City Commission - Regular Meeting

meeting and uh we start every one of our meetings with invitation and pledge to the flag. And tonight I'm going to ask our mayor pro Tim Robinson Wayne if you will do do the thing. Okay. Um Lord uh thank you for bringing us all here safely tonight. Uh thank you for this absolute gorgeous day that we had. Uh the blessings that you give us that we so don't deserve. Thank you for everything you do. Uh Lord, help us to make the decisions that uh tonight and always that honor you. Uh but let us remind ourselves that there's no better decision than the decision to follow you. So be with us as we go through this night and be with us uh as we travel home. We ask in this precious name. Amen.

Amen. I alian to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

I want to thank everybody for coming out tonight to the most exciting time you'll have all week. Uh and we'll go. Mr. Clerk, would you please call the role? Sir, Mayor Bojo here. Commissioner Robinson here. Brock here. Cochran here. Bean here. Fisher here. Hixon here. Collins here. McDaniel here.

Everybody should have gotten a copy of the minutes for our last meeting on January 26th. Are there any corrections, additions that need to be made of any kind? Then we will approve those as written. Uh we have one proclamation tonight. It's Arbor Day celebration and uh there she is. Uh I'm going to ask Commissioner Beam if she will come forth read that proclamation. know that we are standing in the room with a giant who has poured her heart out in making sure we keep raw beautiful. I can't think of a better person to be representing the city and I know Sammmyy's proud because you truly are rock star. Whereas the first Arbor Day was celebrated in 1872 in Nebraska as a special day for planting trees and has grown to thousands of celebrations in communities across our nation each year. And whereas the community trees improve public health and air and water quality, reduce the erosion of precious top soil, increase property values and economic vitality in business areas, increase energy efficiency throughout shade, provide habits habitats for wildlife and beauty. Beautify neighborhoods, park, streets, and residential developments. And whereas community forestry leaders and partners will be joined together in celebration the the arbor day foundations tree city USA tree campus USA and tree lines USA programs and the Georgia forestry commission urban and community forestry program and whereas all Georgia benefits from the urban and community forestry which contributes more than four billion to our state's

economic and provides employment for more than 100,000 people. Now therefore, be it resolved that the City [snorts] of Rome Commission and the Floyd County Board of Commissions do hereby proclaim Friday, February the 13, 2026 as Georgia Arbor Day in the city of Rome and Floyd County and encourages all citizens to celebrate Georgia Arbor Day and to support efforts to protect our trees, our woodlands and further encourages all citizens to plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of this and further generations. It is going to be signed by our mayor and our Floyd County Board of Commissioners. We salute you because you are our superstar. Thank you. [applause] [applause]

Thank you, Commissioner. That's a that's a long one. Maybe we can shorten it up a little bit one day. But, um, my name is Hannah Bagley. I have the honor of being the program coordinator for Keep on Flea Beautiful, also the tree board. Um, so the biggest event that we do together is Arbor Day. So this Friday, February 13th, in North Stars Park on North Broad Street, right beside uh Stanley's restaurant, we have got some really cool trees installed in the ground already and it's at 1:00. So stretch your legs after lunch and come enjoy um celebrating our men and women that uh put all of their efforts into the green infrastructure here in Rome. So thank you'all so much. [applause] You know, a couple years ago, they told me I was going to serve on the keep Rome Beautiful committee, and I thought, why? Why me? But I'm going to tell you, we had more fun. And that little lady right there, she um she's unbelievable things she comes up with in the what she accomplishes with really next to nothing. So anyway, Hannah, good job. We have four registered guests for tonight and so we'll start. Ron Swinford, [snorts] if you'll go to the podium, tell us your name, address, you'll have three minutes.

I'm chasing them out of here already. Yeah. Um, that's my job.

