On Tuesday, June 14, the Madison City Commission met at 5:30 p.m. to discuss business matters regarding the City of Madison.
The first item on the agenda was presented by City Manager Tim Bennett regarding the continuing contract for professional engineering services with North Florida Professional Services. City Attorney Clay Schnitker had already reviewed the contract prior to Bennett and presented it to the commissioners for their approval.
The city commissioners approved the continuing contract and Bennett added that the first project of the contract would be the purchase and installation of remotely read water meters.
The second item involved a property sale of city-owned property to Gray Logging, LLC. “Gray Logging is a strong community company,” said Bennett, speaking highly in favor of Gray Logging’s high employee count. In 2002, the company had four employees, but now the company employs 26 individuals, making them a quickly growing asset to Madison.
The price that Gray Logging offered to pay for the property was less than the city had originally intended, but Gray Logging also added in the offer to pay for the surveying for the property and set out the boundaries of the property; with that in mind, city commissioners agreed to approve the sale. The property runs up against the land that Gray Logging currently owns, but leaves plenty of property along the roadway for the city to use in the future. “I think [the sale] is a win-win,” said Bennett. The commissioners also requested that Gray Logging handle closing costs and any legal fees.
Following the approval to sell the property to Gray Logging, LLC., the city commissioners held a disciplinary appeal hearing regarding a city employee whose employment with the city had been terminated on May 5 after coming to work intoxicated and having alcohol content of .08. The city’s limit is .04; anything above that is proven to impair normal functions and it is illegal to drive or operate machinery above the limit.
Brent Sims, a former Wastewater Facility employee, held a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and as such, his lingering intoxication from the previous night was unacceptable. Sims requested the hearing in hopes that his point of view would be heard and that he could be rehired by the city.
During the hearing, Sims and other witnesses spoke in regards to the events that led to Sims’ termination of employment.
The first witness, Steve Gram, the CEO of Airport Clinic, out of Valdosta, which was the clinic that processed Sims’ alcohol breath test, spoke.
According to Gram, Airport Clinic uses the highest technology and multiple analyses to ensure that each alcohol or drug test is conducted with accurate results for each individual. Gram was confident that Sims’ test results were accurate, as there was no opportunity for human error or tampering to flaw the results.
Next to speak was Jerrel Lee, the Wastewater Department Chief and Sims’ superintendent. Lee was the one who had noticed that Sims smelled of alcohol while at work and reported him.
When prompted, Lee gave a brief description of Sims’ duties at the wastewater plant and an account of the morning in which he discovered that Sims had lingering intoxication.
According to Lee, Sims had gone through a mandatory class for city employees on workplace intoxication only a few weeks earlier.
Sims also spoke for himself, offering the scenario in which he had arrived at work with a alcohol level above the regulated limit and imploring the commissioners to look towards his 17 years working with the city with only one disciplinary action prior to the May 5 occasion.
“I come to work and do my job,” said Sims. “I would like the commissioners to take that into consideration.”
Sims also informed the commission that he had already gone through the various classes and therapy under a substance abuse professional that is needed in order to be rehired.
“It’s been a bumpy road occasionally, but Sims is a valuable person to [have] as an employee,” said Bennett. “We have a forgiving element here at city hall.”
The commissioners were not in favor of making a decision on whether or not to rehire Sims, but instead decided to place the decision in the city manager’s hands and support whatever call he made.
After the conclusion of the meeting, Sims was rehired by the city. He is, however, required to adhere to the city and Department of Transportation guidelines and is subject to six alcohol tests a year, as well as any random tests.
Next, Thelma Pride, a citizen of Madison County spoke to bring a matter to the commissioners.
In April, Pride had visited Madison City Hall to pay her water bill and had noticed the worn condition of the building, specifically the water spots on the ceiling, the dull exterior and the “green stuff” growing on the bench and pavement in the front of city hall.
Pride asked the commissioners whether it was possible for work to be assigned to spruce up City Hall.
“Everybody comes to City Hall,” said Pride. “I just want [it] to look decent.”
While the water spots are the result of a previous leak and, aside from completely redoing the ceiling, nothing can be done. The commissioners did decide to give City Hall the funds to paint the building and investigate the green growth along the front.
Pride was heartily thanked for her observations and desire to keep City Hall something to be proud about.
Another matter was the first public reading of three different ordinances involving land use elements and zoning in the area of the city near Madison County Memorial Hospital. With the ordinances, the city hopes to develop that area of the city into a business district that will benefit the hospital. This was just the first public reading of many in the upcoming meetings of the commissioners.
The commissioners then approved various budget changes to park projects within the city. One of the proposed changes was placing soccer goals at Lanier Park rather than football goals, after Commissioner Marcus Hawkins recommended it, saying that the soccer goals are more likely to be used than football goals.
Wrapping up the meeting, the commissioners discussed which of them would attend the Florida League of Cities conference, the financial report, and Mayor Catron asked about the purchase of vehicles for the Madison Police Department. In a previous meeting, Chief Moore and Lt. Alexander had brought the request to the commissioners, as the department was in dire need of new vehicles, as many of the MPD’s cars were reaching a point where they could no longer be used.
“We have some ideas and solutions [for purchasing cars],” said Bennett, adding that he has been going over various purchasing options for new vehicles.
The Madison City Commission meets once a month (not including workshops and special meetings) on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at Madison City Hall, located on 321 SW Rutledge St. Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m.