Cotton Avenue projects get green light
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

Millen City Council took action during the group's Tuesday, Nov. 4, meeting that will begin moving forward again two long-delayed projects.

Mayor King Rocker was authorized to sign a contract with the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) for the resurfacing/milling of Cotton Avenue, and a resolution was adopted authorizing the mayor to sign the TE-grant contract for the Cotton Avenue streetscape project.

Mayor Rocker reported that he had been informed that the TE-grant project would be bid out soon with construction expected to begin March 2009. Phase I of the project will incorporate green space into Cotton Avenue, enhance lighting, make the sidewalks handicap accessible and provide for parallel parking on the store side of the street. Phase II provides for construction of additional parking lots on the railroad side of the street and other improvements.

Council authorized the execution of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Grant in the amount of $3,900 for reimbursement to the city of expenses incurred from the Mother's Day storm. It was noted that the action would assist the city in the future should a similar circumstance occur.

City Administrator Lamar Faircloth reported that the city had received $40,275 from the DOT for work performed on the U.S. Hwy. 25 Betterment project, and it was noted that the Department of Community Affairs had approved the use of 2005 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) remaining funds for the purchase of water meters.

Faircloth informed council that two part time office workers were scheduled to begin work Nov. 10 through the Experience Works program at no cost to the city. Two additional employees were being recruited through the program, he added.

It was noted that the VFW Post #2776 was planning to adopt Recreation Drive as a project to keep the litter cleaned up from U.S. Hwy. 25 to where the road intersects with State Route 17.

OTHER ACTIONS TAKEN

• Approved a resolution to award the contract for the CDBG sewer project on South Masonic Street to low bidder Shockley Plumbing; • Approved the purchase of a commercial mower in the amount of $6,899.99 from low bidder Quick Cut Inc. of Claxton; • City Administrator Faircloth was authorized to negotiate the purchase of 3-4 acres of land for the purpose of expanding the Westside Cemetery; • Approved lease agreement with Norfolk Southern for parking lots on Cotton Avenue; • Approved resolution adopting records management in accordance with state law; and • Approved resolution authorizing the destruction of certain municipal records.