My name's Ron Swinford. I live out in Selenise. I grew up here in Rome and the one thing I never worried about was water. Three rivers in Cave Spring. I figured we would have enough drinking water. Little did we know about uh what was going on in Whitville County. But um but as of late, I've discovered that that might not be the case. The city averages 6.25 million gallons a day in water usage. Uh that's those were the numbers given to me. I know y'all were actually quoted a little higher than that. I think it was 67 at the uh retreat, but these are the numbers that I got back in December. So, uh, the county uses on average four, uh, 3.89 million. So, right at 4 million. You combine the two together, that's 10 point one or 10,149,000 and some change. The city can produce at this point with the plant that you have now 18 million gallons. You're covered. County uh, puts out about 8.7 maximum in in million of gallons a day. So you've got all that covered. However, when you throw in data centers, that is not the case. [clears throat] The two that are going to be out in CUSA, the Microsoft one and the Atlas one produ are going to be using 5 million gallons a day. Those aren't numbers I made up. Those aren't numbers I got off the internet. Those are numbers they told us at the meeting when they were asking for the zoning. That's 10 million gallons a day. That's more than the county can produce, which means they're going to have to get some water from you. Now, you're building this nice new uh this nice new water treatment plant. So, that's going to be good because you're going to need it. Uh the one that's going at BDY, we have no information on how many buildings or

anything like that. Uh but Atlas is known around the country as somebody who their centers use a lot of water. I found one that's 30 acres less than the Baddy property that uses 8.5 a day. Now, I don't think that's how much they're going to use here. I'm going to say it's 4 million because if [snorts] you scan uh scale down the one in Kusa, that's about what it would be. And then we have another one being built out in Shannon that's going to probably use around 1 million. It's much smaller facility. Well, you add all those up together, that's 15 million gallons a day. You throw that onto your usage already, that's 25 million and some change a day. You have 26.7 available. That's not including all the new growth. As of last count, there's around 4,000 planned houses, apartments, and town houses around Floyd County and in the city. using your own numbers on um number of customers divided by 6.25 million a day. That's 353 gallons a day.

Thank you. [snorts] Brad Padet. Name and address, please, sir.

I'm Brad Padet. I live at 8 Oakwood Street in Summer Park. And I have the same concerns that Ron did uh about the water and additionally the high energy consumption that these data centers globally account for 1% of global electricity use now and that's expected to is projected to quadruple by 2030. The significant water usage is has been documented coast to coast. uh the electronic waste, e-waste. Uh these facilities contribute to environmental pollution and the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in landfills. The air pollution, the backup generators spew out nitrogen dioxide and other diesel particles. And there they're public health risks posed because of these things and particularly to the nearby residents. And and you got to look at the where it's placed. You couldn't have found a worse place to put one in my mind is on the old Batty property. Uh you got Summerville Park on the east side of it right at the front door of it. You got income based housing on the south side on on the west side. Behind it you're going to have uh you got garden homes and it's like lot Park has been there since the 30s and we're in close proximity to that thing. On the north side, you got the Spires Retirement Community. Uh, not to mention the hospital. I I feel like this should only be considered for the most sparsely populated areas, [snorts] not not in a community that's densely populated like ours is. I don't I can't imagine why we're going to put it right there. I urge you to uh prioritize the well-being of the community over whatever profits are to be gleaned from this whether uh for the city of Rome. I don't see how anybody else is going to benefit from it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Padet. Christy Miner. [snorts] [clears throat]

Good evening, Mr. Mayor, commissioners. My name is Christy Miner of Somerville Park. I was here in December and I notified y'all that the attorney general had told me that they were opening a mediation on the uh open meetings complaint that I filed on behalf of oppose Atlas DC Baddy regarding the development authority. Just this past Friday, I did receive the response that Andy Davis, who is the attorney for the development authority, submitted to the attorney general. I'm not going to go into a lot of what he had to say because you all should have access to that given that you are in an intergovernmental contract with them and that he is in addition your own attorney for the city of Rome. But basically there's two complaints that were filed. First was that the meeting on August 27th was not properly noticed. There's really no other way for me to explain it except that in his response he lied about the website, the landing page um for the development authority and I have the evidence to show that and I'll be sharing that with the attorney general probably tomorrow. Um the second complaint was that not all details were required by law um were released prior to the public vote. Um his response was pretty much a defensive tone that the complaint has not and cannot demonstrate that. Um, that really doesn't surprise me that his tone was that way because he kicked off the uh the letter with really a desperation in the paragraph three. Ms. Miner has recently become interested in a variety of local matters lodging open records acts request to the city of Rome, Floyd County, and the RFCDA. We understand that she has engaged in similar activity in other states. So, I find this highly interesting that he chose to attack my character. Um, I had been a citizen advocate for 25 years and the fact is that I we were in Maine for

