Ashley Hunter
Greene Publishing, Inc.
On Tuesday, July 12, the Madison City Commission met at City Hall for their July meeting. In comparison to prior meetings, the agenda was brief, but it held a number of important and weighty topics.
The first movement of the commission was to approve the consent agenda, which included items such as the authorization of city staff to apply for a USDA Community Facilities Grant/Loan Program to finance the purchase of new, and much needed vehicles for the Madison Police Department; additional streetscaping through downtown Madison and the addition of five new parking lots to the west of Cucinella's Pizzeria and another five to the north of the laundromat on Rutledge; and the installation of new speed bumps, four-way, three-way and two-way stop signs throughout the city.
Next, Dr. Helen Miller, from the Competitive Florida Partnership Program, came to the podium to brief the commission on the results of thorough evaluation of city resources that can best be used to apply for a $40,000 grant from the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) through the Competitive Florida Partnership.
Thanks to all the community input and work of the city employees, the partnership was able to come up with a list of 52 projects that Madison could use to apply for the grant. Of those 52 projects, however, Dr. Miller selected five to present to the commission for their approval, as she found that they would bring extreme benefit to the city, were easier for budgeting and were more likely to be approved for the DEO grant. Those projects include: encouraging world-class products, businesses and services; establishing, funding and implementing a neighborhood-based reading, writing, math and science program for Madison County students along with the Madison Police Department; possibly revamping the City of Madison's website for a more powerful 'web presence'; focusing on improving Downtown Madison; building a more visitor-friendly presence for both tourists and locals; and linking Madison's 100-mile bike trail to other local commodities.
While the projects greatly peaked the interests of the city commissioners, they decided not to make any votes on whether or not to move forward with any of them until Dr. Miller or city staff have come up with a more accurate price range to be attached to each program, and determine how much the city may have to spend out of their own pocket.
The next item of business was presented by City Manager Tim Bennett regarding the tentative millage for the City of Madison.
A millage is a tax rate on property, and the city currently held a rate of seven mills. At the July 12 city commission, Bennett advised raising the tentative millage rate to eight mills.
“[City staff] believe that we need the additional funds to operate,” said Bennett.
According to Bennett, a property owner with a house worth $100K would face a $50 addition in property taxes. For a $200K, there would be a $150 increase. In Bennett's opinion, the extra funds would be beneficial to providing funding to the Madison Police Department.
“I think public safety is the biggest thing facing us now and in the future,” said Bennett. “Our goal should be to keep our citizens safe.” In the last 14 months, the City of Madison has seen three murders and there was a fourth murder that took place right outside city limits. The robbery of Winn-Dixie earlier in the year and the shoot-out that followed was another matter Bennett spoke gravely on. The abduction of Bryan Williamson and the daytime break-in and robbery of two homes around Lake Frances were other breaches of safety that Bennett touched on. “[This is] a trend that is not a good trend [and] has continued for the last 14 months,” said Bennett. He's currently been working on procuring funds to boost the MPD, but the raise of millage would be a great support.
Mayor Jim Catron asked, if the matter of public safety is so important, as it is, why not lift the millage to a rate of nine.
Bennett advised that nine would simply not be possible for residents. “I don't want to stretch it too far,” said Bennett.
Commissioners Townsend and Thompson did not favor the raising of the millage and expressed great hesitation at increasing the millage amount.
“My concern is, of the 3,000 people living in the city of Madison, 2,000 of those people are elderly, retired and live on disabilities or social security,” said Townsend. “$50, to them, is a lot. It either means you buy your medication or you buy something to eat.”
Townsend's opinion was that the city needed to get a better grip on their budget and spending habits before raising the millage to cover possibly unneeded expenses. “There are some things we can do without,” said Townsend. “I think we need to make do with what we have.” She also spoke on the raises that new city employees have been getting when older city employees are stuck on the same steady payroll. “I don't feel comfortable going to church every Sunday and looking at people in church, and they tell me, 'y'all raised my taxes again, now I can't buy my medicine,' because I understand that, [since] my mom is in that shape,” said Townsend.
To elaborate on Commissioners Townsend's remarks, Commissioner Thompson joined in, saying that while police and public safety is important, the commission needed to view at the community as a whole and logically look at what the people of Madison are capable of paying. “The people here are struggling,” said Thompson. “We need to work with what we have. If each department needs to tighten their belt, then we need to do it. I don't feel comfortable raising it.”
“Law enforcement is important,” said Mayor Catron. “Part of the problem for the City of Madison is that we don't have a high tax rate to start with, when you look at the value of property. Regardless of what [the millage is] set at, it will be debated because it is too high.”
Mayor Catron listed an example of ways that added funds could help city employees and commissioners improve the City of Madison.
“This request is not done without a lot of thought,” said Bennett, although he agreed to uphold any decision that the commission made, regardless of his own opinion of where the millage needed to be set.
A suggestion by Commissioner Raine Cooks was made to set the tentative millage to 7.5. The commissioners voted on the motion and it was approved 3-1, with Commissioner Townsend voting against the motion.
Another public hearing for the raising of the millage will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the usual monthly meeting.
Following, Mayor Catron went over volunteers for the Planning and Zoning Board and Code Enforcement Board; various volunteers were given renewed terms and new positions on the boards.
City Manager Bennett provided a financial report to the commissioners before the final object on the agenda was handled.
During other items of interest to the commission, Bennett informed the commissioners and gathered individuals about Commissioner Hawkins' plans to put together a community meeting to discuss the current state of affairs in the nation within the next couple weeks.
At the meeting, officers from the MPD would be present to interact with citizens and provide tips on how individuals can interact with law enforcement officers in a way that will keep both parties safe and respectful.
With that in mind, Commissioner Townsend asked MPD Chief Moore, who was present at the meeting, if the MPD is doing all they can to protect their officers in light of the recent events of the public retaliation against law enforcement officers.
Chief Moore assured the commission that they are being vigilant to guarantee the safety of their officers. “There is a move going on in this country, people are angry, some of them rightfully so. In every profession, you have bad people,” said Chief Moore. “It is, however, incumbent on us to weed out those bad people, and it is incumbent upon citizens to know how to react when they are stopped by the police.”
The commissioners were also informed that the MPD is taking part in programs that educates the public on how to handle themselves when they are stopped by law enforcement officers.
Chief Moore was thanked by Mayor Catron, and the meeting was adjourned until the next city commission meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 5:30 p.m., at Madison City Hall.