FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Flowery Branch City Council has voted to look into a bid that could save over $300,000 on storm water renovations around the site of the new city hall.
City Manager Bill Andrew said the city will need a new underground storm water vault for the building, which is set to cost around $347,000. Meanwhile, concerns about open ditches in the downtown area around the city hall have led officials to look into putting a system of curbs and gutters along the streets, which would cost just over $600,000.
However, Southeastern Engineering, Inc and Atkins Engineering have told city officials that they could cut over $300,000 out of the cost of the combined projects by doing them in the same time frame. Mayor Mike Miller said he thought the move could help make the downtown area more attractive for businesses and developers.
"The bottom line is, if we want development in downtown we've got to address the storm water issue," Miller said. "In my mind it makes sense to go ahead and do this while we can see some savings out of it rather than put it off."
Andrew said that some quick fixes, like detention ponds, on open lots had deterred some potential buyers from developing in downtown.
"The issue we've had with some developers, or at least developers that we've had come look at the areas, is that they tend to see that temporary structure there sort of dominate the property," Andrew said. "It's been difficult for them to kind of get past that barrier of seeing these facilities and how storm water is such a problem."
The vote by the council will allow city officials to continue doing surveys and working with Southeastern Engineering and Atkins Engineering to find the precise costs of the projects. Then, since the project would be funded by tax allocation district money, a committee of city council members along with Hall County Commission Chairman Richard Mecum and the city planning and development director Rich Atkinson would have to view the bid and make a recommendation to the council before a final vote could be held.
The vote passed 3-2, with councilmen Joe Anglin and Christopher Mundy voting against the motion. Anglin said he felt the city shouldn't be adding on projects on top of the already expensive city hall.
"It might not be technically tied to the city hall, but from an auxiliary standpoint it's part of it," Anglin said. "Does the storm water need to be addressed, absolutely. That's one of the main problems that we have is storm water, but I don't see how you can do this without the new city hall."
Representatives from Southeastern Engineering and Atkins Engineering were also at the meeting.
New Flowery Branch city planning director makes first meeting appearance
The meeting was also the first for new City Planning and Development Director Rich Atkinson. Councilman Joe Anglin said he has already heard good things from community members about the former Duluth official.
"I already spoke to somebody in the community that speaks very highly of (Atkinson)," Anglin said. "He's well known in the community and apparently liked."
Atkinson was named to the position in early August after former director John McHenry left to take the same job in the newly formed city of Tucker in June.
