Monday’s city council meeting was dominated by planning and zoning issues with the most controversial item remaining undecided.

Council members voted June 2 to grant annexation requests for a lot in Graystone Park and another located at 4274 Gray Highway. Following the annexation votes, the properties were then rezoned to conform to city zoning codes.

The third annexation request drew a crowd at its first reading May 5 from residents opposing the change in zoning from county rural residential to city commercial. Carla Hunnicutt spoke on behalf of her mother, Anne Lusk, and suggested a zoning of neighborhood commercial (C1) may be more acceptable to the neighbors.

“I spoke with several people after last month’s meeting, and they were worried about the type of business that would be placed there. We can’t please everyone, but maybe we can compromise on C1 zoning,” Hunnicutt said.

The major concern by Lusk’s neighbors at the May meeting was also the objection Monday, which is the absence of a plan for the use of the property.

Linda Hollingsworth, a member of the church adjacent to the property in question, said without specifics there can be no covenants.

“We desire to keep the zoning residential,” she stated.

Joe Ben Jackson spoke for his mother, Evelyn Jackson, agreeing that he would like the zoning to remain residential.

Councilman Ronnie Miller made a motion that the property be annexed, which has to take place before the rezoning can be considered. Council member David Tufts and Mayor Jason Briley were not at the meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Loretta Lipsy was conducting the meeting in Briley’s place, and City Attorney Joan Harris said Lipsy had the same power as the mayor, and that means she could only vote to break a tie.

Councilman Benny Gray abstained from the vote, making it impossible to have the three votes necessary for a legal vote of the five-member council. As a result of all that, no action was taken and the question of the annexation and subsequent rezoning will be held until the July meeting unless it is withdrawn by the petitioner.

Council members approved a 19.2 percent split of Jones County’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and approved the purchase of a new aerator for the city’s water treatment plant.

City Superintendent Decius Aaron said the treatment plant is not able to handle the increased water supply that occurred when the city brought its two new wells on line. He said the cost of the aerator is $42,000, and it can handle 1,500 gallons a minute.

“We have new wells, and now we need something else. Will it offset what we’ve been spending buying water from the county?” Councilman Terrell Fulford asked.

Aaron said the wells should reduce the amount of water purchased from the county. He reported that work is being completed on Homestead Drive, and the contract for the city’s repaving of five LARP streets was awarded to Reeves Construction.

“The roads should be paved by the end of June,” the superintendent said. “Jim Cole suggested we go back to the DOT (Georgia Department of Transportation) in November and ask for help with paving more streets.”

During the finance committee report, Lipsey said Gray’s general fund is in good shape, and the water and sewer fund owes the general fund $141,000. The deficit occurs because water department employees are paid out of the general fund, and the funds are not replaced.

She said water sales last month were $79,531 and the water purchased from the county totaled $5,500. Lipsey also said the city has $77,000 in uncollected taxes.

“The trial balance looks good, especially for this time of year. All departments are in good shape with their budgets,” she added.