From BleckleyProgress.com

Community News
News from the first city council meeting of 2021.
By Dave Whitaker
Jan 14, 2021, 00:44

Cochran City Council held their first meeting of 2021 Tuesday night. Though the agenda was 15 items, they got through them in relatively quick fashion. The video of the meeting can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/cityofcochrancityhall/videos/415845013064017/

Heather Bollinger was named City Employee of the Month. A mayor pro temp needed to be elected for the year. Jimmy Jones (not in attendance after having knee surgery) served in the role last year. Gary Ates was chosen as mayor pro temp.

As part of the zoning ordinance past last month, a Zoning Administrator had to be chosen. The ordinance called for the administrator to be the city manager or their designee. City Manager Richard Newbern was chosen as Zoning Administrator.

A series of public hearings were held on three properties set to be annexed by the city. One owned by Ajay Patel, one owned by Earl Arnold, one owned by Havenwood Garden LP. Mayor Billy Yeomans instructed those wishing to comment on each to do so via the chat feature on Facebook.

There were no comments on any of the properties. All three properties were then annexed by the city. A final designation of the properties then had to be made. The Zoning Committee had designated the properties of Patel and Arnold as community/business, and the Havenwood Garden property as multi-family/residential. Owners of the properties agreed with the designations.

City council made the same designations for the three properties. A budget calendar designed to help guide council through budget sessions beginning in April was passed with one modification.

Council member Carla Coley requested a budget hearing on May 18 be removed because of it being the last week of school. There were no objections to the request.

Vins Howell was named to the Downtown Development Authority board to fill the unexpired term of Glen Sawyer. Justin Fredrick was appointed as a city member of the Cochran Bleckley Rec. Department Board. A resolution was passed regarding CHIP(Community Housing Investment Program.)

The holiday calendar for city employees was passed. Supplemental pay for police, fire, and public works personnel, (including part-time employees working full-time schedules) was extended through February 18.

Per a request from the housing authority, Edgar Jarrett was named to the authority for another five-year term.


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