Council deals with convention center, local industry
By KIP BURKE news editor

The renovations and future operation of the Pope Convention Center were the subject of discussion and action at Monday night's regular meeting of the Washington City Council.

Councilman Ray Hardy formally requested an outside audit of the center's remodeling project. "People are concerned with the cost of the Pope Center," Hardy said. "We have a responsibility to the taxpayers to hold an audit on the Pope Center project just to make sure the taxpayers' money is being spent wisely." His motion for an audit was seconded by Councilman Maceo Mahoney and passed.

The council also passed two proposed ordinance changes concerning the Pope Center. City Attorney Barry Fleming said that although the city had ordinances that governed the operation of restaurants and clubs, it did not have an ordinance that governed the operation of a convention center. The change would correct that.

The second ordinance change was regarding the management of the center under a contract. The present ordinance included too many operating details, Fleming said.

Mahoney asked if the ordinance placed the center under Georgia law for Saturday night closing, if the center would have to close at 1 a.m.

The pouring license, Fleming said, required that alcohol pouring end at 1 a.m. It did not govern the closing hours, which would be set by the center's operating regulations.

Councilman Nathaniel Cullars asked if the closing time would be the same for clubs as for the convention center. "The reason I'm bringing up that question is that we have a lot of lounges that have to close down at that hour, and I assume this has to close."

Fleming said that the council could require closing times in the contract that the council enters into with the center operator.

The proposed pouring license passed 3-2, with Cullars and Mahoney voting against. Rev. G.L. Avery was absent from Monday's meeting.

The confusion over liquor license and operating regulations cropped up again a few minutes later. City Clerk Debbie Danner said that due to the change in the city ordinance, the application for a distilled spirits license for John Horton now needed to be advertised twice prior to a meeting on the application.

"Will he be under the same rules as other restaurants?" Cullars asked. City Administrator Mike Eskew said that he interpreted the city attorney to say that, as far as Horton's distilled spirits operation - or any alcohol - is concerned, "he will work in accordance with the ordinance you just passed. But this issue is this - when the alcohol pouring ceases in accordance with established law - may the rest of the facility operate, be it a restaurant, a conference center?"

The motion to advertise for the distilled spirits license passed, with Cullars voting against.

The council also approved a beer and wine pouring license for Sokun Enterprises d/b/a Down Under Restaurant.

Fleming also presented to the council a proposal to guarantee the city's part of loans through the Washington-Wilkes Payroll Development Authority. The PDA is entering into contracts with two new companies, AviGenics and Callaway Farms Manufacturing to come to Wilkes County, and to purchase the old Hexcel building as a spec building.

The council members discussed the value and marketability of the Hexcel building, and discussed the nature of the loan guarantees for the new companies.

City Attorney Fleming, who also serves as state representative from District 117, said he was impressed by how many new businesses are being attracted to Washington-Wilkes. "It's amazing how busy Washington is, and how many companies want to come here."

The council approved the loan guarantee proposal.

Local industry was also the focus of the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce report from Executive Director Donna Hardy. The Chamber was working on several programs, she said, including the Georgia Work Ready initiative. The Wilkes Work Ready introductory meeting coming up would be to decide how to meet the goals of increasing the graduation rate and getting some 200 members of the work force certified. She said, in response to council members' questions, that membership on the local workforce readiness was open to any interested group.

The Chamber was also active in a co-op advertising plan with merchants, the Georgia Entrepreneur- Friendly Community designation, the BRIDGE rural broadband initiative, and contractor certificationefforts.

Police Chief Mike Davis reported that an advertisement had been placed for bids on repairs for the Police Department roof. Later in the meeting, Councilman Mahoney brought more attention to the leaky roof, asking if the police department could move to the City Hall Annex. "There was water, mold, I was em- barrassed when visitors came from Jamaica," he said. He requested that the council closely watch the condition of the police station.

In other business, Mahoney commented on the School Street playground, saying the Plexiglas was damaged and the equipment was torn up. "People in the community should call the police on anyone they see vandalizing things."

At his turn, Councilman Cullars proposed a curfew for teenagers. Mayor Burns directed the city attorney and the police chief meet with the police committee concerning a curfew.

Cullars also took issue with the incorrect reporting of city meetings and actions in The News-Reporter. "I'm very appalled with that," he said. In the interest of accuracy, a complete transcript of his comments, recorded digitally, is on page 5 of this paper.

Cullars further proposed that the city meetings be televised on Comcast cable television so people wouldn't have to rely on the newspaper account. Mayor Burns said that they were studying how other small cities televise their meetings.

In other business, the mayor reappointed Gary Norman to the Payroll Development Authority, and council members set times for council retreats in September.

Eskew reported that a private citizen had stepped up to fund repairs to the Liberty Street park, and that the Kiwanis Club, which had renovated the park just a year before, had set a committee to work on the park.

Councilman Ed Pope Jr. said that he was pleased that a citizen had brought the park's damaged condition to the public's attention in the News-Reporter. Kiwanian Mark Waters said that he was troubled by the fact that citizens had damaged the park less than a year after his club had fixed it up. "If the citizens destroy it, it shows a lack of responsibility," he said.

Opening the meeting, citizen Norris Ware again brought up the city's manpower as it related to grass cutting. Mayor Burns requested that he bring his detailed concerns to the appropriate committee meeting.

David Jenkins reported to the council on the status of the Kettle Creek grant, the Brownfieldsgrant to beautify city entrances, and the ongoing School Street cemetery restoration project. The cemetery would be the subject of an Eagle Scout project and a community outreach, he said.

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