City Commission - Regular Meeting

And we begin every meeting with an invocation and a pledge to our flag. And Commissioner Collins, excuse me. Yes, please. Commissioner Collins is not here tonight. He is excused from tonight's meeting. That's what I was thinking about. Commissioner Cochran, will you please do the invocation?

Yes, I'd be glad to. Thank you. If everyone mind bowing their heads. Dear Lord, we come to you tonight and we ask for wisdom and grace. We ask for you to let us conduct the city's business efficiently and effectively and just look at things through your eyes. We ask that you bless the city of Rome, that you lay a hedge of protection over its first responders, and that you just go with us and be with us. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag.

Everyone should have received copies of the minutes from not only our last meeting on June 8th But our called meeting on June 15th any corrections that need to be made to those They will stand as written We did have some special recognitions tonight for some appointments that were made, and neither one of these ladies were able to make it to the meeting tonight, but the Rome Redevelopment Agency is Tabitha Helms, and the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority is Kirun Ruiz, and so those two ladies will be joining those committees. We got no public comments tonight regarding agenda items, no resol

Thank you, sir. We have nothing on a second reading. Nothing continues on first reading. We have several public hearings tonight, and I'm going to call on Bryce Wood.

Thank you All right, is there anyone here tonight that would like to speak in favor of this option. Is there anyone here that is opposed? All right, sir, would you please step to the microphone? Give us your name, your address, and you will have 10 minutes.

Is there anyone to speak of opposition? I didn't see anyone before. All right, I got a couple of questions, and I'm sure the The rest of the panel up here may also. Since your client has owned this store, has there been any violations where there was police involvement, like selling to minors, alcohol to minors, or anything like that?

Major Bailey, do you know of any problems that have been at this store?

I have a question, if I could answer. All right, go ahead. I may have heard this wrong, but I think your primary, I hope I heard it wrong, but your primary reason is the $4,500 would help us with our failing school system?

I got one comment. You mentioned that in 25 years we haven't denied an annexation. Would your client be open to annexation with the restriction of no COEMs?

You know, that's what we're anti. You know how much the city gains from COEM machines? Zero. Nothing. But we have to police them. We have to do all this. We have to go out and all this. So we get no benefit from it. So we've had one property annexed with the restriction of no COEMs.

All right, anyone down here have any more comments, questions? Anyone on this end?

Yes, I do. So I know you made a comment about how all the monies that, I mean, the revenues that the city will want to utilize Well, my mom used to tell me, all money is not good money. And we don't have failing schools. We have transitioning schools who are moving upward. And my concern is that you're talking about with the Co-Am machines and they have, which is, you might as well say it's just gambling. So when they're gambling and they're buying the chips and the drinks and the sodas, is that good money?

So having Co-Am machines in our neighborhood or community, I can see a convenience store because we're buying gas. But if you start putting gambling, you say Co-Am, but they're gambling machines in thriving communities, what does that do to thriving communities?

I actually appreciate your argument. I just don't agree with you. Fair enough.

All right. There's no more questions or comments. Mr. Clerk, would you call the roll, please?

Oh, I'm sorry. We do have to have a motion. Got a motion?

All right. Then if there's no more comments out here, I will close the public hearing on this motion. and now I need a motion.

I'll make a motion that we deny the request.

Yes, sir. Commissioner Robinson? No. Or yes on the no. Yes to deny.

Is there anyone here to speak in favor? Anyone here opposed? All right, I'll close that part of the public hearing.

Oh, I'm sorry. Ma'am, are you here to speak in favor or opposed? In favor? Okay. State your name and address, please.

Thank you. Anyone speaking of opposition? All right, I'll close that portion of the public hearing. And anyone down here to my right have any questions?

Anyone to my left? Mr. Clerk, call the roll. I'm going to make a motion.

All right, we've got a motion and a second.

All right. I will open the public hearing on this property. Is there anyone here to speak in favor? Anyone in opposition? All right, then I'll close that part of the public hearing. And I need a motion. Make a motion to approve.

I'm sorry, I did not hear. Motion to approve. Okay. And so we got a motion and a second. Any discussion down on this end? Down on this end?

I got one little question. Is that two separate ownerships? Okay. So you just have them in different parcels? Right. Right. That's good. Thank you. Anything else?

All right, I'll open the public hearing. Is there anyone here to speak in favor? Anyone opposed? All right, I'll close the public hearing. Need a motion. Motion to approve. Got a motion and a second. Any discussion to my right?

I do have a question of Ross. Yes, sir. Ross, do you know what the plan is for that property? Are they going to develop the property?

