Email from 12/11/2024
Members of the Margaret City Council,
I hope this message finds you well. As we approach the close of the year, I wanted to bring to your attention several agenda items from 2024 that were discussed but appear to have been dropped or remain unresolved. These issues are critical to the growth and functionality of our city and should be revisited to ensure they are addressed effectively.
Below is a list of the outstanding items that I recommend adding back to future agendas for continued discussion and resolution:
Recurring Unresolved Items:
- Employee Handbook: Consistently discussed throughout the year, but no adoption or resolution has been recorded in the minutes.
- Brookhaven Grant: Ongoing grant discussions and project plans need to be finalized and implemented.
- Dillard Park Development: Retaining wall and renovations, including the proposed splash pad, remain incomplete.
- Redistricting: Regularly listed but no conclusive action has been documented.
- Budget: consistently brought up but no resolution.
Specific Unresolved Items:
- Fire Truck : Urgent need for a new Firetruck was raised earlier in the year still lack resolution.
- Speed Bumps in Brookhaven: Discussed in August by Chan Stringer but not followed up.
- Sewer Inspections and Improvements: Listed multiple times, with no documented resolution.
- Employee Raises: Annual Raises for city employees.
- Dillard Park Splash Pad:
Items that have been brought up but never added to the Agenda:
Water Capacity Operations/Plan
Budget
- City Plan
- Financial Reports
- City Organizational Ordinance
- Transfer license from Omnitrax/RR to Margaret
- Council Pay
- Water Department Budget
- Capital Improvement Plan
- Reserve Fund
- Senior Citizen Center at the Public Works Annex: Councilman Jonathan Ray suggested using the Public Works Annex for a senior citizen center, but this did not appear as a formal agenda item.
- Clearing Purchased Land for Development: Councilman Jonathan Ray proposed clearing recently purchased land to attract developers. Although discussed, this was not added to future agendas for action.
- Fire Department Staffing and Budget: Discussions around fire department staffing and implementing stricter requirements for builders to use fire-rated materials or maintain spacing between homes were not added to agendas.
I kindly request that these items be added back to the agenda for upcoming council meetings. Ensuring these matters are resolved will demonstrate our commitment to effective governance and responsiveness to our city’s needs.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to discussing these items further and working together to address them.
Best regards,
Matt Tortorice
Jan 2nd Agenda Email
| District 4 <district4@cityofmargaretalabama.gov> | Thu, Jan 2, 9:21 AM | ||
| to Mayor, District, District, District, District, Erskine, Cityazs | |||
As we start a new year, I wanted to bring to your attention back to several agenda items from 2024 that were discussed but appear to have been dropped or remain unresolved. These issues are critical to the growth and functionality of our city and should be revisited to ensure they are addressed effectively.
Below is a list of the outstanding items that I recommend adding back to future agendas for continued discussion and resolution. I also propose adding Lauren McAvoy and Shelby Eldridge to the agenda for upcoming meetings to facilitate discussions on matters related to their concerns raised with the city.
Recurring Unresolved Items
- Employee Handbook: Consistently discussed throughout the year, but no adoption or resolution has been recorded in the minutes.
- Brookhaven Grant: Ongoing grant discussions and project plans need to be finalized and implemented.
- Dillard Park Development: Retaining wall and renovations, including the proposed splash pad, remain incomplete.
- Redistricting: Regularly listed but no conclusive action has been documented.
- Budget: Consistently brought up but no resolution.
Specific Unresolved Items
- Speed Bumps in Brookhaven: Discussed in August by Chan Stringer but not followed up.
- Sewer Inspections and Improvements: Listed multiple times, with no documented resolution.
- Employee Raises: Annual raises for city employees.
- Dillard Park Splash Pad: Progress still incomplete.
Items Never Added to the Agenda
- Water Capacity Operations/Plan
- Budget
- City Plan
- Financial Reports
- City Organizational Ordinance
- Council Pay
- Water Department Budget
- Capital Improvement Plan
- Reserve Fund
Other Proposed Agenda Items
- Senior Citizen Center at the Public Works Annex: Councilman Jonathan Ray suggested using the Public Works Annex for a senior citizen center, but this did not appear as a formal agenda item.
- Clearing Purchased Land for Development: Councilman Jonathan Ray proposed clearing recently purchased land to attract developers. Although discussed, this was not added to future agendas for action.
