Demorest residents will not get to hear from the candidates for city council, nor will the council meet at 6 p.m. today.
“Due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Demorest City Office, the city council meeting and all accompanying events scheduled for tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 6, has been cancelled,” a notice from Demorest City Manager Kim Simonds states.
That means no political forum and no voting meeting or public hearing on the millage rate.
Asked for further details, Simonds said one of five employees at city hall tested positive for COVID-19. Those test results were received around the close of business Friday.
The city hall lobby was closed Monday, with two employees keeping the drive-through open and two going for testing. Both those tested negative, Simonds said.
City hall is closed today, with Simonds and the other employee going for testing.
“Late today, our fire department will sanitize and disinfect the entire place and we will re-open in the morning with only those testing negative at work,” Simonds said. “Hopefully, that’s all four of us.”
Setting the millage rate and discussion of the security contract with Habersham Medical Center and consideration of a new audit contract were among the business items on the published meeting agenda.
Seven candidates are vying for two seats on the city council: Shawn Allen, Keith Andrews, Matthew Crews, Russell C Goldsmith, Amanda Crump Mason, Jerry R. Mobley and Jim Welborn.
“These are certainly difficult times, and we are doing the best we can to make sure our employees and our customers remain safe and healthy,” Simonds said.
