City of Blue Ridge Councilman Nathan Fitts shot down a plan by the mayor to replace the deck and wall on East Main Street without additional quotes for the project, during a regular meeting Tuesday, February 11.
“That’s fine,” Mayor Donna Whitener said. “I mean I don’t care. We’re gonna tear down the decking anyway and get that outta there so it’ll be ready to go.”
Whitener said she had gotten three quotes from one entity “a couple years ago,” and expects it to cost around $100,000.
The item was tabled.
As a means to make use of the Farmer’s Market (specific plans have not been told), the city will make $18,500 worth of repairs. Planning, Zoning and Project Manager Jeff Stewart said the existing structure needs repairs to the roof and will require bolts and anchors welded to posts.
Councilwoman Rhonda Haight said, “I have a huge vision for it ... I think we just need to get it going. We need to get it structurally sound.”
The Georgia Department of Transportation Memorandum of Understanding approved phase two and three of the Highway 5 widening project
A Credit Card Resolution was approved that gives Whitener permission to sign a contract that will allow city supervisors to have their own credit card.
Whitener said currently, if a supervisor needs to buy something she must send them with the card as well as her driver’s license because the card is in her name. By allowing each supervisor their own credit card, she will not have to loan out her license.
A contract with 4-V Ranch was renewed for lawn maintenance services for all city properties for two years. This contract will cost the city $8,000 each month.
A Tree City USA Board Appointment called for the replacement of Beverly Cox from the board, and the city voted to replace Cox with Fannin County Extension Agent Ashley Hoppers.
The board makes recommendations on what and where to plant.
“We’ve had two people reach out to us that are sending us trees,” Whitener said, “I think the school’s getting some trees through one of the programs. I think we’re getting about 50 trees for the schools ... It will work with their STEM program.”
An approved invoice of $5,800 with Johnson Paving included the materials and labor of replacing a large pipe on West Main that was not initially budgeted in, and a Lance Trucking Company invoice of $7,167.69 was approved, which involved placing gravel around the pipe.
Two Carter & Sloope invoices were approved. Invoice number 24060 for $5,240.10 involved temperature limits at the Waste Water Treatment Plant, which was talked about during a January 14 meeting.
The plant had been pushed by the Environmental Protection Agency to make improvements to regulate their temperatures.
Carter & Sloope invoice number 24059 for $6,287.91 was for the Trackside Lane pump station.
Concerning problems with a transmission line on McKinney Street, Whitener said, “We tried to point fingers at almost everybody else, but it really came back to our contractor when they did the transmission line for us and some other work.”
She said there has been some “washing out” around the line, and the project will cost $14,760 with North Georgia Grading to excavate, lay a 24 inch pipe and bedding and for labor. Council members agreed to move forward.
Regarding the partnership with Reve Solutions, a new system for the city’s sewer plant, Whitener said the company is ready to go and should implement the new method soon.
An executive session pertaining to land acquisition was held, but no formal action was taken.