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Politics & Government

Hiram to Consider Interim Mayor Appointment, Sunday Sales Referendum

Tonight's Hiram City Council meeting will be the first since Carmen Rollins resigned as mayor.

Members of the Hiram City Council will make a decision today regarding the city’s leadership.

Today’s council gathering will see Mayor Pro Tem Jack Paris, or another member of the council, appointed and sworn-in to complete the term of former mayor Carmen Rollins, who resigned as of July 1. The interim mayor will fill in for the remainder of Rollins’ term, which runs through December.

Due to Rollins’ resignation last month, the city will add the office of mayor to the November ballot. In addition, the Post 1 council seat, currently held by Paris, and the Post 2 council seat, currently held by Helena Williams, will be up for re-election. Neither Paris nor Williams have yet announced any plans with regard to the election. The qualifying deadline for the November election is in August.

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The council today also will discuss a resolution to allow for the Sunday sales of malt beverages, wine and distilled spirits to be added as a referendum to the November election ballot.

The referendum, if approved by voters, would add alcohol sales to retail outlets on Sundays within city limits.

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In other business, the council will revisit two items of old business before moving on to three new items during its work session. The council’s agenda is subject to change prior to meeting time.

Operations Manager Jody Palmer will address questions from councilmen regarding an agreement with Croft & Associates for a Design & Construction Services Proposal for the old Regions Bank Building located at 855 Hiram Douglasville Highway. The council tabled the item last month pending further discussion. Councilmen wanted time to attempt to locate the original floorplan for the building and to further consider how best to renovate the building.

The agenda item will require a vote during the regular meeting to authorize the interim 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.

Palmer will then tackle questions from the council regarding the construction of a “Welcome to Hiram/Paulding” gateway sign on Wendy Bagwell Parkway at the Cobb/Paulding line for no more than $60,000 to be paid from Street SPLOST, in accordance with the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum of 2010. The council also set this item aside from last month.

New business items for discussion will include the Hiram Police Department (HPD) SPLOST projects to come out of the remainder of the current SPLOST. Those funds must be used by October. Projects include a Comsec Systems video surveillance and key-card access for $14,301 and a Taser project for active resistance by violent suspects for $23,144.15 from DGG TASER.

And the council will discuss an ordinance in connection with the county Emergency Management Agency that would include participation of Hiram city officials.

The council will vote on the above work session items during the regular meeting that follows. New business agenda items for the regular meeting include a revisiting of a renewal of a franchise agreement with GreyStone for utility services in the city, another item that was tabled from last month.

Before adjournment to closed session to discuss personnel issues, the council’s new business includes two other HPD-related items. The first will see the presentation of a commendation to Pastor Kenny Ott, while the second item calls for a resolution by the council to recognize and promote HPD’s National Night Out.

Two other items are in preparation for the November election. One item calls for a resolution that would authorize Paulding County to conduct municipal elections and allows the city to choose an election superintendent, and another to meet the state requirement that the city pass a resolution to run an election.

The council’s work session is set for 5:30 p.m., while its regular meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

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