Hiram Council Tables Renovations, Gateway Sign; SPLOST Projects Approved

Hiram City Councilmen Tuesday tabled two measures pending the hammering out of additional details.

Jim Croft of Croft & Associates gave the council a design proposal and a construction services proposal for the old Regions Bank building located at 855 Hiram Douglasville Highway. The council discussed some possible uses for the building, which the city has owned now for about six months.

The council required a vote to authorize the mayor to enter into an agreement with Croft & Associates for the renovation, design and bid specifications for $16,800 and for bid tabulation and construction management services during the renovation for $6,300. During the regular meeting that followed the work session, the council voted to table the item until next month to allow more time to study the project and to attempt to locate the original floorplan for the building prior to starting any design work.

Mayor Carmen Rollins spoke to the council regarding the construction of a “Welcome to Hiram/Paulding” gateway sign on Wendy Bagwell Parkway at the Cobb/Paulding line for an amount not to exceed $60,000 to be paid out of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds, in accordance with the SPLOST referendum of 2010. Rollins recently solicited participation from the Paulding Board of Commissioners regarding this project and reported last night that county officials, currently struggling to piece together the 2012 budget, have indicated they would most likely not contribute to the project. The actual design was also not finalized at meeting time. During the regular meeting the council tabled a motion to authorize construction of the sign.

The council’s new business agenda for its regular meeting began with a presentation from Paulding County Economic Development Director Jamie Gilbert. Gilbert presented an update of the Economic Development initiative in Paulding County and told the council that the Paulding airport and the new hospital will be the major drivers to the local economy.

“Aerospace and aviation is a no-brainer because of the airport, the healthcare industry because of the new WellStar Paulding Hospital, and then we have several advance types of businesses we’re looking at, alternative energy products, automotive suppliers and medical equipment manufacturers are good fits for our community based on the skill-sets that are here, and our location…” Gilbert said.  

And the council listened to a 15-minute presentation from a Fox Environmental representative regarding EPD Compliance with Phase II Stormwater Reporting requirements. This item required a vote to authorize Rollins to enter into an agreement with Fox Environmental to perform Phase II Stormwater Reporting activities for $28,875 to be paid from SPLOST funds. The council voted in favor of this item.

The council also voted on an item pertaining to the city’s state probation crew agreement for fiscal year 2012, which authorized Rollins to enter into an agreement with the Georgia Department of Corrections for the purpose of providing a work crew to the city for the next fiscal year in the amount of $39,500 to be paid out of SPLOST funds. The council voted in favor of this item.

And the council voted to approve the $15,000 purchase of a GMC dump truck for use by the Public Works Department from Womack Truck Body Inc., to be funded by SPLOST funds, but decided to table the renewal of the GreyStone Franchise Agreement for utility services in the city until next month.

Rollins commented on the city’s newsletter prior to going into closed session. The Hiram Herald is a newsletter published by the city and intended as a quarterly publication and distributed to Hiram residents. Rollins said the first newsletter was well received and another one is planned.

She also commented that the city will contact the Elections Office about having a referendum regarding Sunday alcohol sales added to the local election ballet this year. Governor Nathan Deal recently cleared the way for voters to decide the issue. Hiram Police Chief Gary Yandura told the council that most alcohol-related accidents encountered locally are with people who have been drinking in bars and restaurants, rather than at home, and thus approval by voters of the referendum allowing Sunday sales would not be expected to show an increase in the number of those types of violations.