The final meeting of Gray’s City Council included two visitors who shared important news with council members and the community.
The Dec. 16 meeting was called to order by Mayor Ed Barbee, who moved the visitors to the first items on the agenda.
Justin Kelly, the owner and manager of Dairy Queen of Gray, was at the meeting to ask the council’s blessing to put signs up at the city limits recognizing his restaurant’s accomplishments. Kelly said the Dairy Queen of Gray was named the No. 1 Dairy Queen on the planet for 24 months running.
Kelly went on to tell council members that, at a recent visit to the Georgia Capitol by Jones County’s junior leadership class, the distinction was noted by Gov. Brian Kemp when finding out the group was from Gray.
The council was unanimously in support of the signs with the caveat that the signs be approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The second visitor was an emissary of the General Marquis de Lafayette, John Trussell, co-chair of American Friends of Lafayette, Georgia Committee Georgia Sons of the American Revolution. Trussell said Lafyette was an important person in the American Revolution. The speaker said the Marquis returned to the United States in_1824, invited by President James Monroe to celebrate the nation’s 50th anniversary._Lafayette went on a 13-month farewell tour of America that took him to 24 states.
Trussell said, during that tour, Lafayette spent 11 days in Georgia. He said a celebration is planned March 27 on the steps of the Jones County Courthouse.
Committee reports
Finance Committee Chairman Terrell Fulford reported that 43.19 percent of the city’s 2024 property taxes, $565,345, had been collected.
Gray City Superintendent Cheyenne Morgan presented for the Water and Sewer Committee. He said the city is in the process of drilling another test well, and he would like council to vote in January to purchase the entire six acres of the property.
Morgan said that would allow the city to drill multiple wells.
“We need 36,000 gallons a day to make it profitable,” he said. “That’s not out of line with our current wells.”
The superintendent said there is a lot of water in that area. He said with that amount of property, the city could have four to six good potential well sites.
City Clerk Cindy Yancey reported that the city’s GEFA loan was finalized for the new wastewater treatment plant, and the loan payments would be $36,000.
Main Street
Main Street Gray Director Ashley Roberson said the countywide branding project was down to two options, and the county logo would be selected this week.
“The goal is to have all the logos done by the Jan. 17 Chamber annual meeting,” she said.
Roberson said she and Jones County Development Authority Executive Director Haley Watson had looked at the East Clinton Building, and city workers had gone in and torn down some walls. She said they are currently looking at possible office placement for the combined space.
“We would like to consider adding an administrative assistant for all three entities and propose using the allowable funds from the hotel-motel tax,” Roberson said.
The director added the purpose of the additional person was to always have someone in the office. She said now was time to make that decision because it is time to redo the city’s contract with the chamber.
There was an unofficial consensus among council members to consider the idea.
Roberson added that all the other office expenses, such as furniture and utilities, would be split.
Mayor Pro Tem James Collins brought up the advertisements necessary for the city to opt out of HB 581, as chairman of the Plan Committee. It was agreed by council members the city would get with the county to coordinate running the ads.
Streets Committee Chairman Councilman David Tufts said work had begun on the decorative streetlights for West Clinton Street. He said the work should be complete by the end of January.
Councilman Terry Favors said he received favorable comments about the new streetlights that had been place at the intersection of Highway 18 East and the Bill Conn Jr Parkway.
Barbee said the lights were a big improvement to the area that was previously very dark.
With no more reports or public comments, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the City Council is scheduled Jan. 6.
