Gray City Council members tabled a zoning request for the third time Monday despite concessions made by the petitioner and obvious frustration by opponents of the petition.

Mayor Jason Briley did not attend the July 7 meeting and Mayor Pro Tem Loretta Lipsey presided.

Opponents of the zoning request of Ann Lusk were present at the July 7 council meeting, but the petitioner did not attend the meeting. Lipsey asked if anyone would like to speak about the rezoning request.

“We would like to keep it residential,” Joe Ben Jackson said, representing his mother, Evelyn Jackson, who lives next to Lusk’s 13.4 acres

Lusk amended her rezoning request from C-2 commercial to C-1 neighborhood commercial at the June meeting in an attempt to make it more acceptable to her neighbors. At the request of Councilman Benny Gray, zoning officer Tim Pitrowski read the list of the types of businesses acceptable under C-1, but the change did not sway those opposed.

The rezoning request and a request to annex the property were first brought to the council in May. The petition was tabled until June and was tabled once again because Gray abstained from voting and the remaining councilmen did not constitute a legal vote.

Councilman David Tufts asked those opposed if their objection to the rezoning was because of additional traffic, and Jackson once again replied, “We prefer to keep it residential.”

Gray asked that the request be tabled again because Councilman Terrell Fulford was not at the meeting. After the vote was concluded, those opposing the rezoning left the meeting.

M & H Landscaping Company was awarded the bid for the landscaping and upkeep of the grounds around City Hall. The company was the low bid, and the vote to award the contract was unanimous.

Council member Ronnie Miller asked why city employees could not keep up the property, and City Superintendent Decius Aaron said the landscaping needed to be professionally done.

“No matter what we do, the garden club and Better Hometown members are not happy. They want it to look professional, and all we do is cut the grass,” Aaron said.

He explained that the master gardeners came up with a plan for the property, but the work needs to be done by professionals.

“How do you know that these people will satisfy them?” Miller asked.

Aaron responded that the money for the landscaping is in the budget.

“We can let this company try, and, if we don’t like it, we don’t have to renew their contract,” he said.

Lipsey informed the council that a contract to perform repairs to the fire house needed to be redone because the company previously awarded the bid does not have workers’ compensation insurance.

Council members agreed to rebid the job, but Gray Police Chief Adam Lowe gave the panel another option. He suggested the work could be done by a community service worker, which means the cost to the city would be supplies only. The council was in agreement that having it done as community service would save the city money.

The council also voted to reimburse Doug McMillan $361.50 for sewer repairs. McMillan approached council members at a committee meeting because repairs he incurred were due to the city’s failure to properly connect the sewer line to his home.

Covenants to annex three Stone Edge properties into the city were accepted by council members. Shane Doles, Frank and Dawn Mills, and Michael and Joy Carr requested the covenants in order to obtain city water because of a problem with their wells.

The covenants mean that, if their properties become contiguous with the city limits, they will be annexed.

Council members agreed to an increase in the cost to house inmates at the Jones County Law Enforcement Center. The fee was raised from $35 per day to $45 in June, according to Lowe. The chief said the fee was increased for all agencies housing inmates at the jail.

A resolution passed by the council allowed the chief to give step grade raises to his officers as long as the money is in his budget. Lowe asked for the increases in order to keep experienced officers.

The council’s final action item was a resolution to supplement the General Appropriations Resolution passed Nov. 6, 2006, in order to make corrections recommended by the city’s auditors.

In committee reports, Lipsey said Gray is in its best financial shape in 12 years, and she intends to begin work on next year’s budget shortly.

“We’ve got $71,000 in uncollected taxes, and taxes are still coming in,” she said.

City Clerk Claudia Pitrowski reminded council members and department heads that the only income the city will receive until October is sales tax and asked expenses be kept at a minimum.

Tufts asked if the city was going to need to borrow money to pay expenses through the end of the year.

“Absolutely not,” Lipsey replied. “I don’t see us having to borrow this year. We’ve received $18,000 in interest income from our premium checking accounts.”

Aaron said new water and sewer rates took affect June 1, and a few glitches in the system need to be addressed to make the system more efficient. He said the department is trying a new work schedule in replacing water lines along Washburn and Fraley streets and Virginia Avenue.

Special Project Coordinator, Donnie Mullis, said the water lines are going to be cross-connected at Cumslo and Highway 129 to achieve better water pressure for the area.

Aaron told council members about a problem with city wells not recharging, and he said the wells are being shut down for a short time. He also said the city is looking at grants to improve the water system and will be asking legislators for help. One of the improvements being considered is radio read water meters.

“I want to commend Donnie and his crew for the work they are doing. We may not see much difference now, but when they look back 15-20 years from now, they will realize the good job we have done,” Aaron said.

City Attorney Joan Harris announced that a team from the Carl Vinson Institute of the University of Georgia will attend the July 21 committee meeting to begin work on a new city charter. The meeting will be held at City Hall and begins at 6 p.m.