Automobile Speeding On I-20

Douglas County Police are currently on the lookout for an automobile that is speeding (over 100 mph) on I-20 near the Chapel Hill Road exit.

January 2 BOC/P&Z Work Session Agenda

PLANNING & ZONING BOARD AND BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING AGENDA
January 2, 2006

APPROVAL of MINUTES
November 7, 2006 & November 9, 2006

AGENDA

Z2006-62 Joseph M. Dowda – Request for a rezoning from R-LD to C-C for a beauty shop at the property located at 4102 Highway 5: Land Lot(s) 92, District 2, Section 5, Parcel(s) 12. Lot size: 1.0 acre. TO BE HEARD BY BOC ONLY Tab [1]

S2007-01 Godwin M. Okpomo – Request for a Special Use Permit to allow a residential program facility for substance abuse & clients with psychiatric disorders at the property located at West County Line Road: Land Lot(s) 913, District 18, Section 3, Parcel(s) 3. Lot size: 1.333 acres. Tab [2]

Z2007-02 James W. Richards – Request for a rezoning from R-LD to C-H for a used car lot (will be combined with parcel 0360-182-0009) at the property located at Highway 78 East: Land Lot(s) 359, District 18, Section 2, Parcel(s) 14 & 15. Lot size: 0.67 acres.  Tab [3]

OTHER BUSINESS:
Consider updates to Article 8, Landscaping, Buffers & Tree Conservation, and to Article 3, Section 325 Day Care, of the Unified Development Code.

Consider overlays for the following areas:
Post Road @ I-20
Highway 92 Corridor (from Lee Road to City of Douglasville)

ADJOURN

Cocaine Trafficking In Carroll County

From The Times-Georgian:   Police say $500K in coke seized in bust Amanda Kramer
Sheriff's deputies seized approximately $550,000 worth of cocaine after an SUV was pulled over Tuesday for driving too slow on Interstate 20. Carroll County Sheriff Terry Langley said driver Edwin James Baker, 42, of Hampton, Va., was pulled over at the Pilot Truck Stop on Highway 113 in Temple when a deputy saw the Chevrolet Suburban driving 39 miles per hour	The drugs were found in a spare tire. Baker and passenger Edward Hunter, 49, of Dallas, Texas, were denied bond during a court hearing Wednesday on trafficking cocaine charges.

Fire Near Mall

From The Douglas County Sentinel:

A grass and brush fire burned over an acre near Arbor Place mall yesterday afternoon. No one was injured, and no structures were involved.

 

Academy Coming To Bremen

Special purpose local option sales tax and state funding will assist the Bremen City School System in building a 39 acre academy. Construction on Bremen Middle School and Bremen 4th and 5th Grade Academy is underway with a number of officials anticipating its arrival. Superintendent Stanley McCain says planning for the academy has lasted approximately five years. McCain says adding the academy has been needed for quite some time. McCain says the two story academy will have the capacity of 750 students starting out with 650. Grading is expected to be completed by this spring with the school completed by August of 2008.

Bit Cop

A Villa Rica police officer is recovering from a bite wound he received while attempting to arrest a Villa Rica resident. Authorities were dispatched early Sunday morning to the Ashland Highland subdivision to find 60 year old Eddie Wilkins acting suspicious. Upon questioning, Wilkins became violent and disorderly, authorities then attempted to take Wilson into custody when he failed to comply and bit officer Richard McCain on his left knee which required medical attention. Wilkins is being charged with criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct, felony obstruction and battery on a police officer.

Cocaine Trafficking

Charges of trafficking cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute among other charges have been filed against 30 year old Malik Morgan of Lithia Springs following a Saturday night incident that reportedly began when Morgan failed to stop at a stop sign in Carrollton and ended in a short foot chase about a half hour later near Villa Rica. Carrollton Police apprehended Morgan and reportedly found more than two ounces of powder cocaine in his possession, a .38 revolver on the ground where the chase ended and suspected marijuana inside his Chevrolet Suburban that he had abandoned in favor of running from officers. While trying to elude officers in the vehicle, Morgan had reportedly driven on the wrong side of the road, forcing on-coming patrol vehicles out of the way. In addition to the trafficking cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute charges, Morgan faces charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, aggravated assault on officers, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, fleeing and attempting to elude, obstruction, numerous traffic violations and had been wanted on two outstanding warrants from Douglasville. No one was injured during the pursuit.

Addition to BOC Agenda

Thanks to Losing Georgia (http://www.losinggeorgia.com) for the info.  Remember, the BOC meeting is tomorrow morning at 10am at Citizen's Hall in the Courthouse.  You can also watch the meeting live on DCTV channel 23.

