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By Joshua Windus

The Cordele City Commission met July 15. The new Planning and Development Director, Mary Darby, introduced herself to the Commission. “I’m originally from Los Angeles, California. I migrated here to Georgia, the City of Atlanta, to plan for the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996.” Darby has 10 years of experience working for the City of Atlanta in Planning and Public works. She has a master’s degree in land use and transportation planning. “Planning is my future. Planning is my passion.” Darby also worked in Claton County to put the County on the map. She hopes to do the same with Crisp.

David Wade, HR manager for the City of Cordele, gave a report on employee retention. “We have almost exactly half of our employees, 64 employees, have four years or less of experience. Unfortunately, when we get to that five-year mark, we’re losing about three quarters of those employees.” Wade also shared that they were beginning to update the City’s website with job openings.

Commissioner Isaac Owens reported that many residents were complaining about trash not getting picked up. City Manager Angela Redding said that the trash pick-up service, Express Disposal, was doing its job. However, when the accounts of housing unit management were not current, they stop pick-up.

Owens said that rent for housing complexes included rent in many instances. “And if it’s not being picked up, then . . . it goes back to the leasing office.” Owens said that most of the residents complaining about trash not getting picked up had paid rent.

The Cordele City Commission then considered reappointments to the Cordele Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. The members considered for reappointment were Eli Tinsley, Randy West, and Mattie Gwyn.

Chair Joshua Deriso commented. “It’s nothing to the people who have served before, but we want to make sure that the community is well represented throughout these appointments.”

Deriso grew up in the projects, and expressed interest in seeing others who grew up in the projects, then left on the Board. While one resident of the Housing Authority is on the Board, Deriso stressed that there was only one. “We can’t continually have people that have never understood the experience to make rules about those people.”

Deriso also felt there was a problem with unity, with agencies asking for approval but not having built a relationship with the Commission. “There’s agencies out there that when this commission start looking like we look, they still think they don’t have to work with us.”

The Board voted unanimously to table the reappointments.

Milton Holly spoke during citizens comments, bringing several concerns before the Commission including mosquitos. The City has airborne mosquito control. The Commission discussed whether the schedule for spraying needed to be changed. Holly was also concerned that the City did not have enough cameras.

Commissioner Vesta Beal Shephard asked for approval of a resolution to allow $1,000 of her discretionary funding to be spent on a bus for the M.D. Whitest Medical Institute, which is a non-profit. The CEO, Dr. Mathew Whitest, plans to use the bus to transport kids and senior citizens.

Shephard has three housing units in her area, and a lot of kids. She sees a strong need for transportation. She also supports the work of Unity Community. “I want to partner with them, because they’re the ones hosting my summer Camp. When I requested a camp for this County, I didn’t realize I had to have all this transportation.” Whitest was willing to fill the need, but lacked funds. Shephard said they could use transportation in lieu of payment for helping the organization get the bus.

City attorney of Cordele, Tommy Coleman, said that the City of Cordele had the legal authority to contract with for profit and non-profit corporations to carry out a function they could legally do themselves. “We have the authority to have a transportation system. A lot of bigger cities do.”

Deriso questioned Coleman about the Commission’s authority. “If they were going to utilize this bus for their services that would benefit the City, but not a transportation company, but short of that, we still . . .could do that?”

Coleman stated they could. He recommended they draft a contract, and said that the non-profit would need insurance.

Commissioner Wesley Rainey asked if the organization would charge. Shephard answered that he would not charge.

Deriso commented. “We can give that non-profit the money to do it, but we have to have the contract in place.” He said that while they had to power to help, it was important for them to think of how it needed to be done. “If it’s good and if it’s going to mutually benefit the City, and if we can have trust in that entity or what have you, then let’s do it.”

Shephard, Rainey, and Owens voted to pass the resolution.

Deriso requested the Commission approve a professional services agreement between himself and TanYa Merrick Powell, a professional consultant. Deriso described her work as “non-profit scaling up.” Deriso said that many long-standing non-profits could use Powell’s knowledge to better understand the grand-writing process. “She’ll be doing the six-week thing, and working with others who have signed up, filled out an application to do it.” The cost would be covered by Deriso’s discretionary funds.

Owens made a motion, seconded by Shephard. Rainey also voted in favor, causing the motion to pass.