20 years. For the last two years, my husband and I were engaged in a battle against the tyranny of our government. We were forced out of the state of Maine and landed in Georgia. So when I as a citizen advocate stand before you all, I come with experience of the necessity to fight against government tyranny tyranny and overreach for the public for the safety of my family and also as a property owner. I am a home owner here in Rome and we p we uh closed down our house last March. Um, so this spin that I'm an outside agitator narrative, it's pathetic and it's unamerican. But he didn't only attack me, he decided to go ahead and insult the good people of Rome and Floyd County by calling the Miss Miner and her cohorts. So, I'd like to o take this door that he's opened to announce to my apparent cohorts my candidacy for Georgia State House of Representatives District 13. Um, so people choosing the Republican ballot during the May primary will have a choice of election. So, feel free to find out more at voteforminer.com.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Adam Milm.

State your name and address, please. Yes. My name is Adam Milm. I live on North Avery. Um, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for allowing me to speak today. I really appreciate that.

I want to be clear and fair at the outset. I understand that the city and county are pursuing economic development and I understand that the data centers bring a large capital investment. I'm not here to relitigate decisions that appear to have already been made. What I am here to talk about is the impact and fairness. These proposed data centers are being placed directly adjacent to residential neighborhoods and schools in areas that until recently were not zoned for heavy industrial use. The decision shifts very real costs onto nearby families, increased noise, visual and light impacts, property value risks, and a permanent change in the character of their neighborhoods. My question is simple and reasonable. If the city and county are moving forward with these projects, what protections and compensation are being provided to the residents who bear these costs? Specifically, I'm asking that before construction begins that the city and county require these things. That there will be a baseline noise and electromagnetic field measurements near the schools and homes. That there will be ongoing and publicly available monitoring paid for by the developer. And that there is a clear and enforcable noise thresholds with penalties if they're exceeded. And there should be a discussion of of community benefit or mitigation measures for adjacent homeowners. If these projects are as safe and well mitigated as claimed, then independent testing and transparency should not be controversial and a and a community benefit agreement would not warrant any reservations. Economic development should not require nearby families to quietly absorb the risk, the irritation, or loss of value without acknowledgement or protection. I respectfully ask the commission place these mitigation monitoring measures on

public record and to explain what recourse residents will have if impacts exceed what is promised today. Thank you for your time. Thank you, sir. I do have one document I'd like to leave with you. It's basically just a bullet point of what I've I've stated and if I could give that to you.

Thank you. [snorts] We have a couple of resolutions that we need to cover tonight. Uh first the the city of Rome is a city of civility and uh periodically we have to renew that and we do that with a vote of the commission and um Joe do you or Sammy which one? Oh just uh we we uh took this I believe for the first time in the year 2024 as I recall and Joe correct me if that's

Yes sir I believe that's correct that was a new GMA program at that time. [snorts] Okay. So, to uh work this resolution, I'll need a motion that we um continue. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion that we adopt that resolution. I need a second. Second. Any discussion?

Yes, Mr. Mayor. Each one of us got assigned this here and it came from GMA which is very much at the time. I've long supported it. I thought it was a great thing. I do however don't know if the newly elected commissioners have had a chance to even digest it. Um would you say you guys have had a chance to digest this? We've do similar with the board of education. So when I read it, I felt very familiar with the idea of pledging to be civil and ethical.

That's basically I was looking forward to the trade that Jim made, but unfortunately it was cancelled. Um I haven't had the opportunity to read through this declaration, but if it provides um access to what we're pledging to be a city of civility, meaning that we're advocating for civil engagement and respect for others. And I'm okay with it. That's great. [snorts] Any more questions? To my right, my left. Mr. Clerk, call the RO. Sir, Commissioner Robinson. Yes. Brock,

yes. Cochran, no. Bean, yes. Fisher, yes. Hixon, yes. Collins, yes. Daniel, yes.

