Taylor City Council Regular Meeting - September 5, 2023
Taylor City Council Regular Meeting - September 5, 2023
The Taylor City Council met on September 5, 2023, to address a wide-ranging agenda including budget adjustments, police equipment, property sales, marijuana business regulations, and the process to fill a vacant council seat. The meeting opened with a prayer, pledge of allegiance, and roll call establishing a quorum. A moment of silence for deceased Councilman Ira Sherman Slavin was deferred to the next meeting at the family's request. The meeting recessed from approximately 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and adjourned at 9:19 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the agenda (5.1) and minutes of August 15, 2023 (5.2) were approved unanimously.
Mayor's Communications & Appointments
- Corey Morris Appointment to Veteran Museum: Sworn in after a 5-1 vote (Councilwoman Winton opposed).
- Petting Farm Assistant Manager and Deputy Fire Chief Personal Service Contracts: Councilwoman Winton raised concerns about the fiscal impact of such contracts, including sick leave cash-outs and pension implications. After discussion, both contracts were approved unanimously. Deputy Chief Al Young was sworn in.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Marijuana Administrative Rules and Zoning Amendments: Multiple residents and business representatives spoke. Philip Nestley questioned co-location and measurement approaches. Kurt Molino (Kinship Cannabis Co.) requested a variance for a property 3.7% short of the 2500-foot setback from a school, advocating to keep door-to-door measurement. Ferris Haddad (attorney) supported the administrative rules and addressed hypothetical measurement issues. Mary Susa urged maintaining setbacks for neighboring communities. Another resident highlighted the impact of marijuana businesses near churches across city borders.
Discussion Items
- Police Services for TCDC (Villages of Taylor): The chief explained the contract funds two officers for four hours daily, seven days a week in a high-call area. Councilman Geis voiced concerns about repeating past concentration of officers in the south end. The motion passed unanimously.
- HVAC Maintenance Contract (Decal Inc.): Councilman Geis voted no, citing the need for improved skilled trades wages. Passed 5-1.
- Land Sales (Items 7.16 and 7.17): The mayor declined to name potential buyers. Item 7.16 passed unanimously; Item 7.17 passed 5-1 (Councilwoman Rose opposed, noting the appraised value of $95,000 versus the sale price of $300,000).
- AS400 System Replacement: Councilman Geis and IT Director Moore discussed the aging system. The city has engaged Plant Moran to design an RFP for a new ERP system, with a hoped timeline of one year. Two support contracts (7.22 and 7.23) passed unanimously after discussion.
- Marijuana Administrative Rules (7.28): The clerk presented rules for permitting. Debate centered on whether setback variances should go through the Zoning Board of Appeals or directly to council. The rules were adopted, with a commitment to clarify the variance process.
- Zoning Ordinance Amendment (7.29) - First Reading: Proposed changes included removing co-location prohibition (required by state law), switching measurement from door-to-door to property line, and limiting setbacks to uses within Taylor boundaries. Council voted to adopt the state-mandated change and the Taylor-only boundary change but rejected the measurement change. Passed 4-2 (Winton and Rose opposed).
- Commercial Marijuana Ordinance Amendment (7.30) - First Reading: Only change was removing the co-location prohibition. Passed 4-2 (same split).
- Filling Council Vacancy: Chairman announced the process to fill the seat of Councilman Slavin. Resumes must be submitted to the council secretary by September 12, 5 p.m. The council will nominate and vote at the September 19 meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Approved appointments, contracts, and routine items with most passing unanimously or by 5-1 votes.
- Adopted administrative rules for marijuana business permitting (7.28).
- Passed first readings of zoning and commercial marijuana ordinance amendments (7.29 and 7.30) with 4-2 votes.
- Established a formal process for filling the vacant council seat, with a submission deadline of September 12 and action scheduled for the next meeting.
- Councilwoman Brandana announced upcoming events: Shred Day (September 16), Jalapalooza (October 27), and a law enforcement appreciation softball game (September 15).
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. Let us pray. Thank you, Father, for your mercy, grace, and your abundant goodness. We thank you for life. For you alone created the heavens, earth, and everything living. We invite you on this day to bless and guide our meeting this evening. We desire wisdom to promote us, equity to be our standard, etiquette and respect to shape us, and may we practice patience as we conduct tonight's business. Father, continue to comfort the family and friends of Councilman Slavin. We are thankful for our city council body, our mayor, including Taylor Finas, Fire, and Medical Crew. To Taylor residents, peace, safety, and may we continue to walk in kindness. Now, Father, cover and protect us this evening in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you. And um the agenda is 2.1. Uh we put a moment of silence silence for Councilman uh Ira Sherman Slaven. At the request of the family, uh we will hold off on uh having additional comments until the entire family can be here. Uh so they've asked uh that that be done at the next council meeting. Certainly um as the uh uh our fellow colleagues desk being uh covered in shroud uh indicates uh for the first time that I'm aware we have lost a uh a city member of the Taylor City Council uh but with respect to the family, they want to be able to be here and hear our comments and uh grieve with us, so that is the reason why we will not be taking the moment of silence at this meeting. We will hold that to next meeting. With that uh brings us to the Pledge of Allegiance, and I'd like to ask uh Council Chairwoman Pro Tem Brandana to lead us in the pledge. Hi Plata to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands on a nation under God, individual with liberty and justice for all. Next on the agenda is roll call. Mr. Ramick here, Miss Rose, here Mr. Johnson, here Mrs. Brandana here, Mrs. Winton, here Mr. Geis, here Mayor Woolley, here Mrs. Bauer, and Miss Telco? We have a majority, a quorum. That brings us to item 5.1, motion to approve the agenda. Chairman, councilwoman, make a motion to approve the agenda. Support. Motion by Councilwoman Brandana supported by Councilwoman Witten. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all is in favor say yes. Yes, all is opposed, say no. Yes, is have it, motion carried. Item 5.2 is a motion to approve the acceptance of the minutes of the meeting held August 15th, 2023 and dispense with oral reading. Motion. Support. Motion by Councilman Ramack, supported by Councilwoman Whitten. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor say yes. Yes. All supposed say no. Yes, is have it. Motion carried.
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