The July fireworks will be bigger than ever, swings are ready for the park, speed bumps will be replaced on Bridge Street, and the speed bumps in the Kingtown section will be left alone.
These and other business items were addressed when the McCaysville City Council met in regular session June 9.
Zach Welch, who heads the city’s revitalization committee, said the fireworks show July 3 is promising to be a bigger show because of the donations received.
In years past, about $8,000 has been spent on the show. This year, $10,000 has been raised,which includes a $4,000 contribution from the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce.
Welch said social distancing guidelines will be recommended.
Police Chief Michael Earley told the council all the department’s officers will be on duty because of the large crowd, likely between 3,000 and 5,000 people, expected.
Welch also said the train will arrive in McCaysville at 7 p.m. and return in time to arrive in Blue Ridge at 11 p.m.
Welch also said the swings are ready to be installed at the city park and efforts are underway to have a “Welcome to McCaysville” mural painted on the side of Donna Tressler’s building across from the police department.
The painting would be at the city’s expense.
He also said several housekeeping items will be completed, included mowing the city park and removing the silk fencing there, replacing the trees along Highway 60, and taking down several Christmas decorations.
Council members voted to allow Welch to purchase five yellow ginko trees. The city will be reimbursed for the cost with donations.
Council members put a halt to removing some speed bumps and cutting down others in Kingtown.
Mayor Thomas Seabolt said he and Councilman Larry Collis had been working on the possibility and had a January quote for $3,500 to have the work done.
Councilwoman Sue Beaver said she had heard no recent complaints and the speed bumps were not as bad as they used to be. She attributed this to normal wear.
Former Councilman Rodney Patterson, present in the audience, said he had work done on the height of the speed bumps before he left office.
The council gave Earley permission to replace the speed bumps on Bridge Street with table-top speed bumps.
One of the speed bumps had been damaged and had to be removed. The other, council members agreed, is too high and should be replaced also.
Council members also heard from Seabolt about a possibility of selling the city’s spring property off Old Epworth Road. The water cannot be used because it cannot be treated.
Councilman Jason Woody said the council should get an estimated value for the property before moving forward.
Patterson also raised concern over a concrete wall that would extend the current wall the city built. He said his father, Luther Patterson, had been promised the wall extension.
He said four large oak trees were cut down on the Patterson’s property based on the promise.
Seabolt disagreed, saying he never promised to extend the current wall and he was “not going to build one.”
Patterson said the bank the wall would protect is beginning to wash away and had to be fixed. He said, “I’ll fix it where it won’t wash, (but) it won’t be pretty.”
He said Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) money was available to do the work.