CITY OF GRAY
Council members welcomed a new deputy city clerk and received a draft of a brewery ordinance at their July meeting of all committees.
Mayor Pro Tem James Collins called the July 18 meeting to order. The financial report was first on the agenda, presented by Councilman Terrell Fulford, who serves as chairman of the Finance Committee.
Fulford reported $14,051 in uncollected 2022 property taxes for the city. The total collected is $1,053,938.
Councilmen David Tufts and Terry Favors were also in attendance at the meeting. Mayor Ed Barbee continues to recover from recent surgeries, and Benny Gray was absent.
Collins introduced and welcomed new Deputy City Clerk Christina Morgan, who was attending her first meeting since being hired.
Municipal Court Clerk Chandra Lowe asked council members to consider the additional position of a Municipal Court Assistant Clerk. She said since the Gray Police Department went through the accreditation process, it was brought to their attention that the assistance she receives from police officers during court needs to be handled differently.
Lowe said municipal court and the police department need to be separate, and officers should not cover court duties. The clerk said the workload continues to increase, and she can no longer handle it alone.
“I’m asking for a fulltime deputy clerk who would be fully trained to back up everything I do,” she said.
Fulford asked about the salary. Lowe said she wanted it to be in line with other clerks so they can hire someone who will stay. She said she had enough in her budget to pay the salary until the end of the budget year.
“I can’t handle court alone; I have to have some help,” she said.
Lowe said there was a training class in September.
Tufts said it would be to the city’s advantage to go ahead and hire someone now. Council members agreed to put the position on the Aug. 7 meeting agenda.
City Superintendent Cheyenne Morgan talked about the site for a new test well for the city. The site is on Allan Green Road and is on a property that is part of a future development. Morgan said the developer is willing to trade the preliminary cost of the well site for water and sewer tap fees for one of the lots.
City Attorney John Newberry said the developer is willing to give access to the property if the well proves viable. He said other details would be worked out when the actual location of the test well is determined.
Septic or sewer?
Morgan said a property owner on Cedarline Drive who was having plumbing issues recently found out that they were not on city sewer. He said the plumber called to assist with the repair discovered the home was connected to a septic tank.
The superintendent said the resident had been paying for sewer for over 20 years. He said in past similar situations, the property owners were refunded what they had paid. In this case that would be over $10,000.
Morgan said the city double checked, and the home was not connected to the city’s sewer line.
He said, however, the homeowner was interested in connecting to the sewer line.
Tufts suggested the city give the homeowner options before issuing the refund.
Brewery
Newberry passed out copies of a draft brewery production and sales ordinance he said was similar to Greensboro’s ordinance. He said it would allow consumption of the product on-site only.
The ordinance limits the size of the facility to no more than 15,000 square feet and would follow all state regulations relating to the manufacture, sale and distribution of beer.
Main Street Direct Ashley Roberson, who introduced the idea at the June committees meeting, said she would research the cost of purchasing the pouring license. She also reminded council members that the Main Street Farmers Market was scheduled July 22 and Fridays on Main was July 28.
Roberson said that Friday was also open house for some schools, and they were planning more food trucks at the event in anticipation of a larger crowd.
Streets and sanitation
Morgan said new drainage pipes had been installed on Dolly Street. He said the area had been concreted and curbing had been done to be ready for the paving of the road as part of the city’s LMIG project.
He added that the city’s large drainage repair project was nearing completion.
Attorney Bert King spoke to council members about reserving additional parking spaces in front of his office near the Jones County Courthouse. He began by thanking the members for the handicapped space and then asked permission to reserve five more spaces Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for his staff and clients.
The parallel parking spaces in front of the courthouse have already been reserved for employees at the courthouse, in addition to several directly in front of the building reserved for judges. The only other parking available for court days in the parking area at the rear of the courthouse.
Council members agreed to put King’s request on the next agenda.
Main Street
Roberson talked to council members about the need to change the boundaries for the Main Street Gray District. She said the change was the suggestion of the Georgia Main Street Office during the city’s annual accreditation review.
The director said the new boundaries were adopted by Gray Downtown Development Authority members who serve as the Board of Directors for Main Street Gray. She said the new boundaries are Martin Luther King Boulevard to Forest Street and Pinewood Drive to Washburn Drive.
She requested the change be added to the Aug. 7 agenda.
“This ties everything back to what Main Street Gray should be,” Roberson said.
The next meeting for Gray’s City Council is scheduled Aug. 7.
