The Hawthorne City Commission approved $1 million in upgrades to its wastewater treatment plant, hired an interim city attorney and allowed a residential lot variance at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
The city received a $1 million grant from the state over a year ago and was finally able to give the green light to City Manager Robert Thompson to execute the work contract. The contract was awarded to SGS Contracting Services, whose bid to do the work totaled $980,000.
Thompson said the city will fund the entire project through the grant without needing any general funds. He added that Mittauer & Associates, Inc, a third party working for the city, was able to negotiate the contract with SGS Contracting Services, lowering the cost by more than $400,000.
“I think, with you all’s leadership behind me, motivating [Mittauer & Associates], a lot of great things are going to happen for the city, and now we’re seeing the rewards of the work that you all have been championing for a minute now,” Thompson said.
In addition to the $1 million grant, the City Commission also accepted a $99,225 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for sand and grit removal at the wastewater treatment plant.
Thompson said the new sand and grit removal process will improve capacity, efficiency and overall treatment level at the plant.
The commissioners also voted to hire Terrill Hill as an interim city attorney. Hill will work for the city under the same terms as the past attorney contract.
Thompson said he had received three bids from legal firms aiming to fill the permanent role, but the exact timeline will depend on how the commissioners evaluate the applicants and the vetting process.
Thompson said the City Commission, if dissatisfied with all three applicants, could direct him to reopen the request for proposals and try to attract more bids.
Mayor Jacquelyn Randall said she thinks the city needs a legal safety net while searching for a permanent attorney. Having an interim attorney will allow the commission to not feel rushed in selecting the permanent firm.
Randall added that hiring Hill won’t impact the city’s budget since he will cost the amount already budgeted for the previous attorney.
“I think it’s always best to have that legal ammunition,” Randall said. “We are dealing with some tough items and are in the midst of navigating some very important projects, having a vacancy is just, to me, I don’t see it as being an option.”
Vice Mayor Patricia Bouie-Hutchinson and Commissioner Randy Martin agreed, and the vote passed unanimously.
City Planner Lowell Garrett said he’s noticed smaller lots getting bought up throughout the city in the last few years. The lots, he said, are perfectly buildable but often have a smaller size than codes currently allow to build on.
“Lots that were not previously considered, from one time or another, are now being purchased for single-family homes,” Garrett said. “So, there are things moving, and people are looking for these available properties.”
On Tuesday, he presented a request for a variance to reduce the front and rear setbacks of a lot that fits into this category, allowing a home to be placed there.
He said that current codes require an 85-foot lot and 10,000 square feet, but the lots left unbuilt within the city are more like a 50-foot lot with half the square footage.
Garrett said the commissioner should expect more to come but said he doesn’t think the city needs to change its codes to accommodate. The commissioner can deal with each as it comes for a variance.
The commission approved the variance for the property.
The commissioners also discussed the need to improve safety along US 301 to ensure pedestrians, especially school children, can cross safely. The commissioners decided to place that item on its scheduled joint meeting with the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners.