Transcript

Event transcript
Just a minute. 00:00:10
We are live, all right, We're live. We're ready to go. 00:00:11
OK. 00:00:18
Whenever you're ready. 00:00:23
Sorry. 00:00:31
We'll let you get settled in. 00:00:33
All right, well. 00:00:41
Good morning everybody. Welcome to the 2026 Mayor and Council retreat. These are always a highlight. 00:00:42
Last night I spent some time here thinking about everything that's happened over the past five or six years in Watkinsville and. 00:00:49
It's really been an amazing journey and. 00:00:55
What makes that? 00:00:57
Worked so well as I think that we have a plan every year that's informed by council. 00:00:59
And executed by staff. 00:01:03
So that vision and that plan comes out of this meeting every year and this so this is a very important session. 00:01:06
We have a staff that's very adept at. 00:01:11
Getting things done. We also have a council that's very adept at setting a vision and ensuring alignment. 00:01:14
With that staff and so I think that's part of what makes Watkinsville. 00:01:20
I'd say we've really set a standard for small towns in Georgia. We've twice been named a visionary city in that time. We've been 00:01:25
named to All America City in that time. 00:01:29
You'll see today that we have some survey results from our citizens that also show that it's not just. 00:01:34
Outside parties who feel. 00:01:38
Really great about what's happening here, but it's our own citizens and that's the most important audience. 00:01:40
I think a lot of times we hear from. 00:01:45
Frustrated citizens more than we hear from citizens who are happy with Watkinsville. But when you see the data, I was really 00:01:47
pleased to see that. 00:01:50
We have a lot of citizens who are. 00:01:54
Who are happy with? 00:01:56
What's going on in Watkinsville? In fact, the vast majority give us high scores everywhere when your lowest score is. 00:01:57
Like 3.9 on a. 00:02:03
5.0 scale, that's pretty impressive. So, so I'm really pleased with that and I think Sharon will share more about that survey, but 00:02:05
that's something I want to start having every year so that we can evaluate our progress in a tangible way. 00:02:10
Not just an intangible ways with. 00:02:16
Complaints or accolades or things like that. 00:02:18
So with that. 00:02:20
Sharon, I think we'll get going. I know Sharon's a little bit under the weather will will work pretty quickly through. 00:02:23
Some of these things and leave plenty of room for council to weigh in on what they think. 00:02:28
We do like to talk about our vision every year. 00:02:32
I just always like to have us read this aloud and make sure that we're all still aligned on this and our vision is to create 00:02:36
Georgia's most compelling community by honoring our history. 00:02:40
Building community and creating opportunities for our citizens to engage and do business with one another every day. 00:02:45
And our tagline has come connect create. 00:02:50
Do we have any? 00:02:54
Questions. Concerns. 00:02:55
About that, OK, We all like the vision and the tagline. This is what we call the Watkinsville Way. 00:02:56
Will be a connected community. Will seek to create connections for our citizens through thoughtful design of our built 00:03:01
environment, hosting award-winning and well attended community events, installing modern technology infrastructure and fostering 00:03:06
connectivity between neighbors with non automotive infrastructure. 00:03:10
We want our history while welcoming innovation and accommodating change. From public art to historic homes, we will honor our 00:03:15
history and creativity while planning carefully for the future. 00:03:19
Our community is anchored on a walkable, historic downtown with an evolving mix of restaurants, retail shops and offices. 00:03:24
And we will provide opportunities for all as a welcoming and inclusive community, we will make. 00:03:30
All ages and types of citizens safe and comfortable by offering a mix of housing types, special events and businesses that support 00:03:34
different populations. 00:03:37
And create infrastructure that allows our citizens to age in place. 00:03:41
Our values, our efficiency, inclusivity, transparency, creativity, kindness and connectivity. 00:03:45
Are we still good with those? 00:03:51
All right, I just always like to affirm that at the start of the year because as I like to talk to my. 00:03:54
My business when I talk about our vision and values and those of you who do, that's that's how we make decisions when, when nobody 00:03:59
else is in the room, right? You use your values, you use your vision. 00:04:04
Staff that should be for y'all as well, you know, if you're wondering what does, what would council think, what would? 00:04:08
We think those are those are your guideposts, right? So that's why we have those and I think that's really important to ensure. 00:04:13
Alignment in a healthy organization. 00:04:19
I think, Sharon, I'm going to kick it over to you to talk about the year in review. 00:04:22
Thank you, Mayor. I'll just point out again, this is the. 00:04:25
A work session, so there's no decisions being made at this meeting. We're just gathering information and getting some feedback 00:04:27
from council on sort of our direction for the next fiscal year. 00:04:32
2025 I told the mayor when I was putting this together. 00:04:37
Wasn't expecting to have as many things because we had so many in the year before. 00:04:41
But we had quite a few. 00:04:46
Everybody should have a print out in front of them of the accomplishments. They're they're not organized in the fashion I'm about 00:04:48
to present them, but. 00:04:52
They're more of a laundry list, but these will put them into sort of subject. 00:04:56
Areas, uh. 00:04:59
In general, as the mayor mentioned, we were. 00:05:02
Awarded A2026 Visionary City for the second time. 00:05:05
This year I. 00:05:09
We had a clean unmodified. 00:05:10
Audit, we've increased our net position by 1.6 million. 00:05:12
Council adopted and approved a defined benefit retirement plan for our employees. 00:05:17
We erected the memorial plaque at the courthouse dedicated to the 1905 lynching victims. 00:05:22
We processed 105 open records requests, almost 60% from 1 individual and we provided standardized roll carts to residents through 00:05:29
our garbage contract. Those are sure the general. 00:05:34
Things that happened this last year. 00:05:40
Some infrastructure improvements, which are. 00:05:42
The most costly of all are resurfacing our roads. Mulberry St. Bishops Vineyard, which? 00:05:44
From I understand this first time it's ever been resurfaced. 00:05:49
Stone Shoals had there a couple of their roads resurfaced as well. 00:05:52
The long-awaited relocation of the Georgia Power pole happened this this year. 00:05:56
And we work to reestablish some storm culverts in our in our oldest subdivision there on White St. 00:06:02
The Simonton Bridge Rd. project obviously is the. 00:06:09
The main attraction for the for. 00:06:12
Last fiscal year end this fiscal year. 00:06:14
As we work to complete it, by the time it's all done, we'll have almost a mile at linear feet of sidewalk 810 feet wide along that 00:06:16
corridor from Simonton Bridge from the city limits to. 00:06:21
To almost downtown. 00:06:26
It also includes 105 foot. 00:06:28
Covered bridge. 00:06:31
Which mayor mentioned that the. 00:06:32
Council meeting last week. 00:06:34
And we've added some improvements around the cemetery to provide and to protect and to honor those that are laid to rest there. 00:06:35
I think there'll be more of that too. I think that's something we'll talk about maybe today in the strategic. 00:06:43
Plan. 00:06:49
Parks and green space, obviously. 00:06:50
Thomas Farm continues to be a highlight. 00:06:52
We worked into what I call phase two improvements. 00:06:55
The new pavilion, the restroom, additional restroom and roof replacements. 00:06:58
Hardin Hill. Sorry, hard. 00:07:03
Harris Shoals Park, we did phase three. Girardini Green and some public art. 00:07:05
And my hope is, is that phase 4? 00:07:11
Can be accomplished? I'm not sure yet. We'll see how that. 00:07:14
That works, but the phase four would be the lake. 00:07:17
Or the dam area and all that talking about. 00:07:19
Potentially a bridge across that. We'll see if we can do that with our existing funds in SPLOST 3. 00:07:22
And then of course. 00:07:27
Accepted a little bit more than six acres of green space from the Waters Walk. 00:07:28
Development. 00:07:32
Behind Oconee State Bank. 00:07:33
Downtown economic development is a big year for downtown. We hired our downtown development director. 00:07:35
Completed the strategic plan, which was funded by Georgia Power, a cost of about $35,000. 00:07:41
There were six events that happened, many others, but. 00:07:47
6 highlighted events that happened as a result of getting a director on board and and focusing the DDA board on. 00:07:50
Getting more activity down there. 00:07:58
Public safety and community engagement. 00:08:01
Police vehicle and equipment upgrades as well as the community events, the annual Easter Egg Hunt and the Cops and Bobbers Fishing 00:08:03
Tournament, which for the first year was held at Thomas Farm and was a great success. 00:08:08
Governance and policy updates. We had a lot of zoning updates, special events, outdoor dining, indoor recreation, boutique hotel 00:08:15
provisions. 00:08:19
We did some. 00:08:24
Administrative policies for roll carts right away streetlights. 00:08:25
And the Mayor established an appointed members to the Public Arts Committee and the Friends of Thomas Farm Preserve Committee. 00:08:29
Both committees would met at least twice. 00:08:33
And I believe. 00:08:37
Friends of Thomas Farm will be meeting monthly for sure for the next six or seven months. 00:08:39
And then public arts will meet as needed. I think we're waiting on the mayor might talk about this later, but about a public arts 00:08:44
master plan. 00:08:47
Which will help. 00:08:51
Guide how we handle public arts in the city. 00:08:53
Communication, social media. So this is really eye opening to me. I knew we had a good following but I was floored that we had 1.4 00:08:55
million views. I pulled our analytics. That was pretty amazing. 00:09:00
I don't know how that compares to other cities, but. 00:09:06
Our small little city. That's crazy numbers. 00:09:08
1100 new followers on Instagram. We had a lot more. We're doing more with Instagram. We hadn't done as much with that. 00:09:11
And so we'll continue to work on that. And when we talk about the satisfaction survey, you'll see that scenario that we still have 00:09:18
some improvement, you know, a way to improve on. 00:09:22
Downtown again. Facebook. 00:09:26
279,000. 00:09:28
Views 441 new followers Same thing with Instagram. 00:09:31
Trying to get new followers on that and we're helping each each of those. 00:09:35
Help each other? The city post something. 00:09:38
Jan will post on the downtown page and vice versa and then on Police Department side. 00:09:41
Starting to ramp that up a little bit as well. 00:09:46
Tend to focus a little bit more on badges and benevolence and the activities they do there, but we'll be working on that as well 00:09:49
so. 00:09:52
So I'll walk through the citizen satisfaction survey. Again. This will be a little bit different format than what you have in 00:09:58
front of you. Everybody should have the report that gives. 00:10:01
Actually the report I gave you will give you. 00:10:06
What you're about to see on the screen. I do have a. 00:10:08
Excel spreadsheet that I can share with you that gives you all the comments the mayors gave access to him and I can give that 00:10:12
access to you all so you can see every single comment that was made. 00:10:16
On the open-ended questions, but we will talk a little bit about that. 00:10:21
As well. 00:10:25
And, and let me, let me say, I guess let me back up a little bit with me being underwear. I think I do want to. 00:10:27
Thank, thank my staff. 00:10:33
I mean, none of this could be done if we didn't have a staff that was willing to do the work and put forth the effort. 00:10:36
Obviously couldn't do it without the council's guidance. You guys set the course and then we execute and I think that's the way 00:10:41
government supposed to work. You guys make the policy and the staff actually carries it out. So really appreciate everybody on the 00:10:46
staff. 00:10:50
And I look forward to another really Goodyear this year, this fiscal year. 00:10:56
So on the SAT, on the citizen satisfaction survey, I think we had about a month. 00:11:00
That it was out, we got 263. 00:11:03
Responses which I think is pretty good. Overwhelming majority of them were from City of Watkinsville residents. 00:11:07
About 64%. 00:11:12
Most of the people that responded have been in this in, in the area more than 10 years. So that's, that's good. They've got a 00:11:15
good. 00:11:18
Sort of length of context to look at what we're doing. 00:11:21
I'm going to walk through these separately, but as the mayor pointed out earlier in his comments, the. 00:11:24
The lowest score we got was 3.8 and that was on city communication. 00:11:30
Which means we've got some more work to do, I think. 00:11:35
That's uh. 00:11:37
An interesting point to see and then city parks and green spaces without a doubt is had the highest rating and that's not too 00:11:38
surprising. 00:11:41
So. 00:11:46
Residents were able to tell us how they use city server response, were able to tell us how they use the services, and the 00:11:49
overwhelming majority use downtown. I think that's really significant. 00:11:53
I think that. 00:11:58
Is not surprising probably to most of you all that that's what they do and of course the second. 00:12:00
Was public spaces and then parks and green spaces right on the edge of that as well, so the highest. 00:12:04
Three, I don't think come as surprised to anybody. 00:12:09
On the downtown, so obviously it's the most used city asset. It reinforces importance of our traffic. 00:12:13
Traffic issues and walkability improvements. 00:12:19
And those are some of the things that were identified in the strategic plan for downtown. 00:12:21
Parks and public spaces, obviously again widely used, it aligns with. 00:12:25
The you know the scores that we got and you'll again, you'll see some additional comments later in the survey. 00:12:31
Streets and sidewalks are heavily used, and that's part of our connection we talked about. 00:12:37
Wanting people to connect, get off their phones and get on their feet and out and about. 00:12:42
And so I think infrastructure maintenance, traffic flow improvements, those things are. 00:12:46
Really high of high value to the public. 00:12:51
And then sanitation, which of course only really effects those who actually receive that service. So you could live in the city, 00:12:54
you live in the city limits. 00:12:58
So you can assume that 168 of people who responded. 00:13:02
Actually our city like living in the city limits and using that service, so they responded to that as well. 00:13:05
So some key strengths that were identified. 00:13:13
Again, I don't think a lot of this is going to come to surprise you. 00:13:15
The highest rated service here where our parks and green spaces. Of course that's. 00:13:19
I think the addition of Thomas Farm, the improvements at Harris Shoals, the war that's being done at Watkinsville Woods. 00:13:23
And then whatever council decides they want to do with the additional green space we have, obviously Trove we have. 00:13:29
17 acres, I think it's about 17 acres of green space at Trove and then the six and a half, six, a little bit more than 6 acres. 00:13:34
At Waters Walker or next to water Swat that will need to talk about. 00:13:41
What expectations y'all have for those? 00:13:45
Again, garbage and leaf and limb is highly highly satisfied responses. 00:13:48
Infrastructure. 00:13:53
Sidewalks, drainage, We're doing a lot with drainage, really trying to. 00:13:54
To jump on stormwater conveyance, which is really our focus. 00:13:57
Again, not surprisingly, traffic's the primary concern for everybody that responded. 00:14:06
They're in the open. 00:14:11
Ended responses which again I will. 00:14:12
Get those printed out and. 00:14:15
Accessible to you all 62. 00:14:17
Referred to traffic 29 to congestion in downtown the bypass, which of course is not our project, but it does impact us. 00:14:20
Had a lot of response to that or a lot of comments about that. 00:14:27
And then a few concerns about development. 00:14:30
And uh. 00:14:33
I won't drill into that too much, you all can read that, but I think there's, you know, either developments already occurred or 00:14:33
development that could potentially occur. There were comments about that as well. 00:14:37
Additional Themes A segment of the respondents were concerned about the pace of growth of the city. 00:14:46
Downtown density and. 00:14:53
Wanting to maintain that small town character. I think it's, it's clear to me the council has been very. 00:14:55
Measured and thoughtful about. 00:15:00
Your approach to that, while you understand it, makes sense. And the comprehensive plan says that most of the density should be 00:15:01
downtown. 00:15:05
I think councils. 00:15:08
Been very active in making sure that it's been thoughtful. 00:15:09
Development that it's not just. 00:15:13
No holds bar. Anybody can do whatever they want, along with your code amendments and with the development agreements that we've 00:15:15
had with. 00:15:18
Various developers so. 00:15:22
I mean, that may be part of the communication that we need to provide maybe. 00:15:24
Public is that maybe we're not doing as good a job of explaining that so that's something we'll. 00:15:27
We'll work on a little bit better. 00:15:31
Overall communication, even though it received the lowest we did. 00:15:33
You know, we did have. 00:15:36
We do have a fair amount of communication, a lot more than we had when I got here. 00:15:38
And so again, something for us to think about as a staff, about how we can explain our. 00:15:42
Our responsibilities versus the state and the county obviously bypass a lot of people think we have. 00:15:46
Something to say about that. We really don't. 00:15:52
We had a lot of state and county roads that run through the city that we don't have. 00:15:54
You know, Barnett shows the County Road, Simonton Bridges, the County Road, Hardin Hill used to be, but now it's ours. But but 00:15:59
there's, you know, people don't understand that. And of course a lot of people that have that mailing address that says Watkins 00:16:04
will think they live in the city, but they don't. So there's I think there's still a lot of opportunity to try to. 00:16:09
Help people understand how that works. 00:16:15
So we'll be working on that as well over the coming year. 00:16:17
So these are some strategic implications for Council. So obviously a lot of. 00:16:21
A lot of interest in continuing continuing to. 00:16:26
Strengthen our core services, our parks. 00:16:28
Our garbage. Our street infrastructure. 00:16:31
Addressing traffic through communication and advocacy. So we, you know, I know the mayor has, as much as he can been a strong 00:16:34
advocate of the bypass. 00:16:39
And providing input to the county into the state on that. 00:16:44
But I think. 00:16:48
You know, again, community communicating to the public. 00:16:48
Our role, what their role may be, is as citizens. 00:16:51
And and. 00:16:56
Trying to make that a clearer message to the public. 00:16:57
Obviously communication. We've mentioned this several times, but. 00:17:02
Will continue to seek out ways to reach people I know we have a little bit more than I think 300 people who receive our. 00:17:05
An e-mail with our newsletter. 00:17:11
I think we need it. We're trying to do a little bit better push. 00:17:14
The mayor wasn't even aware which I was. 00:17:17
Concerned that he didn't know we had a notification system through our website, so we're going to try to push that a little bit 00:17:19
more if people want to be added to the e-mail we did add. 00:17:23
I think there are at least 40 people that responded to the survey. Who? 00:17:27
Provided their e-mail and said they wanted to have the weekly e-mail. 00:17:31
A weekly newsletter emailed to them. A lot of people are getting off social media for a lot of reasons and so. 00:17:34
We've sort of got to figure out a way. We can't mail stuff to people. It's just too expensive. We can't do it regularly. 00:17:39
We can. Do you know we talked about. 00:17:45
Maybe doing like an update? 00:17:48
To everybody once a year or something, but it's just. 00:17:49
You know, it's a dollar per person basically to send stuff. 00:17:52
And so that can be pretty expensive. 00:17:55
But so we're going to try to find. 00:17:58
Additional ways to communicate, continue to communicate through Facebook and Instagram and e-mail, but maybe some other ways we 00:18:00
can. 00:18:03
Communicate with the public. 00:18:06
So with social media, use your sorry, thank you. With social media. I don't do a whole lot of social media but my wife does. 00:18:08
So the biggest thing with that, making sure folks see you is like and share. 00:18:16
You know y'all, you can post all day long if nobody else is liking and sharing your stuff. 00:18:20
Nobody's gonna see it, so we got to make sure we comment like and share it. Like and share, like and share, OK, That's that's one 00:18:24
big thing. 00:18:28
You know, and if if just the. 00:18:31
15 of us like and share every single one. It's amazing how many other people. 00:18:34
We'll see if we if we do that. 00:18:39
That's our marketing people at our. 00:18:41
Our my company is. 00:18:43
Big about that. 00:18:46
Anytime our company posts anything on any socials. 00:18:47
We we all like and share and it. 00:18:50
It really broadens the horizon. 00:18:52
OK. 00:18:54
Great algorithm. The algorithm just basically if you want to promote a business or a city, you have to pay for it. So if you don't 00:18:55
want to pay for it, that's what they're basically working to get around that, you know? 00:18:59
The other thought, the thing that Sharon referenced that I didn't know about was we do have a tech ServiceNow. Do all y'all 00:19:04
subscribe to the Watkinsville? 00:19:07
Text messages. 00:19:10
I didn't even know it. Yeah. So I think that's The thing is like we have. 00:19:12
We do have the ability to get text messages from the city and like a lot of us, probably get them from the Sheriff's Department 00:19:16
and others. 00:19:19
So. 00:19:22
That's the way to shortcut some of that for important announcements or. 00:19:24
You know, as we get towards America 250 and you know, things like that, so we probably do need to continue to encourage people. 00:19:27
And ours isn't the easiest. It's kind of a two click process and you get an e-mail. But I've encouraged sharing, like let's 00:19:33
promote that in the newsletter. Let's put that on the front of our website, you know, let's get people. 00:19:38
Knowing you can get text messages and text updates from the city so yeah so yeah tool we have that we've just underutilized so 00:19:43
we'll definitely chief to like I get them from Raven County other places where I go too frequently you know they're pretty good 00:19:47
about how they use those and. 00:19:52
You know from Emergency Management things, so the more of our citizens we can have signing up for our text alerts. 00:19:57
I think you know, especially in an emergency situation. 00:20:03
You know, would be helpful and obviously in other ways so. 00:20:06
Traffic. And for traffic I mean like I get them from. 00:20:10
The county and from Clark County to to know like oh this road shut down or this. 00:20:13
Right. Yeah, the next time we have a tractor trailer breakdown on Main Street, Yeah, would be very helpful. 00:20:18
OK, great. 00:20:25
Some other strategic implications downtown public. 00:20:28
Spaces are central to the community, Which? 00:20:32
Is a core. 00:20:35
Core value you all have said. 00:20:36
By way of. 00:20:38
Improving downtown by getting people. 00:20:40
To access downtown easily without having to get in their cars and stuff so. 00:20:42
Working on that. 00:20:45
Parks are heavily used and highly rated. Obviously. Thomas Farm. I think I heard the mayor say that at one of the was it the 00:20:47
counties meeting they had the town hall that a lot of people were saying they really would like to see something similar to that 00:20:51
in the county. 00:20:56
So we've had an impact, just our little city. There's an impact on a larger county about what people really like, would like to 00:21:00
see and I mean, there's not. 00:21:04
There has not been a day or a time I've gone by except for when it. 00:21:09
Like 9:00 at night. They haven't gone by Thomas Farm. There's not a car. 00:21:12
Or 10 or 20. 00:21:15
Out there so. 00:21:16
Yeah, I think it's almost, you know, y'all probably have your own. 00:21:18
Responses, but it's been interesting to me to hear from our. 00:21:21
Colleagues at the county that it's almost reframed. 00:21:24
What a park is, you know, in Oconee County, you know that it you know, I think people used to think what had to be active 00:21:27
recreation and. 00:21:29
That but the. 00:21:33
Big use of this facility and, and I think the inspiring nature of it too is part of it, you know, but it's umm. 00:21:34
It has really caused other governments and others to say well. 00:21:40
There might be, you know, there's there's another definition of a park that we can apply here. So it's been interesting to see 00:21:44
that, but. 00:21:46
I don't think we'll talk about it today, but we are going to have to upgrade parking and some other infrastructure out there in 00:21:50
the next. 00:21:53
In the next couple months to. 00:21:57
To handle spring traffic. 00:22:00
I obviously traffic concerns. 00:22:03
Our continue to be issues downtown is because the downtown and streets are used by. 00:22:06
Majority of the respondents the congestion. 00:22:12
Impacts, most of those have has impacted most of them as well. 00:22:14
So overall, you know, it reflects the survey, reflects the community that's. 00:22:18
Pretty much. 00:22:22
Satisfied with what we're doing. 00:22:23
There's always room for improvement. I think we. 00:22:25
Console you're looking for those those avenues to improve on different services or programs. 00:22:28
Obviously, traffic continues to be a defining issue. 00:22:34
And I know most of the strategic one of the top strategic. 00:22:38
Initiatives The number one priority is transportation on your. 00:22:42
Strategic initiatives. 00:22:46
List. 00:22:47
But I agree with the mayor, I think it'll be interesting to see we run the survey again next year. Let's see, you know how we. 00:22:49
What you know, what improvements we've made, I think it's a really great way to. 00:22:54
To get that tangible information. 00:22:57
I do want to put that in perspective, Chair, and I think it's important, you know, 62 people cited that. That's still 1/4 of the. 00:22:59
Survey so it's not. 00:23:05
And we sent this to every house, every. We sent this by mail to every. 00:23:06
Postcard so to get every. 00:23:10
Everybody in Watkinsville had a chance to take this, you know, so whether you saw it on social, whether you saw it other places, 00:23:13
and so out of everybody in Watkinsville that had a chance to take it. 00:23:16
Nobody's going to argue traffic isn't a challenge, but let's just keep it in perspective. We had 62 people out of. 00:23:20
3000. 00:23:26
You know, umm. 00:23:27
Take time to mention it. 00:23:28
But along the traffic, you know, I know a lot of people concerned is the the bypass. Well, we just need to remind people that the 00:23:30
city of Watkinsville. 00:23:34
Nor the county. 00:23:38
Is building this. 00:23:39
Bypass This is a state initiative. 00:23:41
You know. 00:23:43
We're helping. 00:23:44
With it. 00:23:45
But we're we are not funding it. We're not. I mean, it is a state initiative. GDOT is doing all of this so. 00:23:46
You know folks complaining to the city of Watkinsville that. 00:23:52
We're not building it fast enough. Well, we're not building it. 00:23:55
So I just want to remind everybody we're not building it, but I think that's yeah, we'll, we'll. 00:23:57
I think as we communicate more about transportation in the year ahead, that's. 00:24:02
You know, we're going to have to make that point that there's some stuff. 00:24:06
That's out of our hands. 00:24:08
But you know, we also have to go to bat for that When? 00:24:10
You know, you know they. 00:24:13
Recently reached out and are looking for a location for an upcoming public hearing. I followed up to ask when it was and they said 00:24:15
well we haven't scheduled it yet but that means something's. 00:24:18
Something's coming. 00:24:22
Hopefully in the first half of this year where you know they'll be sharing more plans, so. 00:24:24
Will need to be present and explain to people while. 00:24:28
You know nobody's going to be excited about. 00:24:31
You know a road cutting through some pasture, this is. 00:24:33
Absolutely essential to the future health of downtown Watkinsville. You know, and it'll solve. 00:24:35
The biggest problem for our city and frankly for a lot of people in South Oconee as they try to get to work. 00:24:40
So. 00:24:44
So that's the, we're running a little ahead, which is great. I'll, I'll take it. But that's the sort of the survey results. I 00:24:47
don't know if anybody had any more questions about that. Again, I will get you guys the individual open-ended question responses 00:24:52
and questions and stuff that we got. 00:24:57
I can get those to you later. I did not print all those out. 00:25:02
And again my. 00:25:06
POV on this is, you know, you, you manage what you measure right? And I want us to measure this consistently every year. And so 00:25:08
that way we have we're going to see how we. 00:25:12
You know, next year after we've communicated more about transportation to people have a different perspective on that, You know, 00:25:16
are we slipping in an area, are we improving in an area? 00:25:20
And this should be a little bit of a Canary in the coal mine for us every year when we check in with our citizens and see how 00:25:25
we're doing. So, Sharon, thank you for implementing that. I think it's an important thing for us to continue to do. 00:25:29
OK. Well this is a big piece of today is to review the strategic initiatives and and the priorities you had for this last fiscal 00:25:36
year my. 00:25:40
My thought was on the agenda. We'll we'll walk through these since we've got a little bit. 00:25:45
Extra time built-in, about half an hour built into my schedule right now. We'll, we'll walk through these, I'll pull them up on 00:25:49
the screen, but I did print them out for you all because it's going to be not terribly easy to look at them on the screen. 00:25:53
We'll walk through those. I think the plan will be once we go through these and it's going to walk through and sort of give 00:25:59
updates on these. 00:26:03
Then we'll talk about maybe some additional things, the long term plans or visions, the future projects that. 00:26:07
Council may have you do have a list of those items that each of you all provided to me before today that you wanted to talk about. 00:26:13
So it'll take time for you all to give us some input on those and then we'll break for lunch and then we'll come back and. 00:26:21
Actually try to prioritize so. 00:26:27
You know, you're gonna shift things up around. I feel pretty confident there's a lot of things that are already underway. 00:26:29
Those are, you know, sort of understood parties. And so we may be able to say, OK, well, those are in a different column. Let's 00:26:34
start focusing on what are our next set of parties and and. 00:26:38
Plans that we want to move forward. 00:26:43
So that we can my staff can budget for those. 00:26:44
So we'll review the strategic initiatives. 00:26:49
So last year during. 00:26:52
The retreat you all. 00:26:54
Got your strategic initiatives and then you had your little dots. I'm gonna give you those again today. You get to tell me which 00:26:57
ones are the most important, and these are the ones that came out. 00:27:01
You all have. 00:27:07
11 I think because I tried to get you guys just to have a. 00:27:08
Three and y'all. 00:27:12
Had too many so but we did, we did focus on the top three, so the top one. 00:27:13
The top one actually was tied between transportation. 00:27:18
And green space. 00:27:23
And both of those, we had a lot of significant movement on those this year. 00:27:24
Obviously on the transportation plan, and I'll mention this as an aside real quick, that we have already initiated an effort to do 00:27:28
an addendum to the adopted transportation plan we're working with. 00:27:34
One of the consultants that worked with us on the original plan back in 2019. 00:27:40
To go back and actually. 00:27:44
Make sure that our plan looks more like what's on the ground now. 00:27:45
There were there were plans in the original adopted transportation plan. 00:27:49
That Simonton Bridge Rd. was going to have a saw what that went up Simonton Bridge like up past the cemetery up towards 3rd St. 00:27:53
And instead, of course, we've now diverted it over towards Mulberry. So we're going to try to make sure the plan shows what's 00:28:00
actually on the ground. 00:28:03
Because there's been some tweaks and and. 00:28:07
Tweaks to that and some additional things that y'all come up with. So we're going to update that and hopefully have that before. 00:28:10
The start of this next fiscal year. 00:28:16
To share with you all. 00:28:18
But there has been a lot, I mean, we've continued to not only do connections, but look at. 00:28:20
Improving the sidewalks we're. 00:28:26
Right now we've we're trying to work with a contractor to. 00:28:28
Fix cracks and. 00:28:33
Repair some of the sidewalks we have. 00:28:36
So that it'll be safe travel for, you know, passage for everybody that wants to use the sidewalk. So that's some of what. 00:28:39
Our transportation plan calls for We're also going to be looking into some traffic calming. 00:28:44
Devices or. 00:28:49
Mechanisms. We've talked about chicanes before. If you've been to Monroe, you've probably seen those little small little concrete 00:28:51
kind of islands in the middle. 00:28:55
That helps slow down traffic. 00:28:59
We're going to look at some of that or. 00:29:01
Going to be bringing hopefully something 40 y'all in a couple of months about maybe trying to institute those on a couple of roads 00:29:02
where we've had concerns about. 00:29:05
Speeding. 00:29:09
Just to get people to slow down a little bit. So those are some of the things we talked about the transportation plan that are. 00:29:10
All this is very active so. 00:29:16
That may be something, obviously it's like I said earlier. 00:29:18
You know, these things are going on, and I think now that you know, they've risen to the point of being that that. 00:29:21
Priority for us as a staff, it's sort of like we just that's understood. So we may be able to say, OK, well here's a list of. 00:29:27
The interested priorities, but now let's. 00:29:34
Let's start shifting gears and look at some of the things we haven't, maybe. 00:29:36
Paid as much attention to. 00:29:39
So when we get to that exercise today, it's probably what we'll want to do. Obviously the green space program in addition to the. 00:29:40
So it was 12, almost 13 acres at Trove, but in addition to that we added the six, a little bit more than six at Waters Walk. 00:29:46
And then of course, the 100 acres at Thomas Farm. 00:29:53
So I think we've got like 100 and I'm trying to think it's 100, about almost 150. I think acres of Martin is off the top of his 00:29:56
head, I think. 00:30:00
Watkins what 7? 00:30:05
Six or six or seven? 00:30:07
And then so. 00:30:08
Somewhere around and then. 00:30:10
Hair shells is about 20 or so. 00:30:11
So somewhere around that 140 acres and we have. 00:30:14
Three members of our staff working on that. So that's. 00:30:16
And then hopefully we'll get it. We're activating this Friends of Thomas Farm Preserve committee and there's a lot of interest in. 00:30:19
Getting volunteers and whatnot for those kind of things. So, but I think those are the two highest. I think we've seen a lot of 00:30:26
progress in both of those areas this year. If you have any comments about that before we move on to the other ones to talk about. 00:30:31
The other parties. 00:30:37
And I think we can remove that. 00:30:39
That goal there, I think we all decided we were not going to. 00:30:40
Ask for a green space bond so. 00:30:43
You know, so I think we can take that off and OK. 00:30:45
You know, I do think we've made great progress there, but. 00:30:48
It's still something that. 00:30:50
I think our citizens are. 00:30:51
Hungry for? 00:30:53
Quality, uh. 00:30:54
You know, umm. 00:30:55
Parks and green spaces. 00:30:56
OK, you know and. 00:30:57
My family goes to Hilton Head. 00:31:01
Couple times a year, every year for the. 00:31:03
Beach and they they have communal gardens there. 00:31:05
And one thing that they do. 00:31:07
That he helps maintain their communal gardens and parks and stuff is they actually have a Garden Club. So we could we could do 00:31:10
very similar to the The Friends of Thomas Preserve and turn that into a club. 00:31:15
Just an idea. 00:31:22
And then you pay a membership to be part of that club. 00:31:23
You know, small fee, 20-30 bucks to be part of the club. 00:31:26
And then those those members become the people that help take care of your parks. 00:31:29
You know one one thing I would like to see with. 00:31:35
With and. We'll probably get there later, but. 00:31:37
Over at the Trove, you know we've got that. 00:31:40
Big plot at the very front. 00:31:43
I'd love to see an actual communal garden there. 00:31:44
Umm, you put. 00:31:47
I mean very similar to what Hilton Head does they have. 00:31:48
Plots that you can. 00:31:51
Purchase or lease for the year and it's like 50 bucks a year. 00:31:52
For a 25 by 25. 00:31:55
Plot that you build. 00:31:57
Whatever garden you want to build there. 00:31:59
And then it's a communal thing. 00:32:00
And then part of that it turns into your. 00:32:02
The farmers market. 00:32:06
So all the proceeds from the people that grow stuff there. 00:32:07
Then goes back to the club to help maintain the SO anyway. 00:32:11
Something like that and and then those people, the club people can help maintain your parks, you know, as we we continue to grow 00:32:14
more. 00:32:18
Green space, you let the community help take care of it. 00:32:21
And I would say if I like that idea and with it being right across the street from column theory, maybe there's some kind of 00:32:26
partnership in the. 00:32:29
There's an aspect that the kids. 00:32:33
Are helping absolutely because I know comp fairies had. 00:32:35
Butterfly gardens and different things but I feel like when they redid. 00:32:39
When they did their addition and built on that, some of that space went away where Columbus Berry had had. It's still in the 00:32:42
middle. They have a garden. They still do OK. 00:32:47
They actually have a Garden Club there. That's great. Yeah. So it's in the middle of the two buildings. 00:32:52
I'm up there quite a bit. I got two kids there today. So yeah, they they do have. 00:32:57
Box raised beds that they grow. 00:33:03
All kind of stuff there. 00:33:06
So pretty cool. 00:33:07
Yeah. And I think that is the model that we're working on at Thomas Farm and seeing how that evolves, Brett, where it's sort of. 00:33:09
We have our city resources, but we also have a group of volunteers. You know that? 00:33:15
We have a committee, but my vision for that hopefully would be eventually there's 50 or 100 people who are sort of dedicated to 00:33:19
taking care of that space and we'll come together when we need to so. 00:33:23
I'm not opposed to extending the model, you know, once we have a little bit of proof of concept for sure. 00:33:27
OK. All right. 00:33:33
The next highest party? 00:33:35
Last year was considering the historic preservation ordinance you did, you did adopt an ordinance, but there's still some work 00:33:37
that needs to be done on that and. 00:33:41
I think we'll need some guidance on if we're at that point yet. I believe last year we. 00:33:45
You know, it's a, it's a great goal to have, but we also didn't have the downtown development. 00:33:49
Or strategic plan. 00:33:54
Finalized and I think that is part of what needed to be done before you could move into this. So that's. 00:33:55
I think that's where we needed some direction from. 00:34:00
From council on what to do and where to go with that. 00:34:02
As well. 00:34:05
Dean, can you speak to, is this a time where we can comment on these? Yeah, absolutely. I'd love for Christine maybe to give an 00:34:07
update on historic Oconee. She's thinking so. 00:34:11
I don't know if y'all are familiar with historic Athens. 00:34:17
But it's a nonprofit, and in the last few years it's been around. 00:34:19
A long time, 60 years. I think it's coming up on a 60 year anniversary, but in the last five. 00:34:23
Six years. It's really ramped up under the leadership of Tommy Valentine, who at a time worked at ESP. 00:34:29
And they are looking to potentially expand. 00:34:36
Um, using a shared service. 00:34:42
Says model. 00:34:45
And uh. 00:34:47
Are looking at potentially Oconee County having a historic Oconee. 00:34:49
And so there there's a lot of aspects of it. It's again, I hope it's OK that I'm. 00:34:54
Talking about this at an meeting, I mean, it's not like a secret, but it's also just. 00:35:00
It's it's, it's not a for sure thing yet either. Obviously with any nonprofit, there has to be. 00:35:04
Umm, sponsorships and people that come beside it to fund it. And it's not going to be robbing Peter to pay Paul, so it's not. 00:35:11
And it is not going to just. 00:35:18
It's not going to look the same as historic Athens because Athens is a very different community than Oconee is. 00:35:20
It will be uniquely Oconee if this happens. 00:35:27
Umm. And uh. 00:35:30
We I had thought about Brian and I thought about. 00:35:34
Perhaps. 00:35:39
A way to partner with them, which obviously is looking about the. 00:35:40
House that. 00:35:45
Is that? 00:35:46
Maybe a way that the city could help partner with them is give their person office space. 00:35:48
At Thomas Farm Preserve. 00:35:53
And start making use of that house there. They wouldn't need the whole house. I've always loved the idea of making it into. 00:35:55
Some kind of museum as well. Believe it or not, even though we all grew up in homes, our homes very like that. That home is now a 00:36:01
historic home and that era. I mean, I have clients who tell me they want to live in an old house and that's what they mean is they 00:36:06
want to live in a. 00:36:10
A traditional sixty 70s ranch house so. 00:36:15
Um, so it's just something to be thinking about is, is that an in kind thing? And then what? 00:36:20
We were if we do that. 00:36:25
We would like to see them help us. 00:36:27
With the getting the historic ordinance off the ground. 00:36:29
And so I'm, I'm personally just as a, as a citizen, as a business owner. 00:36:34
Very excited about trying to make this happen, even if it is apart from what the city does. 00:36:40
Because it was obviously can be different things. 00:36:49
My daughter what has been an intern with Historic Athens and through that I've really seen. 00:36:51
How many different types of things they do, the economic development, it's not just about saving homes and keeping them pretty, 00:36:58
which I love and value that and. 00:37:02
Most of us sitting here live in historic homes and value that. 00:37:06
But it also. 00:37:09
Is about helping. 00:37:10
People stay in their homes who may be. 00:37:12
Couldn't otherwise they have grants and programs to help with repairs. 00:37:15
As we talk through different ordinances. 00:37:20
About. 00:37:23
You know, there's always the carrot and the stick. We want people to not have their homes. 00:37:24
Fall into ruin we don't want. 00:37:29
Dip. Was it demolition by neglect? 00:37:31
But we also acknowledge the reality that there are people on fixed incomes. 00:37:34
And with costs skyrocketing, they may not be able to afford to maintain and repair their home. So that's one of the the aspects of 00:37:39
historic Athens and would be historic Oconee is helping people stay in their homes and help with. 00:37:45
Repairs. 00:37:51
It's also a huge economic driver. 00:37:53
1 And I, gosh, I can't remember the name of the business, but recently a business, a large business came to Athens and set up 00:37:57
there. 00:38:01
Because of Porch Fest that historic Athens puts on like that was a huge driving force of why they chose to be there. 00:38:05
And it also aligns with our values, I mean history. 00:38:12
Preserving the history of our community, our unique history, I think is something that everybody sitting here. 00:38:17
Believes in and so it would be another tool and a partner to do that because. 00:38:23
As we've learned, I mean. 00:38:27
Before we had Sharon. 00:38:29
The city was was. 00:38:31
You know, we were, we were doing things, but when you have someone who is. 00:38:33
Dedicated. 00:38:37
To their job is to make things happen. Things then happen. 00:38:38
And we see that over and over, so. 00:38:42
I would ask y'all to consider. 00:38:45
If and when this does happen, would we be open to and there would be a little cost on our part because? 00:38:48
I don't think anyone would want to make their office inside that home right now, just the way it is. I mean, there, you know, 00:38:55
there's some. 00:38:58
A little bit of maintenance Y type of things inside that would need to happen. 00:39:01
So I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts and reactions on that. 00:39:05
Let me just offer a little more context, you know? 00:39:10
On history in general, with or without this group. 00:39:13
It's, it's an area that there's a ton of interest in locally and and I think it's really important that as our community grows 00:39:16
that we. 00:39:19
We lean into history because number one it. 00:39:24
It helps the people who have been here forever understand how much we appreciate. 00:39:27
Their contribution #2. 00:39:31
It helps the new folks understand these are the. 00:39:33
These are the. 00:39:35
You know these are the values and the character that made this community special. 00:39:36
So we've talked about other ideas around history. 00:39:40
I've talked with Doctor Butler at the school. 00:39:42
Last week about potentially creating a history walk from the Eagle Tavern to Thomas Farm Preserve. 00:39:45
And when the kids at the schools are in their 8th grade year. 00:39:50
Study in Georgia history. 00:39:53
Possibly finishing up the year with every student in Oconee, spending time in Watkinsville and learning about the Eagle Tavern. 00:39:55
And then walking through the covered bridge, going to Thomas Farm. So doing history. 00:40:01
Arts and agriculture and coming back via OCAF and learning about the arts and then finishing with a celebration at Rocket Field 00:40:06
was her idea. 00:40:09
Where we could have. 00:40:13
Sessions with. 00:40:14
For the blue side and the red side, you know, on separate days, doing something like that and breaking them up. 00:40:16
She really liked that idea. We're thinking about doing that something like that next spring. 00:40:21
But again, this is where if we had. 00:40:25
A dedicated person, they could help put all that together. Work on that. 00:40:27
The county's made significant investments staffing Eagle Tavern. 00:40:30
I think it's an area where we could have more tourism, you know, if we set up again, I think we have. 00:40:34
Our downtown master plan calls for that corridor along 3rd St. to be. 00:40:38
Activated more and I think history is a great way to do it. You know, everywhere you stop there. 00:40:42
Their school history, you know, with rocket field, with OKAF and all the buildings at OKAF. 00:40:47
Going over to the cemetery. 00:40:51
Getting a Thomas farm. 00:40:53
It's almost a microcosm of Oconee County history that you can tell on a short walk in Watkinsville. So. 00:40:55
So, so we're trying to lean into it there. We're also in our. 00:41:01
Existing parks like Pulpit Rock, we're doing new historical markers there and Watkinsville Woods. 00:41:04
We're going to do historical marker near the petroglyph in the back of Thomas Farm Preserve. 00:41:09
So we're there and then. 00:41:14
The big Springs green space that we have will be also be an amazing place to tell. 00:41:15
About our city's history, so. 00:41:19
I just think. 00:41:22
You know, you know, it's an old saying, but those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it, you know? And I just really 00:41:22
want us. 00:41:25
To lean into our history in Watkinsville and Oconee County over the next few years and talk more about it so. 00:41:29
The ordinance is part of that. I think one of the biggest frustration I get from people who are passionate about our downtown is 00:41:35
why do we have a few houses that are historic homes that are still in really poor condition? 00:41:39
So I do think we're going to have to move from carrots to sticks on some of those homes in the next year. 00:41:44
And basically start. 00:41:49
Making it clear to those property owners that. 00:41:51
We understand your situation will help you find resources. 00:41:53
Historic Athens has grant resources for people to help with facades and things, but even if they don't. 00:41:57
We're going to have to help some of these old homes. 00:42:01
Get propped up or we're going to lose them and that would be a shame, so. 00:42:04
So I would. 00:42:08
Proposed that beyond the ordinance, I think a focus on history. 00:42:10
Some sort of history initiative or community history engagement? 00:42:14
That educates our youth and helps us preserve and tell our stories of our older, older spaces and what it means. 00:42:18
Is really important for us. 00:42:24
So one comment on that too is, you know. 00:42:26
Oak County has that society. 00:42:30
OK Oconee County Historical Society that meets every month and. 00:42:32
It's like you said Margo, if you don't like something and share it. 00:42:37
It don't go anywhere, but they do have a Facebook page and. 00:42:40
Every so often they're making a pretty good post about history here too, so. 00:42:44
Be good to include them in only two. Oh yes, and they are already clued in. It would not be replacing that group. It would be 00:42:50
again, that's a completely volunteer LED. 00:42:55
Organization. There is something very powerful about having a well qualified paid person who. 00:43:01
Moves forward the initiative, so there would definitely be a partnership. 00:43:07
One of the key tenets of historic Athens is about education and having those things, and so there's already been discussion of 00:43:11
really leaning in heavily with. 00:43:16
This great group of people who already does that, but then. 00:43:20
You know, having people who help promote it more and. 00:43:24
Tie in, but that's an excellent point. Yeah, we don't. It's not about reinventing the wheel, it's about bringing the different. 00:43:27
Interests and parties together in a way that. 00:43:34
You know the whole is is better. 00:43:38
And gets more done. 00:43:40
OK. All right. We've made some notes on that the move this advance our slide even though I know you've got in front, so there 00:43:49
were. 00:43:53
Two items that were tied for #3 that was the city charter amendments. 00:43:58
And the sidewalk expansions and improvements, the sidewalk expansions and improvements, to me that really feeds back into our. 00:44:01
Our transportation plan, maybe it's more specific goal of the transportation plan. 00:44:08
Something to think about if we just want to fold that in understanding that that is sort of a ongoing theme for the city, we 00:44:13
understand. 00:44:17
The plan is to continue to execute and implement the. 00:44:21
The transportation plan and all those elements within the city charter, I think we do need to speak about our city attorney's not 00:44:25
with us today, neither is our city attorney engineer just because this is a work session didn't necessarily need them here, but. 00:44:31
But I think we need some direction. 00:44:38
I mean, it's really more. 00:44:40
Ballpark. Anyway, I don't know that. 00:44:41
Staff would be doing too much on this other than. 00:44:43
Making sure that the code was updated if it did move forward. 00:44:45
And I don't know. 00:44:49
Your position on that I know the. 00:44:50
The attorney has indicated that he'd like he thinks that we probably need to have it done at some point because it hasn't been 00:44:52
done. 00:44:55
But that's. 00:44:59
Purely up to you all to decide. 00:45:00
Whether or not to move forward with that. So I thought we worked on this. 00:45:02
A couple years ago. 00:45:05
You, you did you. You actually have a new charter. It just didn't. I think that. 00:45:07
Mayor, I think it went. 00:45:11
To I think Senator Kaiser had it, but it never made it. 00:45:12
Past that, maybe it didn't get it didn't. And it was in the IT was in the wake of the mayor drama and I think. 00:45:15
Senator Kowser just wasn't comfortable. 00:45:20
Advancing it and you've got to have unanimous support from your local delegation. 00:45:22
So next year we'll have a completely new delegation basically depends on a ferret gifts or gets reelected, but we'll have. 00:45:26
We would have. 00:45:34
You have Senator Cow Search. 00:45:35
Running for attorney general, so we'll have a new senator. 00:45:36
New representative or Eric Gessler who may be re elected so. 00:45:39
I think the time to revisit that is next time after when there's not a. 00:45:44
When it's not perceived as. 00:45:47
Because the former mayor wanted a new charter. 00:45:49
And then we proposed a new charter, but I think there was just some confusion and unwillingness to invest the time and energy in 00:45:52
determining whose charter it was. 00:45:55
That we wanted to move forward before. So I think we're a little further from that. I think we could probably get a just a modern 00:45:59
charter. 00:46:01
Through the local delegation, Sharon, if you'll just. 00:46:04
Note that for next November, and we'll start to engage once we know who who those people are. 00:46:06
I don't know if it'll be. 00:46:12
You know Mark Mcmain or if it'll be. 00:46:13
You know, or one of the other. 00:46:15
Candidates for Senate and and. 00:46:17
A lot will depend on if. 00:46:19
If representative gifts or is reelected or not, but I think. 00:46:20
It's much more doable once we have some. 00:46:23
New folks down there. 00:46:26
OK. What do you, is there anything you need from us to activate that? 00:46:28
We just need to revisit it, I guess, like Brian said in in November. Well, I think if we can revisit maybe September, October. 00:46:33
So we have something we can take to them in November, that's what we'd want to do. 00:46:38
Because what basically what Joe is saying is we just need sort of a modern charter and our charter is pretty old. So there's 00:46:42
there's kind of a GMA template that we can use and adjust if we need to. 00:46:47
Yep, OK. 00:46:53
And then on the sidewalk improvement share, and I do want to mention, you know like I'm glad we've we've built new sidewalks and I 00:46:55
think we'll continue to do that, but. 00:46:59
You know, I guess my my thought was. 00:47:02
We do have routes like South Main and Barnet Shoals where. 00:47:04
The sidewalks have gotten tired and cracked and. 00:47:07
Aren't particularly safe, you know, so. 00:47:10
Sharon, I don't know if you feel like that's sort of a matter of course where we can handle that within our existing T spouse 00:47:12
funding stream. 00:47:15
Or if that's. 00:47:18
Something that we need to specifically identify. 00:47:20
You know, here's a. 00:47:22
You know, because you probably argue the South main sidewalk should be AG dot priority, but we all know G dots never going to get 00:47:24
to that. 00:47:27
You could probably argue that Barnett Shoals is a county sidewalk, but I don't think the county's dying to rebuild the sidewalk on 00:47:31
Barnet Shoals, so. 00:47:35
And I, you know, again, Barnett Shoals long term we may do something different, but. 00:47:39
Just that little area between like. 00:47:43
Main Street and 2nd St. just needs some. 00:47:44
TLC when we're when we have contractors in town, right and we had and so Drayton. 00:47:47
Criswell, our public works manager did inventory all the sidewalks and he met either last week or week before last with another 00:47:52
local contractor. We've used before for smaller projects and I believe, I don't know if Drayton, do you have a if you have an 00:47:57
update you use the mic and. 00:48:01
And maybe give an update on that if you. 00:48:06
Where that's at? 00:48:09
But there were. 00:48:10
There, there were identified, we had some citizens identify some and then he went out actually with his crew and they identified 00:48:11
some spots that need, you know, there's cracks or dips or whatever to improve those and we've notified the. 00:48:17
County water department as well about some of their meters. 00:48:22
Really kind of low to get risers so that there that doesn't also cause. So there I know they're working on that as well. 00:48:25
Right made. They came back with around 1/4 of 13/5. 00:48:32
For all of the areas. 00:48:36
Beyond just Main St. 00:48:37
In between Main Street and 2nd Street, so. 00:48:39
I didn't. I didn't see what exactly those individual areas came out to, but I'll look at it. 00:48:42
As soon as we get out of here, she said they they provided 1/4 of 13,500 and we'll have to look at the budget. I mean we do have 00:48:46
y'all did authorize the money in for sidewalks in the budget we had intended to do the section between. 00:48:53
Jackson St. and New High Shoals, but that came. 00:48:59
Astronomically higher than we expected because of all the work that wouldn't be needed for that. That may be one of those projects 00:49:01
that we may have to hope that maybe SPLOST passes and we use those funds for. I don't know. We'll have to revisit that. It's a. 00:49:07
I know Councilman Campbell had approached me about an alternative to that idea, unfortunately that idea. 00:49:14
That, he recommended was. 00:49:20
Doing a sidewalk across the street. 00:49:22
Which I think then gets into the. 00:49:25
Gets into the railroad right away and all sorts of plus you got across to get to it. So we were trying to provide that. 00:49:27
Continuous. 00:49:34
That continuity between New High Shoals and South Main. So it's it's a. 00:49:35
It's it's a challenge and I think we'll we'll figure it out. We've. 00:49:39
Engineered at what, two or three different ways already? And it still comes back at like, I think it was like 4 or $500,000 or 00:49:42
something. I think it was six or six. Yeah, it was a lot. That's a tiny little trip. 00:49:47
Yeah. So like kind of route people around. 00:49:52
Yeah, Yeah. No, we could There's, there's several. 00:49:57
I I'd love to have that done, but the reality is you can find your way. You can connect through there without it being perfect 00:49:59
right now and that that price was just. 00:50:04
I was like, there's so many and we'll talk about some other things we can do with those funds. 00:50:08
Yeah, potentially connecting Hair Shoals Park to N Main St. 00:50:11
You could probably do cheaper than that, which I'd argue is a much more impactful. 00:50:15
You know, pedestrian bike, pedestrian connection then. 00:50:19
You know that little egg on supplementary 'cause you can take Jackson St. and get around so. 00:50:23
So so. 00:50:28
Sort of, but I do think, you know, while we're doing. 00:50:29
What we're doing, new ones, being able to. 00:50:31
And you said that 13 five was for South Main and Barnett Shoals Drayton, is that right? That was for multiple areas, OK. And that 00:50:33
little and I know there's the one on VFW too that's kind of sunken in. Yes, that was included in there. So I will just say as. 00:50:40
Someone who probably walks the most Stan Barnett Scholes. 00:50:47
Where like at the. 00:50:50
Were first hits Barnett, Scholes? 00:50:53
Where? 00:50:55
I think what's probably happening is those roads are so narrow. 00:50:56
And you have delivery trucks going in and they're running over and crushing that so. 00:51:00
How do we? 00:51:06
Is there a way to keep that from happening? Is there a way because I. 00:51:07
It seemed to fix it and then, you know, month later it's happened again because a massive truck has just run over that corner. 00:51:11
Once again, so are there ways to? 00:51:17
Keep trucks from doing that. 00:51:21
What we did, so we did, we did move back the I think they did move back the stop bar for the vehicle so that the. 00:51:24
You know the charts would have a little bit better swing to come off a lot barn shells onto main. 00:51:30
They did move that back to because that's an area that we've had continual issues. We can't. 00:51:34
Repair it enough like it constantly gets crushed, um. 00:51:39
But. 00:51:42
You know, I think that's just an ongoing, that's gonna be an ongoing challenge. I mean, you could certainly and check Councilman 00:51:43
Garrett may have some more suggestions, but. 00:51:47
But that's something that I think. 00:51:51
We're just going to continue to have to. 00:51:53
Figure out a way. 00:51:56
To deal with it shouldn't be. 00:51:56
Crazy amount more to do it. 00:51:59
You know more like 8 inches, 10 inch thick. Put rebar in it. That should take care of it. 00:52:01
So close to the intersections. Yeah, we do rebar. 00:52:06
Yeah. So, yeah. So is that a? 00:52:13
Instead of continually doing it, let's do it. 00:52:16
Pay more, do it right so it is actually not. 00:52:18
Getting crushed. 00:52:22
Because it's yeah, I don't know how a truck can pull out of. 00:52:23
1st. 00:52:26
And I mean, it's, it's just a tricky intersection, yeah. 00:52:27
And then the other one that we've talked about potentially with some of those funds, you know and in the engineers working on 00:52:32
this, but I wanted you all to know about it because I think it would be a nice project would be. 00:52:36
Sidewalks on Barnet on 2nd St. from Barnet Shoals to. 00:52:40
Rocket field. 00:52:45
Where there's a lot of walking and that it kind of sets up like. 00:52:46
Kathleen and Lawrence have a sidewalk there. 00:52:49
Then you've got Max House. Then you've got Farmhouse Law. 00:52:51
And you have Norma, she said she would let us use the right away there. 00:52:54
We'd have to work with Tom, but you can get almost all the way there and the road sets up nicely and there's a lot of people who 00:52:57
walk on 2nd St. 00:53:00
You know, umm. 00:53:03
Compared to 3rd, to me that's a better. 00:53:04
Connection from Barnett Shoals. 00:53:06
What it? 00:53:08
I was gonna say if we win, if when we do that. 00:53:09
We have talked about this multiple times doing something actually on Symington Bridge. 00:53:12
Chairman Daniel. 00:53:19
To maybe keep people like keeping that intersection open, like having like a box there or something. Because I do think that is 00:53:21
the main way for people to to cross because crossing 1/3 is just dangerous. 00:53:27
Um, so I don't know if that's. 00:53:35
Something. 00:53:38
County's been pretty willing to work with us on Simonton Bridge. 00:53:39
You know, pedestrian and. 00:53:43
Improvements they're already working with us on the other crossings or even do a little like actually have that be like an 00:53:44
official little. 00:53:47
Like have the little bikini. 00:53:51
Crossing thing there. 00:53:52
Not third at second, not on 3rd, no third. I just work. Yeah. We're trying to keep people off 3rd and encourage people to go 00:53:55
second because it's just between the curve and the hill is just not. 00:54:00
Great. Umm. 00:54:05
But second, you feel like would be reasonable because I know we've worked with Jody on. 00:54:07
Jody on some of those crossings. 00:54:10
I was remember they had real concerns about going through crossing the 1.1 foot. 00:54:12
Yeah, third was shown on. 00:54:17
Some of our early maps, and I think we all agreed that third isn't the ideal. 00:54:19
Quarter through there for. 00:54:23
For folks and I know we talked to Mike Weathers and Jody at one point about. 00:54:24
The striping of that area to have to get back and pull my emails up about that. 00:54:30
I think they were, I think they were open to it, but I have to go back and look at there was something I just don't remember all 00:54:35
the details about what we have had conversations about that so. 00:54:39
Yeah, they just need the engineering on it. 00:54:43
And then? 00:54:45
It'll go through our normal process just like you're doing for. 00:54:46
