Minutes of the
REGULAR MEETING
For the
City Council of Lookout Mountain, Georgia
October 19, 2006

PRESIDING:  Thomas G. Gifford, Mayor

PRESENT:  Council Members Ray Seipp, Sandy Gothard, Dennis Eischeid, Daniel Pettway, and Catherine Kelley; City Clerk Mary Katherine Harper, City Attorney Bill Pickering.  Also present were Chief Wallace Taylor, Tommy & Judy Markham, Steve & Karen Persinger, Charles Nix, Daryl Cole, Hannah Campbell and John Tallman.

CALL TO ORDER:  Mayor Gifford called the meeting of the City Council to order at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1214 Lula Lake Road, Lookout Mountain, Georgia. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:  The minutes of the regular meeting held on September 21, 2006, the public hearing held October 5, and the two public hearings held October12, 2006, were approved as submitted, and the minutes of the called meeting held October 12, 2006, were approved as revised.

MILL RATE:  Mayor Gifford thanked everyone for attending the meeting and asked if there were any comments from the public regarding the mill rate.  As there were none, City Attorney Pickering read in its entirety the new ordinance to set the mill rate for 2006 property taxes at 8.5.  Ray Seipp seconded the motion made by Sandy Gothard to adopt the new rate and all present voted in favor.

STORMWATER ORDINANCES:  Mr. Pickering presented an ordinance to prohibit illicit discharge into the stormwater drainage system for its approval on second reading. 
Daniel Pettway seconded the motion made by Ray Seipp and all present voted to adopt the illicit discharge ordinance.

Mr. Pickering then read the post-development stormwater management ordinance on its second and final reading. Catherine Kelley seconded Daniel Pettway’s motion with all in favor of adopting this ordinance as well.

BUILDING FEE PERMIT STRUCTURE:  Mr. Pickering presented an ordinance upon request of the Municipal Planning Commission to allow the City to impose fees for inspections at different stages of the construction phase.  He explained that the City would be adding Plumbing and HVAC inspections to the list of current inspections including electrical, footing, framing and final.  The ordinance included a proposed fee structure for the inspections and for demolition as well.  Mayor Gifford advised that these fees would put us in line with surrounding communities.  Mr. Pickering added that another addition was to have the Building Official check the setbacks during the framing inspection, still another was to double the permit fee if one is not obtained prior to construction.  Mr. Pettway questioned whether there was a method in place to stop the contractor from resuming work if the footprint of the structure is not within the required setbacks.  Mr. Gothard suggested the following addition to the ordinance, “work shall be stopped and not resumed until a footing/foundation inspection has been performed which shall include compliance with required setbacks.”  
Minutes of City Council
October 19, 2006
Page 2

After discussion, Daniel Pettway made a motion to accept Mr. Gothards wording and approve the ordinance as revised on first reading.  Catherine Kelley seconded and the motion passed unanimously to adopt the new ordinance.

RESOLUTION:  Mayor Gifford explained that as a part of Walker County we were required to participate in the 20 year Comprehensive Plan for the County.  He further explained that he and Mr. Seipp had attended at least three meetings with representatives from Coosa Valley RDC who had advised that the benefit of participation in the plan was eligibility for funding on any topic contained in the plan.  He added that participation in the plan did not commit the City to any expense, but would merely identify needs.  As part of this requirement the City was asked to adopt a resolution establishing its participation in the plan.  A motion passed unanimously to adopt the resolution.

PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY:  Mr. Pettway announced that construction plans had finally been approved and would be finalized in a matter of weeks.  Next we would put bids out and select a contractor so that construction could begin in the spring.

STORMWATER REPORT:  Mayor Gifford distributed the monthly report and advised that the consultant was doing a good job and Brad Haven had attended one or two required classes for certification.  Mapping had also begun and Mr. Haven had scheduled a class to educate Fairyland Elementary School students.

VIDEO CAMERAS:  Mayor Gifford advised that Chief Taylor had obtained digital video cameras for the police cars within his budget.  They both agreed that this would provide excellent protection for both the police department and the City.

TREES AT PUMP STATION:  Tommy Markham, a resident of Chickamauga Trail informed the Council that the trees planted to mask the pump station were seriously obstructing visibility to turn right onto Chickamauga Trail from Patten Road.  Mayor Gifford agreed to look into whether they could be trimmed or should be moved and the situation would be handled.

MEETINGS:  Mr. Markham suggested that when the City was having meetings of this nature it would be nice if a sign was posted at the top of the mountain simply stating “meeting today”.  Mayor Gifford thanked him for his suggestion and added that the new web site should help keep the public informed as well.

LUMINARIA SALE:  Chief Taylor advised that the volunteer fire department was kicking of the candle sales again with the hope of raising enough funds to purchase a thermal imaging camera. 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Mary Katherine Harper
City Clerk