Loans from USDA and Truist Bank for financing the development of the new Lookout Mountain, Ga., Town Center should be complete in the next couple of weeks, said Mayor David Bennett at the October council meeting. The financial institutions have given the town permission to do demolition on the old town hall building. That work is scheduled for the week of Oct. 12-16. The cost of taking down the old building will be $25,000 with half of that amount to be eventually reimbursed by USDA.
On request from Truist Bank, the council approved a declaration of plans to confirm that the town does plan to go forward with the loan.
Groundbreaking for the development will take place on Oct. 29 which will be by invitation only to limit the number of people due to Covid, said the mayor. The whole community will be invited next year for the ribbon cutting, he added.
An agreement with Newsome Engineering was approved for the design of a new sewer pump station and study for the stormwater impact. These engineering costs will be $16,500 with half paid from a grant. The new pump station will be designed to increase capacity over the existing, 20-year-old equipment for handling growth in the town. When complete, the new station which will be located next to the current one, can be used as a back-up if needed. In the meantime, the sewer board’s request to buy a device for metering odor originating from the sewer system was approved for the amount of $4,500 which will come from SPLOST funds. This meter will help determine if the odor that is often present on Ochs Highway is coming from Georgia.
Additional infrastructure is being upgraded. The gas company is currently working on replacing gas lines in the area that have been in place now since 1956. The first section being worked on is along Lula Lake Road between Rock City Trail and Hardy Road. The side roads will be done when work on the main roads has been completed.
The PTA is fundraising for Fairyland School this year in different ways because of the Covid pandemic. A pumpkin sale was held at the end of September that had a greater than expected turnout. The goal of raising $1,000 was surpassed when pumpkins kept selling out, said Caroline Williams, liaison between the council and the school. That fundraiser made $8,000. The students will also raise money with another event, The Pumpkin Chase, asking for donations for each lap they run around the track.
The $150,000 raised each year by the PTA is important to the school and to the town. The school is one of the main reasons people move to Lookout Mountain, Ga., said Councilperson Williams. The supplemental money is used to enhance programming needs, she said, by funding classes in computers, aquaponics, theater, art, and music.
With construction taking place and a lot of walkers and children along Lula Lake Road, the council decided to lower the speed limit from 25 m.p.h. to 20 m.p.h. from the state line to Wood Nymph Trail. Statistics from the police show that during September, 10 traffic citations and 21 warnings were given and 27 traffic stops were made. There were two auto accidents. Eight suspicious persons and five suspicious vehicles were checked, which Chief Todd Gann said was good because it shows that residents are paying attention now. There were no thefts or burglaries during the month. Response was made to nine medical calls and four fire calls, and officers assisted eight citizens, six motorists and the Lookout Mountain, Tn. police five times in September.
Taylor Watson, council liaison with the police and fire departments, said that on Nov. 10 there will be a “Fill the Boot” event at Café on the Corner hosted by Ruthie Oehmig, who she said, has been very supportive of the first responders.
The property tax increase that was adopted in September was approved on the second and final reading at the October meeting. The rate for calendar year 2020 is 9.89 mills for every $1,000 of assessed value. The assessed property value is 40 percent of fair market value.
A new home sharing application for short term rentals was approved for Thomas and Lisa Hayes at 1500 Peter Pan. Mr. Hayes assured Town Attorney Bill Pickering that one of the owners would be present whenever the space is rented out. The limit of 15 short term rentals in Lookout Mountain, Ga., has not yet been met.
Larry Reed was appointed as a new member of the Board of Zoning and Appeals.
Mayor Bennett said that the city officials will do everything that can be done to make Halloween activities happen this year, but the council will meet to discuss it first before making a final decision. He said that he is confident that people will use good judgement, however if anyone does not feel comfortable participating, they should turn off the lights and put a note outside to let trick-or-treaters and their parents know.