City Commission - Regular Meeting

to see everybody here and uh hope everybody had a great day. As we begin our meeting, as always, we start with an invocation and pledge to the flag and I'd ask everybody that can will you please stand. Commissioner Collins will uh lead us today.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. God, let me begin by asking you to bless our country and bless our city. Bless all our citizens. Dear God, we have been going through some tough times in the city with recent shootings and deaths and then that was attempt on our president life last night. I just want to ask you to continue to bless this United States of America and also this here great state of Georgia in which we all live in the city of Ron Florida County. We pray to you to protect our youth, protect the people that protect us, our first responders. And dear God, give this commission strength and patience and whatever it takes to continue to do the business of this here city to the best of our ability. All these things I ask in your name, Jesus Christ. Pray. Amen. Thank you. I aliance 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.

Thank you, Commissioner Collins. Yes. Uh Mr. Clerk, will you please call the role? Sir, Mayor Bojo, I'm here. Commissioner Robinson here. Brock here. Cochran here. Beman here. Fisher here. Hixon here. Collins here. McDaniel here.

Everyone should have received a copy of the minutes. Has anyone got any additions or deletions for the for the minutes? then we will consider them approved as they are written. Uh tonight we have no proclamations, no special recognition, no public comments on agenda items. And then um we have one resolution uh for us to vote with and that is with the city of Milton, Georgia. And I'm going to ask uh Mr. Attorney Carter if you will explain.

Yes. Commission ask and that is to allow the city attorney to file what's called anus of the court and so of course the city is asking cities throughout the state to join efforts to cuis.

All right. Thank you, Mr. Attorney. Uh, does anyone have any questions? Make a motion we approve it. Second. All right. We got a motion in 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. We have nothing on first reading or second reading. Nothing continued on first reading. We have one public hearing and that's up to you, Bryce.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As you said, we have one item for you this evening. that is Z26-04-01 for the property at 700 Maple Avenue. Uh the property is 0.14 acres in size. It's currently zoned multif family residential or MR. The request is to resone it to urban mixeduse or um slide over here. I'm not receiving a fee from you, Bri, so I'll just run it from my desk. Okay, go right ahead.

That is an aerial map of the area with the property outlined. Uh we're just at the top of Maple right next to the railroad tracks. That is the existing building, an old storefront. The applicant is seeking to have a commercial space with a couple of apartments above it in the historic building. This is in the East Rome historic district. There's a zoning map of the area. Uh this would allow for a small commercial space downstairs and the construction of a couple of apartments upstairs. Uh there's a small parking area to the rear of the property. This does come with a staff recommendation of approval and unanimous approval from the planning commission. Thank you, sir. All right. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to speak in favor of this project? Just a second, sir. Just a second. Is there anyone here to speak against this project? All right, sir. Now, if you'll go to the podium, uh you will have 10 minutes. Please state your name and your address and you will have 10 minutes uh to talk.

Hello, my name is Augustine Medina. My address is for Orchard Spring, Rome, Georgia. This is my property and I'm we're just trying to do what we can so we can get it uh trying to sell it. That's what I'm trying to do. And uh the way it is is it's not sellable when it's zoned this way. Uh so that's that's why I'm here. Okay. Has anyone got any questions? Just a quick question to Bri. Yes, sir. Bryce, when you reszone something from multif family to mixed shoes, it only affects that partial right. Correct. Okay.

Yes. To the gentleman's point, we've had multiple potential buyers come see us and we've had to turn every single one of them away that none of their ideas would work. And so we finally met with uh the gentleman and his realtor and tried to find some way to make this property useful. It's certainly unorthodox, but it does work. So I got a question. What's the current use on it? Believe it's currently vacant if I'm not mistaken. It has been for quite some time. It's been vacant for a long time. I believe you're correct. Yeah. So if it were How long? Did I thought she said so? If it were renovated, it'd have to be completely upgraded to current standard than when before it was used. Correct.

If there's no more questions, I need a motion. So move. Second. We got a motion and a second. Any discussion from up here? You need to see if that's about to speak in opposition and then close public. Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. There's no one here to speak in opposition then I'll close the public hearing. Now we got a motion in a second and um any discussion up here on the panel. Mr. Clerk, call the roll. Yes, sir. Commissioner Robinson. Yes. Brock. Yes. Cochran? Yes. Bean, yes. Fisher, yes.

Hixon, yes. Collins, yes. McDaniel, yes. Mr. Clerk,

Mr. Mayor, thank you. Uh, just want to take a moment to announce uh a very nice award that the city of Rome was presented with on Saturday. This is from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. They had their 49th annual awards ceremony in Marietta on Saturday morning. And of the 28 or so awards that were given, the city of Rome received the pinnacle award, their top award. It's called the Margaret Williams award. And it's given to the project that is shown to have the greatest impact on historic preservation in Georgia. And that project is our clock tower project. uh they deemed that the most worthy uh project over the past year. And uh I want to mention one thing about that project, as important as it was, is how it was funded. That was funded by a special purpose local option sales tax, not not property tax. the 2023 citizen splice committee uh received a presentation from the city and deemed that project very worthy, placed it on the referendum, and then the voters of Rome and Floyd County approved that package and then the city went to work right away to bid and uh find a contractor and go to work on that project. But I hope the whole city is proud of it. I've heard nothing but positive remarks from that uh project. It was both a preservation and a restoration project. There are some structural issues as well as cosmetic. And I think the the clock tower uh it's got a 150 plus year history and it's got a bright future ahead of it. I hope the whole city's proud.

I would follow that up by saying caucus that uh Joe Smith is being real modest. He uh came to uh thank the manager and and talked about it with some of the commissioners that he thought that we should preserve our city clock and he was the one that presented to the uh citizens committee and asked that uh they consider putting it on the ballot to be voted on. and and that was done and it was approved. And he also uh held that project hand to completion, which was not easy. It took about how long, Joe?

It took a little longer than we had hoped, but uh the results the results are good, but yeah, it took several months. Well, again, I think you'll be commended. You did a great job. Thank you very much. Mr. Manager, you got a report? Uh, no, sir. No report. Mr. Attorney, no report. Under my time, uh, I to let you know that the water and sewer committee is, uh, meeting on Thursday, May 7th, 9:00 a.m. in the Sam King room. Uh, Commissioner Robinson. Uh, no report, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Rock.

Uh, development oversight will meet Tuesday, May 5th, 10:30 in the Sam King room. That's all I have. Commissioner Cochran. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The ribbon cutting for the Rome is mural will be held on Monday, May the 4th at 2:00 p.m. at the Third Avenue parking deck. And that concludes my report. Thank you, Commissioner Bman.

Uh, up under historic preservation, there is going to be a free family garden workshop coming up on Saturday, May the 2nd. and it's through with keep Ron Floyd beautiful and also with historic preservation. And I wanted to share that there was a meeting our last meeting that took place in um April and it was it was uh brought to the commission about the the future of the what is it? Um the partridge. Yes. I'm like I can't think of the history of the future of the partridge. And the proposal was to be able to turn the Partridge restaurant uh into an entertainment and music venue along with the restaurant. And it will have the proposed work includes interior and ex exterior renovations of the former Partridge restaurant to be used as an entertainment and music venue. And the work includes uh an elevation rooftop facilities and restrooms and stairwells. and the rooftop will also include a open and enclosed spaces. So that's something exciting that the partridge is now coming back to a future venue. And then I also wanted to share up under public safety. Um we want to thank everybody who saw something and said something and supported the police on on all these incidents that's been occurring in our um in our communities. And although there was still work to that needs to still be done, it takes a village. And I know the police officers appreciate everybody who spoke up. So we want you to know that we got your back and that we support it. It takes a village. So when we see something, I'm asking everybody to continue to say something. And then also we're talking about the red speed the red speed uh discussion that we had up front. Do we need to bring that up or do we just need to table it? What do we need to

I would recommend we take it up at a public safety committee based on what our discussion in caucus. All righty then. I have no no other further news up. That concludes my report. Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Fischer, I have no report for public works um for solid waste commission. The meeting on April 28th was cancelled. We had a called meeting earlier this month. So that is why that meeting was cancelled and won't meet again until July. That is it for my report.

Thank you, Commissioner Hixon. Yeah, the uh Rome Floyd Planning Commission meeting will meet on Thursday uh May 7th at 2:30 p.m. here in the commission chambers. And the alcohol control commission had a brief discussion that I think um the commission should kind of entertain um in the coming weeks or months in regards to licensing. Um, and this is uh directly uh with the tragic event that happened at the event center um the other night. We talked about it and we know there's nothing that the ACC can do, but I think there needs to be a discussion amongst the commission uh in regards to licensing. And I also want to remind um the commission and this is not up under my uh departments of the uh Rome City Middle School ribbon cutting ceremony that will be happening um tomorrow um at 5:00 p. p.m. for those who want to come out and help celebrate the new middle school. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner. Um Commissioner Collins, before you give your report, I'm gonna ask U. Kelly Leadford to uh she briefed us on um something that she that's near and dear to her heart down downstairs and I I'm going to let her go ahead and talk about Go ahead.

Well, thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Collins for inviting me to speak um about what I shared with you guys downstairs. As you know, I'm very involved in the Salvation Army and one of the things that we are getting geared up for this summer is our Camp Grand View. Um, Camp Gran View, if you don't know where that is, is a camp in Jasper, Georgia, which is about an hour away. It is a Salvation Army camp. So, it is run by the Salvation Army. It's staffed by the Salvation Army. And the Salvation Army provides this free camp um every year to students from the ages of 7 to 12. Um, this year's camp is runs from July 6th through the 11th. Um, so that is a Monday through a Saturday. Um they do provide faith-based programs, outdoor activities, uh three meals a day are included, swimming, fishing, all kind of enrichment classes. This is an environment that is safe, um that is a welcoming environment for children. And of course, after our discussion in caucus tonight, we know that we need as many of those opportunities as possible. Um the Salvation Army of Rome has already paid for 30 spots. Whether we have 30 kids or one kid, we have already paid for 30 spots and I really do not want to see that money go to waste and to see those um cabins stay empty. This is a great opportunity. The transportation is free. Like I said, the food, the programming is free and I know in today's time it is a little wary for people to think about sending their kids off um with people they don't know and I understand that. But um I would like to stress that the Salvation Army vets this staff um very closely and very critically because they do make them go through a lot of hoops and a lot of steps to um for background checks and interviews and references. All these things are checked um probably more than than a lot of places where your kids may go honestly. Um, but I I would like to let you know also that our local Salvation Army will be having a meet and greet prior to um the camp so that if

you want to go and meet the folks, some of the folks that'll be working for them and be transporting, you can do that as well. Um, if you have any questions, you can always reach out to me or if you will just check out the Salvation Army's website, Salvation Army of Rome, um, or our Facebook presence, you'll find more information. You can always call the Salvation Army on East First also. But that again that date is 6 to 11 and this is for children ages 7 to 12. Um so if you have any questions you can reach out to me in the city manager's office and I ask the public to please share that information because we really would love to have that camp full of kiddos this year. Heather, I know if you was like I was coming up, probably never even heard of opportunity like this to go to a camp and be gone for a week from my home. But I wanted every opportunity for anybody out there that have ever found myself in that position to have this opportunity because like you say, it's already paid for and it's it's coming from a a great organization to want to host this. It is. It's an amazing program. And I know when my daughter was small and I was a working parent, I it was hard for me to find things for her to do in the summer where I could continue to work. And it's expensive to pay for camp to send your kids to. And so for this to be a camp that is um led by faith-based and and and God loving people, I think it's a great opportunity. So um I would appreciate any help that we could get in getting that filled up.

All right. Thank you, Kelly. Thank you, Commissioner Collins. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. under my time community uh redevelopment committee some years back GE awarded us how many acres was it Sammy out there 123 acres and I've heard this my colleague sat beside me for years and years gripe about West Rome not having a park going have one now

so finally we get in the park and we hoping that it's just the beginning of something even greater coming down the pipeline for even uh better and bigger part. But this here is going to be really great. Sammy, would you explain to us exactly what we're getting, please?

Yes, sir. Thank you, Commissioner. And you all may recall this um we weren't looking for this project and actually it's a project that started with our partner over at the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority and they determined um they really didn't have the capacity to carry carry out the project and and so that led to some ongoing discussions and then we discovered um we could make this happen out at the existing Gerard Park which is the former GE property and so if you are familiar with the GE site and if you are directly east of the GE parking lot, you would be in the area that we're talking about. So, the city uh we went out did a solicitation for a design build construction project and we received three biders and after the committee reviewed the the the bids, the recommendation was to go with pennant construction um for a price not to exceed $1.6 million. And um I didn't mention earlier but the the team uh pennant construction pennant is familiar because they most recently constructed the north stores north stars park which is up north on north broad and part of the team in addition to pennant would include Bailey civil uh Bailey civil group and then local architect Beth Beth Da and so this project um the most important ingredient is it's got to be complete by October of this year. And so really, it leaves little room for doubt in having a team that can't make it happen. And so we feel like this is the team. Staff recommended that approval and it went before the uh community redevelopment committee, which brings it to you all tonight. And if you all agree, the $1.6 million uh not to exceed budget, we'll be off to the races. And Pennet has um concurred, they can get it done on time.

Thank you, Mr. Manager. I move to approve. I second. All right, we got a motion and a second. Any discussion?

I just want to say that this was um one of the first uh applications or agenda that I had to vote on. Um, I I always thought that, you know, this was approved, the park was approved through the formal leadership at the housing authority for the housing authority. And I really didn't agree with it being moved and we were told that it was um because it was in a flood plane. And after doing some research, it's quite common to build a park in a flood plane. Um, and I I you know, and it's no knock to pennet construction. Uh, they do beautiful work. I think they did some work at the Chub Chapel in Caves. Um, the Allstar Park in North North Rome and across the city. But, um, I I just that's my comment. Any other comments here? Ju

just to clarify that's not in the flood plane. That is in the No, the the reason of it one of the reasons of it being moved from the housing authority, we were told because it was in a flood plane. Just to clarify, that's not a flood plane. It's a flood way. Oh, sure. There's a there's a substantial difference between the flood plane and the flood way as far as what can be I think the language that was used in January or February was flood plane.

It's uh sometimes somewhat very confusing u Mr. Manager if we don't get the I guess clarity. I thought I had clarity and I do remember what uh Commissioner Brock is saying about Flood Way. Could you please express to us Sammy the U reason that all the commissioners felt like we had no choice and tell us what the difference is in this here flood way and this flood plane.

Sure. And Commissioner Brock's correct when you when you can build in a flood plane by following certain prescribed rules, you cannot build in a flood way. And in addition to that, um, in this particular project, because it's federal funding, I think that was the bigger sticking point to why it was just told it was a no-go. We could not do the project there. So, that's what led us to ultimately going out to find Gerard Park. Is it your opinion that if uh in fact those other facts Oh, that you actually cannot

Yes, sir. That that's correct. We the project would have been unbuildable in the original location. That was the that was the whole issue. Well, I have to agree with Commissioner. those rumors are out there and I just want the opportunity tonight for them to be dispelled and so I'm I'm just counting on what you just told us and told Commissioner Vic that that's the deal.

Yeah, understand. And again, the the housing authority is still a partner with us and as I understand they've also um approved this and maybe one of y'all was at that meeting. I'm not sure, but they are continuing to be a partner with the project. But with that, my motion.

Mr. Clark, call the roll. Sir, Commissioner Robinson. Yes. Rock. Yes. Cochran. Uh, point of information. One moment. Right.

This is where they tore all the buildings down. It's all back there. Right there. Yeah. Okay. Yes. Bam. Yes. Fisher. Yes. Hixon. No. Hollands. Yes. Dang. Yes. Commissioner Collins, that concludes your report.

