DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
The Gray Downtown Development Authority went forward with its May board meeting without three of its members.
The May 13 meeting was called to order by Chairman Sherri Rollins, and the opening prayer was led by board member David Tufts.
DDA members Alan Childs and Rick Childs were also in attendance.
The finance report was presented by Ashley Roberson, who is the director of Main Street Gray and acts as recording secretary for the DDA.
Roberson said all rent had been collected for the month, and the allocated funds from the City of Gray had been requested. She reported a bank balance for the authority of $168,839.
Rollins commented that everything was looking good for the budget.
There were no Old Business items on the agenda, but Roberson reported on the topic of storage containers that had been brought up in a previous meeting.
Rollins had stated her concern about containers in the city due to an issue being dealt with by Jones County. She questioned whether the containers should be addressed under the city’s Historic Overlay, Design Guidelines or in the city zoning code.
Roberson said she spoke with Zoning Officer Tim Pitrowski, and he said keeping containers out of the city would require a zoning change. Rollins said she believed they needed to at least have the city look at the issue before it became a problem.
New Business
Roberson gave the Butler Hall update. She said seven events had been scheduled for the venue since the April meeting.
“We are doing well,” she said.
Rollins said the unit at 123 Ross Street needed both interior and exterior repairs. She said Authority members visited the unit at the conclusion of the April meeting. The rental space is the largest of the three units on Ross Street.
Rollins said no work had been done, other than installing an air conditioner, since it had been purchased. She said the first item that needed attention was the exterior and an estimated cost for the repair was $1,600.
“It needs to be sealed,” she said.
The members voted unanimously to proceed with that repair.
The chairman said the board had decisions to make about the interior, beginning with whether to keep the drop ceiling or remove it. She said the wiring needed to be inspected, and they needed to get quotes for the floor.
Rollins said she would get estimates for the other repairs. She also mentioned that the bathroom in the unit was very small.
“This could run into quite a bit of money,” she added.
The chairman said Butler Hall needed gutters in the front of the building. She said the runoff when it rains has been washing out the landscaping.
“I think we could save by not having to replace the mulch that often,” Rollins said.
The chairman said the DDA may need a called meeting before June because there was an interested tenant for the vacant unit.
Under her Main Street Report, Roberson said Main Street Gray had met all requirements for the year. She said she did find out that board members needed two hours of training per year.
The director said she would look for training options for the members. She said the Georgia Downtown Conference was scheduled in August in Thomaston.
Roberson said she is getting calls from people wanting to locate downtown.
Her next project is restarting the façade grant for downtown businesses. She said the plan is to use the money received at festivals and sponsors to fund the grants. The director said she is working on a downtown directory map, and she will have more information on that and the façade grant at the next meeting.
Roberson said they are starting a new way to welcome new businesses. She said she was sending out invitations to the business’ downtown debut. The first is for Allure Aesthetics, Friday, May 31 at 1 p.m.
The business is expanding to a new location at 126 West Clinton St. The director said there would be another event when Gray’s Vineville Internal Medicine office opens. That date has not been announced.
“We have a lot of growth and new businesses. We need to celebrate,” she said.
