Columbus, Georgia

COUNCIL BRIEFING



June 18, 2002





A Council Briefing was held on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 in the Council Chamber

Conference Room, on the Plaza Level of the Government Center, Columbus,

Georgia. Mayor Pro Tem Jack Rodgers, presiding.



PRESENT: Present other than Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers were Mayor Bobby G. Peters,

Councilors R. Gary Allen, Berry Henderson, Julius Hunter, Jr. , Charles Mc

Daniel, Robert Poydasheff, Richard Smith, Nathan Suber, Evelyn Turner Pugh and

Evelyn Woodson Also present were City Manager Carmen Cavezza; City Attorney

Clifton Fay; Director of Finance Kay Love and Director of Human Resources, Tom

Barron.



ABSENT: None



GUESTS: Mr.Doug Jeffcoat, Representative of the Bradley Company.

Mr. Dick Edwards, Fickling Company





This meeting was called to order at 8:37a.m.





SWEARING - IN PROCESS:





Mr. Gerald Ludwig was sworn in by Mayor Pro Tem Rodgers to serve as an at-

large member of the Taxicab Commission.





INFORMATION:



? A proclamation will be presented on Home Ownership proclaiming the month

of June

?National Homeowners Month?.



? Fourteen (14) dead trees will be taken down at Lake bottom Park this

week recommended by the City Arborist.





LULLWATER APARTMENTS:



City Manager Cavezza reported on the construction traffic at Lullwater

Apartments. He said there was a condition in the rezoning in 2000 which

stated the construction traffic could not use the Cooper Creek exit onto

Veterans Parkway until a traffic light was in place . He pointed out the

traffic light is not in place; however, the developer wants to go ahead and

clear along the right-of- way; so that, there would be a better view making

it safer exiting there. He said the basic issue is when the light would be

in place, to let them use the road, but now they are asking for a variance to

clear the right-of-way in order to have access onto Cooper Creek which he said

the alternative is to have them go through the construction site (interrupted).



At this time, the question was raised regarding the original date of

installation to which Richard Bishop, Director of Engineering replied there

was not an original date set, it just got on the list along with other

intersection improvements.



Mr. Doug Jeffcoat, The Bradley Representative replied the implication that it

would go in within a 90 to 120 days after the construction started, but for

various reasons it never happened. At this point, Councilor Turner Pugh

asked Mr. Jeffcoat who discussed did he have this discussion with? He

replied that he discussed it with the Traffic and Engineering group.



Councilor Allen expressed his concern centers around the administration?s

handling the situation with two different avenues. He said in Apartment

complexes, we send the traffic back out on the city streets, but in a

residential area, you don?t handle it any differently. For this reason, he

said he does not see any difference in two situations.



At the request of Councilor Allen, Doug Jeffcoat, explained that when they

property was rezoned, the restriction dealt with the safety at Cooper Creek/

Veterans Parkway Intersection, and not about construction traffic, conditions

of streets, etc. He said when the company submitted their drawings to the

proper authority for approval within the City, their drawings indicated a

construction exit to come out the back side of that property He reiterated that

the spirit of the document focused on safety at Cooper Creek / Veterans

Parkway intersection and that process is taking longer than any of us

expected; therefore , we are asking for an alternative way to achieve that

level of safety. .



Director of Engineering , Richard Bishop added that the issue at that

intersection is that a new road developed there in about four or five years. In

the short term, they are requesting that a turn lane at that intersection,

which is an expensive process He said we have gone back to D.O.T and asked

that they not require that turn lane is installed unless we put up a light.

He added that they are in the process of getting the paperwork together in

order to give us that approval . He explained that typically, we would get a

permit from the State.



Concluding, Councilor Allen pointed out that the streets are fairly narrow,

and the people and the residents have to back out like the apartment dwellers

do, which is t he same scenario and my question is why are you handling this

issue in two different ways? He said as a compromise, we should allow the

truck traffic at a certain point. He said by the end of August, when the

building is being rented, then divert the construction traffic out to Cooper

Creek.



City Manager Cavezza recommended to go ahead and clear it and use the access on

Cooper Road.





JOHNSON MILLS RESOLUTION:



? Referendum on the ballot this Fall to extend the Historical Redevelopment

Grant of tax exempt time from (8) eight to (20) twenty years.



Mayor Peters further explained that they are building the walkway from

Johnson Industry down to the Riverwalk, and we want to have to control over

the walkway, lighting, etc. We want them to give us the land, but they don?t

want to give us the land and not get their tax credit. He said if it passes,

will we support them getting the same credit?



There being no other business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 a.m.











Gloria A. Carey, Secretary