No, I I will tell you that Mr. Mayor, I'm doing my job. I I did go to the Northwest Regional Commission meeting. We had a very nice meeting and uh the chairman especially to us that he had paid a visit to the battery factory up there, the big factory on 411 going into Cartersville. that that group had expressed to him that come September they will be hiring as many as 1,000 to maybe 1,200 people putting them to work up there. So it look like it's back on track to have the I think 40 some 4,000 to 5,000 people working at that plant. And also to know that the regional development up there does a great deal that they probably you guys never hear about here, but they feed so many seniors in our community each and every day. Bring meals in here. And also um if our workforce the bakery I think is closing down at as many as u it was less than 100 people working there but they're going to be getting those people placed at other bakeries and other jobs. And that's their mission is to do whatever they can to keep our workforce going, support our uh professional people in any manner and shape that they can. If you got some question the commission that you want to reach out to them about uh funds or grants etc might be coming to see a way they don't mind if you do that but it was a very good meeting and I would thank you Mr. Mayor for allowing me to be on that commission and look forward to bringing back some more good reports.

Well thank you thank you for that report. Thank you sir. Commissioner McDaniel have no report. We have a couple of people to make public comments on non-aggenda items. First being Tom Couch. Tom, if you will give us your address. It's Tom Couch, 521 East 9th Street here in Rome.

Four years ago, I went with the League of Women Voters to the John Graham's home to do some voter registration. I was surprised when I got there. There were very few cars there and very very few people. I later found out that twothirds of the units over there had been taken out of service by the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority. This was a time when this commission committee had been talking about lack of affordable housing and our tremendous increase in homelessness here in Rome and Floyd County. Then two years ago, the new housing authority CEO was appoint was hired and several new members were appointed by the then mayor to the board of directors there at the U housing authority. Several commissioners commissioners expressed some severe reservations about these appointments. So I decided it was time for me as to become a more informed citizen and attend their monthly meetings, which I've done for the last year and a half. and uh commissioners Brock and Robinson have I've seen them there at those meetings. In my professional career, I've been both a manager and a consultant and attended hundreds of meetings. In my opinion, the housing authority board meetings are the best I've ever attended. Agenda items include proposed changes in the bylaws, security issues, project updates, maintenance updates, any new proposed contracts, and a detailed financial report. All board members actively question any of the agenda items and are not shy about asking follow-up questions until they are satisfied with the answers. Two years ago when they took over two years ago when the new director took over they had 922 units in service. Today they have,2 units in service. Two years ago the John Grahams home had 47 units in service. Today they have 140 occupied units.

In July 2024, they were serving 1888 people. By the end of March of this year, they are serving 2,385 people. That's 500 more residents that the housing authority is serving in less than two years. Again, that's 500 more residents. Now, these are people, that's 298 families that now have a roof over their head rather than the high likelihood that they'll be living with a relative or homeless. The housing authority has done more, I think, in the last two years to alleviate alleviate the homeless homelessness than any other organization in this area. By the way, the sale of the Bill Collins homes will result in 25 more units uh so that 25 more families will now have housing. In conclusion, this is something our commission and all of Rome should be celebrating. Astoundingly, at the last commission meeting, two commissioners lambasted the housing authority. To my knowledge, neither one has attended any of the meetings of the board meetings in the last year and a half. I've been there. I haven't seen either one of them. And these are open to the public. You don't have to, you know, sign in or anything. In fact, what I do is a Mr. Carriage and I think they should do a public Apology to the housing board and the CEO, Justin Jones. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Couch. Yes. You won't get it from me. What? You won't get it from me.

Ron Swinford is second on our list. Name's Ron Swinford. I live out in these. Each one of you should have one of these on your on your desk. This was put out last a week ago Monday or week ago today, I'm sorry, uh from our water department and I'd like to praise our own water department because at a time when we're starting to see drought conditions throughout the state, this is a good idea. I know it's a state uh I know it's a state program, but um Conservation of water is never a bad idea. This is this is something that we need to really be looking into even in a town with three rivers. And I see some of you smiling because you know where it's going. Perhaps over the next couple of years, because we've got some time, perhaps we should start looking into the usage of some of these proposed data centers because this is a great idea for now, but when they're pumping 15 million gallons out a day, it's too late. Thank you very much. That concludes our uh agenda meeting for today. So this meeting is adjourned.