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In another virtual meeting the Cordele City Commissioners learned that City Hall had reopened Monday with business as usual with a caveat that visitors are asked to make an appointment in advance.

“Shouldn’t we lock all but one door and station someone to check the temperature of those coming in?” asked Commissioner Wesley Rainey.

“Well, right now we can’t find any thermometers,” replied City Manager Edward Beach. “There’s just none to be found.”

“We have to do whatever we can to protect our employees and citizens,” Commission Chair John Wiggins said.

No further action was taken.

Beach reported that the sidewalks on 10th St. south of 24th Ave. are substantially complete. The required paperwork is being completed. He also noted that the cement has been poured for the sidewalks on Pecan Street from the railroad to 16th St.

Beach also reported that the city is working with Bob Robinson & Associates to complete an application for an Employment Incentive Program (EIP) grant to be submitted for the inflow/infiltration program for wastewater collection and they were going to attempt to get it started using Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds to start laying sewer lines from 2nd Ave. to Interstate Highway 75.

In other projects, Beach reported that the Gillespie-Selden rehab and urban renewal project was substantially finished.

Beach said that SPLOST funds had been committed for the 11th St. improvement project from 16th Ave. north to the city limits, but Department of Transportation (DOT) assistance has been requested. He also noted the extension project for Ga. 300, is still on DOT’s long range plans
and the widening of US Hwy 280 from Cordele to Americus has been included on the T-SPLOST approval list.

Wiggins asked Beach if he had learned anything about a proposal to give hazardous duty pay to city workers. Beach replied there was no provision for it, but he said he had heard that GEMA and FEMA were making money as refunds available if cities want to claim expenses.

“Some of them faced some pretty hazardous situations,” Wiggins said. “I think they should get that hazardous duty pay.”

Rainey reminded the commission that there needed to be something in the policies concerning paying special pay to be able to get the money. Beach said that GEMA had said they would allow pay without any policies.

“Before we step out to do this, I think we must make sure we have the money to do it,” Rainey said. “It isn’t that I don’t want to, it’s just that we have a lot of employees and it could really hurt us if we don’t get reimbursed.”

The Cordele City Commission will meet again on May 19 at 5:30 pm at Cordele City Hall.