Accusing him of ignoring their previous votes, Johns Creek City Council members called out Mayor Mike Bodker on Monday night for promoting a $2 million project with the city of Duluth.
The project involves restoration of the old Rogers Bridge, an ancient metal truss spanning the Chattahoochee River and connecting Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Duluth and Gwinnett County have about $1 million in SPLOST money set aside for the project, said Glenn Coyne, Duluth city planning director.
But the Johns Creek City Council has voted it down three times, citing more pressing infrastructure concerns.
Councilwoman Bev Miller criticized Bodker for contacting newly elected Councilman Brad Raffensperger earlier this year and encouraging him to attend a meeting in Duluth about the project.
"We've been very clear that we are not partaking in this," Miller told the mayor. "If you want to partake in this -- and we know you are all for it -- you have to come back to this council."
The City Council officially removed the project from the North Fulton Regional Transportation list in August 2010. It also was voted down in discussions March 8 of that year and again in September 2011.
"We put it to bed, I felt, in a public forum, and it needs to come back in a public forum," Miller said.
Bodker said his intent in contacting Raffensperger was to introduce him to the issue, not to influence his vote. The mayor acknowledged the council's reprimand and said the incident would not be repeated.
Following the meeting, Bodker said he will continue to press for the project through private funding sources and steer clear of involving the city with the campaign.
"I think there is a very clear desire to do everything possible to kill that project, keep it killed and not create a pathway to another wonderful community across the bridge," Bodker said.
This is the second time in a year the council has flexed its muscles at the mayor. Last spring, council members approved a measure to change the city charter so the City Council has more say in the hiring and firing of the city manager and city attorney.
Councilman Ivan Figueroa was steadfast about the council's resolve relating to Rogers Bridge.
"We said no," he said. "We said no repeatedly."
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