Rome sets its retreat agenda
Commissioners will discuss upcoming projects, goals and priorities at special work sessions Tuesday and Wednesday.
Project priorities, economic development and an update to board policies are the main focus of the Rome City Commission’s two-day planning retreat this week.
Commissioners are slated to meet from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday and from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Rome Police Department Training Facility, 2626 Callier Springs Road. Both sessions are public.
Topping the agenda is a look at what the city intends to do this year to encourage redevelopment of the West Third Street River District, which includes North Fifth Avenue.
The 124-room Courtyard by Marriott on West Third opened last week, and the two streets are being resurfaced with state paving money. Also, the 2017 special purpose, local option sales tax package contains $2 million for streetscape improvements in the corridor across the Oostanaula River from the downtown district.
“Strategic public investment will attract private investment. We’ve seen that on Broad Street,” City Manager Sammy Rich has said.
A “tactical urbanism” summit earlier this month temporarily transformed the area into a pedestrian-friendly district that officials would like to see form the basis for further development and growth.
Trail connectivity also is on the board’s Tuesday agenda, with updates planned on the Mount Berry and Redmond projects.
The 2013 SPLOST has a $1.8 million earmark for trails.
Neither SPLOST has money for covered courts at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College, but commissioners are expected to consider allocating some funds for the addition. Rich and tourism officials have argued the ability to host tournaments in inclement weather would expand the profitability of the city-owned venue on the Armuchee Connector near Mount Berry Mall.
City Attorney Andy Davis also is expected to spend some time going over new ethics, travel, compensation and meeting policies.
City commissioners will host the Floyd County Commission at a 6 p.m. dinner Tuesday at Moe’s
Original Bar B Que, 101 W. First St. The boards are scheduled to discuss prioritizing 2017 SPLOST projects. Collections won’t start until after the 2013 SPLOST ends March 31, 2019.
They’ll also hear from Kevin Cowling, executive director of the RomeFloyd Parks and Recreation Department, about plans for the upcoming year — including a dog park on the Shoals side of Ridge Ferry Park.
The bulk of Wednesday’s meeting will focus on industrial recruitment and economic development. Presentations on the future of the city’s historic districts and the former Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital property also are planned.
Other items that could come up for discussion, time permitting, include homelessness, the fund balance, plans for next year’s elections and a possible ban on the use of cellphones while driving city vehicles.