CITY OF GRAY
The effort to allow a brewery in the city limits of Gray got to the finish line at Monday’s City Council meeting but could not get across it.
The Sept. 11 meeting of Gray’s City Council members was called to order by Mayor Pro Tem James Collins. Mayor Ed Barbee continues to recover at home.
Other council members present were David Tufts, Terry Favors and Terrell Fulford. Councilman Bennie Gray is currently in a rehab facility.
The first report of the meeting was from Main Street Director Ashley Roberson. She announced that Main Street Gray was chosen by Georgia Main Street as the Main Street of the month for September.
“I’m excited they chose to honor us,” she stated.
Collins took a moment to recognize the date and to honor those who lost their lives and lives of loved ones 22 years ago.
He said everyone remembers where they were when they heard of the attack.
The mayor pro tem said he was leaving PE class.
“That moment affected us all.
I think all of our hearts were broken that day,” he said.
Collins concluded with a moment of silence.
There was only one item of Old Business on the agenda, which was the second reading of the ordinance to provide for brewery production and sales in the city.
Fulford made a motion to table the motion indefinitely, and his motion was seconded by Tufts. Collins called for a vote and that ended 2-1 with Favors opposed.
Favors then made the motion to approve the second reading of the ordinance, and his motion died without receiving a second. At the conclusion of the meeting, City Attorney John Newberry said the actions of council effectively nullified the ordinance. He said in order to bring it up again, the process would have to restart from the beginning.
“It’s like it never happened,” he said.
New Business
The first two items of new business were good news for city taxpayers with the proposed tax rate remaining the same. Copies of the FY 2024 proposed budget are available at city hall for public inspection.
The proposed tax rate is 14.5 mills with a 5-mill rollback for a net total of 9.5 mills. A public hearing for the budget is scheduled Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. in city hall. Council also voted to run the public notices in the legal organ, The Jones County News. Council voted to table a motion to repay the Georgia Department of Community Affairs $65,784 for issues that resulted from work done on a home on Cleveland St. in connection with grant funds.
A liquor pouring license was unanimously approved for Jarochos Mexican Bar and Grill, which is in the former El Sombrero building.
Council members approved a resolution to adopt a revised non-criminal justice applicant privacy policy and approved the bid of Asphalt Specialty Services in the amount of $114,000 for the 2023 LMIG projects on Dolly Street and Atlanta Road.
At the conclusion of the agenda items, Gray Police Department Chief Adam Lowe introduced the newest GPD officer, Natalie Astyk.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of city council is the all committees meeting Sept. 18 at 6 p.m.
