MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
JANUARY 8TH, 2008
7:00 PM SWEARING IN CEREMONY FOR NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS
Mayor Glenn Newsome, Mayor Pro-Tem Russell Gross, City Councilors Bobby Jacobs, Martha
Pompey, Bryan Standifer and Katherine Alexander were sworn in by Probate Judge Linda Mock.
7:30 PM REGULAR MEETING
Mayor Newsome called the meeting to order with the following Council Members present:
Mayor Pro Tem Gross, Councilors Standifer, Jacobs, Pompey and Alexander. Also present were:
City Manager, Hugh King and City Clerk, Belinda Whirley.
Guests present who commented to council were: Rachel Torrance, DeAngelo Norris, Rev.
William Gibson, Rev. Jimmy Horton, Eunice Davis, Jacqueline Daniels, Lottie Norris and Danny
Norris.
INVOCATION
Reverend Jimmy Horton gave the invocation.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Pro Tem Gross led in the pledge of allegiance.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mayor Newsome requested an addition to the agenda for Appointment of Voting Delegate at the
GMA Conference as item number 16A. Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Mayor
Pro Tem Gross to approve agenda with the addition. All were in favor.
MINUTES
Mayor Pro Tem Gross made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the minutes of
regular meeting December 11th, 2007. All were in favor.
PAYABLES
Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Councilor Pompey to approve the payables as
presented. All were in favor.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Councilor Jacobs made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to approve the preliminary
financial report for the month ending November 30, 2007 as presented. All were in favor.
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CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manger, Hugh King gave the status on city water. The City pumped water from Lowery
Branch to Reservoir everyday for the entire month of December. The reservoir was down 4.5 feet
from being full as of January 2, 2008. Our December daily average was .38 mgd and within the
State EPD goal of 10% reduction.
King gave an update on the Plant Vogtle expansion. The permits to build the expansion are in
order however; the costs are not yet available. Participation in the MEAG portion of the plant
was due in March 2008 but has been extended through June 15, 2008. MEAG has 22.7% of the
new plant. The co-owners are Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, and the City of Dalton.
Also, Mr. King informed Council that the City has an Ordinance to regulate the placement of
telecommunications antennas and cell towers.
In conclusion, King reported to Council that on November 27th we received a letter from
Department of Community Affairs about the Joint City County Comprehensive Plan Update and
the negative impact on our Qualified Local Government Status.
The City approved the Resolution on the Comp Plan Update at the November 13th, 2007 Council
Meeting and sent it to the proper office. The County submitted the Resolution for the County and
Shady Dale on December 17th, 2007, a month after the deadline which negatively impacted all of
our QLG Status. Since this time the city has received a letter form the Department of Community
Affairs formally restoring our QLG Status until October 31, 2013.
CITIZEN INPUT
Mrs. Rachel Torrance appeared before Council to welcome the newly elected officials and to
invite them to participate in Leadership Jasper.
DeAngelo Norris who is an attorney expressed concern of a rumor that his father, Chief Danny
Norris wasn’t going to be re-appointed as police chief. The younger Mr. Norris first said shame
on council...that is not the way to bring the city together. “My father has done tremendous good
in the city,” he said.
Then he put the council on notice that if the rumor is right, and he is not to be reappointed, they
would be at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) the next morning.
Reverend William Gibson gave thanks to God that the room was full, and encouraged everyone to
continue attendance of meetings. He also encouraged everyone to “talk positive.”
Reverend Jimmy Horton expressed that he would not like to see any changes made to disrupt
unity of this city. He urged the council members, more than once, to “do what’s right.” He
suggested that the council give a man a chance to prove himself.
He reminded council of the long-unsolved murder of George Davis that was finally solved under
the leadership Chief Danny Norris. He talked about how much the chief cared for the youth of the
county and the positive influence of the Get Ahead House.
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Eunice Davis said she did not know how anyone could think about moving Chief Norris from his
position. She talked about how he stands for “our children.” She said the children respect the
police department.
Chief Norris’ mother, Lottie Norris, spoke. She said she raised five boys and two girls, and she
raised them to be respectful citizens. She said she raised them to see what they could do for
Jasper County and Monticello. She said this young man, her son, has done nothing but the best
for Monticello and that he doesn’t like to put young people in jail that makes them another burden
on the community.
