Eatonton City Council spent much of its latest scheduled meeting, Oct. 7, debating whether it’s ready or even willing to host a touring Smithsonian Institution exhibit.
The council ultimately tabled the proposal until a committee can review the space, policy, and cost issues involved.
Mayor John Reid and councilmembers heard an impassioned pitch from Georgia Writers Museum (GWM) Director Melissa Swindell and Lyn Romine, representing Eatonton’s Old School History Museum. They were asking to set up the traveling “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” at the city’s recently purchased former elementary school campus, which is expected to house a new city hall next year.
Swindell said the exhibit, scheduled for April-May 2026, should draw upward of 4,000 visitors to Eatonton, including many schoolchildren bused in on field trips from across the state.
Reid opened the discussion by questioning whether the city should authorize third-party use of areas that remain under a leaseback agreement to the Putnam County Board of Education.
“It’s unusual that you give somebody a lease on property and then still make decisions about that property, except for maintenance,” the mayor said, noting he had sought legal guidance before bringing the matter forward.
City Administrator Gary Sanders said he had no recommendations to make, stressing it was a matter for the council to consider and decide upon; however, he had consulted with City Attorney Chris Huskins as well as Board of Education officials and was confident the proposed uses would not interfere with the school system’s occupancy, which ends mid-December.
Sanders explained that three pending requests — for the 2026 exhibit by GWM, winter gym access for the Putnam County Recreation Department, and short-term wrestling practice space for the schools — all fell within or after that timeline.
“Most of these are future events beyond the lease term,” Sanders said before pointing out, “the one that’s most pressing is with the school system itself.”
Swindell, a former Smithsonian employee, said the Washington, D.C.-based organization’s democracy exhibit would run for six weeks beginning April 20, 2026, and suggested the displays could occupy the old elementary school’s atrium, include a companion local display, and ideally use nearby classrooms for student programs and activities before or after touring the exhibit.
She also stressed the convenience of large, nearby parking areas intentionally laid out to accommodate multiple school buses and/or highway coaches. She noted, too, that volunteers would staff the “Voices and Votes” exhibit.
Romine then described the atrium as “a magnificent, visible space that would showcase a first-rate, panel-based installation” and suggested that not only would the exhibit be a great draw for tourism to Eatonton, but would present an ideal way to showcase the city’s new building to its citizens as well as those from across Lake Country.
Most council members voiced support, but each also sought more information and structure. Ward 2 Representative James Gorley questioned why the proposal had bypassed the Buildings and Grounds Committee and said the city needed a clearer plan for space allocation.
“As council, we need to be more involved before coming tonight to vote,” he said. Ward 4 Councilmember Teresa Doster asked about backup plans if the atrium or classrooms were unavailable, while Marie Rainey, representing Wards 1 and 4, raised concerns about maintenance during the exhibit.
“Four thousand people are a lot of supplies, that’s a lot of paper towels and soap and toilet paper, and we don’t have housekeepers to keep bathrooms clean all the time,” Rainey said.
Swindell responded that the last Museum on Main Street exhibit drew approximately the same number of visitors over six weeks, and volunteers were able to handle staffing and cleanup.
Mayor Reid said he supports hosting the exhibit; however, he pointed out the city has not yet settled on plan and design standards for its own needs.
“We expect to have extra space, but we just don’t know exactly what we have right now,” he said.
After discussion, the council tabled the memorandum of understanding and asked organizers to submit detailed information on space and logistics.
Ward 3 Councilmember Janie Reid later urged the development of a standard rental-fee structure to address concerns about gratuity.
The council also tabled the separate requests for gym and wrestling space “until such time that we feel we can take it up again,” Doster said, citing the absence of policies, fee schedules, and a finalized occupancy plan.
In other business, the council appointed Sanders as absentee ballot clerk for the Nov. 4 municipal election to fill an immediate vacancy.
“This is something more of an emergency action than a desire,” Sanders said, noting, however, that he is a certified municipal election official.
Early voting began Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the old gas building behind City Hall, with Saturday voting on Oct. 18 and 25. Council members also reminded residents that city and county elections take place at separate polling locations.
Sanders later reported the city’s tax digest was approved Oct. 1, with tax bills due Dec. 20. He also noted a scheduled Nov. 4 council meeting will need to be rescheduled since it falls on Election Day.
Sanders also said the city is preparing a request for proposals for design services related to the new City Hall complex.
To end the meeting, the council approved routine b. It adjourned after confirming that the Smithsonian proposal will remain under consideration. At the same time, organizers are refining logistics, and the city is finalizing its facility plans and policies for the soon-to-be-refurbished elementary school.
“Everybody likes this idea,” Mayor Reid said of the Smithsonian proposal. “We just need to do a little more research on it.”