Council Appoints Member for Post 5
Business, Community March 8, 2022
DAHLONEGA, Ga.- The City Council voted to appoint a temporary member for the remainder of the post 5 term after receiving applications for the position last month.
The council also approved three ordinances to begin the process for the distilled spirits package store. The last item they approved was the amendment of the personnel management system policies.
Mayor JoAnne Taylor while swearing-in Lance Bagley for the Post 5 position on the City Council.
The council voted three to two in favor of Lance Bagley for the temporary post 5 position on the council. The council announced at their Feb. 7 meeting that they would begin accepting applications for the position. They accepted applications until Feb. 21 at which time they had received ten applications.
In order to make that more manageable Mayor JoAnne Taylor asked the council to select one application that they supported. The council then voted on the two options that were left.
The reason the council made the appointment instead of holding a special election to have the citizens vote someone in is due to the City Charter. The charter which was changed by a previous council, due to health and members stepping down, states that the council should appoint to fill the empty seat. To read this view https://library.municode.com/ga/dahlonega/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTICHRELA_SPACH, the code on vacancies is section 5.12.
There were citizens present that objected to the position being appointed instead of elected. The council heard their concerns and explained why this step was being taken and Taylor read the code on the matter before the vote.
“I’d like to reiterate something that was said tonight, and that is that it is fascinating that ten people put in an application to be appointed to this position and last November we had two seats that were elected that no one opposed the candidates so my hope and prayer is that the nine of you that weren’t appointed tonight consider running for election in a future time frame,” commented Councilmen Ron Larson.
City Attorney Doug Parks presented the council with the first ordinances for the package store. The ordinances now have to go before the Planning Commission before they come back to the council for the final approval. The ordinances changed the zoning on B1 and B2 to allow the package store in those districts. The ordinances are 2022-05, 2022-06, and 2022-07.
The final item that was approved was the amendment of personnel management system policies. Finance Director Allison Martin brought this to the council at the work session on Feb. 21. The only change from that reading of it was to move the vehicle safety practices to their own section as suggested by the council. To view what the council discussed at the work session visit https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2022/02/22/council-begins-discussions-on-distilled-spirits-package-store-memorandums/.
Council Approves Rezoning Ordinance 2022-03
Business, Community February 8, 2022
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The City Council approved the Rezoning Ordinance 2022-03 at the meeting on Feb. 7 after hearing from the public at a Public Hearing on Jan. 18.
The council also approved the bids for the two asphalt leveling and resurfacing projects. They ratified the newly appointed Board of Ethics members and sworn in those who were present. Lastly, Mayor JoAnne Taylor made an Arbor Day proclamation.
Chris and Don Head came before the City Council at a public hearing on Jan. 18 to explain why they were applying for a rezoning from R-1 Residential to a B-1 Business zone. The council listened both to the Heads and to the public that came out, for more information on that meeting visit https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2022/01/19/council-hears-public-concerns-on-rezoning/.
The Council voted to approve the rezoning with conditions. Councilmember Roman Gadis had previously been contacted by parties directly interested in the matter and he recused himself from the matter. There are six in all but the two that the residents of Skyline Drive were most concerned with are numbers one and two.
Number one states any site plan shall reflect no vehicular access or driveway provided through Skyline Drive and shall also comply with all relevant zoning and development regulations. Number two states the only approved vehicular access to the property shall be from North Grove Street under permitting by the Georiga Department of Transportation and the City of Dahlonega. To view the remaining conditions visit https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/dahlonega-pubu/MEET-Packet-652a531e766d4743b1598361783df0b4.pdf, they begin on page 28.
The next item the council approved was the two asphalt leveling and resurfacing projects. These projects will take place in the entire North Hall Road area. The bid came from Colditz Trucking.
For the first project, which the state will cover 70% and the city will be responsible for the other 30%, the bid came in at $145,102.71. The second project is bid at $146,105.31. The council approved both of these bids from Colditz.
The newly appointed Board of Ethics members while being sworn in by Mayor JoAnne Taylor.
The Council also ratified their choices for the Board of Ethics members. The board of ethics is called in if there is a concern with how a council member has handled a matter.
Each council member selected two candidates for the board. They will serve for two years, and those that were present at the meeting were sworn in the rest will be sworn in at a later date.
“A very important part of our mission as public servants is to be ethical in our dealings and we have been a certified City of Ethics for quite some time now but when there is a change in your mayor or council members we usually go through and reappoint our ethics representatives,” explained Taylor.
Taylor also took the opportunity to proclaim Feb. 24 Arbor Day in the City of Dahlonega. There will be the planting of a tree ceremony on that day at a location to be determined.
The council also announced that they will be selecting a member to fill post 5 for the remainder of the term which lasts till December of 2023. The requirements for the position are the same as if the position was being elected by the voters.
The city will be taking applications until Feb. 21 and will fill the post on Mar. 7. The application is available online at https://dahlonega.gov/applications-and-forms/ and can be turned into Mary Csukas the City Clerk.