CLARKESVILLE - A Clarkesville church is one step closer to connecting its properties.
In April, Clarkesville United Methodist Church asked the City of Clarkesville to close West Marion Street and give the property to the church.
The church's request initially would allow safer foot travel between the church's main building and its Connections building, located in the former Habersham Bank building. Ultimately the church hopes to construct a new building there.
In April, Councilwoman Leigh Johnston voted against giving the property to the church, saying taxpayer money has maintained the street for some 50 years.
Because only two of the three council members present in April voted in favor of abandoning the street and giving it to the church, the matter had to come up for another vote this week.
Clarkesville City Attorney Janney Sanders said the city charter requires three council members to vote in favor in order for an issue to pass.
This week, Johnston addressed the matter openly before the vote.
Johnston said she appreciates the investment the church has made in downtown and its long-range plans to stay there.
"I am 100 percent for what the church aims to do, and really appreciate your keeping a position in downtown Clarkesville and the presence that you carry," Johnston said.
She noted her only concern is the city setting a precedent by "giving away" a piece of its property.
"I feel like a fair dollar value, not a dollar value, is something that would keep it equitable for both parties," Johnston said. "I completely agree with what you're trying to do in town - I do. I just feel like the taxpayers need some sort of fair compensation."
The property where the street is located formerly belonged to the church.
"Actually this street was abandoned previously by the city in 1963," Sanders said. "I won't say that we've done an absolute thorough search of all the records, but we can't find that the property was ever reconveyed to the city, so this abandonment may just be affirming the abandonment that was done before, quite frankly."
Still, to ensure no issue arises later, Sanders recommended the city council formally abandon the street.
"I think to assure the church that there's no claim by the city at this point that there's no claim to that strip between the two pieces of property that have," Sanders said.
Sanders said the city's second step is to negotiate the value for the street it is abandoning.
The council voted 4-0, with Councilman Tommy Burgess absent, to abandon the street.
Johnston, who this week voted in favor of abandonment, said she believes the city and the church can arrive at a value for the abandoned property that is fair for the taxpayers and fair to the church.
The council asked City Manager Barbara Kesler to proceed with an appraisal of the property to be reported back to the city council at an upcoming meeting.
