12-05-1977 Regular MeetingDecember 5. 1977
The regular scheduled meeting of Mayor and Council was held pursuant to the Charter
on December 5, 1977 at City Hall, Smyrna, Georgia. The meeting was called to order
by presiding officer Mayor Arthur T. Bacon at 7:30 o'clock p.m. All Councilmen
were present. Also present was City Attorney Charles Camp, City Clerk Willouise
Spivey, Finance Director Gunter Newsom, Parks and Recreation Director Lee Silver,
Building Inspector David Granade, Police Chief Everett Little, Fire Chief Don
Atkinson, Director of Public Works Jim David and representatives of the press.
Invocation was given by Elbert Coalson, followed by the pledge to the flag.
Jack Shinall thanked and commended Chief Little and the Smyrna Police Department for
the efficient manner in which they handled the call and apprehended the burglar who
entered his home today.
Rem Bennett made a motion that in order to promote and protect the health, safety,
and welfare of the Citizens of the City of Smyrna, and to create an ordinance to
provide for a Comprehensive Flood Plain Management Program, as set out in Section
1910.3 (d) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, the Code of Ordinances of
the City of Smyrna be amended, by deleting Section 6-3 in its entirety and adding
the revised Article 6-3 to Chapter 6 of the Code of Ordinance, a copy of which will
be on file in the office of the City Clerk. Jim Tolleson seconded the motion and
the vote was unanimous.
Commercial building permits were submitted by David Granade and upon his recommen=
dation the following action is recorded:
(1) Taco Bell requested a permit to erect a building at 2721 South Cobb Drive.
Plans met the requirements of the Fire Department and the city codes. Rem Bennett
made a motion the permit be granted. C. 0. Canada seconded the motion and the vote
was unanimous.
Jerry Mills reported that Powder Springs Street, at the creek, was undermined and
in danger of caving in. He had contacted Cobb County about a bridge at this location
but nothing could be done at this time. Jerry made a motion that approval -be given
to build a wall under the st-reet at'this location, at a cost of approximately
$1400.00, to be paid from State Grants Funds., C. 0. Canada seconded the motion and
the vote was unanimous.
Jerry Mills stated that he, and he thought the majority of council, had checked
out the request of Mrs. Mary Childs, 3015 Clifton Road, that the city build a wall
on the rear of her property. Jerry said he could not see where the wall was needed
and made a motion the request be denied. Rem Bennett seconded the motion and the
vote was six to one. Jim Hawkins voted against the motion.
Gunter Newsom gave a report on the Industrial Park Study. Presnell-Kidd &
Associates had advised him a draft report of this study would be delivered by
December 9, 1977. This study will perform a cost benefit analysis and the feasi-
bility analysis of developing two sites within the city as industrial property. We
presently have an option on the property on Matthews Street and have paid a total
of $3000.00 Presnell-Kidd & Associates report this property has marginal potential
as an industrial site; however, it has greater potential as a public use site. The
positive aspects of this site as industrial property are that water and sewerage
is presently available, it can be developed cheaply and the market price for
industrial land is significantly higher than the purchase cost. The negative
aspects are its distance from major highways, that -it has no rail access, and at
this time there are industrial sites in the county presently developed that can
absorb most of the anticipated industrial development for the next five years.
The greatest potential for this property seems to be as the future site for the
city public works department, as based on the following factors: (1) 8 to 10 acres
in one site, (2) it is located within 11 miles.of the present municipal complex,
(3) the cost of developing this site would be minimal, (4) this site can easily
be buffered from existing development and (5) this type of use should not be incom-
patible with existing and probably future land uses in the area. Mayor Bacon stated
we need to make a decision on this study before the end of this year.
Committee reports: Jim Tolleson commended the Smyrna Firemen for starting a
program of allotting a few minutes each day to call and talk with a Senior Citizen.
This is a way of doing something for the citizens, as well as keeping up with
their needs.
Jim also reported the Certified City's program was progressing. Green Brothers
Nursery will provide the plan and the First Bank & Trust will help in buying shrubs
(Continuation of December 5, 1977 Meeting)
for the triangle at Atlanta Road and Memorial Drive. Also, the bus shelter at
Belmont Hills will be painted and shingled like the one on Atlanta Road at Spring
Street.
Bill Darby asked for discussion on purchasing turkeys for the employees for
Christmas. He said there were 211 employees and the cost would be between $1500
and $1800. After discussion Bill Darby made a motion that Gunter Newsom be
instructed to go ahead with the purchase of turkeys for all full-time employees.
C. 0. Canada seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
Elbert Coalson reported the Smyrna Community Theatre made a profit on their last
production and urged everyone to support them.
C. 0. Canada reminded everyone of the Lighting of the Christmas Tree on Tuesday
night.
Mayor Bacon said he thought the City of Smyrna's Mayor and Council were underpaid
and that he was going to ask that the salaries be raised for the•next administra-
tion, effective with the beginning of the fiscal year, July 1, 1978.
On motion by Jim Hawkins, seconded by Jim Tolleson, the minutes of November 7, 1977
were approved as submitted, by unanimous vote.
On motion by Jerry Mills, seconded by C. 0. Canada, the minutes of the bid opening
on November 10, 1977 were approved as submitted, by unanimous vote.
Jim Hawkins made a motion the minutes of the special meeting on November 16, 1977
be approved as submitted. C. 0. Canada seconded the motion and the vote was
unanimous.
Jim Tolleson made a motion the minutes of November 21, 1977 be approved as sub-
mitted. Bill Darby seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
Jerry Mills made a motion the minutes of the special meeting on November 21, 1977
be approved as submitted. C. 0. Canada seconded the motion and the vote was
unanimous.
Mayor Bacon asked council to meet after the meeting to discuss the zoning with
Attorney Camp.
Meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.
December 19, 1977
The regular scheduled meeting of Mayor and Council was held at City Hall, Smyrna,
Georgia on December 19, 1977. The meeting was called to order by presiding officer
Mayor Arthur T. Bacon at 7:30 p.m. All Councilmen were present. Also present
was Attorney Chuck Camp, Attorney Al Cochran, City Clerk Willouise Spivey, Director
of Finance & Administration Gunter Newsom, Building Inspector David Granade, Fire
Chief Don Atkinson, Director of Public Works Jim David and representatives of the
press.
Invocation was given by Elbert Coalson, followed by the pledge to the flag.
Presentation of the award to Frank Gardner was cancelled, since he could not attend
the meeting.
Mayor Bacon stated he thought it was time to take action on the Ruff case. He,
Attorneys Al Cochran and Charles Camp met with Mr. Ruff and Attorney Dupree last
week and discussed curb cuts and the cut-off of the point of the two streets. The
decision was the curb cuts would be the state's responsibility. Mayor Bacon stated
the City Attorney had advised Council to rezone the property. Rem Bennett said
he was against the rezoning, that the first request to rezone was made before he
came on council, he did not agree with the judges decisions, had learned you could
not beat the system, thinks we have a capable planning and zoning board, that the
county had denied this zoning three times, the city twice, that the property needs
to be residential and he was voting against rezoning. Elbert Coalson asked what
the requested rezoning was and made a motion the Ruff property be rezoned as re-
quested, tracts A and C rezoned from R-12 to 0 & I, tract B rezoned from R-12 to