The City of Hoboken discussed/voted on the following agenda items during the Tuesday, June 3, 2025 monthly meeting.
• Revision Blight/Nuisance Ordinance: Councilman James Ray made a motion to table the Blight/Nuisance Ordinance revision presented by City Attorney Adam Ferrell.
“I’ve said something to our lawyer,” said Ray. “ I think where talks about the nuisance, I think we need to redefine that, or kind of soften it a little bit. And then some of the other things, I think they need to be softened.”
A motion to move the item to the July 1 meeting was approved unanimously.
• Introduce City Election Qualifying Ordinance: Mayor Joey Crews presented council members with an ordinance setting qualifying dates, qualifying officer and qualifying fees for the November 4, 2025 election.
No action was taken.
• 2024 Audit Report: The Audit Report was tabled until July. City Clerk Linda Henderson said no information had been received
• Fence at City Cemetery: Council members discussed possible solutions to alleviate parking issue concerns at the ball park and City Cemetery.
Mayor Crews said he had received three complaints concerning cars being parked in the cemetery near grave sites.
“A few years back a headstone was hit and the family had to get it fixed at their own expense,” Crews said. “Folks are afraid it’s going to happen again because a couple have been grazed up front next to the highway. They would like to see a fence put up along Thomas Street.”
The mayor said most of the trouble is right at the gate to enter the ball field.
“They are all too lazy to park beside the street like they should and walk in there,” said the mayor. “They are all trying to gang up right there.”
Discussion centered around erecting a fence or post with a chain.
“We’ll (mayor, Street/Water supervisor Davis Stone) go down there and look at it and come back next month with a couple of ideas to discuss,” Crews said.
• Hoboken Police Department: The mayor gave the monthly report for the department with the absence of the Police Chief Sammy Hendrix.
Officers responded to 26 dispatch calls for service. They conducted 61 traffic stops and issued 23 citations (15 speeding, three school bus stop violations, three expired tags, one handheld wireless device, one driving without license on person) 38 verbal warnings, and one arrest.
The department responded to five security checks, assisted three motorists, worked two vehicle accidents, two suspicious person/vehicle, and one each of residential alarm, mutual aid, family violence and animal complaint.
• Hoboken VFD: Mayor Crews also handled the monthly report for the fire department in the absence of Fire Chief Ricky Floyd.
According to the paperwork Floyd left with the mayor, the HVFD responded to four brush fires, one structure fire, two vehicle fires, one accident with injuries and one accident with entrapment.
• Street/Water Department: Mayor Crews informed the council the Palm Street resurfacing project is upcoming.
“They (engineers) should be getting ready to get the bids out in the next month or so,” said the mayor. “Davis is working on the potholes.”
Stone showed a picture of his work to the council where hot asphalt was used. He said the city rented a packer to level the fixed area.
Stone reminded the council of hurricane season and the need to purchase a generator to be prepared reminding everyone of Hurricane Helene’s passage.
Mayor Crews informed the council there has been no word from a grant applied for in the last three years to purchase one for the Community Center.
“There is a gentleman who wants to sell his 50kw generator,” said the mayor. “It has 2,000 hours on it and he wants $20,000. It would run the Community Center. We could use it in an emergency situation.
“It would be a big help to have that for our senior citizens. It would run the air conditioning unit and they could have a place to cook meals during the worst part of the storm.”
Councilman Ray made the motion to purchase the generator for $20,000. The motion unanimously passed.
• Road signage: Crews updated the council of the ongoing talks with Varn Woods and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for crosswalks and flashing signs.
“The price has gone up over the last couple of years for both the crosswalks and flashing signs,” said the mayor. “I’ve been asked by our engineer if we’re willing to put some skin in the game and see if Varn will do the same.”
Crews, who was to meet with GDOT officials Wednesday morning (June 4) said the total cost may be $26,000 and was curious about a $2$3,000 contribution from the city for the project.
According to the mayor, a crosswalk would be placed at the weigh station entrance on Hwy. 121 with flashing lights erected for southbound traffic and at the hill at the northern end of the facility for southbound traffic into Hoboken.
• Executive session: The council met for about 15 minutes to discuss personnel. Following the executive session, Mayor Crews announced the council had agreed to give Davis Stone a $2 raise immediately and another $1 raise January 1.
