City council passes draft Code of Ethics; establishes Whitehall opportunity zone
By KIP BURKE news editor

The Washington City Council passed an ethics ordinance for city employees and elected officials and voted to establish an opportunity zone in support of the Southwest Washington Redevelopment Plan at Monday night's regular March meeting.

At last week's work session, Councilman Pamela Eaton had strongly urged the council to adopt the draft Code of Ethics ordinance, and Councilmen Edward Pope Jr. and Ames Barnett had spoken in support of the Code of Ethics. At Monday night's meeting, Eaton urged the immediate adoption of the draft Code of Ethics, but said the section on penalties was too weak. "I think we need to approve this tonight, with the stipulation that we can add to it later on," she said, "because there needs to be a penalty for misconduct at city council meetings, a deduction of pay for that month or something."

City Administrator Mike Eskew said that Article 10 of the draft code lays out censure and public reprimand as penalties for violation of the code. Members discussed with Mayor Willie Burns options for passing the ordinance and changing it later, or making the changes prior to passage. They also discussed how violations would be investigated. "I wouldn't want to be on any investigative committee," Councilman Maceo Mahoney said.

After further discussion, the council voted to adopt the Code of Ethics, with Councilman Nathaniel Cullars abstaining. He did not give a reason for not voting.

The council also passed a resolution establishing the Southwest Washington Opportunity Zone as the next step in the city's Southwest Washington Redevelopment Plan. The multi-year redevelopment plan is designed by the City of Washington and the CSRA Regional Development Center to promote commercial investment and job development in addition to a promoting housing redevelopment and clearing dilapidated housing in the Whitehall area.

The council also approved an intergovernmental contract for the old Persimmon Homes building. The agreement would allow the city to purchase the building from MEAG and turn it over to the Washington- Wilkes Payroll Development Authority, essentially refinancing the debt of $225,000 for the building at a better interest rate and opening it up to be offered to new industry should the present tenant leave.

Councilmen also approved separate resolutions in support of grant applications for the Community Home Investment Set-Aside Fund, the Community Home Investment Program, and the Community Development Block Grant. The council had passed a resolution concerning the applications before, but the applications required separate resolutions for each grant, Eskew said.

The council further approved an amendment resolution concerning the payout of the MEAG Telecom debt, and one last amendment to the 2007 budget.

Council members also approved a beer and wine license for Talk of the Town. They approved requests by Wilkes Ministers United for permission to hold an Easter sunrise service on The Square, and for the Pathfinders Club at Washington Seventh Day Adventist Church to hold a parade Saturday, March 29.

At the beginning of the meeting, the council heard reports from Tourism Director Ashley Barnett, Main Street Director David Jenkins, and Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce board member Ed Pope III.

Barnett reported good business from the thousands of visitors to Aonia Pass Motocross Park, and said large crowds would be in town for other races, along with the Tour de Georgia stage here, the planned Channel 6 News visit, and the Spring Tour of Homes, and other events. A new billboard on I-20, along with magazine ads, were also bringing in visitors. She announced that an all-new city web site would be online this week at www.Washington Wilkes.org.

Pope reported that the Chamber of Commerce is moving ahead with hard work from board members and volunteers, and that the membership drive has been successful so far. He called by name the volunteers who had helped keep the Chamber officeoperating, and said that there is a continuing need for volunteers.

Citizen Norris Ware complimented the city, saying he's seeing a lot of pluses, but city garbage collection could be improved. He cited a sanitation truck banging dumpsters behind the Fitzpatrick Hotel early Sunday morning, and a crew unloading a dumpster at the middle school while school was letting out.

Ruth Rogers had praise for city employee David Wideman, who took care of resetting a cemetery monument that had been knocked over by a falling tree.

At his turn, Councilman Ames Barnett apologized to the public for the city meeting controversy. "We've been working hard to ease the controversy we had with the city council meetings," he said, "and we've made great strides forward. If you'll be patient, you'll see a lot more progress in us working together for the city of Washington."

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