Rockmart council keeps rolling along in September
Brief session features LEAD Polk, council praise for playground repairs
The Rockmart City Council kept their business brief for September once again without any old or new business for them to decide on, but they did get to hear from one local group seeking to promote leadership and community action.
Joy Fredrick, Sarah Horne, Norman Smith and Kevin Myrick addressed the council as a group about LEAD Polk Class of 2018’s progress through the program thus far, and the outcome of the class’ first fundraiser for their community project.
The group shared in providing information about how the program works, various places they’ve visited in Polk County – including a tour of local industries, farms, government facilities and this past Monday evening of school campuses – along with class work to give the LEAD Polk group a well-balanced view of the area.
As for the results of the Haney Arena concession stand fundraiser, LEAD Polk raised more than $4,000 to help provide for a computer lab at Camp Antioch, and will likely be taking on additional fundraising efforts as time goes on.
(Editor’s note: Stay tuned for more on the schedule and additional ways to help Camp Antioch in forthcoming editions of the Standard Journal. –KM)
Council members also shared some of their comments during their September session over forthcoming city issues, and past problems already solved.
Among those positive feedback was from council member Joe Henderson, who praised the work done by the Public Works and Recreation departments to make repairs and upgrades at the play area at the Nathan Dean Sports Complex.
City Manager Jeff Ellis added that the work was completed for under $4,000 and that city funds saved in other areas by employees were used for the project.
Council member Sherman Ross also shared that along with continued work on the Land Bank (See Page A1 for more,) the city’s participation in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing program (locally known as the Rethink Rockmart program) is bearing fruit as well.
During GICH’s upcoming retreat in Athens, the city has been asked to present how their program for fighting blight is going.
Ellis did receive questions from the council about how the search for a Code Enforcement officer is proceeding. Ellis said that it is still underway and that candidates have applied, he just hasn’t found the right person for the job.
He added that he wanted to complete the process by making a hire that would address all the criteria he sees for the job, and not make a hasty decision about a candidate that would later prove not to work out.
The council is set to meet again about setting the annual millage rate this month as well. Check back for additional information when that meeting is happening online at Polkstandardjournal.com.