Been encroachment permit and we'll. 00:54:49
Do the best we can to make it work. 00:54:52
OK, so I did want to flag that for y'all that among the things we're talking about that could be one that would be. 00:54:54
It won't be easy. 00:55:01
It wouldn't be as complicated as some of the other ones that we've done, but I think it could be pretty pretty. 00:55:02
Pretty high impact. 00:55:06
You know, and Connie walks that road a lot. I don't. 00:55:08
I don't, you know, know what your feelings would be about that, but this is your home turf, so we'd love to hear from you if you 00:55:11
think that's a good idea or not. 00:55:14
So. 00:55:17
I just wish people would obey the rules and drive slow and stop at stop signs and. 00:55:21
But they're not doing that like they used to. 00:55:27
I don't know if they ever have I I can tell you my. 00:55:32
Grandparents used to talk about people fussing. 00:55:35
About uh. 00:55:37
People riding their horses too fast through downtown Watkinsville. It's been a problem for a long time, yeah. 00:55:37
Yeah, when I moved back in 2004, Antonio is still sprinting up 3rd St. with his horse and then Margie. He'll be mad at him for 00:55:44
making holes in rocket field. 00:55:48
We thought it was a big deal. We put a fence around rocket field to keep the horses out back then, so you know it is. 00:55:53
Even in 20. 00:56:00
Even in 23 years that's changed, but. 00:56:01
I don't know if they still get horses over there or not, Connie. 00:56:04
Motorcycles, yes, but not. 00:56:10
Yeah, I think he switched from horses to motorcycle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:56:11
Lot of deer, sometimes myself in town. 00:56:14
One other sidewalk. I mean, I know we talked about Main Street, but you know, as Ashford. 00:56:18
Is improving. They've added to it. 00:56:23
I would love. 00:56:25
And I don't know, it's AG dot thing. I would love to fix that intersection at Ashford. 00:56:26
That sidewalk there, I mean, we, we finally got the the pole out of the middle of the road you can walk down and then right there 00:56:31
at that intersection. 00:56:35
You're lost at what to do. 00:56:38
Handy. It's not handicapped accessible. 00:56:41
There's just no way of getting across that intersection right there safely. 00:56:44
I'd love to. 00:56:49
See how we figure that out? 00:56:50
And, and I know the terrain and elevation. I mean, it's a it's a terrible intersection. I got it, but I'd love to and we've. 00:56:52
And we have the mayor and I both had conversations and emails back and forth at G dot about it and they acknowledge it's an issue, 00:56:58
but they haven't give us a time frame of when. 00:57:03
Winner, if that will would ever happen. 00:57:08
We even had a handicap advocate approach us and basically say this is all illegal and we sent that to G docs. We're like, you 00:57:10
know, we can't. 00:57:13
You know, you know, we've got somebody actually out checking every intersection in downtown, you know, and. 00:57:17
But this is 1 where we can't. 00:57:23
Not only is it not our responsibility, it would also I mean that. 00:57:24
That probably wound up being $1,000,000 project I would think by the time and then Ashford would lose parking. 00:57:27
Under almost any conceivable scenario. 00:57:32
There, which would be tough. 00:57:35
You know. 00:57:37
Anyway, I it's. 00:57:38
I'm with you 100%, Brad. I just, that's a tough one to. 00:57:40
Tough one to fix, yeah. I sure wish we could though cuz it. 00:57:43
That's a nice, nice building they're doing there, yeah. 00:57:46
OK. All right. Well, when we bring forward the. 00:57:50
The addendum to the transportation plan will. 00:57:53
You know, the plan will be a draft, you know, then identify it because we'll have the the map and hopefully we can. 00:57:55
If there's additional things y'all like to see we can that haven't been highlighted, we can highlight those and then. 00:58:01
Adopt those, have you all adopt that, and now that'd be a good road map for us to move forward with. 00:58:07
So the highest, number four overall, was relocating public Works department facilities. 00:58:13
We are still very interested in doing that by. 00:58:19
Relocating public works out of the building there at Main Street and Experiment Station. 00:58:22
It would free up that building for the DDA that's in the downtown development area. It's a. 00:58:27
A great asset, certainly not the highest and best use at this moment. 00:58:32
I I don't want to put words in the in the chairman's mouth because he's here, but I will say that we have considered and are 00:58:36
working with them. 00:58:40
To potentially. 00:58:44
Relocate to one of their facilities if they if they. 00:58:46
Leave there that facility so. 00:58:49
We are looking at that. I think there was a couple $100,000 in SPLOST to. 00:58:51
To do something like that, that's just sort of to. 00:58:57
Pertain some space somewhere. 00:58:59
So that we could. 00:59:01
Keep them moving, but. 00:59:02
I think that's. 00:59:04
Probably at 3:00. 00:59:05
Two to three-year kind of thing before we'll be where we need to be with that I. 00:59:06
And of course it you know. 00:59:10
It may end up requiring. 00:59:12
You know, funding from the council or a loan or something. I'm not really sure, it just all depends on. 00:59:14
On where we can relocate them to. 00:59:19
So that was. 00:59:22
Your fourth highest. 00:59:25
The next one was exploring. 00:59:27
Utilization Utilization of the house which. 00:59:30
Mayor Pro Tem Tucker mentioned earlier may be a good place for. 00:59:33
Historical County, if that. 00:59:37
Ends up coming to fruition. 00:59:39
I think the only thing I would caution you all with on that is if you. 00:59:41
Start activating the house. You're going to need more parking spaces and the mayor and I've. 00:59:45
Already put together a plan. We've had the city engineer put together a plan to add some more gravel. 00:59:49
Parking spaces. 00:59:55
In and amongst the pecan Grove on the eastern side of Thomas Farm, off of the existing. 00:59:56
Gravel area, I don't know if that's something. My hope is we can get that done before July 3rd. That's. 01:00:02
The plan? 01:00:06
But the people that we typically would use for that are currently focused on something Bridge Road and that's a higher priority at 01:00:08
this point. 01:00:11
We've got to get that. 01:00:14
That work done but. 01:00:15
Again, if you are going to activate that space, you've got to figure out that there's got to be some parking or some way to 01:00:16
accommodate the people that may be coming there for that purpose instead of just for the park. So just something to think about. 01:00:21
On that. 01:00:27
The next priority was considering improvements to stormwater conveyance systems. Again, we do not manage stormwater, we convey it 01:00:29
from. 01:00:32
One point to another off the road into into culverts and into the pipes and down to the rivers. 01:00:36
We made the improvements on. 01:00:42
White, white subdivision which was the biggest one we are currently again. 01:00:45
Straight Crystal, our public works manager inventoried. 01:00:49
He and his staff inventoried all the culverts in the city. 01:00:52
And has prioritized those. There was money set aside to try to do that as an over, you know, as a. 01:00:55
Larger project. 01:01:01
And and so. 01:01:03
We're gonna start. 01:01:04
Moving forward with those recommendations. So that's an ongoing thing, I don't know if there's. 01:01:06
Any other? I think we've hit most of the hot. 01:01:10
High problem areas. 01:01:13
Now we're going to just be dealing with some of the just. 01:01:16
Minor little things here and there, unless there's others that I don't know about that y'all haven't shared but. 01:01:18
How are we feeling about the? 01:01:24
I guess pipes too small a word, but underneath Hardin Hill the. 01:01:28
Did you guys get an inspection on that? Is that in? 01:01:31
Yeah. So city engineers working on that as well. I think he's been diverted a little bit on the Simon Bridge. 01:01:34
Bridge Rd. project well, but that's on his list to give us an evaluation. You did set aside an appropriate some funds. 01:01:39
For us to. 01:01:45
Figure out what's going on and what would needs to be done there so. 01:01:46
I it's to be determined. Not really sure what but. 01:01:50
Shortly, something we're going to have to. 01:01:53
Pay attention to. 01:01:55
And we are painting institute. 01:01:55
OK, um. 01:01:59
The seventh highest tide. 01:02:01
For seven was exploring youth leadership program and then evaluating Rd. capacity on Barnard Shoals so the use of leadership 01:02:03
program. 01:02:07
The mayor and I talked about a. 01:02:11
Not really sure what we called it now. Citizen Academy. I think the county's done something similar, but we talked about if we did 01:02:15
one, maybe focusing on the youth. 01:02:19
Or making sure that there were some space. There was space within that group for dedicated just for. 01:02:23
You know, younger kids. 01:02:28
And we talked about trying to push that this fall. We've got obviously summoned in bridge. We've got the big July 3rd. 01:02:30
Event coming up and we've got budget season so. 01:02:36
Until we can get through some of that, my attention can't be focused on that yet, but that is the plan is to try to. 01:02:39
Roll something out in the fall. 01:02:44
Sort of as a pilot effort to to do that, I know. 01:02:45
Mayor Pro Tem Tucker mentioned about a leadership, I think that's on your list of things, a leadership program for for youth or 01:02:51
leadership project. 01:02:55
Potentially, It sounds like the mayor's potentially got a project with the historic. 01:02:58
Aspect you just mentioned about the middle school where they. 01:03:03
Started Eagle Tavern and go through the bridge and over Thomas farms on AG econ kind of. 01:03:06
Maybe that's something that we can figure out how to mold into what you're looking for. 01:03:10
So some of what? 01:03:14
I mean, this is an idea we've obviously been talking about for a while, but as I've reflected about just. 01:03:18
Service. 01:03:24
And having. 01:03:25
I mean, I think everyone sitting here, we all have a heart for public service and. 01:03:29
I think. 01:03:36
And, and maybe this was talked about 40 years ago too. Everybody looks at how the youth, what are they doing, but. 01:03:37
I I think some of that is being lost and. 01:03:44
As I've thought about it. 01:03:47
When you are in like the AP. 01:03:49
Higher track get into a good. 01:03:54
College kind of track in school. 01:03:56
You pretty much have to be part of a service organization. You're going to be in beta, you're going to do National Honor Society, 01:03:58
and those all have service components to them. 01:04:02
And so hopefully that idea of service is being passed along, but. 01:04:07
Not every kid is on an AP track or gonna go do beta or are able to do it because of other things in their schedule and so I would 01:04:12
love to find a way. 01:04:16
To engage kids starting before high school at a younger age. 01:04:21
And not be dependent on what kind of academic track they might be on, because I think everybody has the capacity, we need 01:04:26
everybody to have the capacity to serve their community. And so how can we engage that in in a fun way and a a meaningful. 01:04:34
Because there's a lot of. 01:04:42
Just intrinsic reward that comes with. 01:04:45
Being able to. 01:04:47
Serve your community. 01:04:48
Tell so I'm in the local Oconee Rotary Club and one thing we do to encourage youth is Rila the Rotary youth. 01:04:49
Leadership. 01:04:58
Awards. So we actually sponsored kids to go to. 01:04:59
Leadership academies and stuff. 01:05:03
But it's it's a great way to engage the youth. 01:05:05
And and they they can come in and. 01:05:09
Help with that so. 01:05:12
We use a lot of that. 01:05:14
And that's, I mean, yes, there's, I mean we have service organizations, but like. 01:05:15
I was actually a Rotarian. 01:05:20
I might technically still be one our north of county one, just kind of. 01:05:22
Disbanded but. 01:05:25
And my kids were all super involved in school. 01:05:28
And yet I don't know about that. So like it's. 01:05:31
But maybe it's not reinventing the wheel. Maybe it's. 01:05:34
Figuring out resources that are there, and figuring out ways to communicate and promote those. 01:05:38
Yeah, and one thing I mean. 01:05:44
You typically you think of Lions Club. The Rotary Club is a bunch of. 01:05:46
Older people sitting around, you know, but we're trying in our Rd. club, really trying to. 01:05:49
Bring in younger generations. We we do a lot of stuff like building handicap ramps. We do. 01:05:54
I work work with every the Oconee. 01:06:02
Resource council here, but so a lot of the guys that have. 01:06:05
You know, middle schoolers, high schoolers. 01:06:09
Bring their kids to help. 01:06:11
Build ramps and to. 01:06:13
Help with the library when they're doing sales of library books. We just did that this this past weekend, so. 01:06:14
So trying to bring the youth in to help with that, but it's just bringing in. 01:06:20
RH Group people. 01:06:25
That understand. 01:06:27
You know and want to help out. 01:06:28
There's also a program through a group called Georgia Forward called Leadership Next, and they have youth councils and so. 01:06:31
We may not have to reinvent the wheel. They may have a program we can use. I just sent share and I just sent you a link to that, 01:06:38
OK. 01:06:40
They're already partnered up with GMA and there's several cities that have it. Christina copied you on that. 01:06:43
But it looks like Stockbridge, Noonan, LaGrange, Dublin, Douglas, Decatur, coming in, Columbus all have these programs. 01:06:49
It might be helpful if we don't have to create something out of whole cloth and there's something we can use that. 01:06:56
Is a program that's. 01:07:00
Been proven to work and. 01:07:02
You know, Sharon and I talked about trying to get that done this year, but with everything on her plate, I was just. I think the 01:07:03
most important thing is to do that right. You know how we started that we have a clear vision and. 01:07:07
Do that right, but I think. 01:07:12
We're all nodding our heads about how do we get? 01:07:13
Youth more involved in the city and understanding. 01:07:15
What the challenges are and really build up. 01:07:19
You know, Brett, that that sort of civic muscle. 01:07:21
You know that. 01:07:23
Really makes a town great, you know, and I think that starts with having younger citizens who. 01:07:24
You know, want to come back and be a part of that. 01:07:29
You know, sometimes when you try to activate that when someone's 30 or 40, it's almost too late. It's like. 01:07:32
Learning it's like learning a language. It's a lot easier when you're young. 01:07:36
But I think we're in Oconee. We're blessed that we have a lot of that in our DNA, but it doesn't hurt to. 01:07:40
Do some more of it well, and I think a lot of. 01:07:44
What would help us also is. 01:07:47
I mean if you recall Hair Souls Park the the the original park was built by like the right Lions Club and the Rotary Club. 01:07:48
I mean, let's engage those people and help them. 01:07:55
Help us, you know. 01:07:58
I I think that, well, I know that the resources are out there. 01:08:01
For them to. 01:08:03
Help them, help us, we just. 01:08:04
Need to engage them in helping us. 01:08:07
And I think too. 01:08:09
Not just service in the sense of. 01:08:12
You know. 01:08:15
Physical acts to help the community, which those are very important and I'm not saying we shouldn't do that. 01:08:16
But I think there is with this. 01:08:21
The Pacific minded. 01:08:22
The research out there is most people don't even understand how. 01:08:26
Republican democracy works. And I mean, and it's not just being. 01:08:30
Even if it's being taught in school, that doesn't get retained. I mean it is really kind of depressing when you look at the 01:08:35
statistics of the. 01:08:38
The average American and their understanding of how our government works and so. 01:08:41
I think. 01:08:45
Having something where? 01:08:46
Like I've always said, I think everybody needs to wait tables and be a substitute teacher for a little bit of time so you 01:08:49
understand. 01:08:53
What it's like to serve. 01:08:56
The general public and I would say. 01:08:59
I'm as I'm living more of life, I think everybody needs to see how government works. 01:09:02
That, uh. 01:09:08
Yeah, it's real easy to say, well, why don't you just do this? And I think I was that person until I started doing this and I 01:09:09
realized, well, there's no such thing as why don't you just do this? Because to do this, you have to figure out this. And to 01:09:14
figure out this, you got to figure out that. And, you know, it's a whole and so. 01:09:19
So, umm. 01:09:24
Definitely get kids involved in actual acts of service, but also. 01:09:25
Help them figure out how. 01:09:30
How does the mechanisms of a Democratic Republic work? How does this. 01:09:31
You know nothing is that simple. How can you be more nuanced and. 01:09:37
Get dig deeper. So that's part of my thoughts with. 01:09:40
The goals of what we'd be doing. 01:09:43
And and. 01:09:45
Similarly, you see the Boy Scouts come in here every once in a while. 01:09:47
And I have personally gone and talked to a couple of different scouts about. 01:09:51
Sit duties and what that looks like so yeah, engaging the. 01:09:54
Local populace. 01:09:58
All right. So we have some wet clay there, but we'll we'll find the Watkinsville way for that. OK. 01:10:01
Again, time for number 7 was trying to. 01:10:06
Evaluate. 01:10:11
Client Shoals Rd. It's a County Road, but it's in the city and implementing some design. 01:10:12
Potentially some design changes. I think that's a. 01:10:17
You know, moving target to some extent it's. 01:10:19
Gonna do this over Hang on, let me do this. 01:10:22
So that one, hang on, maybe it is back on that one. 01:10:25
One more. 01:10:29
Yeah, that one, sorry. 01:10:31
We've had some, we have had a preliminary design where we considered. 01:10:35
Widening the sidewalks, maybe narrowing the road, those are just internal things that we've talked about. We did have. 01:10:40
The engineer look into that. 01:10:46
Some of the challenges we have or there's a lot of power poles up and down that road. 01:10:48
We've had conversations, Georgia Power, about maybe trying to go underground with that. I don't know that, you know, we know how 01:10:52
expensive that one pole was. 01:10:56
And he was like. 01:10:59
$25,000 to move that one pull out of the sidewalk downtown. So it's not a inexpensive thing. This may be a larger. 01:11:00
You know, project collaboration. Obviously the county owns the road, so if anything were to be done, we'd have to, you know, get 01:11:06
their blessing and their interest in. 01:11:10
And how to move forward with that. But I think it's still a party. I don't know where it fits in the next fiscal year. It may be 01:11:14
something that gets pushed to the next tea squashed because it'll be an expensive. 01:11:19
Project uh. 01:11:25
If we do it so. 01:11:26
If there's any comments on that but. 01:11:28
I've stayed in touch with Georgia Power on that, you know, just. 01:11:32
You know, just in case they ever do make a decision to. 01:11:35
Adjust those poles you know and. 01:11:38
You know, they've, they've remained interested in supporting us if they can, if and when there's a. 01:11:41
You know, they're, they're looking at their entire grid right now in a way that's very different than they were three or four 01:11:45
years ago. So. 01:11:47
There's going to be different kind of investments. 01:11:50
That substation down at the end is now being. 01:11:53
Managed by Georgia Transmission Corporation and Walton AMC. 01:11:55
So it's a little bit. 01:11:59
You know, but I think the polls there are still Georgia Power, so. 01:12:00
I think it's important that they they know about it. 01:12:03
But I'm I don't think we have anywhere near the resources to tackle this until we have another T spouse approved. And if we do 01:12:06
then we can. 01:12:09
You know, barring. 01:12:14
Activities at the. 01:12:16
General Assembly that make that more challenging we could. 01:12:17
You know we can. 01:12:20
Roll up our sleeves and work with the county on what? 01:12:21
A new version of Barnet Shoals looks like but. 01:12:24
Until we have new T Spa, there's no Celtic. There's the money to tackle it. 01:12:26
So OK. 01:12:30
All right, let's get to another couple here. 01:12:32
Time for number 8 was exploring relocation of City Hall and public. 01:12:36
Police Department, obviously we've already talked about public works freeing up. 01:12:41
The City Hall for other potentially private investment and then explore an opportunities for active recreation our existing parks 01:12:45
and green spaces. 01:12:48
So a couple comments about that. I mean again, I think. 01:12:53
Perhaps, maybe this is, I mean, I'm already running out of space here. I've had, you know, we've had to. 01:12:57
We have our downtown development director. 01:13:01
Living out of the space above Rocket Field, which I mean is great space. It keeps her in downtown, but she's away from the rest of 01:13:05
us. That makes it a little bit more challenging, you know, to try to interact daily with with her because she's not physically in 01:13:10
the same space as us. She's done a bang up job of. 01:13:15
Trying to be in here and show her face every, you know, But her job really is downtown. Our focus should be downtown, but. 01:13:20
It does make it harder to coordinate that if we had to add anymore staff it would make it even harder. 01:13:25
And so I think there's that. 01:13:31
Needs to continue to be explored. 01:13:32
Where or how and when that's sort of all up in the air. I think there's lots of lots of things to consider. 01:13:34
We did, I think, put in the recommendation on the referendum to have some money for a new facility. 01:13:41
To either build 1 or renovate one or something. So we'll see how that moves forward the May 19th. 01:13:48
Vote on the. 01:13:55
The. 01:13:58
Recreational programming type of. 01:14:00
Activities and existing parks and green spaces. I know councils made it very clear and I. 01:14:03
Certainly appreciate again because of a staffing issue. 01:14:07
Taking on additional programming at any of our parks is going to be really hard for us. I did have a. 01:14:09
Fantastic conversation with Watkinsville Baptist Church this past week. 01:14:15
They're looking at doing something that would bring people, you know, a service that would help us, but also. 01:14:19
Provide people opportunity to come to their campus. It's not in the city limits, but they are very much tied. This relay connector 01:14:25
is going to go through. 01:14:29
Through their campus and over to water Park. 01:14:33
And and. 01:14:36
The idea pickleball did come up. 01:14:37
Another playground came up. 01:14:39
So there's I think. 01:14:41
That's where we can leverage those public private partnerships or public nonprofit. 01:14:42
Organizational, uh. 01:14:46
They're working with the consultant to try to figure out what that looks like for them. And so like I said, it had a really good 01:14:47
conversation last week. 01:14:50
With them about that so that may. 01:14:53
You know we can provide that without actually having to physically provide it ourselves. Would be awesome. 01:14:55
So with our staffing like it is so. 01:15:00
The 9th overall was supporting the existing events. Obviously we've talked a little bit about during our. 01:15:04
During the. 01:15:10
The significant accomplishments we talked about, the Easter egg hunt that we have every year, the cops and bobbers. 01:15:13
The farmers market is now I think. 01:15:18
I think they're going to be staying at water park. I'm not 100% sure, but they've got a presence out there that seems to work for 01:15:20
them. 01:15:23
The chamber's fall festivals, we've already gotten the paperwork for that. 01:15:26
For this fall, because that starts early. 01:15:30
Christmas parade, the downtown's trick or treat. I think we've done a lot. 01:15:32
In that area I know the. 01:15:35
The strategic plan for downtown includes either a first Friday or a third Thursday or some. 01:15:37
Cute little thing like that third Tuesday to try to again. 01:15:43
Reengage the public and interactions with the businesses downtown. 01:15:47
So I think that's very much. 01:15:51
Becoming part of our fabric again. I think the things I want to, I think what I'd like to see is some of these things that are 01:15:53
becoming more sort of. 01:15:56
Understood. 01:15:59
We don't need to have them. I mean any that are specific to our comprehensive plan that are in blue have to stay on the plan 01:16:01
because we have that's part of our work plan. We have to respond to that. But some of these other things I think that are becoming 01:16:04
part of our everyday thing. 01:16:08
We don't necessarily have to. 01:16:13
Point or. 01:16:14
Or be a higher party because it's becoming part of what we do anyway. It's sort of understood so. 01:16:15
And then the 10th 1 was exploring the truck bypass. We've had a fair amount of conversation about that already. 01:16:21
It's not the, you know, the city doesn't have a lot to say about it. The county doesn't actually have a lot to say about it. Is a 01:16:25
G dot project. 01:16:29
And I think the thing to think about with that is. 01:16:33
Planning, Making sure that we are. 01:16:37
A destination before that happens. 01:16:40
Because if we're not. 01:16:42
Really focused on being a destination that bypass comes, we will become, we could potentially become like. 01:16:43
Washington, Georgia, where they just bought area bypasses you and you don't have a reason to stop and come downtown, you know, 01:16:48
come into our community. 01:16:51
So these are the things you have to sort of balance a little bit. 01:16:54
It's not. 01:16:57
Not quite as easy as you know, Oh, there's bypass and it takes all the, you know, takes the truck traffic it's going to take. 01:16:59
You know, vehicular traffic altogether. 01:17:05
Away from our city so. 01:17:07
Yes, you'll just you'll hear us talk a lot about a post. 01:17:10
Post bypass Watkinsville, because, you know, if we wait until the bypass is done to start thinking about that, you know, then 01:17:14
we'll be. 01:17:16
You know, won't be on our heels. I think we've got a strong economic base either way, but the last thing we want to do is, you 01:17:20
know, the the data shows that could take. 01:17:24
35% of the traffic from our downtown and that. 01:17:28
Traffic does support. 01:17:31
Some of our restaurants, some of our retailers and other things like that. So we. 01:17:32
You know we need to be a. 01:17:35
Destination and we need to create a community where that can be a little bit more self-sustaining for some of those places. 01:17:37
It's funny you say that. 01:17:44
Same thing was said before the what? 01:17:46
441 bypass was put in, yeah. 01:17:48
And how much it has helped. 01:17:51
The city by having it, yeah. 01:17:53
And I think the same. 01:17:56
With the other. 01:17:58
Yeah, I think, I think it'll be a help for sure. 01:17:59
On the balance, I take it. 01:18:04
Today, if it could come with no preparation, it would be a huge win so. 01:18:05
OK. All right. 01:18:10
The the next two I believe and then I think we just get into I think. 01:18:14
Again, y'all had 11. 01:18:18
Priorities. There's a whole bunch of others, but and we got a little time to walk through this, I think it's probably worth a 01:18:19
while so. 01:18:22
The next one was evaluating creation of makerspace and the industrial area. 01:18:25
And I don't know I. 01:18:30
I'm trying to remember. I know we talked about. 01:18:31
Makerspace. 01:18:33
Potentially if something happened with public works. I don't know why. 01:18:34
Maybe y'all can help remind me why we said the industrial area? 01:18:38
And not downtown. 01:18:41
I don't know. That's not I was going to talk about the maker space and. 01:18:43
But no, I have no idea. 01:18:47
And yeah. 01:18:49
I don't maybe I brought it down wrong. I thought it, I mean it says industrial or so I'm assuming that that's what it was. But I 01:18:51
know you've talked about having maker space or opportunities within downtown and obviously. 01:18:56
Water park has some essentially some maker spaces I guess. Yeah, I think we thought about. 01:19:01
You know, as you know, we understand that, you know, IMI is going to relocate, we're going to have, you know, we're going to have. 01:19:06
Do we need, and I've talked also to the Industrial Development Authority about this, you know, do we need a? 01:19:13
A plan for the future of the industrial area or do we just sort of let the market take it where it will? You know, there's that 01:19:18
there's a lot that's changed. 01:19:21
In that space. 01:19:25
Since it was created by the idea, so is that something that the Chamber of Commerce could help us with? 01:19:28
Or that the Industrial Development Authority could help us with and really think about what are the. 01:19:33
What are the light industrial businesses we want to have in the future, you know? 01:19:37
We've talked about maker spaces for everything from cooking to. 01:19:41
Blacksmithing to you know, and and part of it needs to be done in conjunction with the local schools too, is what are we what are 01:19:45
our kids going to be doing? Is there. 01:19:48
Something related to hospitality? Is there a partnership with ESP? I don't know the answers to that. I'm just a little concerned 01:19:52
when we're going to lose our. 01:19:55
Largest tenant out there over in the next three or four years and. 01:19:59
Don and Jeremy may just lease that to other people and if they do, that's OK, but. 01:20:02
Do we want to? 01:20:06
Take a beat and say, hey, what does? 01:20:07
What do we need to what needs to happen over here in the next few years? 01:20:09
I don't know. 01:20:12
So I think it's always smart to be proactive and plan and. 01:20:13
Yeah, I mean things are shifting with. 01:20:22
AI and all of what that looks like. And So what AI is not going to do is do things with your. 01:20:24
Hands and your bodies and your and so I wonder if. 01:20:30
We are going to see some job shifting that way. 01:20:33
You know I just and and giving opportunities again to people to. 01:20:37
And we were come connect, create and there's lots of ways to create and so. 01:20:42
I think that's a great idea. 01:20:47
OK, I've added some notes on that and then the last. 01:20:52
One that was tied for 11 was activating and finishing Harris Shoals Park. Again, I mentioned. 01:20:55
Phase 4 is the work on the. 01:21:00
On the dam or the. 01:21:03
Lake and whether or not there'll be a bridge across that that wasn't that was visioned for that area. So I think we'll start 01:21:05
looking at that I think the. 01:21:09
Potential good thing about that is that. 01:21:14
A premade bridge would probably work really well there be easier to drop in, but. 01:21:17
Maybe it'd be cheaper to have a? 01:21:22
Have a, you know, have a. 01:21:23
Stick, belt one done. I don't know but. 01:21:25
That is part of it. We'll start shifting focus to that probably after the fiscal year begins since we've got these other projects 01:21:29
that are taking up a lot of time. Want to get those done. 01:21:33
But if we do that, then we'll. 01:21:38
Pretty much have finished the master plan for Harris Shoals, which I think is pretty phenomenal. 01:21:40
Even if we do that and you know. 01:21:44
The next fiscal year or little, little into the following year that'll be within about a five year period doing all those all, all 01:21:46
of those items. And again, I think that's. 01:21:51
Speaks highly of why we need a SPLOST and a tease boss, because without that. 01:21:56
That wouldn't happen. 01:22:00
I mean, those improvements couldn't have happened. We just don't have the kind of budget. 01:22:01
You know to do that so. 01:22:04
I did speak with. 01:22:06
ESP about that space too, I just think. 01:22:08
We need to keep our partners in mind that's so close to their. 01:22:11
Their campus, the space around the pond, you know, whatever we do over there, if it can be accessible and help relieve some of 01:22:14
their pressure in the summer. 01:22:17
With camps and things like that. So if it can be multi-purpose. 01:22:20
You know, and fully accessible for their population. 01:22:23
So we may need to kind of what we did with the Giardini green, you know, we have this conceptual design, but. 01:22:27
You know, might be helpful. 01:22:32
For us to think through when do we? 01:22:33
Start going to the final design. 01:22:35
Process for that and doing so. 01:22:37
Make sure we park, we include ESP as part of that conversation. Absolutely. 01:22:39
Because if you all remember, it's sort of an outdoor classroom vibe with the pond down there and then the bridge over the. 01:22:43
The dam, which would be. 01:22:48
All will be lovely. 01:22:49
So that includes like the. 01:22:51
Theater kind of space, that's all in. Yeah, that's what was conceptualized. 01:22:53
We also have some. 01:23:00
Some more historical signage and other things going in the rest of the part too that. 01:23:01
Chair and I don't know what the schedule is. I guess in the next couple months we'll have. 01:23:04
You'll see a lot more of these kind of historical signs going in at Harris Hills Park Thomas Farm. 01:23:08
On the Simonton Bridge corridor and other places, probably April, I'm figuring, because it takes about four or five weeks to get 01:23:12
them. We're finishing up some right now that'll that will span the Simonton Bridge Rd. pedestrian connector. 01:23:19
The ones that the parks are already in process and figuring it'll probably be into March before we see those. 01:23:25
Go in. 01:23:31
But it'll have like a trail map. It'll help you navigate hair Shoals. 01:23:32
You know, like so you actually know where to go and. 01:23:36
And what the different elements are in there and stuff. 01:23:39
So. 01:23:41
OK. All right. 01:23:45
I will walk through, walk through the other ones that are not, that we're not highlighted as parties. 01:23:47
Excuse me? 01:23:54
So and and. 01:23:56
Not to get too much into the weeds, but just to remind you all that we do have, we have these. 01:23:59
Set up in in. 01:24:03
Areas of influence, so the ones we're going to talk about next are all going to be community engagement. Then we'll drop into 01:24:05
economic development. So the next three are community engagement, explore a local, the establishment of a local History Museum. We 01:24:10
sort of already had some conversations. This may be morphing into that. 01:24:15
Oconee Hist or his. 01:24:20
Historical County. 01:24:22
Kind of idea and then leaning into ways to collaborate and engage ESP, Lydias Place and OCAF. I know we've done really well with 01:24:23
ESP and OCAF. Lydias Place is one of those areas we need to work a little bit harder on. So that's something. 01:24:30
Think we'll work on and then extension of library hours and I don't know that we've revisited that. I mean, I don't know that I've 01:24:36
heard. 01:24:39
There, there was a, you know, the. 01:24:43
I know when the library was trying to. 01:24:44
Find its resting place and all that. Those conversations the council had, I don't know. 01:24:46
If that may be something we want to. 01:24:51
Asked you know the the public about you know, get some feedback are the hours you know. 01:24:54
What you'd like to see? Maybe that's one of those. 01:24:58
Survey questions we could add. 01:25:00
I don't know if anybody has any. 01:25:03
Put a QR code on the front door of the library. 01:25:04
Body that's there and. 01:25:08
They're like, oh, it's closed, that's closed. Yeah, that's the sample bias. But yeah, you get, you get the right results. 01:25:10
I don't frequent the library very much, so I don't know I'm the one who pushed for that as a of course all my kids now have. 01:25:20
Graduated from high school and we no longer dealing with projects that need to be done and it's closed at 6:00. 01:25:29
But I am sure that frustration. 01:25:35
Might still be there for people. So I mean, but I think it is a good idea to do maybe if we put it on next year survey. 01:25:37
But that was one of the things that we talked about. Obviously we couldn't force them, but when we were talking about the kind of 01:25:46
funding that we were hoping to give was that they would have the funds to during the weekdays to have it open. 01:25:52
Till later so that you don't have 6:00 PM closing in the middle of the week when? 01:25:58
You know someone gets off work and they can't. 01:26:03
Get their kid to the library. 01:26:05
So I know that was the thinking behind it. 01:26:06
Yeah, and I know the library services agreement. See if I can. 01:26:09
Remember details that but. 01:26:12
Umm, they get the 1st $30,000 of property taxes. 01:26:15
From that development. 01:26:19
To pet, you know that goes automatically to them and then anything over that 30,000. 01:26:20
Oh, just going to try to remember if it's 5%, I can't remember. There's a percentage of that. 01:26:26
That they get and that was supposed to be used for additional operational improvements and then over over that there's an 01:26:31
additional amount of money that's put into the capital to. 01:26:35
Fund umm. 01:26:41
Future like Brenda, if the HVAC goes down or something like that. So I can't remember the exact numbers, but I know there's that's 01:26:42
sort of the tiered approach on the library service agreement, so. 01:26:47
I think this was the first fiscal year that they got more than the 30,000. I think this is the first year I'd have to go back and 01:26:52
look. I think it was like $2000. It wasn't a lot. 01:26:56
Better bumped him over. 01:27:00
That's a little bit of a tedious process is we have to. 01:27:01
Work with the tax assessor's office to figure out what that value is and then figure out what the mileage rate, you know how that 01:27:04
works out so. 01:27:07
So anyway, on the the next, the next one, the only one we had for economic development that wasn't already addressed. 01:27:11
Develop a downtown master plan. That's been done. I don't know if. 01:27:18
That's something you want to leave on the list, or if it's. 01:27:22
More of a implementation of doubt or if it's just understood at this point how how y'all want to handle that and that's something 01:27:25
you can we can do at you know when we. 01:27:29
When you go to the exercise after lunch. 01:27:33
We can talk about that. 01:27:37
Under the government operations we've got. 01:27:39
Pursuant certification of Police Department. 01:27:42
What I'd like to say is that the police committee met and we've got. 01:27:44
Both are both of the. 01:27:47
That both the chair and the the member and the mayor was at the meeting. 01:27:49
I guess it was last week. I'm trying to remember. It's been kind of a blurry week. 01:27:53
Umm, Chief R Wood is working on he is completed policy review. He's starting to implement that policy. 01:27:57
With the blessing, the police Committee and. 01:28:05
But. 01:28:08
The uh. 01:28:09
Certification. There's an excellent policing which is GMA certification. 01:28:10
It does require it's not as substantial of a lift if we. 01:28:15
If we did the state certification. 01:28:20
But GMA certification will give us the benefit of that, not only obviously of. 01:28:22
Of making sure that our. 01:28:27
Officers are up. 01:28:28
Up to snuff with all the policies, but we also get. 01:28:30
Some sort of a refund on our? 01:28:33
Insurance through Girma. 01:28:35
If if we receive get that certified excellence in policing certification from them. 01:28:37
So, so Chief has already started to roll out the new policy. Chief, I don't know if you want to add anything to. 01:28:42
That you make? Yeah, you only get the. 01:28:48
Mike from the Chairman. 01:28:50
Basically I. 01:28:57
The certification through GMA is kind of like a stepping stone fuel or a baby step. 01:28:59
If you wanted to go to the Georgia Chief certification, which is a lot more intense. 01:29:04
You're looking at. 01:29:09
Like 15 standards versus 140 standards. 01:29:11
So there is a big difference in in timewise as far as working on it. 01:29:14
I feel pretty comfortable that we could do the excellence in policing through GMA with no extra help. 01:29:19
But we kind of do it ourselves back there and. 01:29:24
The policy. 01:29:27
Our first training class is Thursday. 01:29:29
Evening coming in in the evening and doing training on some of the new. 01:29:31
High liability critical task training that we have. 01:29:35
And I think what we talked about too in the committee meeting is whether we get the certification or not. 01:29:42
And this is true. You may see people talk about these. 01:29:48
Green building, you know, you get all these. 01:29:51
You know, you can be a gold standard or platinum or whatever. 01:29:53
Whether we get those certifications or not, we're going to be acting like it. We're going to be following the same things and 01:29:56
hopefully we'll attain that that certification, but the the goal is just to make sure we button all that up. 01:30:01
So. 01:30:07
All right, let's see. 01:30:10
Just a minute. 01:30:14
Some other government operation, we had ordinance for shared kitchens. That may go back to that maker space kind of thing too 01:30:16
maybe. 01:30:19
I don't know. That's a big concern. I know during the DDA retreat. 01:30:23
We had a few members that were concerned about having food trucks and that's where you get into the shared kitchen kind of idea. 01:30:27
Food trucks for businesses that don't have. 01:30:32
Kitchens or. 01:30:35
Brick and mortar. 01:30:36
I think there was some. 01:30:37
And perhaps mayor. 01:30:39
Part time chairman, Chairwoman, I think this ordinance for shared kitchens is a Jeff Campbell. 01:30:41
Thought because he is in the. 01:30:47
The food space and. 01:30:49
He's seen some things in Cobb County in different places and so. 01:30:51
I, I don't know enough about it to speak to it, but I think that is a Jeff Campbell. 01:30:54
Thought, and I do think it pairs very well with the makerspace type of concept. 01:31:00
But you, you have entrepreneurs who want to make a product. 01:31:06
But in order to sell it, you have to have certain health department things that are almost impossible for a small business to do. 01:31:10
And so if you have a kitchen that has already done all of those things, that allows entrepreneurs to create. 01:31:16
Food and drink items. 01:31:23
That fit in the health department stuff. 01:31:25
So. 01:31:27
I mean 1 great example of that's Jack's cheesecakes. So he does not have his own kitchen. 01:31:29
So what he's utilizing is the kitchen over at the old mall. 01:31:34
It might. I think it was like tomorrow's pizza or something. 01:31:37
But he's utilizing that. 01:31:40
To make all the. 01:31:42
Cheesecakes because he does not have a. 01:31:43
It's fun to do it. 01:31:47
So it'd be nice. 01:31:48
It'd be nice if you didn't have to go all the way the mall and there was something he could walk to. And Watkins Ville. 01:31:49
OK. All right. 01:31:56
Update Updating historic signs entering the city. Also historical markers. 01:31:59
What's What's a? 01:32:03
Interesting about this is that. 01:32:06
Councilman Garrett actually sent me a note. I guess it was last week. 01:32:08
About the fact that we, we updated all but one, we have 1 and I think that was just that fell through the cracks. We've got a 01:32:11
historic sign. 01:32:14
As you enter S main. 01:32:18
Right there. 01:32:19
At the Billboard that needs to be replaced and updated. So that's on my list to do. I think that's an easy check that off that I 01:32:20
mean I and the mayor mentioned these interpretive panels and signs that we have we may. 01:32:25
Add some additional ones as we. 01:32:30
You know, get into new areas like big springs or something like that. 01:32:32
But uh. 01:32:36
That one should have already been done, and I apologize. We'll get that taken care of. What do you do with these signs that you 01:32:37
takedown? 01:32:39
Like umm. 01:32:42
I think the old. 01:32:45
Drayton, do you remember the historics on the one that was up in front of the cross from the Christian Church? Was it? Is it down 01:32:47
at the shop now? I think we tried to clean it and just didn't work very well. 01:32:52
I don't have an answer for you. I don't. I don't think I was involved in taking it down. 01:33:00
But I think it's, I think it's stored the, the old one is stored up there. We had some of the old entryway signs that we had, we 01:33:05
did, we had somebody that was interested in that and. 01:33:09
You know, it's less than it's not valuable to the city and the person asked for it. We basically gave it to him. So I would just 01:33:13
say hold. I just like that one on Main Street. I would hold on to if we talk about doing a museum or something like there, there 01:33:19
is a nostalgia and sense of history. So don't get rid of those. I guess what I'm. 01:33:24
Encouraging. 01:33:30
OK. All right. 01:33:32
And, and I guess again, we've got relocating public works facility, we've got it in three different places that apparently is a 01:33:35
high priority. So yeah, I think we can probably take that off and, and the sign thing, I think, but we'll, I'll let you all decide 01:33:40
how you want to if you want to remove mom and they ask you to use some of your dots today to out to, to. 01:33:46
Designate which ones you think need to be removed. 01:33:52
On the. 01:33:55
Infrastructure We've got St. lights and signs, wayfinding market welcome, signage repair and replace is needed. 01:33:57
Pretty much that's been done. I think I talked to. 01:34:03
Parks Manager. 01:34:09
Mark Novak last week about I think I talked to. 01:34:10
I think I talked to you, didn't I last week about the entryway signs because he made it. He maintains the in addition to the 01:34:13
parks, Our parks guys, because of their background, are involved in trying to keep the entrance. 01:34:18
Entryway signs nice and pretty and we just want to. 01:34:22
Every year have a. 01:34:25
Check on those. Sort of like you know. 01:34:26
Just checking off that they're not peeling or there's anything that needs to be repaired that they're. 01:34:28
Maintained so they don't get into disrepair so. 01:34:32
And we do have, you know, we do have a policy now for street lights as far as people asking for them. 01:34:37
I don't know if there's anything else on that that. 01:34:42
Y'all had questions on but we have done all the major signage. 01:34:46
I think there is a desire, I think the mayor's interest, interested in maybe trying to even upgrade the downtown signs, I think. 01:34:50
There's still a lot. We talked about that a little bit at the DDA retreat. 01:34:57
The members did. 01:35:00
There's a lot of busyness downtown, you know, lots of signage and stuff we need to. 01:35:02
You know, clutter it's and that makes it more challenging for public safety because we've got lots of signage and. 01:35:06
Lamps and stuff around those. 01:35:11
Of RF. 01:35:14
Crosswalks and so public safety is paramount, so we're going to have to consider how. 01:35:14
To address both those needs without causing problems for either 1 SO. 01:35:19
That may be part of a Splash initiative too. 01:35:23
In our second cycle of that. 01:35:26
Constructing the pedestrian connector downtown that's sort of in two different areas as well under transportation and then 01:35:30
obviously. 01:35:33
On its own but. 01:35:36
That is due to be completed by June 30th. It will be done by June 30th. 01:35:37
It was very. 01:35:43
So. 01:35:44
It will happen. 01:35:45
Some some other infrastructure, removing the power poles along Main Street, I don't know, you know, other than moving the one off 01:35:47
at the sidewalk, I don't know. 01:35:51
How realistic that is. 01:35:55
In the near term. 01:35:57
Again, sort of dependent upon. 01:36:00
Georgia Power and their plans, but I do know that we talked about how. 01:36:02
Much of A disruption that would be to our businesses and how they couldn't. 01:36:07
Hate, they couldn't probably manage that. So those are some things we've got to keep in mind. 01:36:11
If you want to, you know, unless, unless there's some. 01:36:15
You know, great way to deal with it. That's going to be a real challenge I think to. 01:36:18
Because it would shut down. I mean, even just, even just having one business, a recent recently had to have a business. 01:36:22
Where we interrupted a two or three hour period of time. 01:36:27
The phones were ringing off the hook, you know, people couldn't. 01:36:30
Believe they were going to be without power for two or three hours because of some work that had to be done for one business so. 01:36:33
This would be a significant. 01:36:38
Thing and this may be one of those things that. 01:36:40
Down the road, you know if, if, if and when. You know when the bypass happens and if and when the city were to ever. 01:36:42
Potentially. 01:36:48
Take over Main Street. Maybe that's when. 01:36:49
Something like that would happen. I mean, it's a lot of it has to do with timing and. 01:36:51
So just something to keep in mind. 01:36:54
Things could be done at night, too. 01:36:57
I'm sorry, a lot of those kind of projects could be done at night. 01:36:59
You know G dot does that on a lot of Rd. projects. You got to be. 01:37:04
You know, seven to seven or. 01:37:08
10:00 at night to 7:00 the next morning or something. 01:37:11
Right. You know. 01:37:14
Sure. I don't know my, I mean it's not my area of expertise to know how that would work and and how power, you know? 01:37:16
How you restore it quickly or if you've got to take it down, that's. 01:37:23
Seems like a big lift, but certainly understand that it's it's part of a really comprehensive streetscape program to you know 01:37:26
where they. 01:37:30
You go in and you widen your sidewalks and you do some other beautification and you kind of. 01:37:33
Create that. 01:37:37
What would you call it? 01:37:40
You know, create that hole in the ground that everybody can put their stuff in, right? You know, and, you know, getting. 01:37:41
What's that? 01:37:47
Yeah, yeah. So you have a, you have a vault, and then you have a. 01:37:48
You open up the tunnel for everybody to. 01:37:51
All these partners in telecom to put their stuff in because it's not just Georgia Power. I mean, you're talking, we're talking 01:37:53
about Internet. We're talking I think the only place. John, do you? 01:37:58
Would know and you can nod your head. I think is the courthouse is the only place with underground power in downtown Watkinsville 01:38:03
now. Maybe O county State Bank. 01:38:06
But I mean, we, we've. 01:38:10
When I was with George Power, I mean you. 01:38:12
Do a lot of that so you would not turn off the power to the overhead poles until I mean, everything's built and it really is a. 01:38:14
Pretty simple, flop over. 01:38:21
So you. 01:38:23
Do everything. 01:38:24
And then at the very last minute, I mean, it's like. 01:38:25
10 minute power off. 01:38:29
Or less. 01:38:30
So every, every, everything is done. 01:38:31
And then you just. 01:38:34
You close in the switches on that part. Simple, but destroying the pedestrian infrastructure and rebuilding it is. 01:38:35
Lots of time. 01:38:41
Yeah, I think a few of us were here the last time we did Streetscape and I mean that that was. 01:38:42
You know, uh. 01:38:46
That would that would have been the time. 01:38:47
So I'll tell you from from a power guy, I mean putting. 01:38:48
Cable underground. 01:38:52
Is nice. 01:38:53
The great thing about overhead power is how quick it can be restored. 01:38:55
So I mean. 01:38:59
Underground power is not quick to be restored. 01:39:01
But wouldn't you say that underground power doesn't have to be restored as like they're what's happened like overheads because 01:39:03
stuff happens to it underground? 01:39:07
But I mean talk. I'm talking like. 01:39:11
If if it's an underground. 01:39:13
You talking? 01:39:16
A day of power being off if it's overhead. 01:39:17
An hour of power being off. 01:39:20
I mean that's it's just the difference. 01:39:22
And if we're talking about putting three phase power underground now, now you got to have all three phases out, so. 01:39:24
Now have the city's going to be out? 01:39:30
Versus just a single? 01:39:31
Plan they could, I mean, so there, there, there you got to weigh your options. 01:39:33
Is it more reliable? Sure. 01:39:38
But when it goes out, it's. 01:39:40
It's out for. 01:39:41
Extended periods of time. 01:39:42
Yeah, OK. 01:39:45
A couple other infrastructure. 01:39:48
Ideas were connecting Durham St. to Harris Shoals Park via sidewalks. 01:39:51
And we do have in the transportation plan, Again, I would tie that back to the transportation plan we do have. 01:39:56
A model plan that we actually did go after funding for twice and didn't get and that would go behind the courthouse. 01:40:00
Down along the property that the city. 01:40:08
Recently received through that donation of Green Space. 01:40:10
Across a couple other parcels to Harish to Experiment Station. 01:40:13
And of course, experimentation the the goal would be for that. 01:40:17
To be done. I know that's. 01:40:20
5 to 10 years if we're lucky, somewhere in that time frame. 01:40:22
To be able to get, you know, down to that point and then. 01:40:25
Over here, coming this direction over towards Harris Shoals. So it's still part of the, you know, they're still playing for that, 01:40:28
I think. 01:40:31
Those are. 01:40:35
Aspirational at this point, but. 01:40:37
Things that that are on the list. So we'll just need some direction from y'all if this is a. 01:40:39
It's a higher party at this point. 01:40:43
Decorative St. Lamps along the city sidewalks were sort of a. 01:40:45
Achieving some of that with the Simonton Bridge Rd. project. 01:40:49
We're adding 10. 01:40:51
Polls between 3rd St. and Mulberry Down. Tour to the bridge. 01:40:53
We added the 18 on Simonton Bridge Rd. which? 01:40:57
I'll remind everybody, yes. 01:41:01
The lights are bright, but hopefully by April we will have those dimmed to 60 Watt. They're at 100 Watt right now and. 01:41:02
That was not a plan. I'm not sure that sort of. 01:41:07
Yeah, there is. It is bright. 01:41:12
It's bright, yeah, it'll wake you up, but but we'll get those dimmed and then we'll have some from Simonton Place down towards the 01:41:14
city limits where the extension of. 01:41:19
Sanjay Bridge Rd. Connector Go We're gonna have bollards. They're about 3 foot high. 01:41:23
With light, sort of like if you've ever been on North campus at UGA, you see there's a little light coming out of the out of the 01:41:27
top of the bollard. So it'll be low level kind of light, but we'll light the pathway. So if people are. 01:41:32
Not quite home yet, they can get. 01:41:38
You know, they can walk the sidewalk at night, just can't go into the park into the park at night. 01:41:40
But so we're doing that. I think again, we'll revisit. 01:41:45
The streetscape in downtown as the strategic plan moves and again like I talked about with signage. 01:41:47
How we try to make sure those things can be down there without causing conflicts with causing issues with public safety. 01:41:53
And then the other one is exploring traffic calming opportunities. We mentioned that I think some of these, again, these things 01:42:00
are all to me the traffic calming. 01:42:03
The connection of Durham St. 01:42:07
To hair soles. 01:42:09
Those are transportation. These these are more specific projects within the transportation plan. 01:42:10
It might be worthwhile just to. 01:42:15
Group those back under transportation with the understanding without having to actually piece meal these out on our on our. 01:42:17
Strategic initiatives list, but traffic calming, we talked about this chicanes. 01:42:23
Things like that that can help. 01:42:27
Calm or slow down traffic? 01:42:29
And then the last last one is land use. 01:42:32
The last five we've got exploring the rail trail opportunity, which I think continues to be. 01:42:35
An opportunity, you know, something that everybody's looking into. 01:42:41
I I think they're still working on Benny Rays estate. He's the gentleman who owns. 01:42:45
The railroad, that line, so that's. 01:42:51
In process, I'm not really sure how much. 01:42:53
We have to say about it, but I know that's a party. 01:42:55
Because it does. 01:42:58
Traverse through the city. 01:42:59
Considering establishing an arts committee that actually. 01:43:01
Has been done, so that may be something that can come off at that becomes a. 01:43:04
A right, since that's a regular thing that we can pull that off as well. 01:43:09
Establishing the citywide beautification program. 01:43:12
I think those are that's sort of a. 01:43:15
Another task within the streetscape. 01:43:18
Effort and within the DDA. 01:43:20
And I believe that is something on the strategic plan about, you know, improving the visibility and the and the beautification of. 01:43:22
Of downtown. 01:43:28
We did go to the effort last year, maybe in last fiscal year now, but umm. 01:43:29
Of creating a sidewalk permit. 01:43:34
So that there's a little bit more structure on what's on the sidewalk. We have concerns that. 01:43:36
Because the sidewalk is the cities responsibility. So if somebody put a. 01:43:41
A sandwich board out and somebody tripped. 01:43:44
We would be responsible unless we had permitted that. So we do have several businesses have taken us up on the offer at $10 one 01:43:46
time only. 01:43:50
To have some sort of a permit to have their stuff, they have to follow certain rules. 01:43:53
I know Burton brass. 01:43:59
The antique. 01:44:02
I cannot think of attic treasures. Thank you. I always want to say antique and forget attic treasures. 01:44:04
I believe the new classic. 01:44:09
Golf swing or swing? 01:44:12
Classic swing golf always get that backwards too. And and. 01:44:13
And the matter, yeah, they all have signs that are on the in the right away, but they have to abide by certain standards. So, so 01:44:17
that's part of the beautification as well. And then investigate smaller pocket parks around the city. I believe the strategic plan 01:44:22
also talked about for downtown. 01:44:27
Improving the. 01:44:32
The park. 01:44:33
The area that city owns. That small little postage stamp next. 01:44:35
Between Eagle Tavern and in front of Blonde Pig. 01:44:38
That little area, improving that, making that engaging. 01:44:41
Getting more activity in that area. 01:44:44
And then additional public art installations. The one thing that's not on here that maybe. 01:44:48
Maybe something we may want to morph this this one into something is. 01:44:52
A public art master plan. That is something we are working on the Public Art committee. 01:44:56
Public Arts Committee. 01:45:00
Did give a nod to that the city had has funds within its budget, current operating budget. 01:45:02
To kick that off, and so we have kicked that off with Oh Calf and I hope. 01:45:07
June or July, it may come after the. 01:45:12
Fiscal year started that. There'll be a master plan that comes back before council that. 01:45:14
Identifies just like our transportation plan, just like our parks plan. Identifies those elements within. 01:45:18
The arts. 01:45:24
Where things need to be, how they're going to be managed, the policies for those things. You know, if we're going to have six 01:45:26
sculpture areas, where are those going to be? If we're going to have art boards, if we're going to have murals? 01:45:31
All that. 01:45:36
And so. 01:45:37
I'm, I'm looking forward to seeing that I, you all know I love a good plan. So once I get something in front of me, then we know 01:45:38
you know what what to go after. 01:45:42
And what you guys would like to see? 01:45:45
So no, I'm just stepping back up to the one around the pocket parks. I do think that. 01:45:48
Trying to remember the name of the mayor who that little park is named after downtown. 01:45:53
Anyway, that little space in front of blonde pig? 01:45:59
That the downtown strategic plan does call for that to be. 01:46:02
Sort of. 01:46:05
Elevated and improved and I think. 01:46:06
It could be money well spent on what a plan would look like to. 01:46:08
Improve that little part so it's. 01:46:12
Something, uh. 01:46:14
More impactful when you come downtown. 01:46:15
So I'd love for us to think about getting that done in the next fiscal year. 01:46:18
So I just want to throw that out there. 01:46:22
Do we know what those little houses, the 2 little houses are? 01:46:24
Yes. Do you mean on the our Pocket Park that release by? 01:46:27
And heart, the heart agree. 01:46:34
So those were part of the. 01:46:36
O caps Christmas parade. 01:46:39
And they do have permission to temporarily have them there. 01:46:41
I have been talking with Lawrence. 01:46:45
If you don't know Lawrence, Lawrence has many an idea. He is a true artist and and and a hard worker who does a lot. 01:46:47
And I had discussed some ideas of like. 01:46:55
Anyway, we had discussed some things about houses. 01:46:58
He went in a very artistic direction. Mine was in a more. 01:47:01
Childlike play direction and. 01:47:04
So anyway, they're not there forever, but it is. It is. 01:47:07
Maybe getting some attention to that pocket park, which I know we're not invested. We've already invested money, but not a ton 01:47:11
simply because we don't own that. 01:47:14
Piece of land. 01:47:17
Does that, yeah, I was just curious, I mean. 01:47:18
We eat there. 01:47:21
Frequently and every time I'm like. 01:47:22
Wonder what these two little homes are. They just, they're supposed to be a third one, right? That he's going to build right in 01:47:24
it. I thought that was that. Yeah, they were. And they're supposed to be. They're supposed to be like, people can interact with 01:47:29
that. It's supposed to be like interactive. 01:47:34
Art. Yeah, he's still. 01:47:39
I think it's a work in progress, yeah. 01:47:41
Having had a couple conversations with them and. 01:47:43
Flush it a little bit. 01:47:46
So he's. 01:47:48
His long term plan? 01:47:49
And this was done before the art committee was finalized. So it's kind of a. 01:47:51
Test project I guess but. 01:47:55
There's gonna be. 01:47:58
Four of them like. 01:47:59
Nesting dolls, basically. 01:48:00
With the center one having a floor. 01:48:03
And they're each one being a little bit larger with. 01:48:06
Apparently enough space between them for. 01:48:09
Kids to. 01:48:11
Enter and circle them and. 01:48:12
There are four different sort of primary colors, and. 01:48:14
I was told that it was basically. 01:48:18
For the rest of the year. So like. 01:48:20
You know, 910 year. 01:48:23
I mean 910 year, 910 month. 01:48:24
Installation. 01:48:27
And that there would be something rotating in and out, but the arts committee. 01:48:28
Sort of new at the moment. 01:48:32
And he does have high school kids helping him build that, which is interesting. So he's got a group of high school students and I 01:48:35
think we donated the. 01:48:38
The wood I mean, I think he basically salvage the wood that was used from. 01:48:43
Things in the community not being used. So it's it is a neat project, I mean, and a great way of engaging. 01:48:47
Youth as well. 01:48:53
But it is why we need the plan, right? You know, because we've got. 01:48:54
When you have a bunch of artists who all want to do art in the city, you know, you have a, you could wind up looking like Granny's 01:48:57
garden, right? You know where there's, you know? 01:49:00
Random plant here and another one there and that nothing sort of ties it together. So we that's why we wanted to engage OKF to 01:49:05
help us, you know. 01:49:08
Have a plan for where art needs to be. What? 01:49:12
You know what our standards and expectations are. 01:49:14
How much of a conversation do we want to start versus, you know, do we want to? 01:49:18
Have you know? 01:49:22
There's certain ones that the artists feel like these are awesome we need to put up. And there's there's one in particular that 01:49:23
we've been like, no, we never want to see that again. So, so anyway, so that's so Beth is an OCAF are working on that for us and I 01:49:27
think that'll be. 01:49:31
Money well spent because then we can decide I I think. 01:49:35
Yeah, I'd love for us every year to invest in a. 01:49:38
Significant piece of art, but I have no idea and what that should be, where it should go, how we should do it. 01:49:40
We are going to have some nice public art. 01:49:45
That we'll share more about in the upcoming months on the Simonton Bridge quarter. 01:49:48
That we're we'll be excited to share the details on that. 01:49:52
OK. All right. 01:49:57
So what I'd like to. 01:49:58
Do you think we could take maybe a break? 01:50:00
Reconvene at 11. Would that work, Sharon? 01:50:03
But we'd be right on schedule. 01:50:06
OK. All right then everybody, if anybody needs. 01:50:09
