The Powder Springs City Council voted 3-2 Monday to give $2 million to the city’s Downtown Development Authority to renovate the downtown area.
In favor were Councilman Patrick Bordelon and Councilwomen Doris Dawkins and Nancy Hudson.
Opposed were Councilwomen Cheryl Sarvis and Patricia Wisdom who both wanted the matter tabled until June 5 since this intergovernmental agreement (IGA) was not posted on the city’s website until Monday afternoon.
Sarvis said this IGA “does not give the council any power thereafter to help determine the purchasing price of the properties.”
Since some of the DDA members “potentially stand to gain financially from some of these transactions, it is more prudent … that the City Council retain some control over the spending of the taxpayers’ money on property.”
Joining them in opposition were former Mayor Pat Vaughn and Planning and Zoning Commission member Nancy Farmer during the public comment portion.
Mayor Al Thurman responded to Vaughn, “If property is bought by the DDA, it will be in the DDA’s name. The Council will not micromanage the DDA. The DDA is in the real estate business, not the Council.”
When asked by Farmer if the DDA will pay the appraised value or more, Thurman, also the DDA chairman, said, “I have no idea. The DDA is a separate constitutional authority.”
The city will transfer to the DDA the $2 million in installments after Powder Springs Economic Development Director Stephanie Aylworth presents a written request to Powder Springs Finance Director Diana Belanger for the amount needed to implement “the Project” to include “but not be limited to” development of parks, retail businesses, restaurants and acquisition of properties considered acceptable by the city for acquisition and development, according to this one-year agreement.
The DDA will maintain the funds in a separate account and provide to the city a quarterly accounting of receipts and expenditures within 30 days following the end of each calendar quarter.
Besides Thurman as chairman, DDA members are Vice Chair Randy Hardy, Treasurer Shelly Hendry and Members at Large Anita Booker, Dwayne Green, Susan Smelser and Paul Stewart.
Information: City Clerk Kelly Axt at 770-943-1666 ext. 312 or kaxt@CityOfPowderSprings.org.
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