Next one is cancellation of the moratorum that we put in place um concerning uh gas stations and other things. Um, and this would uh it was scheduled to expire April 1st, but because of some things that we put in the last couple of weeks, some then uh we don't need this any longer. And so I'll need a motion in a second that we uh we cancel this. I'll make a motion we cancel it. Need a second.

Second. Got a motion and a second. Any discussion? Now, as you said, uh, Mr. Mayor, the ULDC changes address all of this. And so, it's it's perfectly clear their guidelines, Nelson. So, yeah. And I think the re most of the reason that it was put in to start with is the guidelines weren't clear and now they are are much clearer than they were. And so, uh, that's why we're doing with the mortorium to let ULDC do what it was designed to do. Any questions? Any other questions? Mr. Cler, call the role, please. Sir, Commissioner Robinson, yes. Brock, yes. Cochran, yes. Bean, yes. Fiser,

yes. Hixon, yes. Collins, yes. McDaniel, yes. Um Bryce, we've got one um for first reading.

Uh yes, Mr. Mayor. We have one item for you. It's file Z26 hyphen 02 hyphen 03. The request is zone from highdensity traditional residential to multif family residential for the properties located at 202 Wadell Street, 0M Street, 0 Stonewall Street and 203 Stonewall [snorts] Drive, Rome, Georgia 30161. Fully County tax parcels J13P 032, J13P 031, J13P 030, K13 Y553 and K135 Y52. The planning commission recommended approval with conditions uh by a vote of 9 to zero and those were the staff recommendation and conditions as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Uh we have nothing on second reading or continued first reading. There are no public hearings. Mr. clerk. No report. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Manager, no report. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Attorney, no report.

Okay. Uh, for my report, the Rome Floyd Development Authority will meet Tuesday, February the 17th at 9:00 at 800 Broad Street. Joint Services Committee met last week [snorts] and we uh the joint services for those of you that don't know is a combination of city and county the mayors and the uh vice chair and and prom and we are going to put into on first reading the nomination of Melinda Brown to serve on the land bank authority. Uh this as I said this position is jointly appointed by the Rome and Floyd County Commissions. Um then um that and that takes care of that. Uh water and sewer met last week and we just went over the events of 2025 and the goals of the of the water department sewer department in 2026. Mr. Rob, Commissioner Robinson,

I have no reports, Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Brock. Uh yes, we have mechanical permit fees schedule. um came out of development oversight committee meeting and I think Sammy. Yes, sir.

Thank you, Commissioner Brock. And so, a number of years ago um the general assembly enacted some ordinances and and the goal for our building inspection office is to try to capture the cost of providing service. And you all probably know that we operate Rome Floyd Building Inspection not only as a joint department, but it is an enterprise fund, meaning it does not require um taxes to operate it. It is self- sustaining. And so they sell permits. And so in essence, the mechanical permit, what we have before you tonight at the top, as you will see, is the recommendations of a flat fee system. And so this will result in a net savings to most of um our larger scale projects that end up paying larger permit fees. So, this should be a welcome addition to to many of those rate payers in the community. And so, what's before you flat fee of $90 for residential and a $250 flat fee for the nonresidential and then reinspection fee if required would be $60. And we would need um a motion and a second to get that approved tonight.

I'll make a motion we accept those new uh new fee schedule. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any discussion? Mr. Clerk, call the RO. Sir, Commissioner Robinson, yes. Brock, yes. Cochran, yes. Bean, yes. Fisher, yes. Hixon, yes. Collins, yes. McDaniel, yes. Mr. Brock,

uh, Downtown Development Authority will meet Thursday, February 12th, 8:30 in the Milner building. I will be out of town for that. I've asked Commissioner Cochran. I hope he will be able to to make it to that. If not, try to find somebody to fill in for me on that board. Uh Rome Floyd Parks Rec Rome City and Floyd County Commission will hold a joint parks and recck committee meeting on Tuesday, February 17th at 12 at the Parker Center on Kingston Road. And at 12:30, the group will depart for a tour of local parks, parks managed by Romelo County Parks and Rec. Um, we've had a lot of changes in parks, improvements, additions. So, this is opportunity for all of us to go uh take a look at some of these facilities and uh get a better handle on how those will be managed going forward. That concludes my report.