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Transcript

Event transcript
Just a minute. 00:00:10
We are live, all right, We're live. We're ready to go. 00:00:11
OK. 00:00:18
Whenever you're ready. 00:00:23
Sorry. 00:00:31
We'll let you get settled in. 00:00:33
All right, well. 00:00:41
Good morning everybody. Welcome to the 2026 Mayor and Council retreat. These are always a highlight. 00:00:42
Last night I spent some time here thinking about everything that's happened over the past five or six years in Watkinsville and. 00:00:49
It's really been an amazing journey and. 00:00:55
What makes that? 00:00:57
Worked so well as I think that we have a plan every year that's informed by council. 00:00:59
And executed by staff. 00:01:03
So that vision and that plan comes out of this meeting every year and this so this is a very important session. 00:01:06
We have a staff that's very adept at. 00:01:11
Getting things done. We also have a council that's very adept at setting a vision and ensuring alignment. 00:01:14
With that staff and so I think that's part of what makes Watkinsville. 00:01:20
I'd say we've really set a standard for small towns in Georgia. We've twice been named a visionary city in that time. We've been 00:01:25
named to All America City in that time. 00:01:29
You'll see today that we have some survey results from our citizens that also show that it's not just. 00:01:34
Outside parties who feel. 00:01:38
Really great about what's happening here, but it's our own citizens and that's the most important audience. 00:01:40
I think a lot of times we hear from. 00:01:45
Frustrated citizens more than we hear from citizens who are happy with Watkinsville. But when you see the data, I was really 00:01:47
pleased to see that. 00:01:50
We have a lot of citizens who are. 00:01:54
Who are happy with? 00:01:56
What's going on in Watkinsville? In fact, the vast majority give us high scores everywhere when your lowest score is. 00:01:57
Like 3.9 on a. 00:02:03
5.0 scale, that's pretty impressive. So, so I'm really pleased with that and I think Sharon will share more about that survey, but 00:02:05
that's something I want to start having every year so that we can evaluate our progress in a tangible way. 00:02:10
Not just an intangible ways with. 00:02:16
Complaints or accolades or things like that. 00:02:18
So with that. 00:02:20
Sharon, I think we'll get going. I know Sharon's a little bit under the weather will will work pretty quickly through. 00:02:23
Some of these things and leave plenty of room for council to weigh in on what they think. 00:02:28
We do like to talk about our vision every year. 00:02:32
I just always like to have us read this aloud and make sure that we're all still aligned on this and our vision is to create 00:02:36
Georgia's most compelling community by honoring our history. 00:02:40
Building community and creating opportunities for our citizens to engage and do business with one another every day. 00:02:45
And our tagline has come connect create. 00:02:50
Do we have any? 00:02:54
Questions. Concerns. 00:02:55
About that, OK, We all like the vision and the tagline. This is what we call the Watkinsville Way. 00:02:56
Will be a connected community. Will seek to create connections for our citizens through thoughtful design of our built 00:03:01
environment, hosting award-winning and well attended community events, installing modern technology infrastructure and fostering 00:03:06
connectivity between neighbors with non automotive infrastructure. 00:03:10
We want our history while welcoming innovation and accommodating change. From public art to historic homes, we will honor our 00:03:15
history and creativity while planning carefully for the future. 00:03:19
Our community is anchored on a walkable, historic downtown with an evolving mix of restaurants, retail shops and offices. 00:03:24
And we will provide opportunities for all as a welcoming and inclusive community, we will make. 00:03:30
All ages and types of citizens safe and comfortable by offering a mix of housing types, special events and businesses that support 00:03:34
different populations. 00:03:37
And create infrastructure that allows our citizens to age in place. 00:03:41
Our values, our efficiency, inclusivity, transparency, creativity, kindness and connectivity. 00:03:45
Are we still good with those? 00:03:51
All right, I just always like to affirm that at the start of the year because as I like to talk to my. 00:03:54
My business when I talk about our vision and values and those of you who do, that's that's how we make decisions when, when nobody 00:03:59
else is in the room, right? You use your values, you use your vision. 00:04:04
Staff that should be for y'all as well, you know, if you're wondering what does, what would council think, what would? 00:04:08
We think those are those are your guideposts, right? So that's why we have those and I think that's really important to ensure. 00:04:13
Alignment in a healthy organization. 00:04:19
I think, Sharon, I'm going to kick it over to you to talk about the year in review. 00:04:22
Thank you, Mayor. I'll just point out again, this is the. 00:04:25
A work session, so there's no decisions being made at this meeting. We're just gathering information and getting some feedback 00:04:27
from council on sort of our direction for the next fiscal year. 00:04:32
2025 I told the mayor when I was putting this together. 00:04:37
Wasn't expecting to have as many things because we had so many in the year before. 00:04:41
But we had quite a few. 00:04:46
Everybody should have a print out in front of them of the accomplishments. They're they're not organized in the fashion I'm about 00:04:48
to present them, but. 00:04:52
They're more of a laundry list, but these will put them into sort of subject. 00:04:56
Areas, uh. 00:04:59
In general, as the mayor mentioned, we were. 00:05:02
Awarded A2026 Visionary City for the second time. 00:05:05
This year I. 00:05:09
We had a clean unmodified. 00:05:10
Audit, we've increased our net position by 1.6 million. 00:05:12
Council adopted and approved a defined benefit retirement plan for our employees. 00:05:17
We erected the memorial plaque at the courthouse dedicated to the 1905 lynching victims. 00:05:22
We processed 105 open records requests, almost 60% from 1 individual and we provided standardized roll carts to residents through 00:05:29
our garbage contract. Those are sure the general. 00:05:34
Things that happened this last year. 00:05:40
Some infrastructure improvements, which are. 00:05:42
The most costly of all are resurfacing our roads. Mulberry St. Bishops Vineyard, which? 00:05:44
From I understand this first time it's ever been resurfaced. 00:05:49
Stone Shoals had there a couple of their roads resurfaced as well. 00:05:52
The long-awaited relocation of the Georgia Power pole happened this this year. 00:05:56
And we work to reestablish some storm culverts in our in our oldest subdivision there on White St. 00:06:02
The Simonton Bridge Rd. project obviously is the. 00:06:09
The main attraction for the for. 00:06:12
Last fiscal year end this fiscal year. 00:06:14
As we work to complete it, by the time it's all done, we'll have almost a mile at linear feet of sidewalk 810 feet wide along that 00:06:16
corridor from Simonton Bridge from the city limits to. 00:06:21
To almost downtown. 00:06:26
It also includes 105 foot. 00:06:28
Covered bridge. 00:06:31
Which mayor mentioned that the. 00:06:32
Council meeting last week. 00:06:34
And we've added some improvements around the cemetery to provide and to protect and to honor those that are laid to rest there. 00:06:35
I think there'll be more of that too. I think that's something we'll talk about maybe today in the strategic. 00:06:43
Plan. 00:06:49
Parks and green space, obviously. 00:06:50
Thomas Farm continues to be a highlight. 00:06:52
We worked into what I call phase two improvements. 00:06:55
The new pavilion, the restroom, additional restroom and roof replacements. 00:06:58
Hardin Hill. Sorry, hard. 00:07:03
Harris Shoals Park, we did phase three. Girardini Green and some public art. 00:07:05
And my hope is, is that phase 4? 00:07:11
Can be accomplished? I'm not sure yet. We'll see how that. 00:07:14
That works, but the phase four would be the lake. 00:07:17
Or the dam area and all that talking about. 00:07:19
Potentially a bridge across that. We'll see if we can do that with our existing funds in SPLOST 3. 00:07:22
And then of course. 00:07:27
Accepted a little bit more than six acres of green space from the Waters Walk. 00:07:28
Development. 00:07:32
Behind Oconee State Bank. 00:07:33
Downtown economic development is a big year for downtown. We hired our downtown development director. 00:07:35
Completed the strategic plan, which was funded by Georgia Power, a cost of about $35,000. 00:07:41
There were six events that happened, many others, but. 00:07:47
6 highlighted events that happened as a result of getting a director on board and and focusing the DDA board on. 00:07:50
Getting more activity down there. 00:07:58
Public safety and community engagement. 00:08:01
Police vehicle and equipment upgrades as well as the community events, the annual Easter Egg Hunt and the Cops and Bobbers Fishing 00:08:03
Tournament, which for the first year was held at Thomas Farm and was a great success. 00:08:08
Governance and policy updates. We had a lot of zoning updates, special events, outdoor dining, indoor recreation, boutique hotel 00:08:15
provisions. 00:08:19
We did some. 00:08:24
Administrative policies for roll carts right away streetlights. 00:08:25
And the Mayor established an appointed members to the Public Arts Committee and the Friends of Thomas Farm Preserve Committee. 00:08:29
Both committees would met at least twice. 00:08:33
And I believe. 00:08:37
Friends of Thomas Farm will be meeting monthly for sure for the next six or seven months. 00:08:39
And then public arts will meet as needed. I think we're waiting on the mayor might talk about this later, but about a public arts 00:08:44
master plan. 00:08:47
Which will help. 00:08:51
Guide how we handle public arts in the city. 00:08:53
Communication, social media. So this is really eye opening to me. I knew we had a good following but I was floored that we had 1.4 00:08:55
million views. I pulled our analytics. That was pretty amazing. 00:09:00
I don't know how that compares to other cities, but. 00:09:06
Our small little city. That's crazy numbers. 00:09:08
1100 new followers on Instagram. We had a lot more. We're doing more with Instagram. We hadn't done as much with that. 00:09:11
And so we'll continue to work on that. And when we talk about the satisfaction survey, you'll see that scenario that we still have 00:09:18
some improvement, you know, a way to improve on. 00:09:22
Downtown again. Facebook. 00:09:26
279,000. 00:09:28
Views 441 new followers Same thing with Instagram. 00:09:31
Trying to get new followers on that and we're helping each each of those. 00:09:35
Help each other? The city post something. 00:09:38
Jan will post on the downtown page and vice versa and then on Police Department side. 00:09:41
Starting to ramp that up a little bit as well. 00:09:46
Tend to focus a little bit more on badges and benevolence and the activities they do there, but we'll be working on that as well 00:09:49
so. 00:09:52
So I'll walk through the citizen satisfaction survey. Again. This will be a little bit different format than what you have in 00:09:58
front of you. Everybody should have the report that gives. 00:10:01
Actually the report I gave you will give you. 00:10:06
What you're about to see on the screen. I do have a. 00:10:08
Excel spreadsheet that I can share with you that gives you all the comments the mayors gave access to him and I can give that 00:10:12
access to you all so you can see every single comment that was made. 00:10:16
On the open-ended questions, but we will talk a little bit about that. 00:10:21
As well. 00:10:25
And, and let me, let me say, I guess let me back up a little bit with me being underwear. I think I do want to. 00:10:27
Thank, thank my staff. 00:10:33
I mean, none of this could be done if we didn't have a staff that was willing to do the work and put forth the effort. 00:10:36
Obviously couldn't do it without the council's guidance. You guys set the course and then we execute and I think that's the way 00:10:41
government supposed to work. You guys make the policy and the staff actually carries it out. So really appreciate everybody on the 00:10:46
staff. 00:10:50
And I look forward to another really Goodyear this year, this fiscal year. 00:10:56
So on the SAT, on the citizen satisfaction survey, I think we had about a month. 00:11:00
That it was out, we got 263. 00:11:03
Responses which I think is pretty good. Overwhelming majority of them were from City of Watkinsville residents. 00:11:07
About 64%. 00:11:12
Most of the people that responded have been in this in, in the area more than 10 years. So that's, that's good. They've got a 00:11:15
good. 00:11:18
Sort of length of context to look at what we're doing. 00:11:21
I'm going to walk through these separately, but as the mayor pointed out earlier in his comments, the. 00:11:24
The lowest score we got was 3.8 and that was on city communication. 00:11:30
Which means we've got some more work to do, I think. 00:11:35
That's uh. 00:11:37
An interesting point to see and then city parks and green spaces without a doubt is had the highest rating and that's not too 00:11:38
surprising. 00:11:41
So. 00:11:46
Residents were able to tell us how they use city server response, were able to tell us how they use the services, and the 00:11:49
overwhelming majority use downtown. I think that's really significant. 00:11:53
I think that. 00:11:58
Is not surprising probably to most of you all that that's what they do and of course the second. 00:12:00
Was public spaces and then parks and green spaces right on the edge of that as well, so the highest. 00:12:04
Three, I don't think come as surprised to anybody. 00:12:09
On the downtown, so obviously it's the most used city asset. It reinforces importance of our traffic. 00:12:13
Traffic issues and walkability improvements. 00:12:19
And those are some of the things that were identified in the strategic plan for downtown. 00:12:21
Parks and public spaces, obviously again widely used, it aligns with. 00:12:25
The you know the scores that we got and you'll again, you'll see some additional comments later in the survey. 00:12:31
Streets and sidewalks are heavily used, and that's part of our connection we talked about. 00:12:37
Wanting people to connect, get off their phones and get on their feet and out and about. 00:12:42
And so I think infrastructure maintenance, traffic flow improvements, those things are. 00:12:46
Really high of high value to the public. 00:12:51
And then sanitation, which of course only really effects those who actually receive that service. So you could live in the city, 00:12:54
you live in the city limits. 00:12:58
So you can assume that 168 of people who responded. 00:13:02
Actually our city like living in the city limits and using that service, so they responded to that as well. 00:13:05
So some key strengths that were identified. 00:13:13
Again, I don't think a lot of this is going to come to surprise you. 00:13:15
The highest rated service here where our parks and green spaces. Of course that's. 00:13:19
I think the addition of Thomas Farm, the improvements at Harris Shoals, the war that's being done at Watkinsville Woods. 00:13:23
And then whatever council decides they want to do with the additional green space we have, obviously Trove we have. 00:13:29
17 acres, I think it's about 17 acres of green space at Trove and then the six and a half, six, a little bit more than 6 acres. 00:13:34
At Waters Walker or next to water Swat that will need to talk about. 00:13:41
What expectations y'all have for those? 00:13:45
Again, garbage and leaf and limb is highly highly satisfied responses. 00:13:48
Infrastructure. 00:13:53
Sidewalks, drainage, We're doing a lot with drainage, really trying to. 00:13:54
To jump on stormwater conveyance, which is really our focus. 00:13:57
Again, not surprisingly, traffic's the primary concern for everybody that responded. 00:14:06
They're in the open. 00:14:11
Ended responses which again I will. 00:14:12
Get those printed out and. 00:14:15
Accessible to you all 62. 00:14:17
Referred to traffic 29 to congestion in downtown the bypass, which of course is not our project, but it does impact us. 00:14:20
Had a lot of response to that or a lot of comments about that. 00:14:27
And then a few concerns about development. 00:14:30
And uh. 00:14:33
I won't drill into that too much, you all can read that, but I think there's, you know, either developments already occurred or 00:14:33
development that could potentially occur. There were comments about that as well. 00:14:37
Additional Themes A segment of the respondents were concerned about the pace of growth of the city. 00:14:46
Downtown density and. 00:14:53
Wanting to maintain that small town character. I think it's, it's clear to me the council has been very. 00:14:55
Measured and thoughtful about. 00:15:00
Your approach to that, while you understand it, makes sense. And the comprehensive plan says that most of the density should be 00:15:01
downtown. 00:15:05
I think councils. 00:15:08
Been very active in making sure that it's been thoughtful. 00:15:09
Development that it's not just. 00:15:13
No holds bar. Anybody can do whatever they want, along with your code amendments and with the development agreements that we've 00:15:15
had with. 00:15:18
Various developers so. 00:15:22
I mean, that may be part of the communication that we need to provide maybe. 00:15:24
Public is that maybe we're not doing as good a job of explaining that so that's something we'll. 00:15:27
We'll work on a little bit better. 00:15:31
Overall communication, even though it received the lowest we did. 00:15:33
You know, we did have. 00:15:36
We do have a fair amount of communication, a lot more than we had when I got here. 00:15:38
And so again, something for us to think about as a staff, about how we can explain our. 00:15:42
Our responsibilities versus the state and the county obviously bypass a lot of people think we have. 00:15:46
Something to say about that. We really don't. 00:15:52
We had a lot of state and county roads that run through the city that we don't have. 00:15:54
You know, Barnett shows the County Road, Simonton Bridges, the County Road, Hardin Hill used to be, but now it's ours. But but 00:15:59
there's, you know, people don't understand that. And of course a lot of people that have that mailing address that says Watkins 00:16:04
will think they live in the city, but they don't. So there's I think there's still a lot of opportunity to try to. 00:16:09
Help people understand how that works. 00:16:15
So we'll be working on that as well over the coming year. 00:16:17
So these are some strategic implications for Council. So obviously a lot of. 00:16:21
A lot of interest in continuing continuing to. 00:16:26
Strengthen our core services, our parks. 00:16:28
Our garbage. Our street infrastructure. 00:16:31
Addressing traffic through communication and advocacy. So we, you know, I know the mayor has, as much as he can been a strong 00:16:34
advocate of the bypass. 00:16:39
And providing input to the county into the state on that. 00:16:44
But I think. 00:16:48
You know, again, community communicating to the public. 00:16:48
Our role, what their role may be, is as citizens. 00:16:51
And and. 00:16:56
Trying to make that a clearer message to the public. 00:16:57
Obviously communication. We've mentioned this several times, but. 00:17:02
Will continue to seek out ways to reach people I know we have a little bit more than I think 300 people who receive our. 00:17:05
An e-mail with our newsletter. 00:17:11
I think we need it. We're trying to do a little bit better push. 00:17:14
The mayor wasn't even aware which I was. 00:17:17
Concerned that he didn't know we had a notification system through our website, so we're going to try to push that a little bit 00:17:19
more if people want to be added to the e-mail we did add. 00:17:23
I think there are at least 40 people that responded to the survey. Who? 00:17:27
Provided their e-mail and said they wanted to have the weekly e-mail. 00:17:31
A weekly newsletter emailed to them. A lot of people are getting off social media for a lot of reasons and so. 00:17:34
We've sort of got to figure out a way. We can't mail stuff to people. It's just too expensive. We can't do it regularly. 00:17:39
We can. Do you know we talked about. 00:17:45
Maybe doing like an update? 00:17:48
To everybody once a year or something, but it's just. 00:17:49
You know, it's a dollar per person basically to send stuff. 00:17:52
And so that can be pretty expensive. 00:17:55
But so we're going to try to find. 00:17:58
Additional ways to communicate, continue to communicate through Facebook and Instagram and e-mail, but maybe some other ways we 00:18:00
can. 00:18:03
Communicate with the public. 00:18:06
So with social media, use your sorry, thank you. With social media. I don't do a whole lot of social media but my wife does. 00:18:08
So the biggest thing with that, making sure folks see you is like and share. 00:18:16
You know y'all, you can post all day long if nobody else is liking and sharing your stuff. 00:18:20
Nobody's gonna see it, so we got to make sure we comment like and share it. Like and share, like and share, OK, That's that's one 00:18:24
big thing. 00:18:28
You know, and if if just the. 00:18:31
15 of us like and share every single one. It's amazing how many other people. 00:18:34
We'll see if we if we do that. 00:18:39
That's our marketing people at our. 00:18:41
Our my company is. 00:18:43
Big about that. 00:18:46
Anytime our company posts anything on any socials. 00:18:47
We we all like and share and it. 00:18:50
It really broadens the horizon. 00:18:52
OK. 00:18:54
Great algorithm. The algorithm just basically if you want to promote a business or a city, you have to pay for it. So if you don't 00:18:55
want to pay for it, that's what they're basically working to get around that, you know? 00:18:59
The other thought, the thing that Sharon referenced that I didn't know about was we do have a tech ServiceNow. Do all y'all 00:19:04
subscribe to the Watkinsville? 00:19:07
Text messages. 00:19:10
I didn't even know it. Yeah. So I think that's The thing is like we have. 00:19:12
We do have the ability to get text messages from the city and like a lot of us, probably get them from the Sheriff's Department 00:19:16
and others. 00:19:19
So. 00:19:22
That's the way to shortcut some of that for important announcements or. 00:19:24
You know, as we get towards America 250 and you know, things like that, so we probably do need to continue to encourage people. 00:19:27
And ours isn't the easiest. It's kind of a two click process and you get an e-mail. But I've encouraged sharing, like let's 00:19:33
promote that in the newsletter. Let's put that on the front of our website, you know, let's get people. 00:19:38
Knowing you can get text messages and text updates from the city so yeah so yeah tool we have that we've just underutilized so 00:19:43
we'll definitely chief to like I get them from Raven County other places where I go too frequently you know they're pretty good 00:19:47
about how they use those and. 00:19:52
You know from Emergency Management things, so the more of our citizens we can have signing up for our text alerts. 00:19:57
I think you know, especially in an emergency situation. 00:20:03
You know, would be helpful and obviously in other ways so. 00:20:06
Traffic. And for traffic I mean like I get them from. 00:20:10
The county and from Clark County to to know like oh this road shut down or this. 00:20:13
Right. Yeah, the next time we have a tractor trailer breakdown on Main Street, Yeah, would be very helpful. 00:20:18
OK, great. 00:20:25
Some other strategic implications downtown public. 00:20:28
Spaces are central to the community, Which? 00:20:32
Is a core. 00:20:35
Core value you all have said. 00:20:36
By way of. 00:20:38
Improving downtown by getting people. 00:20:40
To access downtown easily without having to get in their cars and stuff so. 00:20:42
Working on that. 00:20:45
Parks are heavily used and highly rated. Obviously. Thomas Farm. I think I heard the mayor say that at one of the was it the 00:20:47
counties meeting they had the town hall that a lot of people were saying they really would like to see something similar to that 00:20:51
in the county. 00:20:56
So we've had an impact, just our little city. There's an impact on a larger county about what people really like, would like to 00:21:00
see and I mean, there's not. 00:21:04
There has not been a day or a time I've gone by except for when it. 00:21:09
Like 9:00 at night. They haven't gone by Thomas Farm. There's not a car. 00:21:12
Or 10 or 20. 00:21:15
Out there so. 00:21:16
Yeah, I think it's almost, you know, y'all probably have your own. 00:21:18
Responses, but it's been interesting to me to hear from our. 00:21:21
Colleagues at the county that it's almost reframed. 00:21:24
What a park is, you know, in Oconee County, you know that it you know, I think people used to think what had to be active 00:21:27
recreation and. 00:21:29
That but the. 00:21:33
Big use of this facility and, and I think the inspiring nature of it too is part of it, you know, but it's umm. 00:21:34
It has really caused other governments and others to say well. 00:21:40
There might be, you know, there's there's another definition of a park that we can apply here. So it's been interesting to see 00:21:44
that, but. 00:21:46
I don't think we'll talk about it today, but we are going to have to upgrade parking and some other infrastructure out there in 00:21:50
the next. 00:21:53
In the next couple months to. 00:21:57
To handle spring traffic. 00:22:00
I obviously traffic concerns. 00:22:03
Our continue to be issues downtown is because the downtown and streets are used by. 00:22:06
Majority of the respondents the congestion. 00:22:12
Impacts, most of those have has impacted most of them as well. 00:22:14
So overall, you know, it reflects the survey, reflects the community that's. 00:22:18
Pretty much. 00:22:22
Satisfied with what we're doing. 00:22:23
There's always room for improvement. I think we. 00:22:25
Console you're looking for those those avenues to improve on different services or programs. 00:22:28
Obviously, traffic continues to be a defining issue. 00:22:34
And I know most of the strategic one of the top strategic. 00:22:38
Initiatives The number one priority is transportation on your. 00:22:42
Strategic initiatives. 00:22:46
List. 00:22:47
But I agree with the mayor, I think it'll be interesting to see we run the survey again next year. Let's see, you know how we. 00:22:49
What you know, what improvements we've made, I think it's a really great way to. 00:22:54
To get that tangible information. 00:22:57
I do want to put that in perspective, Chair, and I think it's important, you know, 62 people cited that. That's still 1/4 of the. 00:22:59
Survey so it's not. 00:23:05
And we sent this to every house, every. We sent this by mail to every. 00:23:06
Postcard so to get every. 00:23:10
Everybody in Watkinsville had a chance to take this, you know, so whether you saw it on social, whether you saw it other places, 00:23:13
and so out of everybody in Watkinsville that had a chance to take it. 00:23:16
Nobody's going to argue traffic isn't a challenge, but let's just keep it in perspective. We had 62 people out of. 00:23:20
3000. 00:23:26
You know, umm. 00:23:27
Take time to mention it. 00:23:28
But along the traffic, you know, I know a lot of people concerned is the the bypass. Well, we just need to remind people that the 00:23:30
city of Watkinsville. 00:23:34
Nor the county. 00:23:38
Is building this. 00:23:39
Bypass This is a state initiative. 00:23:41
You know. 00:23:43
We're helping. 00:23:44
With it. 00:23:45
But we're we are not funding it. We're not. I mean, it is a state initiative. GDOT is doing all of this so. 00:23:46
You know folks complaining to the city of Watkinsville that. 00:23:52
We're not building it fast enough. Well, we're not building it. 00:23:55
So I just want to remind everybody we're not building it, but I think that's yeah, we'll, we'll. 00:23:57
I think as we communicate more about transportation in the year ahead, that's. 00:24:02
You know, we're going to have to make that point that there's some stuff. 00:24:06
That's out of our hands. 00:24:08
But you know, we also have to go to bat for that When? 00:24:10
You know, you know they. 00:24:13
Recently reached out and are looking for a location for an upcoming public hearing. I followed up to ask when it was and they said 00:24:15
well we haven't scheduled it yet but that means something's. 00:24:18
Something's coming. 00:24:22
Hopefully in the first half of this year where you know they'll be sharing more plans, so. 00:24:24
Will need to be present and explain to people while. 00:24:28
You know nobody's going to be excited about. 00:24:31
You know a road cutting through some pasture, this is. 00:24:33
Absolutely essential to the future health of downtown Watkinsville. You know, and it'll solve. 00:24:35
The biggest problem for our city and frankly for a lot of people in South Oconee as they try to get to work. 00:24:40
So. 00:24:44
So that's the, we're running a little ahead, which is great. I'll, I'll take it. But that's the sort of the survey results. I 00:24:47
don't know if anybody had any more questions about that. Again, I will get you guys the individual open-ended question responses 00:24:52
and questions and stuff that we got. 00:24:57
I can get those to you later. I did not print all those out. 00:25:02
And again my. 00:25:06
POV on this is, you know, you, you manage what you measure right? And I want us to measure this consistently every year. And so 00:25:08
that way we have we're going to see how we. 00:25:12
You know, next year after we've communicated more about transportation to people have a different perspective on that, You know, 00:25:16
are we slipping in an area, are we improving in an area? 00:25:20
And this should be a little bit of a Canary in the coal mine for us every year when we check in with our citizens and see how 00:25:25
we're doing. So, Sharon, thank you for implementing that. I think it's an important thing for us to continue to do. 00:25:29
OK. Well this is a big piece of today is to review the strategic initiatives and and the priorities you had for this last fiscal 00:25:36
year my. 00:25:40
My thought was on the agenda. We'll we'll walk through these since we've got a little bit. 00:25:45
Extra time built-in, about half an hour built into my schedule right now. We'll, we'll walk through these, I'll pull them up on 00:25:49
the screen, but I did print them out for you all because it's going to be not terribly easy to look at them on the screen. 00:25:53
We'll walk through those. I think the plan will be once we go through these and it's going to walk through and sort of give 00:25:59
updates on these. 00:26:03
Then we'll talk about maybe some additional things, the long term plans or visions, the future projects that. 00:26:07
Council may have you do have a list of those items that each of you all provided to me before today that you wanted to talk about. 00:26:13
So it'll take time for you all to give us some input on those and then we'll break for lunch and then we'll come back and. 00:26:21
Actually try to prioritize so. 00:26:27
You know, you're gonna shift things up around. I feel pretty confident there's a lot of things that are already underway. 00:26:29
Those are, you know, sort of understood parties. And so we may be able to say, OK, well, those are in a different column. Let's 00:26:34
start focusing on what are our next set of parties and and. 00:26:38
Plans that we want to move forward. 00:26:43
So that we can my staff can budget for those. 00:26:44
So we'll review the strategic initiatives. 00:26:49
So last year during. 00:26:52
The retreat you all. 00:26:54
Got your strategic initiatives and then you had your little dots. I'm gonna give you those again today. You get to tell me which 00:26:57
ones are the most important, and these are the ones that came out. 00:27:01
You all have. 00:27:07
11 I think because I tried to get you guys just to have a. 00:27:08
Three and y'all. 00:27:12
Had too many so but we did, we did focus on the top three, so the top one. 00:27:13
