Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

We are grateful for the support of friends and neighbors in Eatonton and the county. Here is the latest on our effort to convince Eatonton City Council to permit Dot2Dot to host occasional events.

The Eatonton Messenger relayed how, after allowing us to host events for over two years, an “anonymous complaint” led the City to issue a cease-and-desist order. We have not been able to host events—50% of our business—since November.

We are asking the City to approve a conditional use for bed and breakfasts-we are the only one in Eatonton- to be able to host occasional events. Before the City shut us down, we hosted birthdays, bridal showers, brunches, and dinners. Our customers appreciated our great food and beautiful setting. We held pre-theater dinners for the Plaza, author thankyous for the Georgia Writers Museum, staff events for the Chamber and People’s Bank, and fundraisers for Gatewood and Ryan’s Gift of Advocacy.

We were honored to host Alice Walker’s 75th birthday lunch!

The City could not find Georgia precedents for the conditional use requested.

Good news: we’ve found eleven and counting- in cities big and small across the state. We are happy to abide by reasonable limits on headcount, timing and parking. We have a commercial kitchen and a Georgia Food Service Permit, and are regularly inspected.

Dot2Dot was a thriving business, unique in the county, and popular with residents, visitors, and neighbors. We bring footfall and dollars into Eatonton and send people to local treasures like the Uncle Remus Museum and the Old School History Museum.

Dot2Dot is the kind of business Eatonton needs. Why shut us down?

Thanks for everyone’s words of encouragement. We pray we will be able to fully reopen soon!

Richard Garrett & Karen Henry-Garrett

Owners of the Dot2Dot Inn, Eatonton