No decision in Flowery Branch as year ends

FLOWERY BRANCH - Flowery Branch is moving into 2004 with two major issues undecided.

The ghost from the last Flowery Branch City Council meeting agenda will haunt council members as they move into the new year.

After an hour long executive session Tuesday night, Mayor and Council emerged to table a controversial rezoning of 108 acres of land destined to become a high density subdivision inside the city.

At their last called session of the year, City Council voted 4-1 on a motion from Councilman Ed Lezaj to table the rezoning.

Lezaj said the problem stems from a failure of proper public notice under the zoning ordinance.

That ordinance has to be validated before Council can vote on the rezoning.

Property owners said they were disappointed that City Council decided once again to table the rezoning.

Wilma Conner said she and her husband have no idea what will happen.

"I'm hurt, but I won't stoop to dirty politics to bring up stuff and I am very disappointed," Wilma Conner said.

Council also postponed bid approval for expansion of its sewer treatment plant with only one bid in house.

Naming a contractor for the $4 million expansion of Flowery Branch's wastewater treatment plant will have to wait for 2004.

Council voted 3-2 to approve Larry Pritchett's motion to postpone accepting a project bid.

"We only had one bid on the bonding which is a very significant amount of money," Pritchett said. "We're required to get more than one bid and in my opinion, its prudent to get more than one bid when you're talking $4 million in financing."

Pritchett added that he wanted to see the successful end of negotiations on the joint wastewater agreement reached with Hall County before committing to such a large debt.

Council's decision not to decide on a bid for wastewater treatment expansion drew words of warning from bid consultant John Washington.

Washington said the project bidder Flowery Branch does have could pull out and the project cost could jump up a million dollars.

"Right now the the contractor has every right, based on the bid he submitted and the requirements within that bid package, to pull out and take his bid back," Washington said.

Washington said the contractor, P.F. Moon, has agreed to hold his bid for now but expected council approval Tuesday night.

Some of Moon's vendors said their price increases take place January 1st.