- Fire Department Staffing and Budget: Discussions around fire department staffing and implementing stricter requirements for builders to use fire-rated materials or maintain spacing between homes were not added to agendas.
I kindly request that these items, along with discussions involving Lauren McAvoy and Shelby Eldridge, be added back to the agenda for upcoming council meetings. Ensuring these matters are resolved will demonstrate our commitment to effective governance and responsiveness to our city’s needs.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to discussing these items further and working together to address them.
Sincerely,
Matt Tortorice
Feb 11th Email:
| District 4 <district4@cityofmargaretalabama.gov> | Tue, Feb 11, 9:28 AM | ||
| to Mayor, District, District, District, District, Erskine, City | |||
I am following up on the email I sent on January 2, 2025, regarding several unresolved and recurring agenda items that remain unaddressed. Since that time, the only item that has been added to the agenda is Council Pay, which was discussed and ultimately voted to remain the same.
One of the most pressing issues that has yet to be addressed is redistricting. Given its significance, I am formally calling for another public hearing on redistricting to ensure transparency and community input in the process. Our city attorney has already expressed concern over the lack of progress on this matter, and it is critical that we take action rather than continue to delay.
Additionally, I want to reiterate my request to bring back the previously listed unresolved agenda items for discussion and resolution. These issues are essential to the city’s governance, infrastructure, and future planning, and they deserve the council’s attention.
I would appreciate confirmation on when a public hearing on redistricting will be scheduled, as well as an update on the status of the other outstanding agenda items. Thank you for your time and attention to these matters.
Furthermore, I would like to discuss how the city council can support the fire chief in achieving his Advanced EMT certification goals mentioned at our last meeting. Strengthening our emergency response capabilities is a vital investment in public safety, and I believe we should explore ways to assist him in this endeavor. And so I am asking to have this added to the agenda.
Sincerely,
Matt Tortorice
City Councilman, District 4
City of Margaret, AL
Email 2/13/2025
Oops! Looks like we somehow forgot to include redistricting on the last agenda—despite it being unresolved business. Shocking, I know. So, before the magical auto-email sends out the council package on Saturday at 3, I just wanted to gently remind everyone that maybe redistricting should actually be on the agenda this time. Just a thought!
Matt Tortorice
Aprill 22nd Email
District 4
Apr 22, 2025, 5:26 PM (12 days ago)
to Mayor, District, District, District, District, Erskine, City
Mayor and Members of Council,
I’m writing to follow up on my January 2, 2025 email regarding several unresolved agenda items from 2024 that have yet to be addressed. I would like to revisit the other remaining outstanding matters:
1. Recurring Unresolved Items
Employee Handbook: Adoption still pending.
Brookhaven Grant: Final project plans and implementation need completion.
Dillard Park Development: Retaining wall repairs and drainage renovations remain incomplete.
Budget: No final vote or documentation has been recorded.
2. Specific Unresolved Items
Speed Bumps in Brookhaven: Originally discussed in August by Chan Stringer, no follow‑up has occurred.
Sewer Inspections & Improvements: Multiple listings but no resolution.
Employee Raises: Annual adjustments have not been scheduled.
Dillard Park Splash Pad: Progress stalled.
Sinkhole on Allison Court
3. Items Never Added to the Agenda
Water Capacity Plan to Resolution
Organizational Ordinance
Financial Reports & Reserve Fund
Water Department Budget & Capital Improvement Plan
To ensure transparency and effective governance, I respectfully request:
Scheduling: Confirmation of which upcoming meeting(s) these items will be placed on the agenda.
Timeline: Any target dates for finalizing or resolving each item.
Additionally, at our last meeting I mentioned the fire chief’s goal of completing his Advanced EMT certification. Strengthening our emergency response capabilities is vital. Could we please add a brief agenda item to discuss how the council can assist him—whether through funding courses, adjusting his schedule, or other support mechanisms?
And finally, I want to add City Information Requests Process to the Agenda.
Thank you for your attention to these important issues. I look forward to your guidance on when we can begin moving these initiatives forward.
Sincerely,
Matthew Tortorice
City Councilman, District 4
City of Margaret, AL
April 30th Email
| District 4 | Apr 30, 2025, 12:17 PM (4 days ago) | ||
| to Mayor, District, District, District, District, Erskine, City | |||
I would like to add Don Kitchens water meter issue, Clover Ave Curb Damage and Woodland Cir & Clover Speed Bumps to the agenda.
Thank You,
Matt Tortorice