September 10, 2023
Hi Everyone,
Citizen turnout at our commission meetings has been amazing, thank you all for supporting our city. Your participation is essential to its health and well-being and it’s having an impact.
City Administrator Recruitment
The City of Oak Hill hosted a candidate meet-and-greet on Thursday September 7, 2023 at City Hall. Click here to view the flyer. The gathering was well attended and both candidates socialized with the public. The two finalists, Jerome Adams and John Barkley made formal comments to those in attendance, then spent the rest of the evening with introductions and receiving input from the public. Those in attendance were asked to submit their impressions and preferences to the city via email or by telephone. That information was passed along to the commission for consideration.
The next day, September 8, 2023 the commissioners conducted one-on-one interviews with the two finalists at the Mary Dewees Park from 8:30 thru 11:00 AM. At 12:00 PM, the city convened a meeting of the commission that was open to the public. During this meeting, the commission conducted a 45-minute interview with each of the finalist. Just after 2:00 PM the meeting focus shifted to the commissioner’s ranking of the candidates and a discussion. Each commissioner was given a form with the names of the two finalists, along with instructions to mark a preference for 1st and 2nd choice, then sign the form. These forms are available to the public along with the commissioner’s interview notes. Contact city hall at (386) 345-3522 or fill out the contact form on the city’s website if you would like a copy.
The result of this ranking was that Vice Mayor Lindlau, Commissioner McGee, and myself selected John Barkley as their first choice with Jerome Adams as a close second. Commissioner Hyatt and Mayor Gibson selected Jerome Adams as their first Choice. Next, the commissioners engaged in debate until the Mayor, in the very last seconds before the final vote, presented new information relating to John Barkley. In light of this revelation, the Vice Mayor asked if he could change his vote and ultimately the commission voted unanimously for Jerome Adams to be our city administrator. Now the contract negotiations will begin and if both parties can come to an amicable arrangement, we will have a new city administrator.
Our city is grateful to Mr. Parker and his associates at the ICMA. Their diligence and hard work have provided Oak Hill with a valuable service. We should all be thankful that this excellent resource is available to city governments in need of assistance. I would remind everyone that executive recruiting services are extremely expensive and the ICMA’s services were provided free-of-charge.
Oak Hill Developer Fee Schedule
At the August 28, 2023 commission meeting the commission voted to adopt the fee schedule that was presented in the meeting agenda pack, with a couple of changes. One was to include language that will pass the costs associated with a development project review on to the developer. The other was regarding the fees associated with annexation into the city. Commissioner McGee expressed concern that the proposed $1000.00 + $25/acre would present a barrier to property owners wishing to annex into our city. I pointed out that while that is an issue, the taxpayer should never be on the hook for the fees associated with this type of activity.
Apparently, the fees, just in meeting the legal requirements for providing notice or advertising to the public, can be as much as $800.00. Then, of course, there would be the costs associated with administration. So, it’s easy to see how justification of the $1000.00 + fee is warranted. I believe the commission engaged in a very good debate concerning this issue that ultimately resulted in the fee being reduced to $300.00 plus administrative expenses.
After the vote and the adoption of the new fee schedule I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with an AICP certified city planner who was willing to take the time to discuss the up and down sides of this decision. I was expecting the same old rhetoric, over time the city would recoup the expense of the annexation through taxes, but that’s not the way the conversation went. It was explained to me that the reason most municipalities don’t charge fees for annexation is because when a property becomes part of the city (the result of annexation), the city now has a say in the way that property is developed. For example, if there’s a 1-acre parcel in the city limits that is part of the county (an enclave), the property owner must develop that property by the county’s rules. The county’s interests are not always aligned with the city’s and can sometimes be in conflict. Annexation allows our city to grow in a way that reflects its vision. In light of this newly acquired knowledge, I believe that the argument I presented to the commission regarding this issue was short-sighted and that the commission should revisit this matter.
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The city has scheduled its first public hearing for the 2023-2024 budget and two resolutions. The hearing is September 11, 2023 at city hall and it starts at 5:30 PM. click here to see the agenda and the purposed budget. Time is set aside for public comment at this hearing so please come and participate. Your input will help the commission make decisions that reflect the values of our community and will shape the way our community looks in the future.
Our regular City Commissioner’s meeting will kick off right after the budget hearing.That’s September 11, 2023 at city hall. The time is 6:00 PM. click here for the agenda pack.
Please come and let your voice be heard. Your presence and participation are how we hold our commission to account.
As always, it’s my pleasure to serve you, I appreciate your support. Please let me know what I can do to help. I’m here to represent you…
Joe Catigano
Oak Hill City Commissioner
Seat 3
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