The top one actually was tied between transportation. 00:27:18
And green space. 00:27:23
And both of those, we had a lot of significant movement on those this year. 00:27:24
Obviously on the transportation plan, and I'll mention this as an aside real quick, that we have already initiated an effort to do 00:27:28
an addendum to the adopted transportation plan we're working with. 00:27:34
One of the consultants that worked with us on the original plan back in 2019. 00:27:40
To go back and actually. 00:27:44
Make sure that our plan looks more like what's on the ground now. 00:27:45
There were there were plans in the original adopted transportation plan. 00:27:49
That Simonton Bridge Rd. was going to have a saw what that went up Simonton Bridge like up past the cemetery up towards 3rd St. 00:27:53
And instead, of course, we've now diverted it over towards Mulberry. So we're going to try to make sure the plan shows what's 00:28:00
actually on the ground. 00:28:03
Because there's been some tweaks and and. 00:28:07
Tweaks to that and some additional things that y'all come up with. So we're going to update that and hopefully have that before. 00:28:10
The start of this next fiscal year. 00:28:16
To share with you all. 00:28:18
But there has been a lot, I mean, we've continued to not only do connections, but look at. 00:28:20
Improving the sidewalks we're. 00:28:26
Right now we've we're trying to work with a contractor to. 00:28:28
Fix cracks and. 00:28:33
Repair some of the sidewalks we have. 00:28:36
So that it'll be safe travel for, you know, passage for everybody that wants to use the sidewalk. So that's some of what. 00:28:39
Our transportation plan calls for We're also going to be looking into some traffic calming. 00:28:44
Devices or. 00:28:49
Mechanisms. We've talked about chicanes before. If you've been to Monroe, you've probably seen those little small little concrete 00:28:51
kind of islands in the middle. 00:28:55
That helps slow down traffic. 00:28:59
We're going to look at some of that or. 00:29:01
Going to be bringing hopefully something 40 y'all in a couple of months about maybe trying to institute those on a couple of roads 00:29:02
where we've had concerns about. 00:29:05
Speeding. 00:29:09
Just to get people to slow down a little bit. So those are some of the things we talked about the transportation plan that are. 00:29:10
All this is very active so. 00:29:16
That may be something, obviously it's like I said earlier. 00:29:18
You know, these things are going on, and I think now that you know, they've risen to the point of being that that. 00:29:21
Priority for us as a staff, it's sort of like we just that's understood. So we may be able to say, OK, well here's a list of. 00:29:27
The interested priorities, but now let's. 00:29:34
Let's start shifting gears and look at some of the things we haven't, maybe. 00:29:36
Paid as much attention to. 00:29:39
So when we get to that exercise today, it's probably what we'll want to do. Obviously the green space program in addition to the. 00:29:40
So it was 12, almost 13 acres at Trove, but in addition to that we added the six, a little bit more than six at Waters Walk. 00:29:46
And then of course, the 100 acres at Thomas Farm. 00:29:53
So I think we've got like 100 and I'm trying to think it's 100, about almost 150. I think acres of Martin is off the top of his 00:29:56
head, I think. 00:30:00
Watkins what 7? 00:30:05
Six or six or seven? 00:30:07
And then so. 00:30:08
Somewhere around and then. 00:30:10
Hair shells is about 20 or so. 00:30:11
So somewhere around that 140 acres and we have. 00:30:14
Three members of our staff working on that. So that's. 00:30:16
And then hopefully we'll get it. We're activating this Friends of Thomas Farm Preserve committee and there's a lot of interest in. 00:30:19
Getting volunteers and whatnot for those kind of things. So, but I think those are the two highest. I think we've seen a lot of 00:30:26
progress in both of those areas this year. If you have any comments about that before we move on to the other ones to talk about. 00:30:31
The other parties. 00:30:37
And I think we can remove that. 00:30:39
That goal there, I think we all decided we were not going to. 00:30:40
Ask for a green space bond so. 00:30:43
You know, so I think we can take that off and OK. 00:30:45
You know, I do think we've made great progress there, but. 00:30:48
It's still something that. 00:30:50
I think our citizens are. 00:30:51
Hungry for? 00:30:53
Quality, uh. 00:30:54
You know, umm. 00:30:55
Parks and green spaces. 00:30:56
OK, you know and. 00:30:57
My family goes to Hilton Head. 00:31:01
Couple times a year, every year for the. 00:31:03
Beach and they they have communal gardens there. 00:31:05
And one thing that they do. 00:31:07
That he helps maintain their communal gardens and parks and stuff is they actually have a Garden Club. So we could we could do 00:31:10
very similar to the The Friends of Thomas Preserve and turn that into a club. 00:31:15
Just an idea. 00:31:22
And then you pay a membership to be part of that club. 00:31:23
You know, small fee, 20-30 bucks to be part of the club. 00:31:26
And then those those members become the people that help take care of your parks. 00:31:29
You know one one thing I would like to see with. 00:31:35
With and. We'll probably get there later, but. 00:31:37
Over at the Trove, you know we've got that. 00:31:40
Big plot at the very front. 00:31:43
I'd love to see an actual communal garden there. 00:31:44
Umm, you put. 00:31:47
I mean very similar to what Hilton Head does they have. 00:31:48
Plots that you can. 00:31:51
Purchase or lease for the year and it's like 50 bucks a year. 00:31:52
For a 25 by 25. 00:31:55
Plot that you build. 00:31:57
Whatever garden you want to build there. 00:31:59
And then it's a communal thing. 00:32:00
And then part of that it turns into your. 00:32:02
The farmers market. 00:32:06
So all the proceeds from the people that grow stuff there. 00:32:07
Then goes back to the club to help maintain the SO anyway. 00:32:11
Something like that and and then those people, the club people can help maintain your parks, you know, as we we continue to grow 00:32:14
more. 00:32:18
Green space, you let the community help take care of it. 00:32:21
And I would say if I like that idea and with it being right across the street from column theory, maybe there's some kind of 00:32:26
partnership in the. 00:32:29
There's an aspect that the kids. 00:32:33
Are helping absolutely because I know comp fairies had. 00:32:35
Butterfly gardens and different things but I feel like when they redid. 00:32:39
When they did their addition and built on that, some of that space went away where Columbus Berry had had. It's still in the 00:32:42
middle. They have a garden. They still do OK. 00:32:47
They actually have a Garden Club there. That's great. Yeah. So it's in the middle of the two buildings. 00:32:52
I'm up there quite a bit. I got two kids there today. So yeah, they they do have. 00:32:57
Box raised beds that they grow. 00:33:03
All kind of stuff there. 00:33:06
So pretty cool. 00:33:07
Yeah. And I think that is the model that we're working on at Thomas Farm and seeing how that evolves, Brett, where it's sort of. 00:33:09
We have our city resources, but we also have a group of volunteers. You know that? 00:33:15
We have a committee, but my vision for that hopefully would be eventually there's 50 or 100 people who are sort of dedicated to 00:33:19
taking care of that space and we'll come together when we need to so. 00:33:23
I'm not opposed to extending the model, you know, once we have a little bit of proof of concept for sure. 00:33:27
OK. All right. 00:33:33
The next highest party? 00:33:35
Last year was considering the historic preservation ordinance you did, you did adopt an ordinance, but there's still some work 00:33:37
that needs to be done on that and. 00:33:41
I think we'll need some guidance on if we're at that point yet. I believe last year we. 00:33:45
You know, it's a, it's a great goal to have, but we also didn't have the downtown development. 00:33:49
Or strategic plan. 00:33:54
Finalized and I think that is part of what needed to be done before you could move into this. So that's. 00:33:55
I think that's where we needed some direction from. 00:34:00
From council on what to do and where to go with that. 00:34:02
As well. 00:34:05
Dean, can you speak to, is this a time where we can comment on these? Yeah, absolutely. I'd love for Christine maybe to give an 00:34:07
update on historic Oconee. She's thinking so. 00:34:11
I don't know if y'all are familiar with historic Athens. 00:34:17
But it's a nonprofit, and in the last few years it's been around. 00:34:19
A long time, 60 years. I think it's coming up on a 60 year anniversary, but in the last five. 00:34:23
Six years. It's really ramped up under the leadership of Tommy Valentine, who at a time worked at ESP. 00:34:29
And they are looking to potentially expand. 00:34:36
Um, using a shared service. 00:34:42
Says model. 00:34:45
And uh. 00:34:47
Are looking at potentially Oconee County having a historic Oconee. 00:34:49
And so there there's a lot of aspects of it. It's again, I hope it's OK that I'm. 00:34:54
Talking about this at an meeting, I mean, it's not like a secret, but it's also just. 00:35:00
It's it's, it's not a for sure thing yet either. Obviously with any nonprofit, there has to be. 00:35:04
Umm, sponsorships and people that come beside it to fund it. And it's not going to be robbing Peter to pay Paul, so it's not. 00:35:11
And it is not going to just. 00:35:18
It's not going to look the same as historic Athens because Athens is a very different community than Oconee is. 00:35:20
It will be uniquely Oconee if this happens. 00:35:27
Umm. And uh. 00:35:30
We I had thought about Brian and I thought about. 00:35:34
Perhaps. 00:35:39
A way to partner with them, which obviously is looking about the. 00:35:40
House that. 00:35:45
Is that? 00:35:46
Maybe a way that the city could help partner with them is give their person office space. 00:35:48
At Thomas Farm Preserve. 00:35:53
And start making use of that house there. They wouldn't need the whole house. I've always loved the idea of making it into. 00:35:55
Some kind of museum as well. Believe it or not, even though we all grew up in homes, our homes very like that. That home is now a 00:36:01
historic home and that era. I mean, I have clients who tell me they want to live in an old house and that's what they mean is they 00:36:06
want to live in a. 00:36:10
A traditional sixty 70s ranch house so. 00:36:15
Um, so it's just something to be thinking about is, is that an in kind thing? And then what? 00:36:20
We were if we do that. 00:36:25
We would like to see them help us. 00:36:27
With the getting the historic ordinance off the ground. 00:36:29
And so I'm, I'm personally just as a, as a citizen, as a business owner. 00:36:34
Very excited about trying to make this happen, even if it is apart from what the city does. 00:36:40
Because it was obviously can be different things. 00:36:49
My daughter what has been an intern with Historic Athens and through that I've really seen. 00:36:51
How many different types of things they do, the economic development, it's not just about saving homes and keeping them pretty, 00:36:58
which I love and value that and. 00:37:02
Most of us sitting here live in historic homes and value that. 00:37:06
But it also. 00:37:09
Is about helping. 00:37:10
People stay in their homes who may be. 00:37:12
Couldn't otherwise they have grants and programs to help with repairs. 00:37:15
As we talk through different ordinances. 00:37:20
About. 00:37:23
You know, there's always the carrot and the stick. We want people to not have their homes. 00:37:24
Fall into ruin we don't want. 00:37:29
Dip. Was it demolition by neglect? 00:37:31
But we also acknowledge the reality that there are people on fixed incomes. 00:37:34
And with costs skyrocketing, they may not be able to afford to maintain and repair their home. So that's one of the the aspects of 00:37:39
historic Athens and would be historic Oconee is helping people stay in their homes and help with. 00:37:45
Repairs. 00:37:51
It's also a huge economic driver. 00:37:53
1 And I, gosh, I can't remember the name of the business, but recently a business, a large business came to Athens and set up 00:37:57
there. 00:38:01
Because of Porch Fest that historic Athens puts on like that was a huge driving force of why they chose to be there. 00:38:05
And it also aligns with our values, I mean history. 00:38:12
Preserving the history of our community, our unique history, I think is something that everybody sitting here. 00:38:17
Believes in and so it would be another tool and a partner to do that because. 00:38:23
As we've learned, I mean. 00:38:27
Before we had Sharon. 00:38:29
The city was was. 00:38:31
You know, we were, we were doing things, but when you have someone who is. 00:38:33
Dedicated. 00:38:37
To their job is to make things happen. Things then happen. 00:38:38
And we see that over and over, so. 00:38:42
I would ask y'all to consider. 00:38:45
If and when this does happen, would we be open to and there would be a little cost on our part because? 00:38:48
I don't think anyone would want to make their office inside that home right now, just the way it is. I mean, there, you know, 00:38:55
there's some. 00:38:58
A little bit of maintenance Y type of things inside that would need to happen. 00:39:01
So I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts and reactions on that. 00:39:05
Let me just offer a little more context, you know? 00:39:10
On history in general, with or without this group. 00:39:13
It's, it's an area that there's a ton of interest in locally and and I think it's really important that as our community grows 00:39:16
that we. 00:39:19
We lean into history because number one it. 00:39:24
It helps the people who have been here forever understand how much we appreciate. 00:39:27
Their contribution #2. 00:39:31
It helps the new folks understand these are the. 00:39:33
These are the. 00:39:35
You know these are the values and the character that made this community special. 00:39:36
So we've talked about other ideas around history. 00:39:40
I've talked with Doctor Butler at the school. 00:39:42
Last week about potentially creating a history walk from the Eagle Tavern to Thomas Farm Preserve. 00:39:45
And when the kids at the schools are in their 8th grade year. 00:39:50
Study in Georgia history. 00:39:53
Possibly finishing up the year with every student in Oconee, spending time in Watkinsville and learning about the Eagle Tavern. 00:39:55
And then walking through the covered bridge, going to Thomas Farm. So doing history. 00:40:01
Arts and agriculture and coming back via OCAF and learning about the arts and then finishing with a celebration at Rocket Field 00:40:06
was her idea. 00:40:09
Where we could have. 00:40:13
Sessions with. 00:40:14
For the blue side and the red side, you know, on separate days, doing something like that and breaking them up. 00:40:16
She really liked that idea. We're thinking about doing that something like that next spring. 00:40:21
But again, this is where if we had. 00:40:25
A dedicated person, they could help put all that together. Work on that. 00:40:27
The county's made significant investments staffing Eagle Tavern. 00:40:30
I think it's an area where we could have more tourism, you know, if we set up again, I think we have. 00:40:34
Our downtown master plan calls for that corridor along 3rd St. to be. 00:40:38
Activated more and I think history is a great way to do it. You know, everywhere you stop there. 00:40:42
Their school history, you know, with rocket field, with OKAF and all the buildings at OKAF. 00:40:47
Going over to the cemetery. 00:40:51
Getting a Thomas farm. 00:40:53
It's almost a microcosm of Oconee County history that you can tell on a short walk in Watkinsville. So. 00:40:55
So, so we're trying to lean into it there. We're also in our. 00:41:01
Existing parks like Pulpit Rock, we're doing new historical markers there and Watkinsville Woods. 00:41:04
We're going to do historical marker near the petroglyph in the back of Thomas Farm Preserve. 00:41:09
So we're there and then. 00:41:14
The big Springs green space that we have will be also be an amazing place to tell. 00:41:15
About our city's history, so. 00:41:19
I just think. 00:41:22
You know, you know, it's an old saying, but those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it, you know? And I just really 00:41:22
want us. 00:41:25
To lean into our history in Watkinsville and Oconee County over the next few years and talk more about it so. 00:41:29
The ordinance is part of that. I think one of the biggest frustration I get from people who are passionate about our downtown is 00:41:35
why do we have a few houses that are historic homes that are still in really poor condition? 00:41:39
So I do think we're going to have to move from carrots to sticks on some of those homes in the next year. 00:41:44
And basically start. 00:41:49
Making it clear to those property owners that. 00:41:51
We understand your situation will help you find resources. 00:41:53
Historic Athens has grant resources for people to help with facades and things, but even if they don't. 00:41:57
We're going to have to help some of these old homes. 00:42:01
Get propped up or we're going to lose them and that would be a shame, so. 00:42:04
So I would. 00:42:08
Proposed that beyond the ordinance, I think a focus on history. 00:42:10
Some sort of history initiative or community history engagement? 00:42:14
That educates our youth and helps us preserve and tell our stories of our older, older spaces and what it means. 00:42:18
Is really important for us. 00:42:24
So one comment on that too is, you know. 00:42:26
Oak County has that society. 00:42:30
OK Oconee County Historical Society that meets every month and. 00:42:32
It's like you said Margo, if you don't like something and share it. 00:42:37
It don't go anywhere, but they do have a Facebook page and. 00:42:40
Every so often they're making a pretty good post about history here too, so. 00:42:44
Be good to include them in only two. Oh yes, and they are already clued in. It would not be replacing that group. It would be 00:42:50
again, that's a completely volunteer LED. 00:42:55
Organization. There is something very powerful about having a well qualified paid person who. 00:43:01
Moves forward the initiative, so there would definitely be a partnership. 00:43:07
One of the key tenets of historic Athens is about education and having those things, and so there's already been discussion of 00:43:11
really leaning in heavily with. 00:43:16
This great group of people who already does that, but then. 00:43:20
You know, having people who help promote it more and. 00:43:24
Tie in, but that's an excellent point. Yeah, we don't. It's not about reinventing the wheel, it's about bringing the different. 00:43:27
Interests and parties together in a way that. 00:43:34
You know the whole is is better. 00:43:38
And gets more done. 00:43:40
OK. All right. We've made some notes on that the move this advance our slide even though I know you've got in front, so there 00:43:49
were. 00:43:53
Two items that were tied for #3 that was the city charter amendments. 00:43:58
And the sidewalk expansions and improvements, the sidewalk expansions and improvements, to me that really feeds back into our. 00:44:01
Our transportation plan, maybe it's more specific goal of the transportation plan. 00:44:08
Something to think about if we just want to fold that in understanding that that is sort of a ongoing theme for the city, we 00:44:13
understand. 00:44:17
The plan is to continue to execute and implement the. 00:44:21
The transportation plan and all those elements within the city charter, I think we do need to speak about our city attorney's not 00:44:25
with us today, neither is our city attorney engineer just because this is a work session didn't necessarily need them here, but. 00:44:31
But I think we need some direction. 00:44:38
I mean, it's really more. 00:44:40
Ballpark. Anyway, I don't know that. 00:44:41
Staff would be doing too much on this other than. 00:44:43
Making sure that the code was updated if it did move forward. 00:44:45
And I don't know. 00:44:49
Your position on that I know the. 00:44:50
The attorney has indicated that he'd like he thinks that we probably need to have it done at some point because it hasn't been 00:44:52
done. 00:44:55
But that's. 00:44:59
Purely up to you all to decide. 00:45:00
Whether or not to move forward with that. So I thought we worked on this. 00:45:02
A couple years ago. 00:45:05
You, you did you. You actually have a new charter. It just didn't. I think that. 00:45:07
Mayor, I think it went. 00:45:11
To I think Senator Kaiser had it, but it never made it. 00:45:12
Past that, maybe it didn't get it didn't. And it was in the IT was in the wake of the mayor drama and I think. 00:45:15
Senator Kowser just wasn't comfortable. 00:45:20
Advancing it and you've got to have unanimous support from your local delegation. 00:45:22
So next year we'll have a completely new delegation basically depends on a ferret gifts or gets reelected, but we'll have. 00:45:26
We would have. 00:45:34
You have Senator Cow Search. 00:45:35
Running for attorney general, so we'll have a new senator. 00:45:36
New representative or Eric Gessler who may be re elected so. 00:45:39
I think the time to revisit that is next time after when there's not a. 00:45:44
When it's not perceived as. 00:45:47
Because the former mayor wanted a new charter. 00:45:49
And then we proposed a new charter, but I think there was just some confusion and unwillingness to invest the time and energy in 00:45:52
determining whose charter it was. 00:45:55
That we wanted to move forward before. So I think we're a little further from that. I think we could probably get a just a modern 00:45:59
charter. 00:46:01
Through the local delegation, Sharon, if you'll just. 00:46:04
Note that for next November, and we'll start to engage once we know who who those people are. 00:46:06
I don't know if it'll be. 00:46:12
You know Mark Mcmain or if it'll be. 00:46:13
You know, or one of the other. 00:46:15
Candidates for Senate and and. 00:46:17
A lot will depend on if. 00:46:19
If representative gifts or is reelected or not, but I think. 00:46:20
It's much more doable once we have some. 00:46:23
New folks down there. 00:46:26
OK. What do you, is there anything you need from us to activate that? 00:46:28
We just need to revisit it, I guess, like Brian said in in November. Well, I think if we can revisit maybe September, October. 00:46:33
So we have something we can take to them in November, that's what we'd want to do. 00:46:38
Because what basically what Joe is saying is we just need sort of a modern charter and our charter is pretty old. So there's 00:46:42
there's kind of a GMA template that we can use and adjust if we need to. 00:46:47
Yep, OK. 00:46:53
And then on the sidewalk improvement share, and I do want to mention, you know like I'm glad we've we've built new sidewalks and I 00:46:55
think we'll continue to do that, but. 00:46:59
You know, I guess my my thought was. 00:47:02
We do have routes like South Main and Barnet Shoals where. 00:47:04
The sidewalks have gotten tired and cracked and. 00:47:07
Aren't particularly safe, you know, so. 00:47:10
Sharon, I don't know if you feel like that's sort of a matter of course where we can handle that within our existing T spouse 00:47:12
funding stream. 00:47:15
Or if that's. 00:47:18
Something that we need to specifically identify. 00:47:20
You know, here's a. 00:47:22
You know, because you probably argue the South main sidewalk should be AG dot priority, but we all know G dots never going to get 00:47:24
to that. 00:47:27
You could probably argue that Barnett Shoals is a county sidewalk, but I don't think the county's dying to rebuild the sidewalk on 00:47:31
Barnet Shoals, so. 00:47:35
And I, you know, again, Barnett Shoals long term we may do something different, but. 00:47:39
Just that little area between like. 00:47:43
Main Street and 2nd St. just needs some. 00:47:44
TLC when we're when we have contractors in town, right and we had and so Drayton. 00:47:47
Criswell, our public works manager did inventory all the sidewalks and he met either last week or week before last with another 00:47:52
local contractor. We've used before for smaller projects and I believe, I don't know if Drayton, do you have a if you have an 00:47:57
update you use the mic and. 00:48:01
And maybe give an update on that if you. 00:48:06
Where that's at? 00:48:09
But there were. 00:48:10
There, there were identified, we had some citizens identify some and then he went out actually with his crew and they identified 00:48:11
some spots that need, you know, there's cracks or dips or whatever to improve those and we've notified the. 00:48:17
County water department as well about some of their meters. 00:48:22
Really kind of low to get risers so that there that doesn't also cause. So there I know they're working on that as well. 00:48:25
Right made. They came back with around 1/4 of 13/5. 00:48:32
For all of the areas. 00:48:36
Beyond just Main St. 00:48:37
In between Main Street and 2nd Street, so. 00:48:39
I didn't. I didn't see what exactly those individual areas came out to, but I'll look at it. 00:48:42
As soon as we get out of here, she said they they provided 1/4 of 13,500 and we'll have to look at the budget. I mean we do have 00:48:46
y'all did authorize the money in for sidewalks in the budget we had intended to do the section between. 00:48:53
Jackson St. and New High Shoals, but that came. 00:48:59
Astronomically higher than we expected because of all the work that wouldn't be needed for that. That may be one of those projects 00:49:01
that we may have to hope that maybe SPLOST passes and we use those funds for. I don't know. We'll have to revisit that. It's a. 00:49:07
I know Councilman Campbell had approached me about an alternative to that idea, unfortunately that idea. 00:49:14
That, he recommended was. 00:49:20
Doing a sidewalk across the street. 00:49:22
Which I think then gets into the. 00:49:25
Gets into the railroad right away and all sorts of plus you got across to get to it. So we were trying to provide that. 00:49:27
Continuous. 00:49:34
That continuity between New High Shoals and South Main. So it's it's a. 00:49:35
It's it's a challenge and I think we'll we'll figure it out. We've. 00:49:39
Engineered at what, two or three different ways already? And it still comes back at like, I think it was like 4 or $500,000 or 00:49:42
something. I think it was six or six. Yeah, it was a lot. That's a tiny little trip. 00:49:47
Yeah. So like kind of route people around. 00:49:52
Yeah, Yeah. No, we could There's, there's several. 00:49:57
I I'd love to have that done, but the reality is you can find your way. You can connect through there without it being perfect 00:49:59
right now and that that price was just. 00:50:04
I was like, there's so many and we'll talk about some other things we can do with those funds. 00:50:08
Yeah, potentially connecting Hair Shoals Park to N Main St. 00:50:11
You could probably do cheaper than that, which I'd argue is a much more impactful. 00:50:15
You know, pedestrian bike, pedestrian connection then. 00:50:19
You know that little egg on supplementary 'cause you can take Jackson St. and get around so. 00:50:23
So so. 00:50:28
Sort of, but I do think, you know, while we're doing. 00:50:29
What we're doing, new ones, being able to. 00:50:31
And you said that 13 five was for South Main and Barnett Shoals Drayton, is that right? That was for multiple areas, OK. And that 00:50:33
little and I know there's the one on VFW too that's kind of sunken in. Yes, that was included in there. So I will just say as. 00:50:40
Someone who probably walks the most Stan Barnett Scholes. 00:50:47
Where like at the. 00:50:50
Were first hits Barnett, Scholes? 00:50:53
Where? 00:50:55
I think what's probably happening is those roads are so narrow. 00:50:56
And you have delivery trucks going in and they're running over and crushing that so. 00:51:00
How do we? 00:51:06
Is there a way to keep that from happening? Is there a way because I. 00:51:07
It seemed to fix it and then, you know, month later it's happened again because a massive truck has just run over that corner. 00:51:11
Once again, so are there ways to? 00:51:17
Keep trucks from doing that. 00:51:21
What we did, so we did, we did move back the I think they did move back the stop bar for the vehicle so that the. 00:51:24
You know the charts would have a little bit better swing to come off a lot barn shells onto main. 00:51:30
They did move that back to because that's an area that we've had continual issues. We can't. 00:51:34
Repair it enough like it constantly gets crushed, um. 00:51:39
But. 00:51:42
You know, I think that's just an ongoing, that's gonna be an ongoing challenge. I mean, you could certainly and check Councilman 00:51:43
Garrett may have some more suggestions, but. 00:51:47
But that's something that I think. 00:51:51
We're just going to continue to have to. 00:51:53
Figure out a way. 00:51:56
To deal with it shouldn't be. 00:51:56
Crazy amount more to do it. 00:51:59
You know more like 8 inches, 10 inch thick. Put rebar in it. That should take care of it. 00:52:01
So close to the intersections. Yeah, we do rebar. 00:52:06
Yeah. So, yeah. So is that a? 00:52:13
Instead of continually doing it, let's do it. 00:52:16
Pay more, do it right so it is actually not. 00:52:18
Getting crushed. 00:52:22
Because it's yeah, I don't know how a truck can pull out of. 00:52:23
1st. 00:52:26
And I mean, it's, it's just a tricky intersection, yeah. 00:52:27
And then the other one that we've talked about potentially with some of those funds, you know and in the engineers working on 00:52:32
this, but I wanted you all to know about it because I think it would be a nice project would be. 00:52:36
Sidewalks on Barnet on 2nd St. from Barnet Shoals to. 00:52:40
Rocket field. 00:52:45
Where there's a lot of walking and that it kind of sets up like. 00:52:46
Kathleen and Lawrence have a sidewalk there. 00:52:49
Then you've got Max House. Then you've got Farmhouse Law. 00:52:51
And you have Norma, she said she would let us use the right away there. 00:52:54
We'd have to work with Tom, but you can get almost all the way there and the road sets up nicely and there's a lot of people who 00:52:57
walk on 2nd St. 00:53:00
You know, umm. 00:53:03
Compared to 3rd, to me that's a better. 00:53:04
Connection from Barnett Shoals. 00:53:06
What it? 00:53:08
I was gonna say if we win, if when we do that. 00:53:09
We have talked about this multiple times doing something actually on Symington Bridge. 00:53:12
Chairman Daniel. 00:53:19
To maybe keep people like keeping that intersection open, like having like a box there or something. Because I do think that is 00:53:21
the main way for people to to cross because crossing 1/3 is just dangerous. 00:53:27
Um, so I don't know if that's. 00:53:35
Something. 00:53:38
County's been pretty willing to work with us on Simonton Bridge. 00:53:39
You know, pedestrian and. 00:53:43
Improvements they're already working with us on the other crossings or even do a little like actually have that be like an 00:53:44
official little. 00:53:47
Like have the little bikini. 00:53:51
Crossing thing there. 00:53:52
Not third at second, not on 3rd, no third. I just work. Yeah. We're trying to keep people off 3rd and encourage people to go 00:53:55
second because it's just between the curve and the hill is just not. 00:54:00
Great. Umm. 00:54:05
But second, you feel like would be reasonable because I know we've worked with Jody on. 00:54:07
Jody on some of those crossings. 00:54:10
I was remember they had real concerns about going through crossing the 1.1 foot. 00:54:12
Yeah, third was shown on. 00:54:17
Some of our early maps, and I think we all agreed that third isn't the ideal. 00:54:19
Quarter through there for. 00:54:23
For folks and I know we talked to Mike Weathers and Jody at one point about. 00:54:24
The striping of that area to have to get back and pull my emails up about that. 00:54:30
I think they were, I think they were open to it, but I have to go back and look at there was something I just don't remember all 00:54:35
the details about what we have had conversations about that so. 00:54:39
Yeah, they just need the engineering on it. 00:54:43
And then? 00:54:45
It'll go through our normal process just like you're doing for. 00:54:46
