Peachtree City will get its first new council member Thursday night, as it is expected to approve a five-year financing plan for $1.17 million to purchase public safety vehicles, computers and other equipment.
Mike King, who won a three-way race for the unexpired Post 2 term vacated by George Dienhart, will be sworn in at the beginning of the council meeting. It also means he will be on the hot seat for decisions at the meeting, as his vote will “count.”
City voters have also given a nod to former police department captain Terry Ernst, who will take office in January when the term begins on his new Post 4 seat.
The lease-purchase agreement will give the city seven new police pursuit vehicles equipped with radios, cameras and other accessories along with one new police command vehicle for a total of $393,246. A police motorcycle is also included at $44,289 along with a fire department command vehicle at $35,000 and a new ambulance at $127,152.
The agreement also funds an additional $287,442 in technology upgrades which cover mostly computers and installation in the second phase of a three-phase plan. Some $23,197 of those funds are dedicated to the completion of the first phase of the plan, according to city documents.
The city will also use the financing to replace the city’s phone system at a cost of $147,320 and purchase a new excavator for $64,836 and a boom lift at $38,876, the latter two for the public works department.
The interest rate on the five-year lease is capped at no more than 2 percent per year, according to a memo to city council by Finance Director Paul Salvatore.
Also on the agenda is an ordinance change suggested by Councilman Eric Imker to change the authority and commission appointment process to eliminate the interview process of applicants in lieu of council picking each appointee directly. Imker wants the change in response to a decision by Mayor Don Haddix to decline the appointment of an interview committee for several openings.
Haddix said at the Nov. 7 meeting that he wanted the new mayor and council to have that responsibility in January, so he would decline to appoint an interview committee to meet applicants for each of the open positions on the airport authority, water and sewer authority, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Recreation and Special Events Advisory Board.
The amended ordinance would put city administrative services staff in charge of “presenting applicants to council” in lieu of the current interview process.
