by Robin Kemp

After a lazy Memorial Day week, local government is back at it with both barrels. Monday, June 7 and Tuesday, June 8 are crammed with meetings. Please note that, because multiple elected bodies are meeting at the same time, we need your generous gifts more than ever in order to hire more professional journalists to cover these meetings in person!

We’ll expand on this roundup as quickly as possible, so check back often!

Monday, June 7

  • 6 p.m.: Forest Park City Council‘s work session agenda (regular meeting to follow at 7 p.m.) includes several big items:
    • a discussion of a proposed crackdown on rental properties that violate city code
    • a proposed contract with Spalding County’s former elections superintendent, Marcia Ridley, to run the city’s November 2 municipal election
    • a request to dispose of several old vehicles and gear at the Fire Department and a discussion of whether to donate the items to sister cities
    • a discussion of the site plan and evaluation of a new public safety center at Gillem Logistics Center
    • and a discussion of a policy on the use of city credit cards–specifically, that they are not to be used for personal purchases, what constitutes a receipt, and forbidding users from splitting certain large charges into recurring payments.
    • The regular meeting will recognize Willie and Annie Finch’s 67th wedding anniversary. The Finches are longtime residents and civil rights pioneers of Forest Park. The city also will proclaim June as Immigrant Heritage Month.
  • 6 p.m.: Jonesboro City Council’s work session includes a slew of zoning matters:
    • a Conditional Use Permit Application, 21-CU-009 ,for pre-production makeup effects (movies, television) and associated classes, by Trent Bowen, current property owner, and Greg Solomon, applicant, for property at 9135 South Main Street (Parcel No. 06032A B009)
    • a Conditional Use Permit Application, 21-CU-010,for an event center and lounge, by Patricia Okwuosa, property owner and applicant, for property at 242 Stockbridge Road (Parcel No. 12017D B003)
    • a Zoning Appeal, 21-ZA-001, for specialty spa and salon services in the Historic District, by New and Associates, LLC, property owner, and Valencia Jenkins, applicant, for property at 112 Stockbridge Road (Parcel No. 13241B D002)
    • a Zoning Appeal, 21-ZA-002,for an expansion of a fleet repair and maintenance facility in the Gateway South Overlay District, by the estate of Wendell Parrish, current property owner, and QuikSlik, applicant, for property at 8851 Tara Boulevard (Parcel No. 05239 241003), in the Gateway South District Overlay
    • three proposed text amendments to incorporate the City Center Mixed Use District requirements and to “[reflect] changes made in the re-evaluation of the allowability of certain uses through recent experience and trying to establish a better balance of ‘business friendliness’ and responsibility to the overall community” (21-TA-007, Ord. 2021-013; 21-TA-008 Ord. 2021-014; and 21-TA-009, Ord. 2021-015)
    • a discussion of Resolution 2021-003 to adopt the Clayton County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
    • a discussion of mold remediation services for the Police Department.
    • a discussion of Budget Amendment #21-02 “regarding an increase in Occupational Tax Revenues”
    • a discussion on accepting funds for a Virtual Training Simulator System
    • consideration of approval of 2021 Georgia’s Downtown Classic Main Street Memorandum of Understanding and the 2021 National Main Street Center’s Affiliate sublicensing agreement
    • discussion of emergency crosswalk repair materials, traffic control and labor at Spring and Main Streets
    • discussion of an ordinance “providing for regulations governing the use of skateboards in certain areas”
  • 6 p.m.: The Clayton County School Board’s agenda includes a vote to adopt the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget (see our story last week), as well as reports on:
    • district finances
    • SPLOST revenue
    • purchasing
    • personnel changes
    • SPLOST-funded construction
    • and a resolution on a CCPS Local Facility Plan.

