The Eatonton City Council met on Wednesday, Nov. 5, with a relatively light agenda, resulting in a brief 35-minute meeting.
Also of note, Mayor Pro Tem Chip Walker returned to the council following recovery from a serious bicycle accident.
City Administrator Gary Sanders opened the meeting by reporting steady progress on extending the Briar Patch Trail at the butterfly sanctuary north of downtown.
“It is well underway with the clearing of the trail footprint; I think you’ll really like the finished product,” he told a full council on the night Mayor Pro Tem Chip Walker finally returned following several weeks of hospitalization and at-home recovery following a serious bicycling accident.
However, Sanders also presented a change order request from contractor Concrete Constructors Inc. to correct a misunderstanding in its initial bridge bid. He explained the contractor originally priced the bridge at $14,000 with an additional $10,800 for helical piles, which are vertical support shafts that screw into the ground. The two prices were mistakenly not added together, Sanders explained.
“The contractor is asking for your mercy in correcting an error on their bid,” he told the council, noting the revised total would still fall below other submitted bids.
Sanders also outlined an additional work request of $8,500 from Concrete Constructors, after its workers found two large trees leaning dangerously over the bridge site, a long-abandoned truck deep in the forest, piles of bricks, and other debris from an abandoned homestead. All hazards would have to be removed or otherwise mitigated, he added.
The council unanimously approved both requests.
Next, the council revisited an alcohol license transfer for the Chevron station (formerly Shell) at 204 E. Sumter St. in Eatonton. The ownership change from P. Eaton to Chevron Sumter LLC had been delayed from the previous meeting.
“We’ve completed the investigation, and everything is in order,” Sanders said before the council unanimously approved the transfer.
Attention then turned to the holidays, as Sanders presented a parade and carriage ride permit for Eatonton Main Street’s annual “Christmas in Eatonton” event on Dec. 4. The motion to approve passed unanimously.
In councilmember reports, Ward 4’s Teresa Doster announced another bid opening for the city’s T-SPLOST paving improvements.
Marie Rainey, representing Wards 1 and 4, reported visible progress at The Pex Theatre and said the architect involved is working on plans for interior renovations.
“We should have those plans finalized around Thanksgiving,” she said.
Rainey also noted the city was closing in on completing a new food truck ordinance.
Janie Reid of Ward 3 next shared a long list of upcoming community events. She also praised the city’s recent Hometown Connection meeting with state leaders.
“This was the best one we’ve ever had,” Councilmember Reid said. “Every time we asked for help, they said, ‘Let us do this work for you.’”
Public Safety Chairman James Gorley of Ward 2 used his time to commend the city’s first responders, with Eatonton Fire Chief Jamey Williamson adding that the department’s annual toy drive and a new Thanksgiving food drive are both underway.
The next regularly scheduled meeting for the Eatonton City Council is Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at Putnam County Commission Meeting Room No. 203, 117 Putnam Dr., Eatonton.