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Politics & Government

Devey Takes Oath as Hiram's New Mayor

Councilmen on Tuesday moved forward on a measure to pay the mayor and city council on a monthly basis.

Doris Devey took her oath of office as Hiram’s mayor during the city council’s regular meeting Tuesday evening. She becomes the city’s 31st mayor and begins serving , who resigned in January .

Devey had already begun by , held just two days after .  

After Devey was sworn-in Tuesday, Councilwoman Teresa Philyaw rose from her chair and thanked Mayor Pro Tem Derrick Battle for his leadership during the transition period between mayors.

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Councilman Prather Rollins asked the council for a motion to amend the meeting agenda with an additional item, then asked for a motion to amend the city charter in order to change the pay schedule for the mayor and city council members from its current bi-annual basis to monthly. Rollins noted that most other comparable governments in the region are paid on a monthly basis. The motion was approved by the council and now moves on to city attorney Glen Stinson to draft a resolution, which the council can then approve.

The council voted to apply for a 2012 Community Oriented Policing Services grant. If awarded, the grant would cover up to 75 percent of the approved entry-level salary and benefits for three years (36 months) for newly hired, full-time sworn officer positions, including filling existing unfunded vacancies, or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off on a specific future date, as a result of local budget cuts. A minimum 25 percent local cash match is therefore required this year. Under 2012 CHP, there is also a maximum federal contribution of $125,000 per position over the three-year grant period.

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For the council’s remaining brief agenda Tuesday evening, Catherine Fox of Fox Environmental spoke to the council regarding the city’s compliance with various Georgia Environmental Protection Division regulations. Operations Manager Jody Palmer presented specifics on the annual contract for Fox Environmental.

The council then voted to enter into a contract with Fox Environmental to provide technical support services to facilitate compliance with GA EPD Stormwater Phase II Permit for about $29,000, consistent with the 2011 agreement and to be paid from Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds.

And before moving into executive session to discuss personnel issues, the council voted to enter into an agreement with the Georgia Municipal Association for natural gas support services. GMA services assist municipalities to obtain competitive pricing for retail consumption of natural gas for city purposes.

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