V. Hugh Lewis II/Jefferson Jimplecute
Jefferson City Council wrapped up their final meeting of the year with a long agenda and the usual debates.
Jefferson Police Chief Florentino Perez requested two bank accounts be created, separate from the City’s General Fund account, to allow his office to more easily receive and track donations to the department for community outreach, and for the department’s Police Explorer Program.
Perez said he had received a number of requests from citizens about making donations to the department to help with promoting different programs and community initiatives.
Alderman Robin Moore asked if the Adopt-A-Cop organization could handle this instead. AAC member Francene Rainey said the current bylaws of the organization restrict them to supplying equipment to officers, but they could consider altering their bylaws if needed. Mayor Rob Baker said he didn’t think it was reasonable for the City to require a 3rd party organization to modify their purpose to fit a City need when the City already had similar funds and processes in place to handle donations.
Moore and Alderman Bubba Haggard raised the issue of extra work required by City staff to handle the donations. Perez said if extra work was required he or his staff would take on those duties.
“If there is anything we can do so no one has to do extra work to receive donations, I’ll do it myself,” Perez said. “I know there is a need for this in the community.”
Perez said the funds would be sued to reach out to the community and promote programs and educational materials for community needs. He cited the recent rise in fraud calls and emails as an example of a public education campaign the funds could be sued for.
Ultimately, Council approved the creation of the two accounts, with Moore voting against them.
City Employees will have 17 paid holidays in 2024 following Council’s adopting the established schedule.
Three building permits were approved, two for Wayne Smith on this tiny homes being built on MLK, and one for Sharon Jeter also on MLK. Jeter is replacing a home which burned earlier this year.
The City put on hold a member of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce to see if the Tourism department is included in the City’s membership. Moore objected to the membership citing the City’s agreement to provide the Chamber office space rent free.
A 20-year plumbing issue at MasterCraft will get repaired as the City approved a provision to pay $2,500 if JEDCO does not fund the project at their January meeting.
The issue is a sewer line leftover from when the facility was a glass plant and sediment has partially filled the lines. Baker also noted that a manhole where the line is located was paved over at some point in the past.
In the consent agenda was the final agreement to pay Testa Law Group $75,000 for the Jason Carrol judgment; renewing the agreement with the Carnegie Library; renewing the agreement with the County on shared services; and approval of the JISD end of school year activities with no fees like Prom, senior breakfast, and the honors banquet.