Wednesday, May 7, 2003
|
Wednesday, May 7, 2003 |
Council does business in short orderBy J. FRANK
LYNCH
Last Thursday, the Peachtree City Council said a prayer, gave allegiance to the U.S. flag, handed out some accolades, approved mintues from the March retreat, heard monthly financial reports, named their choice for a new city manager and took action on nearly a dozen official agenda items. And all under 60 minutes. Whether he was trying to prove a point or not, Mayor Pro Tem Dan Tennant deserves the credit for moving things along at light-speed. Tennant was presiding over his first meeting since being elected, as Mayor Steve Brown was absent for the first time as well. But clearly, the other council members didn't want to be there all night, either. Discussion of two issues related to the Development Authority of Peachtree City were cut and dry, and even the anouncement of Bernard McMullen as the council's choice for the next city manager came and went in a flash. "That's the way all city business should be done," Tennant said afterward. Among the action taken Thursday by the council: A second consideration of a request to return liquor license fees to the owners of Johnny Romanos Restaurant, which closed in February after the chef died, was deadlocked again in a 2-2 tie. Councilmen Tennant and Annie McMenamin supported the refund, while Steve Rapson and Murray Weed opposed. Council agreed to a city staff proposal to create a line-item "health department" in the budget to have a place to put funding on mosquito control efforts. Council heard updates on two areas of concern about the Development Authority, agreeing to reopen the application process for appointments to an open seat on the board. Also, City Attorney Ted Meeker gave an update on efforts to eliminate the authorities debt load, estimated at nearly $1.5 million. City staff is waiting for the governor to sign the bill redefining the limits of the authority before proceeding with a debt elimination proposal.
|
||