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Photo by Blake Wheeler
Hartwell City Council members discussed “critical” housing needs in the community and showed support for two proposed future developments at Oakview Crossing and Parkdale Drive during its monthly meeting on Monday.
Council members approved submitting a resolution for a letter of support for a potential 57-unit rental property that would be developed in the city limits at Oakview Crossing, which is located near Belk and Walmart.
The submitted letter would emphasize that sewer and water are available for the project but also would include contingencies upon certain criteria being met during development. Council member Dan Leard abstained from the vote.
Michelle Weatherby gave an update on Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) and said it is working to bring more housing, such as the Oakview Crossing development, to the city. “We continue to make slow progress forward,” Weatherby informed the council members.
Weatherby said the GICH board is working diligently and requested council members approve the addition of two more members to the board, which would bring membership up to a total of seven. “We need workforce housing,” said Bill Leard to council members in support of housing availability.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said the GICH $4 million grant is yet to be dispersed, and it would actually be a reimbursement after local community execution of the grant. Johnson said the city will continue to work with a GICH citizenry group as well to gauge the input of community members for housing needs.
After much deliberation, council members also voted to submit a letter of support for the proposed development of 56-unit apartments dubbed Parkdale Village. The proposed letter would state that water and sewer are available in the area, but specific restrictions and contingencies would be placed on the development. Also, City Attorney Robert Leverett would have to review the resolution of support.
The decision came after council members took a five-minute recess to have a sidebar discussion with the developer, who was represented at the meeting by Edward Libershal.
Council member Tray Hicks voted in opposition to the letter of support. “I’m opposed, opposed, opposed,” Hicks said. “I don’t know if y’all are tired or what, but this is not a good vote. I can’t vote for this for several reasons.”
The vote came at the end of the meeting, which lasted two hours and 40 minutes. Hicks’ opposition stemmed from the location of Parkdale Drive budding up to city limits but not technically located inside city limits.
Libershal told council members the developer would have to petition for annexation due to the location. Hicks said he was opposed to approving the development without the annexation already being approved. Johnson said prior to the vote being approved that it would be the first time the city would provide water and sewer outside city limits. Johnson said he did not want council to necessarily set a precedent but a special variance might be required.
Council member Patrick Guarnella said he voted in favor of the motion only “because there is a critical need.”
Council approves resurfacing of city roads
In other business, council members passed a motion to award a $116,739 bid to Franklin County, Ga., paving contractor Stratton & Sons Construction, Inc., for the resurfacing of Highland Avenue, Lakeshore Drive, Harper Drive, and Colfax Street.
UGA students to begin work on MLK mural
Work on the new mural as part of the University of Georgia’s “Color the World Bright” project is scheduled to begin around the second-to-last week of May, after council members gave the project a green light at Monday’s council meeting.
The mural will be painted on the existing retaining wall at the city-owned lot next to the post office, what’s known as the MLK parking lot. City officials will clean the wall before the project starts.
The design is inspired by the work of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. to honor him for his accomplishments during the Civil Rights Movement, while also incorporating the citizens and history of Hartwell. Professor Joseph Norman with the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia and his group of students spoke to council members about the inspiration behind the design. The team designed the mural and will also paint it. Norman thanked council members for allowing them to create the mural and share their research.
“I think it would bring great honor to this great city,” Norman said of what it would add to Hartwell. Norman said the colorful mural, which will depict key historical figures such as King himself and citizens of all ages marching together, is a family-centric depiction and “purely a celebration of life.”
The professor said it incorporates ideas of “multiculturalism” and encapsulates the Civil Rights Movement, while representing “any citizen” and everyone coming together. “We think ‘Color the World Bright’ is a wonderful tool that brings people together,” Norman said.
The mural will be inspired by King as well as American painter, illustrator and visual arts educator Aaron Douglas and Sister Corita Kent, who was an artist, designer and educator.
UGA students explained that both have ties to King. Douglas created illustrations that addressed social issues around race and segregation in the United States by utilizing African-centric imagery. Kent’s key themes in her works included social justice and Christianity.
Johnson said the mural is “probably the biggest mural we’ll have in the city” and is the first mural the city of Hartwell contributed toward 100 percent financially. At a previous meeting, council members approved the cost of the mural at an estimated $11,500.
Council members revoke alcohol license for Savannah Market license holder
In other business, after an alcohol license hearing council members voted to revoke the alcohol license of Aura 07 Inc. Pawan Joshi, which was operating at Savannah Market, located at 53 Savannah Street, during an Oct. 24, 2022, incident.
During the October 2022 incident, an employee was accused of allegedly selling alcohol to an underage customer during an undercover operation by law enforcement agents with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division of the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Council member Patrick Guarnella said the agents went to 20 businesses in the community at the time and found one alleged violation.
Joshi was not present at Monday’s meeting, despite multiple letters City Attorney Robert Leverett said he sent via certified and regular mail. Leverett said the criminal portion had already been tried, and the goal of the council was to determine “whether the violation occurred and what is the proper penalty” in reference to the alcohol license alone.
After hearing testimony under oath from two agents with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division of the Georgia Department of Revenue, council members passed a motion that stated the violation had occurred. However, there was disagreement about the proper penalty.
The licensee had already been fined $1,000 and the license placed on probation by the state of Georgia for 12 months, according to the law enforcement agents.
Council members ultimately voted to revoke the existing license of Aura 07 Inc. Pawan Joshi. Council member Tray Hicks opposed the motion to revoke the alcohol license. Hicks said this was a one-time violation, and that if the council voted to revoke this license, they would have to be just as strict with other businesses in the future.
“I am very proud of our business owners across the whole community,” Hicks said.
Council members who voted to revoke the license said that business owners need to do a better job of making sure employees are not serving alcohol to anyone underage and the fact that the licensee was not at Monday’s meeting was telling.
Throughout the meeting, there also was discussion and uncertainty about whether the Savannah Market business came under new ownership during January 2023.
GMA’s District 2 officers for 2023-2024 were announced as President Robert (Buddy) Moore, councilmember from Blairsville; First Vice President JoAnne Taylor, mayor of Dahlonega; Second Vice President Matt Fields, councilmember for Royston; and Third Vice President Mark C. Reed, commissioner for Cornelia.