Aragon City Council approves surplus of Walnut Street land

Aragon will be putting a piece of property previously donated by the mill up for sale, but first had to deem it surplus during their October council meeting.

Mayor Garry Baldwin told the council that a new owner of a house next door to the Walnut Street property was interested in making a purchase to increase the amount of area he had to use.

“You could put two houses on it if the building sizes were allowed to be the same as the mill houses first built here,” Baldwin said.

What was Aragon Mill Lots 88 and 89 — combined a total of .27 acres — requires also that anyone who chooses to purchase the now surplus property to allow the city a 40 foot right of way on Walnut Street since the city owns the alley to the rear, and it also has a large storm drain through the middle which was previously a ditch now covered over.

The council unanimously approved the surplus property decision, and sealed bids are going to be taken through to the Nov. 16 council meeting, unless otherwise noted.

When 2018 rolls around, Aragon officials and the Polk County Board of Elections plan to setup voting machines in a new spot.

It will have no bearing on this year’s election and the precinct will be open at city hall at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7 as usual.

However the move of Aragon’s precinct from city hall to the Aragon Community Center will provide more space for voters in the future.

The decision was announced by Mayor Garry Baldwin during the city’s October council meeting, but he said that it will bring no change to this year’s countywide election at all.

“The last couple of large elections, the election board had gotten on previous administrations about providing more parking, but we’re so limited here at city hall in space there wasn’t much we could do,” Baldwin said.

Following an agreement brokered with Aragon Baptist Church to allow for voters to park across the street, the

The Stocks family and friends are back again this year at the Nathan Dean Community Center in Rockmart for their annual Thanksgiving meal free to the public, and have a lot of plans for what they’ll be providing.

Floreace Stocks, who organizes the meal with her immediate and church family annually to give back to the community, said that along with serving up their annual Thanksgiving meal, they have plans to include music, a giveaway of toys to children who participate, and much more.

The main focus will still be the annual turkey dinner with all the traditional sides.

“We do all the cooking as much as we can ahead of time,” Stocks said. “But before we get there that day all the turkeys and sides are ready.”

She said the annual holiday meal will include four different groups to provide music this year, with details precinct will be able to move to the Community Center located across the street at the intersection of Elm and West Second Street.

Baldwin said that additional safety measures have been addressed as well, such as adding striping to the crosswalk and installing a new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant wheelchair ramp.

Lighting was also fixed to ensure that officials and voters can see during the darker hours on election days in the future.

The first vote to take place at the community center will be in March 2018 for upcoming primaries.

He said the move is one that takes voters back to the community center, which is where elections were held prior to the construction of the Brenda Gazaway Municipal Complex on Highway 101.

Election officials are also happy with the move so far.

“I think it will be better because of the parking situation,” Karen Garmon, Polk’s Election Director said. “It won’t be as crowded when you go to vote.” to come on who will be performing in the coming weeks. The Nov. 18 meal is scheduled to be held at the Nathan Dean Center in Rockmart from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stocks is asking those who are willing to help to make donations if possible, especially toward the God’s Loving Angels program, it would be greatly appreciated.

Much of the work for the event is happening now, Stocks said. She added that toys have already been collected up for the giveaway, and that children will also receive free popcorn and candy bags.

The event will also have a face painter on hand.

God’s Loving Angels is also planning a Dec. 9 trip to a Cartersville-area nursing home to share the holiday spirit with residents, and more information about that event is forthcoming as well. Donations will also be appreciated to help with providing gifts during the event. For more information contact, Stocks at 678-719-1981.