Tuesday, June 8

  • 4:30 p.m. The Clayton County Board of Elections and Registration holds its regular monthly meeting via Zoom. Submit comments in advance and register to watch online. Questions? Call (770) 477-3372.
  • 5:30 p.m.: The Clayton County Board of Commissioners work session agenda includes an update of the County Records Management Plan Ordinance, as well as information about the proposed county budget for FY2022. Watch the livestream online or on CCTV23/Uverse 99.
  • 5:30 p.m.: Morrow City Council kicks off its work session (followed by the regular meeting) with
    • an update on Morrow Center’s financials
    • a discussion of former Mayor Jim Millirons’ Celebration of Life
    • the scope of work for Lowe proposals
    • a potential change in the homestead exemption tax
    • updates from Fire Chief Roger Swint on a possible residential sprinklers maintenance plan, COVID-19, and ambulance billing
    • discussion of the SPLOST Manager
    • update on the Welcome sign
    • upcoming events
    • bond refinancing
    • appointments to the Morrow Housing Authority
    • plus the usual items on the URA, Olde Towne Morrow, and city property progress updates
  • The regular meeting agenda includes
    • a public hearing on the budget, which notes “NO TAX INCREASE EXPECTED”
    • appointing Bonnie Crawford and Cherie Crisp to the Downtown Development Authority
    • approval of the agreement with EF Recovery to recoup fire and emergency expenses
    • approval to change the defined benefit retirement plan company from GMEBS to One America
    • approval of the Phase 1 Large Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Annual Report Agreement with Clayton County Water Authority
    • second reading of Ordinance 2021-07, to allow the Fire Department to recover costs from “extraordinary expenses resulting from the utilization of city resources in response to certain public safety, fire, or emergency incidents or conditions”
    • first reading of Ordinance 2021-08, to adopt the proposed FY2022 budget
    • Resolution 2021-06, to identify natural hazards and develop a risk mitigation plan
    • an executive session on personnel matters.
  • 6 p.m.: The Development Authority (Invest Clayton) meets at the Lake City Community Center, 5471 Jonesboro Road, Lake City. On the agenda:
    • Larry Vincent will talk about Invest Clayton’s Job Fair, as well as update the project report
    • Treasurer Randy Burton will update Invest Clayton’s finances
    • The board will vote on approving the May 11 minutes from the meeting and the executive session.
    • Read the May 11 post-meeting summary, including an economic development strategic plan from Clayton State projected to be presented at the June meeting, as well as a discussion of the Mountain View project’s three phases:
      • three e-commerce facilities and Gilbert Road improvements
      • “a single large facility, approximately 450,000-500,000 square feet”
      • Airport City, “including commercial, Class A office, and retail space.”
    • a draft updated Human Resources handbook
    • a unanimous vote to present the Board of Commissioners with a revised draft intergovernmental agreement
  • 6 p.m.: Hampton City Council hears zoning matters, followed by the regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Zoning matters include:
    • public hearing on a request to rezone 74 Oak Street from C-1 General Commercial to M-1 Light Industrial to allow mini-warehouse self-storage on roughly 4.22 acres (Parcel ID 008-01009012). The owners are Tucker 74 Oak LLC, Tucker Capital Group R 4838 LLC, Erik 74 Oak LLC, and Peter 74 Oak LLC
    • a companion public hearing on the same property owner’s request for a comprehensive plan amendment to the map (COMP_AM-21-02)
    • a public hearing on updates to comply with the Historic Preservation Act, specifically on Appendix A, Article 9 as it relates to Ordinance Chapter 10, Historic Preservation 44-10-1
    • a public hearing on rezoning about 134 acres on Minter Drive in unincorporated Henry County from RA Residential-Agricultural to City of Hampton’s MU Mixed Use District, which would allow development of single-family detached residential, townhomes, apartments, and commercial/retail. This would be on Parcels 010-01023000, 010-01022000, and 010-0100600. The requests “impact current annexation applications of properties into the City of Hampton” and the owner is General Holdings Unlimited, LLC
    • a public hearing on a request from Oaks Southampton LLC to “dedicate property [0.495 acres from Parcel 022-01004003] for use as public right-of-way to the City of Hampton”
  • The regular meeting includes second reads and voting on two rezoning ordinances:
    • 2021-542 would rezone property from R2 Single Family Residential to R4 Single Family Residential
    • 2021-541 would approve a change to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) from Low Density Residential (LDR) to Medium Density Residential (MDR).
  • New business includes first reads on the work session’s zoning matters, as well as votes on:
    • an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Hampton and the Hampton Development Authority
    • approval of attorney Doug Selby of Hunton Andrew Kurth as bond counsel for the city
    • a special events application for a Small-Town American Street Block Party on July 10 during the Atlanta Motor Speedway NASCAR Xfinity Series Race, requested by Main Street and the Hampton Business Merchants’ Association.

Wednesday, June 9

Saturday, June 12

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