Politics & Government

Council Approves More Drainage Work, Pettit Creek Trail Phase II Construction

Here's a play-by-play of tonight's Cartersville City Council meeting.

Cartersville councilmen approved all the items on agenda during tonight's meeting. Those actions are:

• Councilmen extended by 30 days an agreement between the city and Emerson for sewage capacity to accommodate LakePoint's delayed closing on the land for .

• The council approved an agreement with Appalachian Valley Fiber Network, which will provide the city with dark fiber from the Cartersville-Bartow Airport to its fiber hub at Cook Street. AVFN will provide the dark fiber in lieu of the city allowing AVFN to over latch to its existing fiber attachments which are connected to city or Georgia Power utility poles. There is no cost to the city, but the venture expands its service area, officials say.

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• City leaders approved the purchase of a tractor and rotary cutter to maintain its right of ways from Bartow Farm and Lawn for $30,049. The city had contracted such work.

• Councilmen gave the go ahead on three purchases needed to relocate 1,000 feet of 8-inch gas line for construction of the new public safety headquarters building on Cassville Road. The low bids were $20,150 from Consolidated Pipe for the pipe, $6,697.92 from S.J. Patterson for the control fittings and $5,600 for the tapping and stopping operation.

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• The council approved a bid for the construction of the , but had to trim down the project due to budgetary constraints. Georgia Development Partners was awarded the bid of $333,535.79 and a Department of Natural Resources grant will cover a portion of the costs. The trail’s width has been reduced to 8 feet.

Some of the city's funding will come from money set aside to build the Leake Mound Trail, which officials say the city will need for that project next year.

• In an effort to relieve flooding problems along the railroad downtown, the council approved an expenditure not-to-exceed $70,000. Following flooding a couple of weeks ago, officials hope to clean out ditches, widen a drainage channel along the railroad and replace pipe under West Avenue to accommodate more water.

Officials say several businesses took on water.

Last year, the city spent $50,000 cleaning out ditches along the railroad that also serve as drainage channels, but some of those again are clogged and need additional work, officials say.

Public Works Director Bobby Elliott said officials are "at [their] wits' end" with the ongoing flooding problems, "other than a $1 to $2 million expenditure."

• In an item added to the agenda, the Cartersville Downtown Development Authority requested and the council approved a $125,000 revolving loan for Oakwood Café to locate at 148 E. Main St. The café will use the money to build out a kitchen.

Read the full agenda attached to this article for more information on each item.

The council also heard a presentation on the results of the Citizens Survey.


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