I have one question. Didn't they tear down one of the buildings up there?

If there's no further discussion, Mr. Clerk, call the roll.

All right, I'll open the public hearing. Is there anyone here to speak in favor? Anyone here to speak in opposition? We've got a favor. I know. Anyone to speak in opposition? All right, sir, if you'll step the microphone, name, address, and you'll have 10 minutes.

Thank you No one in opposition Mr. Sip if you will educate me. Where's Asbury Drive?

Behind where martial arts thing was out there.

Did these adjoin Mr. Barksdale's property that he's developing? The apartments?

The one question I had, you said that these are, the sewer is a lift station?

Is that something the city would accept?

I know, but if somebody tried to develop multifamily, they're just going for residential, aren't they?

Anyone to speak in opposition? All right, I'll close the public hearing, and I will need a motion. Got a motion and a second. Any discussion to my right? Any discussion to my left? Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you. Is there anyone here? I'll open the public hearing. Is there anyone here to speak in favor? Anyone opposed? Sir, state your name, address, and you have 10 minutes.

Thank you. There's no one opposed. I will close the public hearing, and I need a motion.

Got a motion and a second. Any questions or comments from the people on my right? My left? Mr. Clerk, call the roll, please.

that concludes my right bryce you don't have any more well good that concludes our public hearings for tonight and we will move along mr clerk have you got anything no report mr mayor uh mr manager yes sir the city of rome offices will be closed on friday july 3rd in observance of the independence holiday

Under my report, I will let you know that the Rome Floyd Development Authority will meet Tuesday, June 23rd, 9 a.m. at the Development Authority Office, 800 Broad Street. And the Rome City Commissioners will be attending the Georgia Municipal Association's 2026 Annual Conference. It will begin on June 25th and run through June 30th in Savannah. And the Water Sewer Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 2nd, has been canceled. Commissioner Robinson.

Yes, the Downtown Development Authority will meet Thursday, July 9th, at 830 in the Miller Building. And the July 1st Friday will be held on the second Friday, July 10th, at Town Green. So I think next one we'll get back on first Friday schedule. Okay, good. Commissioner Cochran.

Yes, Mr. Mayor. The Landmark Committee will meet Monday, July 13th at 2.30 p.m. in the Sam King Room, and the Tourism Committee will meet on Wednesday, June 24th at 11.45 at the Civic Center. Thank you. Mr. Bayman.

I don't have a report, Mr. Mayor, but I would like to make a comment. And I say this with all due respect. We just came out of the Juneteenth weekend, and we had the parade, and I was very disappointed that we didn't have the representation. And I understand that everybody has schedules, but I do wanna say that we just came out of the MLK weekend last year, we had the same lack of support. And it sends out a strong message when we don't have we look up at this body we represent but we don't represent when it becomes diversity so remember when i talked about mlk during the martin luther king ho

No, I said that we had MLK and we did not have a lot of support for the MLK. You were there, but I'm talking to all the other commissioners that wasn't present. I'm not talking about the holiday. I'm talking about the all four days of activities.

And then think about Juneteenth, though. How many times, who showed up for that?

I know I was out of town. I placed some phone calls and didn't get a call back.

Well, I offered to help, and Miss Jackie Jenkins and all them were present at our last commissioner meeting, and they gave everybody a form. So it's not hard to complete a form and show up.

Commissioner Collins was excused from tonight's meeting, but I will tell you that the Community Redevelopment, which he chairs this meeting, is scheduled for June 24th, and that meeting has been canceled.

Commissioner McDaniel. Thank you, Mayor. Committee on Committee is met today somewhere between 4.15 and 4.30, depending on what time you got there. We have several appointments to bring forth. Library Board, Monica Burge, is being, we're recommending that she be reappointed for a three-year term. Can I just read all of these? Yes. Joe, is that how you want to do that? Yes. Monica Verge, a three-year term for reappointment. Landmarking Committee. Ann Pullen and Evie McNeese, three-year, both being reappointed. for four-year terms, historic preservation. Logan Voss is being reappointed for a thr

We have four people that have asked make public comments on nine agenda items. First one, Shauna Bailey. Ms. Bailey, state your name and address and you'll have three minutes.

Thank you, Ms. Bailey. Laura Lee Glanton. Ms. Glanton, if you will please state your name, your address.

Christy Minor. Christy, if you will, give us your full name, your address, and you will have three minutes.

Thank you, Ms. Minor. Ron Swinford. Mr. Swinford, if you will state your full name and your address. You have three minutes.

Thank you, Mr. Swinford. There's nothing else to come before the board tonight?

Thank you, Commissioner. No other business. We're adjourned.