The Lookout Mountain, Ga. City Council on Thursday night approved a motion to take control of maintenance of the Flintstone, Ga. sewer system, but only after the system is rebuilt with state and federal grants and some additional funds from Covenant College.

Flintstone’s current system is plagued with infiltration of storm water into the sanitary sewer. The small city of 33 homes pays Covenant College to allow the city’s sewage to enter the private collection system of the college. Covenant College then pays Lookout Mountain, Ga. to accept the combined flow. Lookout Mountain then pays the Moccasin Bend Treatment Plant to accept the combined flow from the three systems.

After heavy rains, the influx of storm water runoff into the Flintstone system causes serious problems when it reaches Covenant College’s system.

Councilman David Fussell said it is a win-win situation for the city and for Covenant College. Lookout Mountain will not have to pay anything toward rebuilding the system for Flintstone and the rebuilt system will eliminate the infiltration of storm water and thus reduce the amount of flow into Moccasin Bend and save the city some money. The problems at the college will also be eliminated.

Mayor Tom Gifford recommended the council hire Phil Walker of the Walker Collaborative to prepare a comprehensive plan for the city. He said he feels strongly that Mr. Walker knows the community better than anyone else who could do the plan because of his work and association with the city in developing the new town center plan.

Mayor Gifford said any state agencies that could offer help are understaffed and do not have the knowledge of the community like Mr. Walker possesses. By charter, the city is not required to accept other bids, he said. So, he recommended the city approve the contract with Mr. Walker for $54,970.

Mayor Gifford said he was asked by a citizen if the city should spend over $50,000 to get a comprehensive plan. The mayor said he took the question seriously and called and talked with other communities and agencies. He said he is convinced that Lookout Mountain has set the bar very high because of the uniqueness of the community and the effort is worth the cost.

The council voted unanimously to approve the expenditure for the comprehensive plan. The council also voted to approve Sandy Gothard to chair the steering committee that will be formed to work with Mr. Walker.

The month of June is budget month, Mayor Gifford said. The planned meeting of the council on June 18 will be canceled and a called meeting on June 15 will take its place. A public hearing on June 15 at 5 p.m. will precede the 5:30 p.m. council meeting. On June 25, the council will meet at 7:30 a.m. for the second reading of the proposed budget.

Decal sales are underway. The June 1 deadline is quickly approaching, the mayor said. Starting June 1 the cost is $10 plus enforcement begins and citizens could receive a citation for not having the decal.

Mayor Gifford said an amendment to the existing fence ordinance was sent back to the Municipal Planning Commission after the city attorney found a slight problem with the wording.

The Garden Club of Lookout Mountain made a special presentation of an award to the council and to former councilman Daniel Pettway. The local club had applied for the award from the Garden Club of America for the development of a beautifully landscaped and lighted walking path for the safety of pedestrians. Mr. Pettway had managed the project from beginning to end.

The Garden Club had made a similar presentation this month to the Lookout Mountain, Tn. City Commission. That award was for preservation of the Natural Bridge Park. Cindy Whitaker, speaking on behalf of the local club said it is extremely rare for the Garden Club of America to make two awards to communities so close together and represented by the same local club.

In the Mayor’s Report, Mayor Gifford said police are issuing warnings for overgrown lawns. He said the weather has been a factor and he is sure everyone will get caught up shortly.

He reminded everyone that next month is budget month and estimates are that sales tax revenues will be down ten percent, making the council’s job that much more difficult.

Councilman David Fussell told the council about new street lights that EPB is now using that directs more light downward without outward or upward spread. Mayor Gifford asked Mr. Fussell to contact EPB and invite them to make a presentation to the council in July.

Vice Mayor Dennis Eischeid noted that ambulance response from Walker County has been excellent since they took over servicing the city.

Mr. Eischeid also commented about the American flags decorating the city streets and thanked the mayor for getting them placed.

After the meeting adjourned, the council surprised Mayor Gifford with a birthday cake celebrating his 61st birthday.

Dana Wilbourn
dbwilbourn@yahoo.com