City Meeting Covers Library Funding, Need For More Trenton PD Officers
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
The City of Trenton Board of Commissioners monthly meeting on Oct. 15 included a funding request from the Dade County Public Library, further explanation of the request for two new police officers, and details about the new traffic cameras at Dade County High School. Monda Wooten (street commissioner) was absent due to another meeting conflict.
First, the commission approved surplusing one Trenton Police Department patrol car once the equipment and decals have been removed.
Moving on to the 2025 budget, Alex Case (mayor) noted that he, Mike Norris (police commissioner), and Steve Beaudoin (police chief) met that day to review the Trenton PD budget—a major part of the city’s overall budget.
Leisa Cagle (library board member) then requested increased funding from the city. She explained that the library operates on a fiscal year (July-June) while the city operates on a calendar year. She reported that the library’s budget increased about $8,000 this year (a 3.91 percent increase) with a projected deficit of $9,400. In FY24, the deficit was $2,600.
Last year, the city budgeted $60,000 for the library, half of which fell under the library’s FY24 budget and half of which falls under the FY25 budget.
Cagle explained details about revenue and expenses. At 77 percent of the budget, the largest line item is wages. That amount rose by $23,000 due to a cost of living raise and because Mindy Haworth did not require insurance but Lydia Soucy (library manager) does. Cagle said, “We knew all along that when we replaced Mindy, we were going to have to pay for benefits.”
Noting that none of the library staff are getting rich off the taxpayers’ dime and that the library is only open 34 hours a week due to the limited budget, Cagle requested $70,000 from the city for the year.
Case asked the commissioners to carefully consider the request, calling the library a “tremendous asset.”
Norris asked how much the director of the Cherokee Regional Library System makes. Cagle didn’t have that information, but she explained that the state covers that salary; local taxes delegated to the library stay here at the Dade County Public Library.
The commission agreed to see how much more could be delegated.
Ansel Smith (Trenton assistant fire chief) then spoke about an annual safety grant, noting that this year, the $6,000 safety grant will be used to add two AEDs to the police cars. Smith and Case asked if the commission would like to go ahead and purchase four total AEDs (before prices increase) to equip other patrol cars. The commissioners agreed to move ahead with all four.
Stephen Bontekoe (Limestone Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council) then repeated information he had presented to the Dade County Board of Commissioners about the Lookout Creek Watershed Management Plan Improvement Grant. This three-phase federal grant improves things that impact non-point source pollution and covers septic system repairs, agricultural best management practices, and green infrastructure in urban areas.
Bontekoe said, “We had several areas of the county that have impaired waterways…It’s not unsafe water, but it’s not meeting its designated use. For example, there may be a lack of diversity of fish in a section of creek.”
He said a culvert could block the fish, erosion could upset their environment, but a big one he works on is fecal coliform or E. coli. “That’s where it becomes a question of safety.”
Limiting fecal contamination is why septic repairs are part of this grant. Bontekoe reported that 44 septic systems were completed in phase one, 37 were completed in phase two, and so far in phase three, 12 have been completed. Bontekoe had previously told the county that over half of the septic repair funds are left. Contact the Dade County Health Department to learn how to apply. (Your property must be inside the Lookout Creek Watershed).
Readers may remember when the permeable asphalt lot at Jenkins Park was completed. (See the May 10, 2023, Sentinel.) Bontekoe explained the success of that project as well as added vegetation.
He also anticipates that Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits will likely be required in the future. “I would say it is a value to the city to consider looking at what’s in best management practices.” These practices would impact particular building requirements. Case said the city has already begun to work on bringing these practices into the community.
Bontekoe added that the application deadline for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) is Nov. 15.
The community is invited to participate in a survey on limestonevalley.org about what we think our community needs when it comes to water.
Norris then read the police report. In September, the Trenton Police Department answered 373 calls for service, conducted 1,877 business checks, answered eight animal complaints, responded to four domestic disturbance calls, three trespassing calls, 17 suspicious person/activity calls, and worked 21 traffic crashes. From 80 traffic stops, 49 citations were issued.