Mr. Cochman, no report, Mr. Mayor.

Mr. on up under the historic preservation is there's a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February the 18th, but now it has been cancelled. That's good because I was looking at I'll be out of town. So, I was thinking [snorts] hoping it was going to be there. That's good. And up under Ke Rome Floyd Beautiful, the annual Arbor Day celebration will be held on this Friday, February the 13th at 1:00 p.m. at Northstars Park, which is 11:48 North Broad Street. That's Friday the 13th. Also, I wanted to share that um uh I am happy to share that Kat Ron Floyd Beautiful has been awarded the 2025 Governor's Honor Circle Award by Kat Ron Floyd Beautiful Foundation. And this recognition honors outstanding achievements in community beautifification, uh literate reduction, waste minimization, and community greenery. And this achievement reflects the strong support of the city and the county. So I just wanted y'all to know again with keep Rome floor beautiful that we take that serious and that is a joint project that is actually working. And before I end I just wanted to share that we lost a giant in our community Mr. John Stevenson and the mayor and I will be going to his homegoing service tomorrow to present them a proclamation and I just wanted to share that and that concludes my report.

Mr. for Fischer

for public works traffic transit trails committee we have a meeting Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. in the Sam King room for the um solid waste commission. We received two invoices for the recycling shortfall for the fourth quarter. Um one is for city of Rome and one is for solid waste commission. I don't know Sammy if you want to talk more about that. Yeah, just as a reminder to the commission, uh, since we have been operating, um, out of the new center on Lavender in cooperation with Floyd County, we do bring those overages before the full commission just so that we keep trans transparency in the process of of the actual costs. And so the overage in this case for the two of the three entities and so again, city general fund, solid waste commission, and then Floyd County, which they pay out of their unincorporated only solid waste fund. And so each of those three amounts is $36,866.

So do we have to vote on that? Yes. One. So we'll need a motion. one. We'll need a motion that we accept that pay it. I make a motion. Sorry, Elena. Go ahead. That's right. So move. I'll make the motion. I I'll need a second. Any discussion? Second. I got two. Mr. Cler, call the roll. Sir. Commissioner Robinson. Yes. Rock. Yes. Cochran. Yes. Demon. Yes. Fisher. Yes, Hixon. Yes, Collins. Yes, Daniel. Yes,

Commissioner Hixon.

Yes. On the uh alcohol control [clears throat] commission, the alcohol control commission will meet Monday, February 16th at 5:00 p.m. in the commission chambers. and also the library board will meet on next Thursday, February the 19th at 4 pm at the Rome Floyd County Library. And I do want to take a moment to um uh recognize Mr. Jake Hager who has come off the planning and zoning committee. Um he's not here tonight, but I just want to thank Jake uh for his volunteer and dedication to the city of Rome. I had the privilege of serving with him and I learned a lot uh from him and I just want to take time to give an opportunity to thank him.

Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Uh Commissioner Collins.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don't have anything from the uh community development committee yet. We'll meet on the fourth uh in the fourth week of this year coming up month uh this month. But I will tell you about the Northwest Regional Commission that I serve on. We will be meeting on February 19th, 11:00 a.m. in the Civic Center. And also to bring you some news that I brought to Mr. Manager from our last meeting at the Northwest Georgia Region Commission up there is some I was sharing with Mr. manager that uh they have some upcoming grant fun money that's going to be available through the Georgia Outdoors program and it's anywhere from 500,000 to 3 million max. Some of it is a little bit of a match, but I will tell you it I think it's going to come in very handy. I talked with u Ethan Cahoun up there and um trying to set up a meeting Sammy is with his community development staff to see how we might could go ahead and get that bathroom uh built at Eagle Park as well as Ethan told us might as well look at what other things might could go in that park that this money could pay for. But we stand a great chance on getting that fund so we can get that done. And uh that's all I have. M I would like to say one other thing. Of course, this is Black History Month, but I wanted to ask uh Bishop Norris Allen, if I may, Mr. Mayor, could you stand, please? This gentleman has a a magnitude of of memorabilia, been a civil rights pioneer, etc. in this here community and it's been all

