CITY OF GRAY
Gray’s City Council operated with the bare minimum for legally handling business at its June meeting, but that did not stop the announcement of big news for the city.
Mayor Pro Tem James Collins called the June 5 meeting to order, and the councilmen present in addition to Collins were David Tufts, District 1; Terry Favors, District 3; and Terrell Fulford, District 4. District 2 representative Benny Gray has not attended a city meeting since before his reelection in November of 2021, and Mayor Ed Barbee remains hospitalized following a problem that occurred during an outpatient procedure that landed him in ICU.
That places the three remaining council members in the position of needing to attend all city meetings in order to have a quorum for legal votes.
The only Old Business item on the agenda was the second reading of an ordinance to amend the city’s Speed Limit Code.
The first reading took place May 2, at which time Gray Police Chief Adam Lowe stated that purpose of the ordinance was to update the radar list received from the Georgia Department of Transportation for the City of Gray.
The motion to approve the ordinance was unanimous.
GPD certification
New Business began with a presentation by Chuck Groover of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. Groover presented Lowe with a plaque in recognition of the Gray Police Department becoming one of 139 law enforcement agencies in the state that are state certified.
Groover is the accreditation coordinator for the state and noted that there are more than 700 law enforcement agencies in the state. He said certification is not an easy process and usually takes three years to achieve.
“The Gray Police Department did it in 14 months because of their commitment,” he said.
The coordinator said GPD Sgt. Mark Robinson led the effort that included 131 standards. He said policies and procedures had to be written about each standard, and then employees had to be trained to follow the procedures.
“This is good for the city,” Groover stated.
He also mentioned the certification can reduce the city’s liability insurance. Groover said the program is totally voluntary, but there is a conversation in the state legislature to require it statewide.
The coordinator pointed out that the Jones County’s Sheriff’s Department is also certified.
Lowe said, after Robinson retired as an investigator with the Ocmulgee Circuit District Attorney’s Office, he asked him to help with the certification.
“It takes a special person to do this. My name is on the plaque, but Mark did the work,” the chief said.
Robinson was presented a separate award as certification manager.
City Business
Council members unanimously approved a resolution to supplement the budget to include fire department contributions. The contribution was in the form of a grant received by the department in the amount of $2,000 from the fire safety program.
Councilman David Tufts made the motion to accept the bid of $91,000 from Jerry McMillan to complete storm drainage improvements for Dolly Street. The motion was unanimously approved.
Collins said the All Committee meeting scheduled June 19 needed to be rescheduled due to falling on a holiday. Members voted unanimously to move the meeting to the next Monday, June 26.
The final agenda item was the approval of the consumption of alcoholic beverages during the June 19 Friday’s on Main event. The item was approved with a unanimous vote.
GPD grant
Lowe announced good news during public comments, which was GPD’s receipt of the Governor’s Community Public Safety Grant. The chief said he received a call from State Sen. Rick Williams earlier that day informing him the department was awarded a $500,000 grant. The chief said the funds would be used to pay for the city’s Flock cameras, purchase body cameras for officers and other items to improve officer and public safety.
Lowe said the city applied for the grant in October.
“This is huge; it’s going to save the city a pile of money,” he commented.
The grant was officially announced in a June 8 press release by Gov. Brian Kemp.
The next meeting of the city council is the All Committees meeting scheduled June 26.
