The Jasper City Council met via the Zoom platform for the regularly scheduled meeting Monday night.

Mayor Sonny Lawrence said this was a unique time for the city.

“This is a new time for the city and we have to work together in new and unusual ways. This meeting is one of those ways,” he said.

Councilman Sonny Proctor said he has attended conference calls with Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, the Pickens County Health Department, Sheriff, county officials, and Good Samaritan Clinic.

“I’m very proud of our attempt to get people to shelter in place. Our (COVID-19) numbers have stayed low.

The council continues to plan for the future, once the state of emergency has ended.

The council approved purchasing playground equipment for the city park to the tune of $50,000. The money was already set aside, according to Brandon Douglas. The original playground equipment was removed on March 6, a week before President Donald Trump’s Declaration of National Emergency.

“There’s not alot we can do right now,” said Anne Sneve, “but we need to continue to move forward.”

Mayor Pro-Tem John Foust agreed. “It’s important to our residents and children. I feel it has to be done.

The council also approved a work order with Clark Patterson and Lee for review and propose modifications to the zoning ordinances not to exceed $35,000 and to amend the 2020 budget accordingly.

Proctor said this was part of the city’s reorganization that has been on-going.

“If people have a zoning ordinance, it can cost up to $100,000 to do any kind of modification,” said Brandon Douglas, city manager.

The city council approved the following items:

• Ordinance No. 2020-08 for requesting to rezone Parcel No. 031 003.002 at 1874 Hobson Road from C-2 to R-1.
• Ordinance No 2020-13 for request to rezone Parcel No. 041 062at Hwy 53 West from C-2 to R-3.
• Ordinance No. 2020-09 & Ordinance No. 2020-10 for requesting to rezone and annex Parcel No. JA02038 at 1343 Talking Rock Road from R-R in the County to C-2.
• Ordinance No. 2020-11 for City of Jasper Zoning Ordinance amendment/Zoning Mapapproval
• Alcohol application for Folksy Ventures LLC dba Waldmet Cellars at 916 Old Philadelphia Road
• Alcohol application for Texas Grill, LLC; 660 West Church Street.
• A lease purchase agreement between City of Jasper and Bill and Connie Roland at 315 Liberty Lane.
• A lease purchase agreement between City of Jasper and Bill and Connie Roland subject to lender’s approval.
• Ordinance No. 2020-12 Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) for Parcel No. 030D 096 153 at 858 Old Philadelphia Road, Unit#102.
• Expending up to $20,000 of 2014 SPLOST proceeds for the asphalting of the public parking area and associated concrete work for sidewalk and curbline at 125 North Main
• Using$25,000 of 2020 budgeted proceeds for Match Point to begin survey work for leak detection throughout the water system and use of water fund balance for 2020 for associated work by Match Point for zoned meters throughout the water
• Purchasing body armor for the Jasper Police Department and amending the 2020 Budget for $15,170.
• Authorizing staff to assign surplus status to the items listed in staff report and to begin preparation of an auction to be held by the City at a to be determined location, date and
• Extending the Professional Services Agreement with Interim Director of Finance, Sharron Burtz, in accordance with Section 2 for three 30-day renewals for a term ending July 7, 2020.
• An organizational chart for the City of Jasper.
• Employment agreements and associated job descriptions for David Hall, Lonnie Waters, Adam Howard, Greg Lovell, Steve Roper and authorize Mayor to execute prepared
• Creating an account for SPLOST 2020 with Community Bank of Pickens County and to authorize the requisite signers of Mayor Lawrence, Mayor Pro-Tem Looney, City Manager Brandon Douglas, and Chief Steve Roper.
• Creating an account for Sanitation at United Community Bank and to remove said sanitation account from Community Bank of Pickens County and to authorize the requisite signers of Mayor Lawrence, Mayor Pro-Tem Looney, City Manager Brandon Douglas, and Chief Steve Roper.
• Purchases of requisite chemicals for water plant and water pollution control plant in the amount of $26,361.96.
• The water department to begin dredging and maintaining Long Swamp Creek at the requisite distance from the water intake with $15,000 to mitigate any additional costs.
• Replacing the panel box for wet well at the Water Pollution Control Plant for $6,150.
• Purchasing requisite hardware to accommodate the upgrade from ETC to City Hall for fiber optics and associated technology costs.

The city council tabled several items:

• Request to hold car shows on Main Street.
• Consideration and approval of Ordinance No. 2020-07 for requesting to rezone Parcel No. JA11023 at 26 Hickory Street from R-1 to R-3 .