Mrs. Norris talked about strange people walking in here and changing everything. She said she is
worried about Monticello. One of her concerns is that no one would tell her why they did not
want her son to be police chief.
Jacqueline Daniel talked about the power of the vote, and said now is truly a time for harmony.
She said the council should promote truth, honesty and justice. She, too, referred to people
coming into the community and changing things.
Lastly, Chief Norris spoke. He said he started in county law enforcement in 1975. He said two
and a half weeks ago he got wind of what was about to happen. He said then, and reiterated
Tuesday night, that it would be appropriate to “allow professional people to do professional
things.”
He went on to say he had tried to serve the community. He said he has not always been in
agreement with every individual, but that he does not see color, race, age or gender. He said he
must do his job according to the law. He indicated he would like to serve four more years, and
then retire.
APPOINTMENT OF CITY MANAGER
Mayor Pro Tem Gross made a motion seconded by Councilor Standifer to reappoint Hugh King
as City Manager for a one year term. All were in favor.
APPOINTMENT OF CITY CLERK
Councilor Standifer made a motion Seconded by Councilor Pompey to reappoint Belinda Whirley
as City Clerk for a one year term. All were in favor.
APPOINTMENT OF POLICE CHIEF
Councilor Standifer made a motion seconded by Councilor Pompey to reappoint Danny Norris as
Police Chief for a one year term.
Mayor Pro Tem Gross put an end to the discussion by calling the question. Councilor Jacobs
seconded the motion. So the votes were taken, and Councilor Standifer’s motion was defeated,
with Mayor Pro Tem Gross, and Councilors Jacobs and Alexander voting against re-appointment
of the chief.
Councilor Pompey implied that when she learned last month of the plan to not re-appoint Mr.
Norris she wanted to know why. She said the council “has violated this man’s civil rights.”
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Councilor Jacobs made a motion to appoint Bud Smith interim police chief for one year. Mayor
Pro-tem Gross seconded the motion.
Councilor Standifer voiced his concern, saying, “one thing we‘ve done as a council is to review
appointees.” He said that no one on the council knows this man, the citizens don’t know him”.
Mayor Newsome said he would like more information for the benefit of council and citizens. He
said he was concerned about the process of hiring someone that he doesn’t know and no one there
knows.
Councilor Jacobs passed out blue folders containing Mr. Smith’s resume, but there was no
discussion of his credentials or experience.
Councilor Standifer interjected, “this is absolutely ludicrous. How can you fire someone and
already have a person in line to take the job? We’ve never done this...if we start this way...God
help us.”
Later he said that in 20 years of management he had never heard of coming in and firing your
supervisor. He said you have an expectation and judge him on that. He said he hated to use race....
Mayor Pro Tem Gross called the question again. The motion to hire Mr. Smith passed 3-2, with
Councilor Standifier and Pompey dissenting.
APPOINTMENT OF CITY ATTORNEY
Appointment of City Attorney was tabled until the March 11th scheduled meeting.
APPOINTMENT OF CITY JUDGE AND ALTERNATE
Mayor Pro Tem Gross made the motion seconded by Councilor Jacobs to name E. Ray Lanier
city judge, and Tim Bumann alternate. The motion passed with four in favor, and Mrs. Pompey
abstaining.
DISCUSSION OF COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION
The council set Saturday, Feb. 9, as a day for a work session to be educated about the Municipal
Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG), and to discuss goals and priorities.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Councilor Standifer commented that Council was given information prior to the meeting for the
new judge and alternate but nothing was provided before the meeting on the new police chief.
He stated “We’re driving a wedge,” “I guess the vote will be 3-2 for the next four years.”
Councilor Pompey said that she felt that things that had been done have not been based on
community.
Mayor Pro Tem. Gross said, “threats and innuendo will not get us anywhere in this council.”
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Mayor Newsome said it is humbling to serve. He said, “we need your help...we need your
prayers. “ He went on to read a Bible verse that he had written on his agenda for the night’s
meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 pm on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Gross and seconded by
Councilor Jacobs. All were in favor.
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