Eatonton City Council met Monday night and opened with the introduction of the 2024 Eatonton Youth Leadership Class by Councilmember Janie Reid. She explained the group of 12 students included juniors and seniors from both Putnam County High School and Gatewood School in the fourth Eatonton Youth Leadership class assembled. She also said she accompanied four members of the class to a youth summit in Atlanta just one week earlier.
With no one signed up for public comments, no old business to cover, and no current zoning issues to address, the meeting got off to a quick start.
The business portion of the evening opened with Lou Benjamin of the Georgia Writers Museum (GWM) giving a brief presentation to request a required city letter to accompany GWM’s application for both a $10,000 grant and a $5,000 grant from the Connecticut-based 1772 Foundation to beautify the back of GWM’s building on Jefferson Avenue South.
After thanking the council and the city’s public works department for cleaning up, repaving, and restriping the city-owned parking lot behind the museum, Benjamin explained he wanted to take the beautification process a step further.
“Right now, we only control three of the spaces and that’s what we’re prepared to take on and do something with,” Benjamin said. “But I really believe that once the other owners in the spaces see a positive result … they’ll want to get on board and do that with their own because it can be a building that looks really cool and can be something to be proud of on our block.”
The six of seven council members present unanimously approved sending the letter on behalf of GWM.
Next, a certificate of appropriateness was unanimously granted to remove vinyl siding from a building at 414 N. Madison Ave., and then replace and restore it with more period correct wood siding.
“They also are planning to restore the rafter extensions and other trim that has been reviewed by (the Historical Preservation Commission) and (HPC) recommended approval of the application,” Eatonton City Manager Gary Sanders said in presenting the proposal.
An application for a beer/liquor/wine serving license at the former Brickhouse at 112 N. Jefferson Ave. was officially withdrawn and a new application will likely be on the agenda for the next city council meeting, expected to be submitted by new restaurant owners Tracy and “Red” Epperson of Epps Holding LLC.
The revamped restaurant will be named “The Tipsy Turtle” and will open as soon as possible, according to the owners.
Also during Monday’s meeting, the former Rabbit Hole restaurant across the road at 115-117 N. Jefferson Ave., also now owned by Epps Holding LLC, was unanimously approved for a new alcohol license by the council for the renamed “Rojos Tapas & Tequila,” expected to open in April.
Council then unanimously approved a parade permit requested by Eatonton Main Street to close several streets surrounding the Putnam County Courthouse for several hours on April 13 during the annual Magnolia Market & Chalk Walk event.
Finally, the council gave unanimous approval to the Eatonton Fire Department for the disposal of two decommissioned smoke ejector fans, since replaced by new, more powerful, battery-powered units, as well as approved the disposal of several no-longer-needed Ford Crown Victoria police car parts by the Eatonton Police Department.