over Georgia probably all over the world. I was happened to be in a two inauguration. I hear somebody that hadn't uh in a tree hauling Bill Collins. He was one of them. But at any rate, I will tell you, what's your address, Bishop? 1862. And the displays that you have is located where? Could you come to the podium so they everybody can hear?

Yeah. Have a microphone. Thank you. Now, we would like to say we have been serving history, right? 58 years, but uh the pre the location of the it's a private camp is out at the camp once uh is 209. That's where it located now. But I decided this year to bring it within the city room where people can walk, catch the bus line or come and see some of it. Now about I won't even say a quarter of it about a little bit few few parts of that history but uh we do have history dated from 1863 all the way to 2024 and uh it's it's local national and international history and I'm not saying that you can come out and judge it yourself we probably rank in the top three histories civil right history play in the state of Georgia. Thank you, M.

Excuse me. I want to say it's over 20. It's over two 200 Nixon Avenue in the Elder Mitch Fellowship Hall this month. And on Friday from 1 to 5, you can come by and see it Friday and Saturday. And let me tell this one thing I'll be through. Now, this fellowship where history located is Bishop Eller Mitchell. He is a person made Rome as a resident in 1921. He's founder and organizer churches all over the United States. Uh he was the presiding bishop of the old coming church called American corporate. He died right here in Rome. He is buried shady side cemetery. He's the first woman buried there over in South Rome. People in Rome need to note that Bishop Eller Mitchell came from Atlanta in 1921 and he presided over the old country church of God 46 years. He lived right here in Rome, Georgia. And I was the fifth presiding mission of that organization. But he was the founder and I want to let Rome know that and man well known all over the state when he was presiding 46 years over that organization. I thank you, Bishop, for taking time out to give us that information. That's all I have. Mr. Mayor,

Mr. McDaniel.

Thank you, Mayor. [clears throat] Committee on committees met today at 4:45. Um, Mayor Pro Tim Robinson and former mayor Collins serve on that with me. Uh, we have some names to bring forward for downtown Development Authority. We have a vacancy Colette Hollingsworth's name is being brought forward for alcohol control commission. We're reappointing or recommending that uh Taylor Mcichael and Doug Phillips be reappointed and you heard the mayor mention for land bank authority Melinda Brown. Um these will be brought back up for a vote on February the 23. That's all I have.

Thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor, can I make one other announcement, please? Just want to announce Miss Beman. Yes, sir. You go ahead and make this announcement about the history program, please. Put you on the spot.

All right. So this this our next commissioner meeting will be honoring our Black History Month legends in our community who build unity. You know, it cost a lot of money to uh build unity versus diversity and separation. So what we want to do is we want to highlight the the pillars in our community who have gone uh the long distance of employing people of uh diversity and the ones who've actually paved the way to be able to create help support guide lead and build bridges for unity. So that's what we'll be celebrating at our next commission commissioners meeting all black history month honores.

Thank you Mr. Mayor. I I want to tell the Ma'am, I'm sorry, but I want to just uh I was speaking part of our program, the gentleman that brought up the information. Joe, are you going to make sure that we script it so we can see his points, the handout from tonight? Yes. Yes, sir. And some of the others, if you guys come here, you got information on scheduling or whatever, that's the path you want to do it through. Thank you. Don't look at me. I ain't got nothing else. Just checking [laughter]

this uh end of this week, Thursday, Friday, several commissioners will be attending the general municipal associate, Georgia municipal association uh spring conference and uh we'll be getting classes to uh hopefully upgrade what we what we know and uh help us in in our past that that follow on, but that will be the end of this week. And uh has anyone else up here on the panel have anything that they would like to share concerning any of the meetings that they've attended since our last meeting? What has happened in those meetings? What we need to be on the lookout for? We're journed.