions held about previous matters that have been discussed by city council members concerning related to various issues. Ordinances and resolutions will then follow by adoption.
“And at then end, we will still have the opportunity to go into closed session,” Chambers said.
In executive session, government officials are allowed to discuss such topics as personnel matters, pending litigation or real estate matters.
During the first meeting last week regarding public comments, no one signed up to address any topic prior to the start of the city council meeting.
City Clerk Bo Danuser later was asked by Chambers to read a proclamation proclaiming the month of August as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Awareness Month. Griffeth then presented his report to city council members.
“Mr. Chambers mentioned that we are on television an hour earlier than normal,” Griffeth said. “We are also on another delivery system. Georgia College has purchased an App called Cable Task. They are using it to stream Georgia College TV, which is what our meetings are shown – both being streamed live, as well as periodically between meetings.”
The new app will provide residents another way to watch city council meetings and understand better city government.
The city manager also talked about several other things with government leaders, including discussing with them certain ordinances and resolutions that they would be considering going forward during the meeting.
They also adopted Ordinance 0-2308-10 – the first reading of an ordinance to amend the fiscal year 2024 annul operating budget to amend the Mary Vinson Memorial Library allocation. It will be up for a vote at the Aug. 22 city council meeting.
City Council also voted to suspend the rules and adopted Ordinance 0-2308-11 that calls for a special election for the office of the Georgia Military College Board of Trustees District 4 to fill the unexpired term of Ken Vance, as well as to set qualifying dates and for other purposes.
Vance, a former longtime member of the GMC Board of Trustees and longtime city council member, is now a member of the Georgia House of Representatives.
In other business, city council members also approved a resolution to authorize an agreement with Skyline Construction Services of Eatonton to reroof the Life Enrichment Center. It is located at 111 N. Jefferson St.
In addition, city council also approved a resolution to authorize a permit application with the Georgia Department of Transportation for a proposed traffic signal on State Route 24/U.S. Highway 441 or what also is referred to as North Columbia Street at the Milledgeville Mall driveway.
City leaders also adopted a resolution to authorize an agreement with G. Ben Turnipseed Engineers to provide the engineering for water system improvements on the North Wayne Street water line from McIntosh Street to West Walton Street.
