City Discusses Conflict Of Interest, Sewer And Water Needs, And More
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
Beginning the June 10 meeting of the City of Trenton Board of Commissioners, the board appointed Jeanna Knox to the Dade County Public Library board.
The commissioners then discussed using Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds to purchase new flooring for Trenton City Hall. Alex Case (mayor) reported that flooring in heavy-use areas are beginning to come apart.
Case reported that a quote for the flooring (from Professional Flooring Supplies) and a separate quote for the installation (from T.J. Prince) totaled $6,347.84, while a cheaper quote from Discount Flooring totaled $4,950 for the supplies and installation. However, because Monda Wooten (street commissioner) owns Discount Flooring, Case advised the commission to be aware of conflicts of interest.
Case suggested leaving this as a discussion item and looking for additional quotes by the next meeting.
Wooten said she would be happy to do the job for the city, saying that she told the commission that the current flooring would not last well. She added, “What was the difference in Terry’s wife worked in floors for years and getting paid? That wasn’t supposed to be either, the way I understood it in my training.”
No commissioners replied, and the topic was held for future meetings.
Mike Norris (police commissioner) read the police report. In May, the Trenton Police Department answered 278 calls for service, conducted 1,567 business checks, completed 11 welfare checks, responded to 13 domestic disturbance calls and 21 suspicious activity calls, and worked 12 traffic crashes. From 109 traffic stops, 72 citations were issued.
Terry Powell (parks and recreation/animal control commissioner) reported that the opening week of Jenkins’ Pool was very busy and that Southeast Lineman Training Center helped the park install a power pole to replace one that had been knocked down in a storm.
Lucretia Houts (fire and utility commissioner) reported that the Trenton Fire Department answered 124 calls in April, ten of which were fire related and 60 of which were canceled en route.
Case discussed a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) meeting he attended about getting grants and improving loan rates for water and sewer. He said that three major projects are ahead: the Woolbright pump station, handling solids at the sewer plant, and replacing major lines/clay pipes.
He said that in relation to industrial development, the city is often asked how much water and sewer can be handled. Case explained, “We are a municipal sewer; we’re not an industrial sewer, but we’ve got some things to fix…We’ve got a lot of work which means we gotta get after some funding.”
Cities that receive GEFA’s “WaterFirst Community” designation receive better consideration for funding, so Case met with Dade County Water and Sewer Authority representatives to make a stronger case with GEFA by prioritizing water.
Of the clay pipes, Dewayne Moore (sewer plant supervisor) explained that much of it was damaged when first installed and since then, roots have grown into the pipes, causing blockages and slow flow when heavy rains bring large amounts of debris and water.
Case said that he learned at the GEFA meeting that “we’re not the only city fighting this.”
Case touched on the June 4 animal training with local law enforcement. (See the June 12 Sentinel for the full story.) He said the city will be improving its animal ordinances, noting that Georgia’s laws have changed since our ordinances were put in place.
Wooten added, “Hats off to the police department, because it’s a crime for people to come here to our flea market and sell any animal. It’s a crime to bring them across the state line. They have to have a health certificate, first of all.” She said this has been largely unenforced due to it being a gray, unknown area, but a recent incident at the flea market was handled by the police.
Case added, “We gotta have a black and white to know where to go.”
During the library report, Mindy Haworth (library manager) noted the success of the summer reading challenge kick-off event, Touch A Truck. She shared a story that a mom of one of the kids told her:
“Her son had a seizure…they had to call 911…When he came out of his seizure and the ambulance workers were talking to him, he piped up and said, ‘Oh, I’m not scared at all! I came last year at summer reading at Touch A Truck, and they let us go in the ambulance, and they showed us how everything worked.’ I had pictures of Alex in the ambulance with these kids [last year].”
She explained, “Sometimes it’s hard to put what the impact is of having these events at the library. That is a direct impact on a child.”
Case added, “Same thing with law enforcement and fire as well is teaching the children not to be scared when they see a fireman coming in the house.”
A new book is on display at the Jenkin’s Park story walk, this time with an Independence Day theme.
In the Alliance for Dade report, Sandy White (Alliance president/CEO) highlighted a summer competition with an “Adventure Into Fun Passport.” Pick up a passport at the welcome center and get at least three stamps at local attractions to be entered into the drawing for a gift basket.
With Eloise Gass in attendance representing Tree City USA, Case reported that Trenton was recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a 2023 Tree City.
Gass said that Tree City USA is in need of volunteers as she has had to step away from heavy involvement. The city’s park and street departments will be helping with some planting projects. Case joked with Gass, “You just keep bossing. Just point and boss, that’s all you’re supposed to do.”
Norris asked for an update on repairs to the city’s Ladder One fire truck as discussed in the May meeting. Ansel Smith (assistant fire chief) said that work on the truck is going well. Case said, “Radiator, hoses, clamps, thermostats, flushing block; everything from front to back’s going to be new while they’re that far into it…They’re also going through the brakes on it.”
During Citizens Participation, Gass requested that a three-way stop sign be installed at Sells Lane and Cedar Lane, citing lineman students driving too fast. The commission took note of her request, and Norris said he would ask Steve Beaudoin (police chief) to station an officer at the intersection occasionally.
