HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Hiawassee Mayor Liz Ordiales updated the community at the opening of the monthly work session on Monday, Aug. 27, at City Hall. Mayor Ordiales began by presenting photographs of the water treatment plant, pointing out algae growing on the side walls. “It’s clean water, but it’s just got algae that’s growing on it,” Ordiales stated.

Ordiales said that the algae is currently being removed manually with buckets once a month during the summer, and once a roof is placed on the basin, the issue should be solved. Ordiales relayed that the city of Hiawassee is working with the state Environmental Protection Division.

In reference to the city’s tree ordinance, Ordiales displayed a photograph of a tree on Oakmont Drive in Hiawassee that was removed by Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation (BRMEMC) due to limbs falling onto the roadway, and according to Ordiales, in danger of damaging a nearby building, and possibly an electric transformer.

“We are finally to the point where we can install new fire hydrants. We fixed all the ones that were broken,” Ordiales continued, explaining the process of installation to the council and citizens.

Mayor Ordiales announced her appointment to the University of Georgia-Georgia Municipal Association Training Board, a four-year term in which Ordiales will serve with the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute.

Although enough petition signatures were not collected in time to place the referendum on the November ballot, Ordiales advised the council to begin thinking about package store guidelines, as the mayor believes enough support will be garnered in the future.

Hiawassee City Hall

Hiawassee received a $3000 grant from Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) for safety equipment, and the funds were applied to purchasing hard hats, gas detectors, traffic cones, and traffic vests for the Hiawassee Police Department. Ordiales informed that the grant can be applied for annually, and Hiawassee plans to take advantage of the funds. “It doesn’t cost us anything, and they come and deliver the check,” the mayor explained.

Furthermore, Hiawassee was awarded a grant by the Georgia Department of Transportation for over $19,000, in conjunction with approximately $17,000 received the previous year, and Ordiales relayed that the grant will be used to repave heavily-potholed Tater Ridge Drive.

Ordiales reminded that the last performance of Enchanted Music on the Square will take place on Saturday, Sept. 1, and noted the large turnout of music lovers at the previous weekend concert.

A Hometown Connection meeting was held on the morning of the work session with GMA to discuss the upcoming legislation session. State Senator John Wilkinson, Young Harris Mayor Andrea Gibby, Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw, Union County Commissioner Lamar Paris, and Hiawassee Mayor Liz Ordiales attended the forum.

The mayor was scheduled to meet for a site visit with Department of Community Affairs the following day, Tuesday, Aug. 28, to discuss the PlanFirst Program, which assists with local planning and implementation. Ordiales explained that a tour of Hamilton Gardens, Bell Mountain, Mayors’ Park, and the Old Rock Jail Museum would be on the itinerary with the panel. According to the government website, PlanFirst recognizes and rewards communities which clearly demonstrate an established pattern of successfully implementing a Local Comprehensive Plan.

Following a proposal by Councilwoman Anne Mitchell to ban plastic bags citywide during the July work session, Ordiales made mention of a recent news article on Kroger grocery decision to remove plastic bags from their stores, and believes that other grocers, in time, will follow suit.

A reminder of the upcoming property tax increase hearings was noted, and the city council agreed that the annual Halloween event on Hiawassee Town Square will occur on Halloween evening, Wednesday, Oct. 31.

The 2018-2019 budget is expected to discussed on Sept. 24, at the monthly work session. Rather than review the financial plan line-by-line as originally announced, due to the reasoning that the council has copies of the proposal to analyze, Mayor Ordiales stated that the major line items will be solely considered.

Mayor Ordiales announced a decision to change auditors, switching to a firm based in Gainesville at an estimated cost of $15,000 per year. Ordiales stated that quotes were sought from two additional auditing firms, and that GMA advised changing auditors every three-to-five years.

Hiawassee Police Chief Paul Smith delivered a department activity review during  the work session.

A citizen concern regarding trash in a business parking lot was briefly discussed.

The full council was in attendance, as well as City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick, and City Attorney Thomas Mitchell.

UPDATED: Mayor Ordiales announced the payoff of a second USDA loan in the amount of $120,227, the result of a 1989 loan of $232,000, at five-percent interest rate. The decision will save city taxpayers approximately $38,000 in interest.