Gray Downtown Development Authority members took steps to support Jones County’s Scenic Byway at its June meeting.
The June 6 meeting was called to order by Chairman Sherri Rollins, and the Financial report was the first on the agenda. DDA secretary and Main Street Gray Director Ashley Roberson reported the current balance in the checking account was $90,947.08.
DDA member Cecil Ethridge said members attended the city committees meeting to explain the situation with the parking lot and ask the council for help. He said the vote to approve an additional $20,000 to help with the project would be on the council’s June 6 meeting agenda.
Rollins noted that the revenue received for rental of Butler Hall was already $46,650, and the budgeted amount $30,000.
“Butler Hall is doing what we had hoped,” she said.
Rollins said the prep work for paving the parking lot is looking good, and it is anticipated to be paved in June, weather permitting.
Roberson said she would be attending Main Street training for the next three days in Thomaston. She said the training was the five levels of leadership, which would complete her training.
Rollins said the DDA Board would set a date in the fall to complete its training as the advisory board for Main Street Gray.
Roberson gave the marketing report for Butler Hall. She said two events are scheduled at the venue in June and four future events were booked in May.
Roberson suggested the DDA consider the option of search engine optimization. She said the service is offered by local vendors. She explained that currently Butler Hall does not come up in an internet search for wedding venues.
DDA member Bert King said it is a big deal for the venue not to come up in the search. Following a brief discussion about the choice of vendors and prices for services, he made a motion to contract with Erin Andrews Media at a cost of $300 a month to assist with promoting the venue online.
The vote to approve the motion was unanimous.
Rollins said the search for a sound system for Butler Hall was still in early stages. She said she got a price for remote control thermostats for the venue, but the price was higher than expected.
King recommended getting more quotes, and that was agreed by consensus.
The chairman recommended online accounting software training for Roberson. King made the motion to move forward with the training, and it was approved unanimously.
During chairman comments, Rollins brought up a zoning item that was on the meeting agenda for City Council that evening. She said it was a variance to allow a 200-foot communications tower that would have a blinking red light at the top. The bottom of the tower would be surrounded by a chain link fence.
Rollins said the tower would be located on Highway 11 at the start of Jones County’s Scenic Byway.
“There are 15 scenic byways in the state, and we have one of them here,” she said.
The chairman said the scenic byway was designated in 2005 and was a tourism draw, especially for cyclist and runners. She said the location is within Gray’s City Limits and would fall under design guidelines.
King suggested the DDA draft a resolution to present to the council in support of the scenic byway and voicing opposition to the communications tower in that location.
“The tower would be contrary to what we are trying to do for the city,” he said. “There are a lot of other locations for the tower.”
King made a motion for the resolution that was approved unanimously.
Rollins received a phone call almost immediately after the vote from Jones County/Gray Zoning Officer Tim Pritowski. The call was to inform her that the tower variance request had been withdrawn from the agenda.
The chairman said the withdrawal was temporary while attorneys addressed questions, but it would give the DDA more time to gather information.
The DDA meeting was adjourned to enter closed session to discuss a real estate lease.
