Thursday March 28th, 2024 6:13AM

Lula seeks change to Development Authority powers

LULA – With a unanimous vote the Lula City Council passed a resolution Monday night adopting a measure that puts the city in a position to better sponsor and manage strong anticipated growth in the coming decades.

The “Development Authority of Lula” now awaits ratification by the Georgia General Assembly in Atlanta; if approved the new entity will replace the current Downtown Development Authority.

Development Authorities are just one of many entities a local government can create for a special purpose.  According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs web site:

“Authorities are often better suited to deliver these services since they focus on one specific function, allowing a greater degree of concentrated effort in providing services. Financial considerations are also a very large part of the decision to provide services through an authority. As new programs are initiated, or new services required, the establishment of authorities may reduce the financial burden on cities and counties.”

Lula Mayor Jim Grier spent many years serving on the Downtown Development Authority before becoming Lula’s mayor in 2018.

“We’ve had that since 2005 and I was actually the first chairman of that authority and served for seven years in that capacity,” Grier explained

Following the city council meeting Monday Grier confided that the DDA served its purpose well but had limitations, and morphing into the Development Authority of Lula will allow expanded influence as the expected growth in the area begins to manifest.

“The previous Downtown Development Authority was limited to a small area of the city, just in our downtown commercial district,” Grier said.  He said the new iteration, if approved, will be: “…a better tool for us to fit with our expected growth and development that we’re anticipating in the (State Route) 365 corridor.  It allows us to work with…the service area that we serve for water and sewer which lies outside the city limits.”

Grier added that in addition the new entity will put the city in line for new and expanded grant money opportunities, “…and additional programs that will benefit the city in ways the Downtown Authority did not.”

Moments after the council’s vote moved the resolution to the state legislature City Manager Dennis Bergin lifted his hand and interjected, “Mr. Mayor, if I might add, we just got a note from the chairman of our legislative committee congratulating the council on being able to move forward with that.” 

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