More scenes from last night's Watkinsville City Council meeting

April 14, 2011

Applicants gathered before the Watkinsville City Council meeting.

Andrea Williams addressed the meeting about her PR company.

Three new businesses presented themselves for approval in yet another sign of the improving economy at the Watkinsville City Council meeting for April 20011.

The variety of these local organizations demonstrates the vitality of the continued new growth locally.

Oconee Patch freelance writer Andrea Williams received permission for her home business smartly entitled A Public Relations Company at her house on 101 Layle Lane.

Timothy Sims was given the go-ahead to relocate the construction elevator company called Alimak Hek from Conyers to Watkinsville. They will be moving in at 1080 Industrial Drive and will be working with construction projects over eight stories such as the Westin Peachtree Hotel in Atlanta.

It is a subsidiary of a Swedish company. They are big in the field of hoists and elevators for massive structures, both temporary and permanent.

Watkinsville is indeed very lucky to be getting such an important industrial player coming to this small town.

He deferred to his wife when asked if he was going to move his family here.

Employment attorney
John Beasley returned to the area after working in the Atlanta area. He was formerly partnered with Janet Hill. Employment law is a highly in demand specialty practice representing both the employers and employees. He should be very busy soon.

Watkinsville added 800 people in the last census, according to Mayor Walter.

Dorothy Brenden received a swimming pool permit, or more precisely the gentleman from her construction company appeared to answer the questions about fences and the like for the pool in Christian Lake subdivision.

Mayor Joe Walter addressed the meeting for more than 10 minutes during his remarks which can be seen elsewhere on this blog.

The reduction in the budget was addressed further in the first budget hearing, as was a second reading of the animal control ordinance.

City Attorney Joe Reitman proved his worth by reviewing this lengthy document from the county.

Carter Engineering's Mark Campbell and the Mayor talked about the possibility of putting gravel on the far part of the Harris Shoals Park t-ball field, which currently has lots of straw on it. They talked about the fence replacement and new foot bridge coming in place in the months to come on the park.

Walter said 63,000 people visit Watinsville annually when they combine all the traffic generated by OCAF, Fall Festival, Ashford Manor, and the other attractions.

Girl Scouts may be doing maintenance on the park, and a dozen Eagle Scout projects may be coming out of the Watkinsville City Cemetery with fences and much more, according to Council member Henry Norman. He called it a win-win for the city.

Mayor Walter also had to ask residents to respect the city policy on large limbs and grass clippings, and if you have a service doing that for you, they will no longer pick them up and chip them for free. The Street Department regularly grinds up my shrubbery and pruning I cut quite unprofessionally.

The city will not be responsible for removed of trunk or limbs from trees or grass clippings, etc. cut by private contractors. The city will not be responsible for removal of dirt, building material or stump grindings.