Gray City Council members considered uncollectable property taxes, the location of a test water well and the possibility of allowing a brewery in the city limits at their June All Committees meeting.
The June 26 meeting was called to order by Mayor Pro Tem James Collins. Councilmen David Tufts, Terry Favors and Terrell Fulford were also in attendance. Councilman Benny Gray has not attended a city meeting since his before his re-election in November of 2021.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Collins reported that Mayor Ed Barbee is home and continues to recover. Collins said he was able to speak with the mayor on the phone.
“He sounded good but still has a long way to go,” the mayor pro tem said.
Committee reports
Fulford, Finance Committee chairman, reported that the city had collected 98.5 percent of 2022 property taxes. He said the uncollected balance was $15,938. City Clerk Cindy Yancey asked to be able to abate uncollectable taxes from the tax roll. She said some of the businesses were closed, and other property was owned by the county.
Council members agreed to place the request with a total of the taxes to be abated on the next meeting agenda for a vote.
City Superintendent Cheyenne Morgan reported for the Water and Sewer Committee. He said a test well site was identified on Allan Green Drive. Morgan explained the site was within a new development and suggested a swap of the property for tap fees.
“This is all very preliminary,” he said. “This is the first phase of the test well.”
City Attorney John Newberry said he had spoken to the property owner, and there was a possibility of the donation of the green space portion of the development to the city.
The superintendent said he expected the developer would attend the next meeting to get the plat for the project approved.
Morgan said the city had applied and was approved for a 51 percent grant to assist with a lead and copper inventory and replacement expenses through GEFA. He said the amount of the grant was $100,000.
The superintendent said a new rule from the EPA was the reason for the inventory.
Morgan also reported that he has contacted Georgia Rural Water to help with the Inflow and Infiltration of the city’s sewer lines.
“They have a lot more experience than we do,” he said.
Collins is the chairman of the PLAN Committee. He congratulated Main Street Director Ashley Roberson on the success of the first Farmers Market held June 24.
Roberson said she, Collins, Tufts, Haley Watson and Jason Rizner attended the recent Rural Development Institute Summit. Watson is the executive director of the Development Authority of Jones County, and Rizner is the county administrator for Jones County.
Brewery
Roberson said the cost of attending the Institute was paid by the JCDA. She said one of the suggestions for cities was B&B – broadband and breweries. With that in mind, the director shared the brewery production and sales section of Greensboro’s Code of Ordinances.
The ordinance allows the construction of a brewery and spells out what would be allowed, including a tasting room, consumption on the premises and retail sales of the beer.
Roberson said other projects would be worked on by the group over the next year.
Newberry said he would work on the ordinance.
Collins asked about on-site consumption, and Newberry said that would be addressed in a separate ordinance under the city’s alcohol code.
There was no report for the personnel committee, and Morgan said advertisement would begin for the city’s LMIG projects.
Under city property, Roberson said the Serenity Lodge in Gray had asked about purchasing the two wagons used in years past at farmers markets. She said they offered $500 each for the wagons, and she recommended the city sell them.
Committee members agreed to place the item on the next agenda for a vote.
Gray Police Chief Adam Lowe spoke for the Public Safety Committee. He asked for consideration of an ordinance about what would be allowed outside of motel rooms. The chief said there is nothing currently about grills and/ or furniture being put outside in the parking lot, and he anticipates it will become a problem if not addressed.
The next meeting of the council was scheduled July 3. Collins asked Fulford, Favors and Tufts if they would be able to attend due to the Fourth of July being the next day, and they agreed to be at the Monday meeting.