Been encroachment permit and we'll. 00:54:49
Do the best we can to make it work. 00:54:52
OK, so I did want to flag that for y'all that among the things we're talking about that could be one that would be. 00:54:54
It won't be easy. 00:55:01
It wouldn't be as complicated as some of the other ones that we've done, but I think it could be pretty pretty. 00:55:02
Pretty high impact. 00:55:06
You know, and Connie walks that road a lot. I don't. 00:55:08
I don't, you know, know what your feelings would be about that, but this is your home turf, so we'd love to hear from you if you 00:55:11
think that's a good idea or not. 00:55:14
So. 00:55:17
I just wish people would obey the rules and drive slow and stop at stop signs and. 00:55:21
But they're not doing that like they used to. 00:55:27
I don't know if they ever have I I can tell you my. 00:55:32
Grandparents used to talk about people fussing. 00:55:35
About uh. 00:55:37
People riding their horses too fast through downtown Watkinsville. It's been a problem for a long time, yeah. 00:55:37
Yeah, when I moved back in 2004, Antonio is still sprinting up 3rd St. with his horse and then Margie. He'll be mad at him for 00:55:44
making holes in rocket field. 00:55:48
We thought it was a big deal. We put a fence around rocket field to keep the horses out back then, so you know it is. 00:55:53
Even in 20. 00:56:00
Even in 23 years that's changed, but. 00:56:01
I don't know if they still get horses over there or not, Connie. 00:56:04
Motorcycles, yes, but not. 00:56:10
Yeah, I think he switched from horses to motorcycle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:56:11
Lot of deer, sometimes myself in town. 00:56:14
One other sidewalk. I mean, I know we talked about Main Street, but you know, as Ashford. 00:56:18
Is improving. They've added to it. 00:56:23
I would love. 00:56:25
And I don't know, it's AG dot thing. I would love to fix that intersection at Ashford. 00:56:26
That sidewalk there, I mean, we, we finally got the the pole out of the middle of the road you can walk down and then right there 00:56:31
at that intersection. 00:56:35
You're lost at what to do. 00:56:38
Handy. It's not handicapped accessible. 00:56:41
There's just no way of getting across that intersection right there safely. 00:56:44
I'd love to. 00:56:49
See how we figure that out? 00:56:50
And, and I know the terrain and elevation. I mean, it's a it's a terrible intersection. I got it, but I'd love to and we've. 00:56:52
And we have the mayor and I both had conversations and emails back and forth at G dot about it and they acknowledge it's an issue, 00:56:58
but they haven't give us a time frame of when. 00:57:03
Winner, if that will would ever happen. 00:57:08
We even had a handicap advocate approach us and basically say this is all illegal and we sent that to G docs. We're like, you 00:57:10
know, we can't. 00:57:13
You know, you know, we've got somebody actually out checking every intersection in downtown, you know, and. 00:57:17
But this is 1 where we can't. 00:57:23
Not only is it not our responsibility, it would also I mean that. 00:57:24
That probably wound up being $1,000,000 project I would think by the time and then Ashford would lose parking. 00:57:27
Under almost any conceivable scenario. 00:57:32
There, which would be tough. 00:57:35
You know. 00:57:37
Anyway, I it's. 00:57:38
I'm with you 100%, Brad. I just, that's a tough one to. 00:57:40
Tough one to fix, yeah. I sure wish we could though cuz it. 00:57:43
That's a nice, nice building they're doing there, yeah. 00:57:46
OK. All right. Well, when we bring forward the. 00:57:50
The addendum to the transportation plan will. 00:57:53
You know, the plan will be a draft, you know, then identify it because we'll have the the map and hopefully we can. 00:57:55
If there's additional things y'all like to see we can that haven't been highlighted, we can highlight those and then. 00:58:01
Adopt those, have you all adopt that, and now that'd be a good road map for us to move forward with. 00:58:07
So the highest, number four overall, was relocating public Works department facilities. 00:58:13
We are still very interested in doing that by. 00:58:19
Relocating public works out of the building there at Main Street and Experiment Station. 00:58:22
It would free up that building for the DDA that's in the downtown development area. It's a. 00:58:27
A great asset, certainly not the highest and best use at this moment. 00:58:32
I I don't want to put words in the in the chairman's mouth because he's here, but I will say that we have considered and are 00:58:36
working with them. 00:58:40
To potentially. 00:58:44
Relocate to one of their facilities if they if they. 00:58:46
Leave there that facility so. 00:58:49
We are looking at that. I think there was a couple $100,000 in SPLOST to. 00:58:51
To do something like that, that's just sort of to. 00:58:57
Pertain some space somewhere. 00:58:59
So that we could. 00:59:01
Keep them moving, but. 00:59:02
I think that's. 00:59:04
Probably at 3:00. 00:59:05
Two to three-year kind of thing before we'll be where we need to be with that I. 00:59:06
And of course it you know. 00:59:10
It may end up requiring. 00:59:12
You know, funding from the council or a loan or something. I'm not really sure, it just all depends on. 00:59:14
On where we can relocate them to. 00:59:19
So that was. 00:59:22
Your fourth highest. 00:59:25
The next one was exploring. 00:59:27
Utilization Utilization of the house which. 00:59:30
Mayor Pro Tem Tucker mentioned earlier may be a good place for. 00:59:33
Historical County, if that. 00:59:37
Ends up coming to fruition. 00:59:39
I think the only thing I would caution you all with on that is if you. 00:59:41
Start activating the house. You're going to need more parking spaces and the mayor and I've. 00:59:45
Already put together a plan. We've had the city engineer put together a plan to add some more gravel. 00:59:49
Parking spaces. 00:59:55
In and amongst the pecan Grove on the eastern side of Thomas Farm, off of the existing. 00:59:56
Gravel area, I don't know if that's something. My hope is we can get that done before July 3rd. That's. 01:00:02
The plan? 01:00:06
But the people that we typically would use for that are currently focused on something Bridge Road and that's a higher priority at 01:00:08
this point. 01:00:11
We've got to get that. 01:00:14
That work done but. 01:00:15
Again, if you are going to activate that space, you've got to figure out that there's got to be some parking or some way to 01:00:16
accommodate the people that may be coming there for that purpose instead of just for the park. So just something to think about. 01:00:21
On that. 01:00:27
The next priority was considering improvements to stormwater conveyance systems. Again, we do not manage stormwater, we convey it 01:00:29
from. 01:00:32
One point to another off the road into into culverts and into the pipes and down to the rivers. 01:00:36
We made the improvements on. 01:00:42
White, white subdivision which was the biggest one we are currently again. 01:00:45
Straight Crystal, our public works manager inventoried. 01:00:49
He and his staff inventoried all the culverts in the city. 01:00:52
And has prioritized those. There was money set aside to try to do that as an over, you know, as a. 01:00:55
Larger project. 01:01:01
And and so. 01:01:03
We're gonna start. 01:01:04
Moving forward with those recommendations. So that's an ongoing thing, I don't know if there's. 01:01:06
Any other? I think we've hit most of the hot. 01:01:10
High problem areas. 01:01:13
Now we're going to just be dealing with some of the just. 01:01:16
Minor little things here and there, unless there's others that I don't know about that y'all haven't shared but. 01:01:18
How are we feeling about the? 01:01:24
I guess pipes too small a word, but underneath Hardin Hill the. 01:01:28
Did you guys get an inspection on that? Is that in? 01:01:31
Yeah. So city engineers working on that as well. I think he's been diverted a little bit on the Simon Bridge. 01:01:34
Bridge Rd. project well, but that's on his list to give us an evaluation. You did set aside an appropriate some funds. 01:01:39
For us to. 01:01:45
Figure out what's going on and what would needs to be done there so. 01:01:46
I it's to be determined. Not really sure what but. 01:01:50
Shortly, something we're going to have to. 01:01:53
Pay attention to. 01:01:55
And we are painting institute. 01:01:55
OK, um. 01:01:59
The seventh highest tide. 01:02:01
For seven was exploring youth leadership program and then evaluating Rd. capacity on Barnard Shoals so the use of leadership 01:02:03
program. 01:02:07
The mayor and I talked about a. 01:02:11
Not really sure what we called it now. Citizen Academy. I think the county's done something similar, but we talked about if we did 01:02:15
one, maybe focusing on the youth. 01:02:19
Or making sure that there were some space. There was space within that group for dedicated just for. 01:02:23
You know, younger kids. 01:02:28
And we talked about trying to push that this fall. We've got obviously summoned in bridge. We've got the big July 3rd. 01:02:30
Event coming up and we've got budget season so. 01:02:36
Until we can get through some of that, my attention can't be focused on that yet, but that is the plan is to try to. 01:02:39
Roll something out in the fall. 01:02:44
Sort of as a pilot effort to to do that, I know. 01:02:45
Mayor Pro Tem Tucker mentioned about a leadership, I think that's on your list of things, a leadership program for for youth or 01:02:51
leadership project. 01:02:55
Potentially, It sounds like the mayor's potentially got a project with the historic. 01:02:58
Aspect you just mentioned about the middle school where they. 01:03:03
Started Eagle Tavern and go through the bridge and over Thomas farms on AG econ kind of. 01:03:06
Maybe that's something that we can figure out how to mold into what you're looking for. 01:03:10
So some of what? 01:03:14
I mean, this is an idea we've obviously been talking about for a while, but as I've reflected about just. 01:03:18
Service. 01:03:24
And having. 01:03:25
I mean, I think everyone sitting here, we all have a heart for public service and. 01:03:29
I think. 01:03:36
And, and maybe this was talked about 40 years ago too. Everybody looks at how the youth, what are they doing, but. 01:03:37
I I think some of that is being lost and. 01:03:44
As I've thought about it. 01:03:47
When you are in like the AP. 01:03:49
Higher track get into a good. 01:03:54
College kind of track in school. 01:03:56
You pretty much have to be part of a service organization. You're going to be in beta, you're going to do National Honor Society, 01:03:58
and those all have service components to them. 01:04:02
And so hopefully that idea of service is being passed along, but. 01:04:07
Not every kid is on an AP track or gonna go do beta or are able to do it because of other things in their schedule and so I would 01:04:12
love to find a way. 01:04:16
To engage kids starting before high school at a younger age. 01:04:21
And not be dependent on what kind of academic track they might be on, because I think everybody has the capacity, we need 01:04:26
everybody to have the capacity to serve their community. And so how can we engage that in in a fun way and a a meaningful. 01:04:34
Because there's a lot of. 01:04:42
Just intrinsic reward that comes with. 01:04:45
Being able to. 01:04:47
Serve your community. 01:04:48
Tell so I'm in the local Oconee Rotary Club and one thing we do to encourage youth is Rila the Rotary youth. 01:04:49
Leadership. 01:04:58
Awards. So we actually sponsored kids to go to. 01:04:59
Leadership academies and stuff. 01:05:03
But it's it's a great way to engage the youth. 01:05:05
And and they they can come in and. 01:05:09
Help with that so. 01:05:12
We use a lot of that. 01:05:14
And that's, I mean, yes, there's, I mean we have service organizations, but like. 01:05:15
I was actually a Rotarian. 01:05:20
I might technically still be one our north of county one, just kind of. 01:05:22
Disbanded but. 01:05:25
And my kids were all super involved in school. 01:05:28
And yet I don't know about that. So like it's. 01:05:31
But maybe it's not reinventing the wheel. Maybe it's. 01:05:34
Figuring out resources that are there, and figuring out ways to communicate and promote those. 01:05:38
Yeah, and one thing I mean. 01:05:44
You typically you think of Lions Club. The Rotary Club is a bunch of. 01:05:46
Older people sitting around, you know, but we're trying in our Rd. club, really trying to. 01:05:49
Bring in younger generations. We we do a lot of stuff like building handicap ramps. We do. 01:05:54
I work work with every the Oconee. 01:06:02
Resource council here, but so a lot of the guys that have. 01:06:05
You know, middle schoolers, high schoolers. 01:06:09
Bring their kids to help. 01:06:11
Build ramps and to. 01:06:13
Help with the library when they're doing sales of library books. We just did that this this past weekend, so. 01:06:14
So trying to bring the youth in to help with that, but it's just bringing in. 01:06:20
RH Group people. 01:06:25
That understand. 01:06:27
You know and want to help out. 01:06:28
There's also a program through a group called Georgia Forward called Leadership Next, and they have youth councils and so. 01:06:31
We may not have to reinvent the wheel. They may have a program we can use. I just sent share and I just sent you a link to that, 01:06:38
OK. 01:06:40
They're already partnered up with GMA and there's several cities that have it. Christina copied you on that. 01:06:43
But it looks like Stockbridge, Noonan, LaGrange, Dublin, Douglas, Decatur, coming in, Columbus all have these programs. 01:06:49
It might be helpful if we don't have to create something out of whole cloth and there's something we can use that. 01:06:56
Is a program that's. 01:07:00
Been proven to work and. 01:07:02
You know, Sharon and I talked about trying to get that done this year, but with everything on her plate, I was just. I think the 01:07:03
most important thing is to do that right. You know how we started that we have a clear vision and. 01:07:07
Do that right, but I think. 01:07:12
We're all nodding our heads about how do we get? 01:07:13
Youth more involved in the city and understanding. 01:07:15
What the challenges are and really build up. 01:07:19
You know, Brett, that that sort of civic muscle. 01:07:21
You know that. 01:07:23
Really makes a town great, you know, and I think that starts with having younger citizens who. 01:07:24
You know, want to come back and be a part of that. 01:07:29
You know, sometimes when you try to activate that when someone's 30 or 40, it's almost too late. It's like. 01:07:32
Learning it's like learning a language. It's a lot easier when you're young. 01:07:36
But I think we're in Oconee. We're blessed that we have a lot of that in our DNA, but it doesn't hurt to. 01:07:40
Do some more of it well, and I think a lot of. 01:07:44
What would help us also is. 01:07:47
I mean if you recall Hair Souls Park the the the original park was built by like the right Lions Club and the Rotary Club. 01:07:48
I mean, let's engage those people and help them. 01:07:55
Help us, you know. 01:07:58
I I think that, well, I know that the resources are out there. 01:08:01
For them to. 01:08:03
Help them, help us, we just. 01:08:04
Need to engage them in helping us. 01:08:07
And I think too. 01:08:09
Not just service in the sense of. 01:08:12
You know. 01:08:15
Physical acts to help the community, which those are very important and I'm not saying we shouldn't do that. 01:08:16
But I think there is with this. 01:08:21
The Pacific minded. 01:08:22
The research out there is most people don't even understand how. 01:08:26
Republican democracy works. And I mean, and it's not just being. 01:08:30
Even if it's being taught in school, that doesn't get retained. I mean it is really kind of depressing when you look at the 01:08:35
statistics of the. 01:08:38
The average American and their understanding of how our government works and so. 01:08:41
I think. 01:08:45
Having something where? 01:08:46
Like I've always said, I think everybody needs to wait tables and be a substitute teacher for a little bit of time so you 01:08:49
understand. 01:08:53
What it's like to serve. 01:08:56
The general public and I would say. 01:08:59
I'm as I'm living more of life, I think everybody needs to see how government works. 01:09:02
That, uh. 01:09:08
Yeah, it's real easy to say, well, why don't you just do this? And I think I was that person until I started doing this and I 01:09:09
realized, well, there's no such thing as why don't you just do this? Because to do this, you have to figure out this. And to 01:09:14
figure out this, you got to figure out that. And, you know, it's a whole and so. 01:09:19
So, umm. 01:09:24
Definitely get kids involved in actual acts of service, but also. 01:09:25
Help them figure out how. 01:09:30
How does the mechanisms of a Democratic Republic work? How does this. 01:09:31
You know nothing is that simple. How can you be more nuanced and. 01:09:37
Get dig deeper. So that's part of my thoughts with. 01:09:40
The goals of what we'd be doing. 01:09:43
And and. 01:09:45
Similarly, you see the Boy Scouts come in here every once in a while. 01:09:47
And I have personally gone and talked to a couple of different scouts about. 01:09:51
Sit duties and what that looks like so yeah, engaging the. 01:09:54
Local populace. 01:09:58
All right. So we have some wet clay there, but we'll we'll find the Watkinsville way for that. OK. 01:10:01
Again, time for number 7 was trying to. 01:10:06
Evaluate. 01:10:11
Client Shoals Rd. It's a County Road, but it's in the city and implementing some design. 01:10:12
Potentially some design changes. I think that's a. 01:10:17
You know, moving target to some extent it's. 01:10:19
Gonna do this over Hang on, let me do this. 01:10:22
So that one, hang on, maybe it is back on that one. 01:10:25
One more. 01:10:29
Yeah, that one, sorry. 01:10:31
We've had some, we have had a preliminary design where we considered. 01:10:35
Widening the sidewalks, maybe narrowing the road, those are just internal things that we've talked about. We did have. 01:10:40
The engineer look into that. 01:10:46
Some of the challenges we have or there's a lot of power poles up and down that road. 01:10:48
We've had conversations, Georgia Power, about maybe trying to go underground with that. I don't know that, you know, we know how 01:10:52
expensive that one pole was. 01:10:56
And he was like. 01:10:59
$25,000 to move that one pull out of the sidewalk downtown. So it's not a inexpensive thing. This may be a larger. 01:11:00
You know, project collaboration. Obviously the county owns the road, so if anything were to be done, we'd have to, you know, get 01:11:06
their blessing and their interest in. 01:11:10
And how to move forward with that. But I think it's still a party. I don't know where it fits in the next fiscal year. It may be 01:11:14
something that gets pushed to the next tea squashed because it'll be an expensive. 01:11:19
Project uh. 01:11:25
If we do it so. 01:11:26
If there's any comments on that but. 01:11:28
I've stayed in touch with Georgia Power on that, you know, just. 01:11:32
You know, just in case they ever do make a decision to. 01:11:35
Adjust those poles you know and. 01:11:38
You know, they've, they've remained interested in supporting us if they can, if and when there's a. 01:11:41
You know, they're, they're looking at their entire grid right now in a way that's very different than they were three or four 01:11:45
years ago. So. 01:11:47
There's going to be different kind of investments. 01:11:50
That substation down at the end is now being. 01:11:53
Managed by Georgia Transmission Corporation and Walton AMC. 01:11:55
So it's a little bit. 01:11:59
You know, but I think the polls there are still Georgia Power, so. 01:12:00
I think it's important that they they know about it. 01:12:03
But I'm I don't think we have anywhere near the resources to tackle this until we have another T spouse approved. And if we do 01:12:06
then we can. 01:12:09
You know, barring. 01:12:14
Activities at the. 01:12:16
General Assembly that make that more challenging we could. 01:12:17
You know we can. 01:12:20
Roll up our sleeves and work with the county on what? 01:12:21
A new version of Barnet Shoals looks like but. 01:12:24
Until we have new T Spa, there's no Celtic. There's the money to tackle it. 01:12:26
So OK. 01:12:30
All right, let's get to another couple here. 01:12:32
Time for number 8 was exploring relocation of City Hall and public. 01:12:36
Police Department, obviously we've already talked about public works freeing up. 01:12:41
The City Hall for other potentially private investment and then explore an opportunities for active recreation our existing parks 01:12:45
and green spaces. 01:12:48
So a couple comments about that. I mean again, I think. 01:12:53
Perhaps, maybe this is, I mean, I'm already running out of space here. I've had, you know, we've had to. 01:12:57
We have our downtown development director. 01:13:01
Living out of the space above Rocket Field, which I mean is great space. It keeps her in downtown, but she's away from the rest of 01:13:05
us. That makes it a little bit more challenging, you know, to try to interact daily with with her because she's not physically in 01:13:10
the same space as us. She's done a bang up job of. 01:13:15
Trying to be in here and show her face every, you know, But her job really is downtown. Our focus should be downtown, but. 01:13:20
It does make it harder to coordinate that if we had to add anymore staff it would make it even harder. 01:13:25
And so I think there's that. 01:13:31
Needs to continue to be explored. 01:13:32
Where or how and when that's sort of all up in the air. I think there's lots of lots of things to consider. 01:13:34
We did, I think, put in the recommendation on the referendum to have some money for a new facility. 01:13:41
To either build 1 or renovate one or something. So we'll see how that moves forward the May 19th. 01:13:48
Vote on the. 01:13:55
The. 01:13:58
Recreational programming type of. 01:14:00
Activities and existing parks and green spaces. I know councils made it very clear and I. 01:14:03
Certainly appreciate again because of a staffing issue. 01:14:07
Taking on additional programming at any of our parks is going to be really hard for us. I did have a. 01:14:09
Fantastic conversation with Watkinsville Baptist Church this past week. 01:14:15
They're looking at doing something that would bring people, you know, a service that would help us, but also. 01:14:19
Provide people opportunity to come to their campus. It's not in the city limits, but they are very much tied. This relay connector 01:14:25
is going to go through. 01:14:29
Through their campus and over to water Park. 01:14:33
And and. 01:14:36
The idea pickleball did come up. 01:14:37
Another playground came up. 01:14:39
So there's I think. 01:14:41
That's where we can leverage those public private partnerships or public nonprofit. 01:14:42
Organizational, uh. 01:14:46
They're working with the consultant to try to figure out what that looks like for them. And so like I said, it had a really good 01:14:47
conversation last week. 01:14:50
With them about that so that may. 01:14:53
You know we can provide that without actually having to physically provide it ourselves. Would be awesome. 01:14:55
So with our staffing like it is so. 01:15:00
The 9th overall was supporting the existing events. Obviously we've talked a little bit about during our. 01:15:04
During the. 01:15:10
The significant accomplishments we talked about, the Easter egg hunt that we have every year, the cops and bobbers. 01:15:13
The farmers market is now I think. 01:15:18
I think they're going to be staying at water park. I'm not 100% sure, but they've got a presence out there that seems to work for 01:15:20
them. 01:15:23
The chamber's fall festivals, we've already gotten the paperwork for that. 01:15:26
For this fall, because that starts early. 01:15:30
Christmas parade, the downtown's trick or treat. I think we've done a lot. 01:15:32
In that area I know the. 01:15:35
The strategic plan for downtown includes either a first Friday or a third Thursday or some. 01:15:37
Cute little thing like that third Tuesday to try to again. 01:15:43
Reengage the public and interactions with the businesses downtown. 01:15:47
So I think that's very much. 01:15:51
Becoming part of our fabric again. I think the things I want to, I think what I'd like to see is some of these things that are 01:15:53
becoming more sort of. 01:15:56
Understood. 01:15:59
We don't need to have them. I mean any that are specific to our comprehensive plan that are in blue have to stay on the plan 01:16:01
because we have that's part of our work plan. We have to respond to that. But some of these other things I think that are becoming 01:16:04
part of our everyday thing. 01:16:08
We don't necessarily have to. 01:16:13
Point or. 01:16:14
Or be a higher party because it's becoming part of what we do anyway. It's sort of understood so. 01:16:15
And then the 10th 1 was exploring the truck bypass. We've had a fair amount of conversation about that already. 01:16:21
It's not the, you know, the city doesn't have a lot to say about it. The county doesn't actually have a lot to say about it. Is a 01:16:25
G dot project. 01:16:29
And I think the thing to think about with that is. 01:16:33
Planning, Making sure that we are. 01:16:37
A destination before that happens. 01:16:40
Because if we're not. 01:16:42
Really focused on being a destination that bypass comes, we will become, we could potentially become like. 01:16:43
Washington, Georgia, where they just bought area bypasses you and you don't have a reason to stop and come downtown, you know, 01:16:48
come into our community. 01:16:51
So these are the things you have to sort of balance a little bit. 01:16:54
It's not. 01:16:57
Not quite as easy as you know, Oh, there's bypass and it takes all the, you know, takes the truck traffic it's going to take. 01:16:59
You know, vehicular traffic altogether. 01:17:05
Away from our city so. 01:17:07
Yes, you'll just you'll hear us talk a lot about a post. 01:17:10
Post bypass Watkinsville, because, you know, if we wait until the bypass is done to start thinking about that, you know, then 01:17:14
we'll be. 01:17:16
You know, won't be on our heels. I think we've got a strong economic base either way, but the last thing we want to do is, you 01:17:20
know, the the data shows that could take. 01:17:24
35% of the traffic from our downtown and that. 01:17:28
Traffic does support. 01:17:31
Some of our restaurants, some of our retailers and other things like that. So we. 01:17:32
You know we need to be a. 01:17:35
Destination and we need to create a community where that can be a little bit more self-sustaining for some of those places. 01:17:37
It's funny you say that. 01:17:44
Same thing was said before the what? 01:17:46
441 bypass was put in, yeah. 01:17:48
And how much it has helped. 01:17:51
The city by having it, yeah. 01:17:53
And I think the same. 01:17:56
With the other. 01:17:58
Yeah, I think, I think it'll be a help for sure. 01:17:59
On the balance, I take it. 01:18:04
Today, if it could come with no preparation, it would be a huge win so. 01:18:05
OK. All right. 01:18:10
The the next two I believe and then I think we just get into I think. 01:18:14
Again, y'all had 11. 01:18:18
Priorities. There's a whole bunch of others, but and we got a little time to walk through this, I think it's probably worth a 01:18:19
while so. 01:18:22
The next one was evaluating creation of makerspace and the industrial area. 01:18:25
And I don't know I. 01:18:30
I'm trying to remember. I know we talked about. 01:18:31
Makerspace. 01:18:33
Potentially if something happened with public works. I don't know why. 01:18:34
Maybe y'all can help remind me why we said the industrial area? 01:18:38
And not downtown. 01:18:41
I don't know. That's not I was going to talk about the maker space and. 01:18:43
But no, I have no idea. 01:18:47
And yeah. 01:18:49
I don't maybe I brought it down wrong. I thought it, I mean it says industrial or so I'm assuming that that's what it was. But I 01:18:51
know you've talked about having maker space or opportunities within downtown and obviously. 01:18:56
Water park has some essentially some maker spaces I guess. Yeah, I think we thought about. 01:19:01
You know, as you know, we understand that, you know, IMI is going to relocate, we're going to have, you know, we're going to have. 01:19:06
Do we need, and I've talked also to the Industrial Development Authority about this, you know, do we need a? 01:19:13
A plan for the future of the industrial area or do we just sort of let the market take it where it will? You know, there's that 01:19:18
there's a lot that's changed. 01:19:21
In that space. 01:19:25
Since it was created by the idea, so is that something that the Chamber of Commerce could help us with? 01:19:28
Or that the Industrial Development Authority could help us with and really think about what are the. 01:19:33
What are the light industrial businesses we want to have in the future, you know? 01:19:37
We've talked about maker spaces for everything from cooking to. 01:19:41
Blacksmithing to you know, and and part of it needs to be done in conjunction with the local schools too, is what are we what are 01:19:45
our kids going to be doing? Is there. 01:19:48
Something related to hospitality? Is there a partnership with ESP? I don't know the answers to that. I'm just a little concerned 01:19:52
when we're going to lose our. 01:19:55
Largest tenant out there over in the next three or four years and. 01:19:59
Don and Jeremy may just lease that to other people and if they do, that's OK, but. 01:20:02
Do we want to? 01:20:06
Take a beat and say, hey, what does? 01:20:07
What do we need to what needs to happen over here in the next few years? 01:20:09
I don't know. 01:20:12
So I think it's always smart to be proactive and plan and. 01:20:13
Yeah, I mean things are shifting with. 01:20:22
AI and all of what that looks like. And So what AI is not going to do is do things with your. 01:20:24
Hands and your bodies and your and so I wonder if. 01:20:30
We are going to see some job shifting that way. 01:20:33
You know I just and and giving opportunities again to people to. 01:20:37
And we were come connect, create and there's lots of ways to create and so. 01:20:42
I think that's a great idea. 01:20:47
OK, I've added some notes on that and then the last. 01:20:52
One that was tied for 11 was activating and finishing Harris Shoals Park. Again, I mentioned. 01:20:55
Phase 4 is the work on the. 01:21:00
On the dam or the. 01:21:03
Lake and whether or not there'll be a bridge across that that wasn't that was visioned for that area. So I think we'll start 01:21:05
looking at that I think the. 01:21:09
Potential good thing about that is that. 01:21:14
A premade bridge would probably work really well there be easier to drop in, but. 01:21:17
Maybe it'd be cheaper to have a? 01:21:22
Have a, you know, have a. 01:21:23
Stick, belt one done. I don't know but. 01:21:25
That is part of it. We'll start shifting focus to that probably after the fiscal year begins since we've got these other projects 01:21:29
that are taking up a lot of time. Want to get those done. 01:21:33
But if we do that, then we'll. 01:21:38
Pretty much have finished the master plan for Harris Shoals, which I think is pretty phenomenal. 01:21:40
Even if we do that and you know. 01:21:44
The next fiscal year or little, little into the following year that'll be within about a five year period doing all those all, all 01:21:46
of those items. And again, I think that's. 01:21:51
Speaks highly of why we need a SPLOST and a tease boss, because without that. 01:21:56
That wouldn't happen. 01:22:00
I mean, those improvements couldn't have happened. We just don't have the kind of budget. 01:22:01
You know to do that so. 01:22:04
I did speak with. 01:22:06
ESP about that space too, I just think. 01:22:08
We need to keep our partners in mind that's so close to their. 01:22:11
Their campus, the space around the pond, you know, whatever we do over there, if it can be accessible and help relieve some of 01:22:14
their pressure in the summer. 01:22:17
With camps and things like that. So if it can be multi-purpose. 01:22:20
You know, and fully accessible for their population. 01:22:23
So we may need to kind of what we did with the Giardini green, you know, we have this conceptual design, but. 01:22:27
