Passions ran high during Tuesday’s Phenix City Council meeting, in which councilors moved one step closer to solving the storm-water and flooding problems that have plagued south Phenix City homeowners for decades.
In a 4-1 vote, the council approved paying $144,250 for design services to fund a comprehensive storm-water management plan to resolve flooding along Cochgalechee Creek.
“The people have been waiting 24 years for us to do something,” said Mayor Pro Tem Arthur Sumbry, after Mayor Sonny Coulter had moved to delete the item from the agenda.
Sumbry said dozens of residents attended the Monday work session and he could not allow the matter to be tabled or deleted.
Coulter said it seemed to him that “obviously” this contract had been discussed prior to this meeting.
“I knew that we were moving in this direction, but I didn’t realize we had moved this far without anything being said to me,” Coulter said. “My problem with it is, I don’t know anything about it. I’m being asked to approve a $144,000 contract and I haven’t even sat down with the engineering firm to talk to them. Now, you folks may be the ones that work with them, but I’m one of the five people who have to approve spending the money.”
Coulter said he thought the council had agreed to wait until after a scheduled meeting with the engineering firm before they called for a vote on the matter.
“People from Crowell Park have been coming here every year for 24 years,” Sumbry said, adding that he has personally rescued people in a boat. “It’s time to stop dragging around and get this thing done.”
Councilor Jimmy Wetzel said the proposal is for a study that is required before grant funds could be sought, and city officials think there is a good chance the funds could be recouped.
On the council’s one-year anniversary, councilors also voted to provide a $120 one-time payment to city retirees, pensioners and beneficiaries, as well as a $10 per month, one-time payment to current full-time employees for each month worked from January to December of 2009. Councilor Max Wilkes abstained from the vote because he is a retired city employee.
“We care about our employees,” said City Manager Wallace Hunter. “They work hard and deserve this.”
The bonus will cost the city $26,500 for the retiree benefits and $46,440 for the full-time employees.
“It’s something we do every year for our full-time employees,” said Steve Smith, chief financial officer and utilities director. Smith said the city included its retirees because they will not receive a cost-of-living adjustment.
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