The City of Gray’s monthly meeting of all committees included a discussion about partnering with Jones County for a Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax and good news about progress on the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
The Feb. 26 meeting was called to order by Mayor Ed Barbee. The meeting was a week later than usual due to the Feb. 19 President’s Day holiday.
Mayor Pro Tem James Collins was out of town, and Councilman Benny Gray remains in a residential nursing facility. All other council members were in attendance.
The first report was from the Finance Committee and was presented by its chairman, Councilman Terrell Fulford. He reported that 84.77 percent of 2023 property taxes had been collected totaling $1,079,980. The remaining uncollected balance is $82,032.
City Superintendent Cheyenne Morgan reported for the Water and Sewer Committee. He said the new wastewater treatment plant was operating as it should, and the original plant known as No. 1 had been shut down and was being drained.
Renovations are due to begin on the old plant, and when that is complete, it will be brought back online, giving the city an 800,000-gallon-per-day capacity.
Morgan said his conservative estimate for both plants to be operational is six months, including completing the rehabilitation of the plant and site work.
The superintendent also talked to council members about the onsite inspector. He said the inspector had been onsite from the beginning of the project and was valuable to its completion.
He said there was money in the contingency fund to pay the inspector.
Morgan said the work to improve the infiltration and inflow issues for the sewer lines was going well thanks to the efforts of Public Works Director Chris Neal and his staff in smoking the lines. He said three significant issues had been resolved, and they will continue to look for more issues.
“We are making progress, but we’ll know more the next time it rains,” the superintendent said.
Lighting
Main Street Gray Director Ashley Roberson reported for the Plan Committee in Collins’ absence. She said the updated cost estimate of the decorative lighting for both sides of West Clinton Street from the Courthouse to the crossing intersection was $2,240 a month to lease the lights or a one-time cost of $163,000 for purchase. She said if the lights are leased, they would be maintained by Georgia Power.
Councilman David Tufts asked if the lights could be placed on the agenda for the next committee meeting.
Fulford said he would look at the budget and available funds before that meeting.
Streets
Tufts, the Streets and Sanitation Committee Chairman, said he received petitions requesting speed bumps for several streets. He said he needed time to research the requests.
Morgan noted that a majority of the residents on the street would need to sign the petition for it to be considered.
Under Public Safety, Fire Chief Keith Eisele said he was looking at grants to apply for to help with updating the protective equipment for firefighters. He also announced that a Firefighter I class would end in April, which will mean more firefighters.
TSPLOST
The final discussion was about the Transportation Special Purpose Sales Tax being considered by the county. The TSPLOST would be placed on the November ballot as a referendum to be approved by voters.
Council members met with the Jones County Board of Commissioners Feb. 12 to discuss the proposed TSPLOST.
City Attorney John Newberry asked council members if the city wanted to participate in the TSPLOST. He said the city needed to come up with a list of projects and work with the county on an intergovernmental agreement.
Morgan said he felt the TSPLOST was a good idea because the city now had to take care of the roads running through downtown. Those roads were previously state highways, but since the state route was changed to the bypass, they are now the responsibility of the city to maintain.
The superintendent said, from the meeting, he understood the proposed split was 75-25.
Newberry asked council if there was a consensus they would like to participate? Fulford and Councilman Terry Favors both said they were for it, and Fulford added he knew Collins was for it.
Tufts indicated he was for it as long as that was the split.
Newberry said he would get with the county to work on the intergovernmental agreement.