You know, might be helpful. 01:22:32
For us to think through when do we? 01:22:33
Start going to the final design. 01:22:35
Process for that and doing so. 01:22:37
Make sure we park, we include ESP as part of that conversation. Absolutely. 01:22:39
Because if you all remember, it's sort of an outdoor classroom vibe with the pond down there and then the bridge over the. 01:22:43
The dam, which would be. 01:22:48
All will be lovely. 01:22:49
So that includes like the. 01:22:51
Theater kind of space, that's all in. Yeah, that's what was conceptualized. 01:22:53
We also have some. 01:23:00
Some more historical signage and other things going in the rest of the part too that. 01:23:01
Chair and I don't know what the schedule is. I guess in the next couple months we'll have. 01:23:04
You'll see a lot more of these kind of historical signs going in at Harris Hills Park Thomas Farm. 01:23:08
On the Simonton Bridge corridor and other places, probably April, I'm figuring, because it takes about four or five weeks to get 01:23:12
them. We're finishing up some right now that'll that will span the Simonton Bridge Rd. pedestrian connector. 01:23:19
The ones that the parks are already in process and figuring it'll probably be into March before we see those. 01:23:25
Go in. 01:23:31
But it'll have like a trail map. It'll help you navigate hair Shoals. 01:23:32
You know, like so you actually know where to go and. 01:23:36
And what the different elements are in there and stuff. 01:23:39
So. 01:23:41
OK. All right. 01:23:45
I will walk through, walk through the other ones that are not, that we're not highlighted as parties. 01:23:47
Excuse me? 01:23:54
So and and. 01:23:56
Not to get too much into the weeds, but just to remind you all that we do have, we have these. 01:23:59
Set up in in. 01:24:03
Areas of influence, so the ones we're going to talk about next are all going to be community engagement. Then we'll drop into 01:24:05
economic development. So the next three are community engagement, explore a local, the establishment of a local History Museum. We 01:24:10
sort of already had some conversations. This may be morphing into that. 01:24:15
Oconee Hist or his. 01:24:20
Historical County. 01:24:22
Kind of idea and then leaning into ways to collaborate and engage ESP, Lydias Place and OCAF. I know we've done really well with 01:24:23
ESP and OCAF. Lydias Place is one of those areas we need to work a little bit harder on. So that's something. 01:24:30
Think we'll work on and then extension of library hours and I don't know that we've revisited that. I mean, I don't know that I've 01:24:36
heard. 01:24:39
There, there was a, you know, the. 01:24:43
I know when the library was trying to. 01:24:44
Find its resting place and all that. Those conversations the council had, I don't know. 01:24:46
If that may be something we want to. 01:24:51
Asked you know the the public about you know, get some feedback are the hours you know. 01:24:54
What you'd like to see? Maybe that's one of those. 01:24:58
Survey questions we could add. 01:25:00
I don't know if anybody has any. 01:25:03
Put a QR code on the front door of the library. 01:25:04
Body that's there and. 01:25:08
They're like, oh, it's closed, that's closed. Yeah, that's the sample bias. But yeah, you get, you get the right results. 01:25:10
I don't frequent the library very much, so I don't know I'm the one who pushed for that as a of course all my kids now have. 01:25:20
Graduated from high school and we no longer dealing with projects that need to be done and it's closed at 6:00. 01:25:29
But I am sure that frustration. 01:25:35
Might still be there for people. So I mean, but I think it is a good idea to do maybe if we put it on next year survey. 01:25:37
But that was one of the things that we talked about. Obviously we couldn't force them, but when we were talking about the kind of 01:25:46
funding that we were hoping to give was that they would have the funds to during the weekdays to have it open. 01:25:52
Till later so that you don't have 6:00 PM closing in the middle of the week when? 01:25:58
You know someone gets off work and they can't. 01:26:03
Get their kid to the library. 01:26:05
So I know that was the thinking behind it. 01:26:06
Yeah, and I know the library services agreement. See if I can. 01:26:09
Remember details that but. 01:26:12
Umm, they get the 1st $30,000 of property taxes. 01:26:15
From that development. 01:26:19
To pet, you know that goes automatically to them and then anything over that 30,000. 01:26:20
Oh, just going to try to remember if it's 5%, I can't remember. There's a percentage of that. 01:26:26
That they get and that was supposed to be used for additional operational improvements and then over over that there's an 01:26:31
additional amount of money that's put into the capital to. 01:26:35
Fund umm. 01:26:41
Future like Brenda, if the HVAC goes down or something like that. So I can't remember the exact numbers, but I know there's that's 01:26:42
sort of the tiered approach on the library service agreement, so. 01:26:47
I think this was the first fiscal year that they got more than the 30,000. I think this is the first year I'd have to go back and 01:26:52
look. I think it was like $2000. It wasn't a lot. 01:26:56
Better bumped him over. 01:27:00
That's a little bit of a tedious process is we have to. 01:27:01
Work with the tax assessor's office to figure out what that value is and then figure out what the mileage rate, you know how that 01:27:04
works out so. 01:27:07
So anyway, on the the next, the next one, the only one we had for economic development that wasn't already addressed. 01:27:11
Develop a downtown master plan. That's been done. I don't know if. 01:27:18
That's something you want to leave on the list, or if it's. 01:27:22
More of a implementation of doubt or if it's just understood at this point how how y'all want to handle that and that's something 01:27:25
you can we can do at you know when we. 01:27:29
When you go to the exercise after lunch. 01:27:33
We can talk about that. 01:27:37
Under the government operations we've got. 01:27:39
Pursuant certification of Police Department. 01:27:42
What I'd like to say is that the police committee met and we've got. 01:27:44
Both are both of the. 01:27:47
That both the chair and the the member and the mayor was at the meeting. 01:27:49
I guess it was last week. I'm trying to remember. It's been kind of a blurry week. 01:27:53
Umm, Chief R Wood is working on he is completed policy review. He's starting to implement that policy. 01:27:57
With the blessing, the police Committee and. 01:28:05
But. 01:28:08
The uh. 01:28:09
Certification. There's an excellent policing which is GMA certification. 01:28:10
It does require it's not as substantial of a lift if we. 01:28:15
If we did the state certification. 01:28:20
But GMA certification will give us the benefit of that, not only obviously of. 01:28:22
Of making sure that our. 01:28:27
Officers are up. 01:28:28
Up to snuff with all the policies, but we also get. 01:28:30
Some sort of a refund on our? 01:28:33
Insurance through Girma. 01:28:35
If if we receive get that certified excellence in policing certification from them. 01:28:37
So, so Chief has already started to roll out the new policy. Chief, I don't know if you want to add anything to. 01:28:42
That you make? Yeah, you only get the. 01:28:48
Mike from the Chairman. 01:28:50
Basically I. 01:28:57
The certification through GMA is kind of like a stepping stone fuel or a baby step. 01:28:59
If you wanted to go to the Georgia Chief certification, which is a lot more intense. 01:29:04
You're looking at. 01:29:09
Like 15 standards versus 140 standards. 01:29:11
So there is a big difference in in timewise as far as working on it. 01:29:14
I feel pretty comfortable that we could do the excellence in policing through GMA with no extra help. 01:29:19
But we kind of do it ourselves back there and. 01:29:24
The policy. 01:29:27
Our first training class is Thursday. 01:29:29
Evening coming in in the evening and doing training on some of the new. 01:29:31
High liability critical task training that we have. 01:29:35
And I think what we talked about too in the committee meeting is whether we get the certification or not. 01:29:42
And this is true. You may see people talk about these. 01:29:48
Green building, you know, you get all these. 01:29:51
You know, you can be a gold standard or platinum or whatever. 01:29:53
Whether we get those certifications or not, we're going to be acting like it. We're going to be following the same things and 01:29:56
hopefully we'll attain that that certification, but the the goal is just to make sure we button all that up. 01:30:01
So. 01:30:07
All right, let's see. 01:30:10
Just a minute. 01:30:14
Some other government operation, we had ordinance for shared kitchens. That may go back to that maker space kind of thing too 01:30:16
maybe. 01:30:19
I don't know. That's a big concern. I know during the DDA retreat. 01:30:23
We had a few members that were concerned about having food trucks and that's where you get into the shared kitchen kind of idea. 01:30:27
Food trucks for businesses that don't have. 01:30:32
Kitchens or. 01:30:35
Brick and mortar. 01:30:36
I think there was some. 01:30:37
And perhaps mayor. 01:30:39
Part time chairman, Chairwoman, I think this ordinance for shared kitchens is a Jeff Campbell. 01:30:41
Thought because he is in the. 01:30:47
The food space and. 01:30:49
He's seen some things in Cobb County in different places and so. 01:30:51
I, I don't know enough about it to speak to it, but I think that is a Jeff Campbell. 01:30:54
Thought, and I do think it pairs very well with the makerspace type of concept. 01:31:00
But you, you have entrepreneurs who want to make a product. 01:31:06
But in order to sell it, you have to have certain health department things that are almost impossible for a small business to do. 01:31:10
And so if you have a kitchen that has already done all of those things, that allows entrepreneurs to create. 01:31:16
Food and drink items. 01:31:23
That fit in the health department stuff. 01:31:25
So. 01:31:27
I mean 1 great example of that's Jack's cheesecakes. So he does not have his own kitchen. 01:31:29
So what he's utilizing is the kitchen over at the old mall. 01:31:34
It might. I think it was like tomorrow's pizza or something. 01:31:37
But he's utilizing that. 01:31:40
To make all the. 01:31:42
Cheesecakes because he does not have a. 01:31:43
It's fun to do it. 01:31:47
So it'd be nice. 01:31:48
It'd be nice if you didn't have to go all the way the mall and there was something he could walk to. And Watkins Ville. 01:31:49
OK. All right. 01:31:56
Update Updating historic signs entering the city. Also historical markers. 01:31:59
What's What's a? 01:32:03
Interesting about this is that. 01:32:06
Councilman Garrett actually sent me a note. I guess it was last week. 01:32:08
About the fact that we, we updated all but one, we have 1 and I think that was just that fell through the cracks. We've got a 01:32:11
historic sign. 01:32:14
As you enter S main. 01:32:18
Right there. 01:32:19
At the Billboard that needs to be replaced and updated. So that's on my list to do. I think that's an easy check that off that I 01:32:20
mean I and the mayor mentioned these interpretive panels and signs that we have we may. 01:32:25
Add some additional ones as we. 01:32:30
You know, get into new areas like big springs or something like that. 01:32:32
But uh. 01:32:36
That one should have already been done, and I apologize. We'll get that taken care of. What do you do with these signs that you 01:32:37
takedown? 01:32:39
Like umm. 01:32:42
I think the old. 01:32:45
Drayton, do you remember the historics on the one that was up in front of the cross from the Christian Church? Was it? Is it down 01:32:47
at the shop now? I think we tried to clean it and just didn't work very well. 01:32:52
I don't have an answer for you. I don't. I don't think I was involved in taking it down. 01:33:00
But I think it's, I think it's stored the, the old one is stored up there. We had some of the old entryway signs that we had, we 01:33:05
did, we had somebody that was interested in that and. 01:33:09
You know, it's less than it's not valuable to the city and the person asked for it. We basically gave it to him. So I would just 01:33:13
say hold. I just like that one on Main Street. I would hold on to if we talk about doing a museum or something like there, there 01:33:19
is a nostalgia and sense of history. So don't get rid of those. I guess what I'm. 01:33:24
Encouraging. 01:33:30
OK. All right. 01:33:32
And, and I guess again, we've got relocating public works facility, we've got it in three different places that apparently is a 01:33:35
high priority. So yeah, I think we can probably take that off and, and the sign thing, I think, but we'll, I'll let you all decide 01:33:40
how you want to if you want to remove mom and they ask you to use some of your dots today to out to, to. 01:33:46
Designate which ones you think need to be removed. 01:33:52
On the. 01:33:55
Infrastructure We've got St. lights and signs, wayfinding market welcome, signage repair and replace is needed. 01:33:57
Pretty much that's been done. I think I talked to. 01:34:03
Parks Manager. 01:34:09
Mark Novak last week about I think I talked to. 01:34:10
I think I talked to you, didn't I last week about the entryway signs because he made it. He maintains the in addition to the 01:34:13
parks, Our parks guys, because of their background, are involved in trying to keep the entrance. 01:34:18
Entryway signs nice and pretty and we just want to. 01:34:22
Every year have a. 01:34:25
Check on those. Sort of like you know. 01:34:26
Just checking off that they're not peeling or there's anything that needs to be repaired that they're. 01:34:28
Maintained so they don't get into disrepair so. 01:34:32
And we do have, you know, we do have a policy now for street lights as far as people asking for them. 01:34:37
I don't know if there's anything else on that that. 01:34:42
Y'all had questions on but we have done all the major signage. 01:34:46
I think there is a desire, I think the mayor's interest, interested in maybe trying to even upgrade the downtown signs, I think. 01:34:50
There's still a lot. We talked about that a little bit at the DDA retreat. 01:34:57
The members did. 01:35:00
There's a lot of busyness downtown, you know, lots of signage and stuff we need to. 01:35:02
You know, clutter it's and that makes it more challenging for public safety because we've got lots of signage and. 01:35:06
Lamps and stuff around those. 01:35:11
Of RF. 01:35:14
Crosswalks and so public safety is paramount, so we're going to have to consider how. 01:35:14
To address both those needs without causing problems for either 1 SO. 01:35:19
That may be part of a Splash initiative too. 01:35:23
In our second cycle of that. 01:35:26
Constructing the pedestrian connector downtown that's sort of in two different areas as well under transportation and then 01:35:30
obviously. 01:35:33
On its own but. 01:35:36
That is due to be completed by June 30th. It will be done by June 30th. 01:35:37
It was very. 01:35:43
So. 01:35:44
It will happen. 01:35:45
Some some other infrastructure, removing the power poles along Main Street, I don't know, you know, other than moving the one off 01:35:47
at the sidewalk, I don't know. 01:35:51
How realistic that is. 01:35:55
In the near term. 01:35:57
Again, sort of dependent upon. 01:36:00
Georgia Power and their plans, but I do know that we talked about how. 01:36:02
Much of A disruption that would be to our businesses and how they couldn't. 01:36:07
Hate, they couldn't probably manage that. So those are some things we've got to keep in mind. 01:36:11
If you want to, you know, unless, unless there's some. 01:36:15
You know, great way to deal with it. That's going to be a real challenge I think to. 01:36:18
Because it would shut down. I mean, even just, even just having one business, a recent recently had to have a business. 01:36:22
Where we interrupted a two or three hour period of time. 01:36:27
The phones were ringing off the hook, you know, people couldn't. 01:36:30
Believe they were going to be without power for two or three hours because of some work that had to be done for one business so. 01:36:33
This would be a significant. 01:36:38
Thing and this may be one of those things that. 01:36:40
Down the road, you know if, if, if and when. You know when the bypass happens and if and when the city were to ever. 01:36:42
Potentially. 01:36:48
Take over Main Street. Maybe that's when. 01:36:49
Something like that would happen. I mean, it's a lot of it has to do with timing and. 01:36:51
So just something to keep in mind. 01:36:54
Things could be done at night, too. 01:36:57
I'm sorry, a lot of those kind of projects could be done at night. 01:36:59
You know G dot does that on a lot of Rd. projects. You got to be. 01:37:04
You know, seven to seven or. 01:37:08
10:00 at night to 7:00 the next morning or something. 01:37:11
Right. You know. 01:37:14
Sure. I don't know my, I mean it's not my area of expertise to know how that would work and and how power, you know? 01:37:16
How you restore it quickly or if you've got to take it down, that's. 01:37:23
Seems like a big lift, but certainly understand that it's it's part of a really comprehensive streetscape program to you know 01:37:26
where they. 01:37:30
You go in and you widen your sidewalks and you do some other beautification and you kind of. 01:37:33
Create that. 01:37:37
What would you call it? 01:37:40
You know, create that hole in the ground that everybody can put their stuff in, right? You know, and, you know, getting. 01:37:41
What's that? 01:37:47
Yeah, yeah. So you have a, you have a vault, and then you have a. 01:37:48
You open up the tunnel for everybody to. 01:37:51
All these partners in telecom to put their stuff in because it's not just Georgia Power. I mean, you're talking, we're talking 01:37:53
about Internet. We're talking I think the only place. John, do you? 01:37:58
Would know and you can nod your head. I think is the courthouse is the only place with underground power in downtown Watkinsville 01:38:03
now. Maybe O county State Bank. 01:38:06
But I mean, we, we've. 01:38:10
When I was with George Power, I mean you. 01:38:12
Do a lot of that so you would not turn off the power to the overhead poles until I mean, everything's built and it really is a. 01:38:14
Pretty simple, flop over. 01:38:21
So you. 01:38:23
Do everything. 01:38:24
And then at the very last minute, I mean, it's like. 01:38:25
10 minute power off. 01:38:29
Or less. 01:38:30
So every, every, everything is done. 01:38:31
And then you just. 01:38:34
You close in the switches on that part. Simple, but destroying the pedestrian infrastructure and rebuilding it is. 01:38:35
Lots of time. 01:38:41
Yeah, I think a few of us were here the last time we did Streetscape and I mean that that was. 01:38:42
You know, uh. 01:38:46
That would that would have been the time. 01:38:47
So I'll tell you from from a power guy, I mean putting. 01:38:48
Cable underground. 01:38:52
Is nice. 01:38:53
The great thing about overhead power is how quick it can be restored. 01:38:55
So I mean. 01:38:59
Underground power is not quick to be restored. 01:39:01
But wouldn't you say that underground power doesn't have to be restored as like they're what's happened like overheads because 01:39:03
stuff happens to it underground? 01:39:07
But I mean talk. I'm talking like. 01:39:11
If if it's an underground. 01:39:13
You talking? 01:39:16
A day of power being off if it's overhead. 01:39:17
An hour of power being off. 01:39:20
I mean that's it's just the difference. 01:39:22
And if we're talking about putting three phase power underground now, now you got to have all three phases out, so. 01:39:24
Now have the city's going to be out? 01:39:30
Versus just a single? 01:39:31
Plan they could, I mean, so there, there, there you got to weigh your options. 01:39:33
Is it more reliable? Sure. 01:39:38
But when it goes out, it's. 01:39:40
It's out for. 01:39:41
Extended periods of time. 01:39:42
Yeah, OK. 01:39:45
A couple other infrastructure. 01:39:48
Ideas were connecting Durham St. to Harris Shoals Park via sidewalks. 01:39:51
And we do have in the transportation plan, Again, I would tie that back to the transportation plan we do have. 01:39:56
A model plan that we actually did go after funding for twice and didn't get and that would go behind the courthouse. 01:40:00
Down along the property that the city. 01:40:08
Recently received through that donation of Green Space. 01:40:10
Across a couple other parcels to Harish to Experiment Station. 01:40:13
And of course, experimentation the the goal would be for that. 01:40:17
To be done. I know that's. 01:40:20
5 to 10 years if we're lucky, somewhere in that time frame. 01:40:22
To be able to get, you know, down to that point and then. 01:40:25
Over here, coming this direction over towards Harris Shoals. So it's still part of the, you know, they're still playing for that, 01:40:28
I think. 01:40:31
Those are. 01:40:35
Aspirational at this point, but. 01:40:37
Things that that are on the list. So we'll just need some direction from y'all if this is a. 01:40:39
It's a higher party at this point. 01:40:43
Decorative St. Lamps along the city sidewalks were sort of a. 01:40:45
Achieving some of that with the Simonton Bridge Rd. project. 01:40:49
We're adding 10. 01:40:51
Polls between 3rd St. and Mulberry Down. Tour to the bridge. 01:40:53
We added the 18 on Simonton Bridge Rd. which? 01:40:57
I'll remind everybody, yes. 01:41:01
The lights are bright, but hopefully by April we will have those dimmed to 60 Watt. They're at 100 Watt right now and. 01:41:02
That was not a plan. I'm not sure that sort of. 01:41:07
Yeah, there is. It is bright. 01:41:12
It's bright, yeah, it'll wake you up, but but we'll get those dimmed and then we'll have some from Simonton Place down towards the 01:41:14
city limits where the extension of. 01:41:19
Sanjay Bridge Rd. Connector Go We're gonna have bollards. They're about 3 foot high. 01:41:23
With light, sort of like if you've ever been on North campus at UGA, you see there's a little light coming out of the out of the 01:41:27
top of the bollard. So it'll be low level kind of light, but we'll light the pathway. So if people are. 01:41:32
Not quite home yet, they can get. 01:41:38
You know, they can walk the sidewalk at night, just can't go into the park into the park at night. 01:41:40
But so we're doing that. I think again, we'll revisit. 01:41:45
The streetscape in downtown as the strategic plan moves and again like I talked about with signage. 01:41:47
How we try to make sure those things can be down there without causing conflicts with causing issues with public safety. 01:41:53
And then the other one is exploring traffic calming opportunities. We mentioned that I think some of these, again, these things 01:42:00
are all to me the traffic calming. 01:42:03
The connection of Durham St. 01:42:07
To hair soles. 01:42:09
Those are transportation. These these are more specific projects within the transportation plan. 01:42:10
It might be worthwhile just to. 01:42:15
Group those back under transportation with the understanding without having to actually piece meal these out on our on our. 01:42:17
Strategic initiatives list, but traffic calming, we talked about this chicanes. 01:42:23
Things like that that can help. 01:42:27
Calm or slow down traffic? 01:42:29
And then the last last one is land use. 01:42:32
The last five we've got exploring the rail trail opportunity, which I think continues to be. 01:42:35
An opportunity, you know, something that everybody's looking into. 01:42:41
I I think they're still working on Benny Rays estate. He's the gentleman who owns. 01:42:45
The railroad, that line, so that's. 01:42:51
In process, I'm not really sure how much. 01:42:53
We have to say about it, but I know that's a party. 01:42:55
Because it does. 01:42:58
Traverse through the city. 01:42:59
Considering establishing an arts committee that actually. 01:43:01
Has been done, so that may be something that can come off at that becomes a. 01:43:04
A right, since that's a regular thing that we can pull that off as well. 01:43:09
Establishing the citywide beautification program. 01:43:12
I think those are that's sort of a. 01:43:15
Another task within the streetscape. 01:43:18
Effort and within the DDA. 01:43:20
And I believe that is something on the strategic plan about, you know, improving the visibility and the and the beautification of. 01:43:22
Of downtown. 01:43:28
We did go to the effort last year, maybe in last fiscal year now, but umm. 01:43:29
Of creating a sidewalk permit. 01:43:34
So that there's a little bit more structure on what's on the sidewalk. We have concerns that. 01:43:36
Because the sidewalk is the cities responsibility. So if somebody put a. 01:43:41
A sandwich board out and somebody tripped. 01:43:44
We would be responsible unless we had permitted that. So we do have several businesses have taken us up on the offer at $10 one 01:43:46
time only. 01:43:50
To have some sort of a permit to have their stuff, they have to follow certain rules. 01:43:53
I know Burton brass. 01:43:59
The antique. 01:44:02
I cannot think of attic treasures. Thank you. I always want to say antique and forget attic treasures. 01:44:04
I believe the new classic. 01:44:09
Golf swing or swing? 01:44:12
Classic swing golf always get that backwards too. And and. 01:44:13
And the matter, yeah, they all have signs that are on the in the right away, but they have to abide by certain standards. So, so 01:44:17
that's part of the beautification as well. And then investigate smaller pocket parks around the city. I believe the strategic plan 01:44:22
also talked about for downtown. 01:44:27
Improving the. 01:44:32
The park. 01:44:33
The area that city owns. That small little postage stamp next. 01:44:35
Between Eagle Tavern and in front of Blonde Pig. 01:44:38
That little area, improving that, making that engaging. 01:44:41
Getting more activity in that area. 01:44:44
And then additional public art installations. The one thing that's not on here that maybe. 01:44:48
Maybe something we may want to morph this this one into something is. 01:44:52
A public art master plan. That is something we are working on the Public Art committee. 01:44:56
Public Arts Committee. 01:45:00
Did give a nod to that the city had has funds within its budget, current operating budget. 01:45:02
To kick that off, and so we have kicked that off with Oh Calf and I hope. 01:45:07
June or July, it may come after the. 01:45:12
Fiscal year started that. There'll be a master plan that comes back before council that. 01:45:14
Identifies just like our transportation plan, just like our parks plan. Identifies those elements within. 01:45:18
The arts. 01:45:24
Where things need to be, how they're going to be managed, the policies for those things. You know, if we're going to have six 01:45:26
sculpture areas, where are those going to be? If we're going to have art boards, if we're going to have murals? 01:45:31
All that. 01:45:36
And so. 01:45:37
I'm, I'm looking forward to seeing that I, you all know I love a good plan. So once I get something in front of me, then we know 01:45:38
you know what what to go after. 01:45:42
And what you guys would like to see? 01:45:45
So no, I'm just stepping back up to the one around the pocket parks. I do think that. 01:45:48
Trying to remember the name of the mayor who that little park is named after downtown. 01:45:53
Anyway, that little space in front of blonde pig? 01:45:59
That the downtown strategic plan does call for that to be. 01:46:02
Sort of. 01:46:05
Elevated and improved and I think. 01:46:06
It could be money well spent on what a plan would look like to. 01:46:08
Improve that little part so it's. 01:46:12
Something, uh. 01:46:14
More impactful when you come downtown. 01:46:15
So I'd love for us to think about getting that done in the next fiscal year. 01:46:18
So I just want to throw that out there. 01:46:22
Do we know what those little houses, the 2 little houses are? 01:46:24
Yes. Do you mean on the our Pocket Park that release by? 01:46:27
And heart, the heart agree. 01:46:34
So those were part of the. 01:46:36
O caps Christmas parade. 01:46:39
And they do have permission to temporarily have them there. 01:46:41
I have been talking with Lawrence. 01:46:45
If you don't know Lawrence, Lawrence has many an idea. He is a true artist and and and a hard worker who does a lot. 01:46:47
And I had discussed some ideas of like. 01:46:55
Anyway, we had discussed some things about houses. 01:46:58
He went in a very artistic direction. Mine was in a more. 01:47:01
Childlike play direction and. 01:47:04
So anyway, they're not there forever, but it is. It is. 01:47:07
Maybe getting some attention to that pocket park, which I know we're not invested. We've already invested money, but not a ton 01:47:11
simply because we don't own that. 01:47:14
Piece of land. 01:47:17
Does that, yeah, I was just curious, I mean. 01:47:18
We eat there. 01:47:21
Frequently and every time I'm like. 01:47:22
Wonder what these two little homes are. They just, they're supposed to be a third one, right? That he's going to build right in 01:47:24
it. I thought that was that. Yeah, they were. And they're supposed to be. They're supposed to be like, people can interact with 01:47:29
that. It's supposed to be like interactive. 01:47:34
Art. Yeah, he's still. 01:47:39
I think it's a work in progress, yeah. 01:47:41
Having had a couple conversations with them and. 01:47:43
Flush it a little bit. 01:47:46
So he's. 01:47:48
His long term plan? 01:47:49
And this was done before the art committee was finalized. So it's kind of a. 01:47:51
Test project I guess but. 01:47:55
There's gonna be. 01:47:58
Four of them like. 01:47:59
Nesting dolls, basically. 01:48:00
With the center one having a floor. 01:48:03
And they're each one being a little bit larger with. 01:48:06
Apparently enough space between them for. 01:48:09
Kids to. 01:48:11
Enter and circle them and. 01:48:12
There are four different sort of primary colors, and. 01:48:14
I was told that it was basically. 01:48:18
For the rest of the year. So like. 01:48:20
You know, 910 year. 01:48:23
I mean 910 year, 910 month. 01:48:24
Installation. 01:48:27
And that there would be something rotating in and out, but the arts committee. 01:48:28
Sort of new at the moment. 01:48:32
And he does have high school kids helping him build that, which is interesting. So he's got a group of high school students and I 01:48:35
think we donated the. 01:48:38
The wood I mean, I think he basically salvage the wood that was used from. 01:48:43
Things in the community not being used. So it's it is a neat project, I mean, and a great way of engaging. 01:48:47
Youth as well. 01:48:53
But it is why we need the plan, right? You know, because we've got. 01:48:54
When you have a bunch of artists who all want to do art in the city, you know, you have a, you could wind up looking like Granny's 01:48:57
garden, right? You know where there's, you know? 01:49:00
Random plant here and another one there and that nothing sort of ties it together. So we that's why we wanted to engage OKF to 01:49:05
help us, you know. 01:49:08
Have a plan for where art needs to be. What? 01:49:12
You know what our standards and expectations are. 01:49:14
How much of a conversation do we want to start versus, you know, do we want to? 01:49:18
Have you know? 01:49:22
There's certain ones that the artists feel like these are awesome we need to put up. And there's there's one in particular that 01:49:23
we've been like, no, we never want to see that again. So, so anyway, so that's so Beth is an OCAF are working on that for us and I 01:49:27
think that'll be. 01:49:31
Money well spent because then we can decide I I think. 01:49:35
Yeah, I'd love for us every year to invest in a. 01:49:38
Significant piece of art, but I have no idea and what that should be, where it should go, how we should do it. 01:49:40
We are going to have some nice public art. 01:49:45
That we'll share more about in the upcoming months on the Simonton Bridge quarter. 01:49:48
That we're we'll be excited to share the details on that. 01:49:52
OK. All right. 01:49:57
So what I'd like to. 01:49:58
Do you think we could take maybe a break? 01:50:00
Reconvene at 11. Would that work, Sharon? 01:50:03
But we'd be right on schedule. 01:50:06
OK. All right then everybody, if anybody needs. 01:50:09