Norris then returned to the topic from last month’s meeting about needing two new police officer positions, saying that he should have better explained that these roles are needed in the near future, but not necessarily this year.
Norris noted that citizen Cody Doyle had presented some information he had been unaware of and was glad to learn. Of the Georgia Department of Transportation traffic counters referenced by Doyle and the Sentinel last month, Norris explained that these are only placed for 48-hour periods and are therefore not accurate. The only permanent counters are on the interstate.
The Sentinel looked at these three counters, and indeed, they show increases whereas the counters in Trenton generally do not.
WIM (weight in motion) station on I-59 south of Trenton
- 2018 – 15,500
- 2023 – 16,100
CCS (continuous count station) on I-24 west
- 2018 – 50,300
- 2023 – 51,500
CCS (continuous count station) on I-24 east
- 2018 – 67,300
- 2023 – 68,500
Norris said that the police department responded to the request from Jerry Kyzer (Trenton fire chief) to patrol the stop sign at Sunset Drive and Church Street in the mornings. “I was glad he mentioned that. I need to know that. My chief needs to know that.”
In addition to traffic as a need for more officers, Norris said that the animal shelter will probably require an officer, and officers are working after-hour shifts alone. He said that just the previous week, an officer responded to a serious call alone until the Dade County Sheriff’s Office back-up got there. “That’s why I say we need more officers,” concluded Norris.
During his report, Terry Powell (parks and animal control commissioner) noted that no animals were sent to the shelter this last month. (This report item seems to have been added per John Huffman’s request at the August meeting).
He added, “If anybody has a problem with some sort of animal, give City Hall a call. I had a problem with a racoon this week. I called one night, and they brought a trap out the next day and it was gone the next.”
Lucretia Houts (fire and utility commissioner) reported that the Trenton Fire Department answered 104 calls in September, eight of which were fire related and 55 of which were canceled en route.
Case read the street report in place of Wooten and encouraged citizens to let them know about piles of brush and leaves to be collected. The city collects brush on Thursdays, but knowing about particular piles ahead of time helps them plan their route.
Of the recent paving, he said, “We know there’s a lot of asphalt that’s bad, and we wish we could pave more, but we file for a grant every year called Local Maintenance Improvement Grant with GDOT. We take the list of roads that Commissioner Wooten and Director [Tim] Weathers goes out [to put together] and we pick which ones are the worst.”
A little over $201,000 of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) was spent on just the three streets the city completed recently. Case added, “If we could pass TSPLOST, we’re going to pave every road.”
During his mayor’s report, Case noted that the state is requiring insurance be offered to cover PTSD for first responders, so the city has been working on getting that set up.
He gave an update on the formation of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). On Oct. 22, the seven members who have agreed to serve on the DDA will attend a class about improving downtown areas. Marci Blevins will be the clerk for the DDA.
Case then gave an update from his trip to Montgomery County in south Georgia. As part of his role as Emergency Management Director for Dade County, he helped with post-hurricane recovery efforts. Case said Montgomery County is about half the size of Dade and all of the county lost power and water. Case said, “49 counties in Georgia were devastated like that.” He noted that the timber industry and pecan farmers sustained major damage.
During Citizens Participation, the Sentinel asked about the Blue Line Solutions traffic cameras on GA-136 by the high school. Blue Line Solutions first approached the city in Oct. 2022 to explain these cameras, but although the cameras are now active, no information has been officially shared by the city or the company.
Beaudoin said that the last month was a warning period, but starting on Oct. 16, tickets are in effect. He said Blue Line Solutions is supposed to contact local media with information for the public. He added, “You get several warnings and plenty of time to slow down before you get to the camera.”
The cameras are active Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to sometime after 3:30 p.m. (Beaudoin didn’t know the exact time.) The speed limit is 35 miles per hour during the first and last hours of school and 45 miles per hour the rest of the school day.
Due to Veterans Day, the Nov. city meeting will be on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