 

27. Consideration of recommendation by Development Authority to enter into an Ad Valorem Tax Incentive Agreement with Google, the Development Authority, Tax Commissioner, and the Board of Assessors, and authorize Chairman to execute necessary Intergovernmental Agreement and related documents concerning Google's facility additions in exchange for various investments in capital improvements, jobs and wages. (Joe)

Fred's Discount Store Robbed

From The Franklin County Citizen:

 

The Lavonia Police Department reported that on Sunday night at approximately 10:06 p.m., a suspect entered the Lavonia Fred's Department Store on Augusta Road, taking a large amount of tobacco and over-the-counter cold medicines. The perpetrators used a concrete block to break open the front door window. The store alarm was activated and a video surveillance camera captured a disguised individual entering the store carrying a large cloth bag. The suspect was wearing dark pants, a short sleeve shirt over a dark, long sleeve shirt, a stocking cap with bill and was driving a white or gray in color 4-door vehicle.

Police Chief Randy Shirley said the individual was only in the store for 56 seconds and left in an awaiting vehicle. Shirley said Commerce was hit with a similar burglary approximately 40 minutes later. Commerce officials stated the vehicle was of a similar style; the perpetrators were described as wearing the same type clothing and may have been both black and white.

Chief Shirley said there were three other stores struck as well in Douglasville, Powder Springs and Forest Park in western Atlanta. A Lavonia Police Department detective is working with those agencies comparing similarities that have developed leads in the case. Shirley said that generally this time of year they see a higher incidence of crime and cautions people to be vigilant of their surroundings, whether inside or outside a store. He warns citizens not to use an ATM at night, but if they must, look for a machine that is well lit and can be driven up to.

Murder Suspect Captured In Douglasville

From the U.S. Marshals Service:

 

Ramondez Lamon Rivera, 28, was arrested by members of the U.S. Marshal's Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (SERFTF) and the Douglas County (GA) Sheriff's Department at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 15. Rivera, of Douglasville, GA, has been charged with murder in connection with the death of Kwana Burns, 28, who was killed in Anderson, SC, early on December 14.

Rivera is also considered a suspect in the murder of another woman in Anderson. The second victim was discovered at her home on Tuesday, December 12. Authorities have yet to charge Rivera in the second homicide.

Acting on a request for assistance from the Anderson, SC, Police Department, Deputy U.S. Marshals in South Carolina and the Operation Intercept task force worked with investigators from the SERFTF, the Anderson PD, and the Douglas County Sheriff's Department to establish Rivera's location in the Atlanta area. Once identified, an extensive surveillance was established on Rivera's location. He was arrested a short time later as he left his residence. He was taken into custody without incident and is currently being held in the Douglas County Jail in Georgia awaiting extradition to South Carolina.

BOC Meeting December 19

The meeting is Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at Citizen's Hall In the courthouse.  There is no planning and zoning meeting this month.

 

WORK SESSION AGENDA DECEMBER 18, 2006
10:00 A.M. – BOARD ROOM

CITIZENS' BUSINESS

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Regular Commission Meeting of December 5, 2006.

PLAT APPROVALS – PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL (Cynde)
2. Brentwood Park

PLAT APPROVALS – FINAL PLAT ACCEPTANCE
3. Iroquois Commercial Park Expansion – Phase 2
4. Holly Springs, Unit 5G
5. Stone Haven
6. Riverside Ridge, Unit 1

PUBLIC HEARINGS TO CONSIDER
7. Liquor License (Transfer) (Elise)
D'Salsa, Inc. d/b/a La Salsa Mexican Restaurant
411 Maxham Road – Suite 700, Austell, GA
(Licencee: Donna Villanueva)

8. Massage Therapist (New)
J & T Massage Therapists
411 Maxham Road - Suite 1100-B, Austell, GA
(Licencee: Jacqueline M. Williams – Teresa C. Cole

9. Massage Therapist (New)
A World Away LLC
5550 Twin Oak Drive, Douglasville, GA
(Licencee: Tracy Peringer)

BUSINESS
10. Rideshare requests authorization to file a grant application with GDOT for vans as well as a new park-and-ride lot in west Douglas County, approve the resolution and authorize the Chairman to sign the resolution and necessary documents. (Gary)

11. Juvenile Services has received $ 5,000 in funding from the Council of Juvenile Court Judges to purchase psychological evaluation services and drug screening kits for the grant cycle year October 1, 2006- September 30, 2007. There are no matching funds required. Authorize Chairman to sign the contract. (Jenny)

 

12. Information Services and the Board of Commissioners each have had employees retire. Funds are budgeted in the General Appropriation's Department to cover the retirement of any employees. Amend the budget by transferring $40,245 from General Appropriations Budget Reserve to Information Services Salaries in the amount of $11,575 and Board of Commissioners Salaries in the amount of $28,670. (Jennifer)

13. The County receives funds from Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) in which we act as a pass-thru agency for the Department of Family & Children Services. ARC has allocated more funds than budgeted. Amend the budget by increasing ARC Title III Revenue and Department of Family & Children Services Transfers out by $28,259.

14. Budget amendments must be made to reflect actual expenditures in the District Attorney, Sheriff and Law Library's special revenue funds for 2006.  Amend the following budgets by increasing:
• D.A. Asset Forfeiture Revenue & Expenditures by $150,000
• Sheriff Asset Forfeiture Funds Generated from Fund Balance & Expenditures by $260,000
• Commissary Funds Generated from Fund Balance & Expenditures by $60,000
• Law Library Funds Generated from Fund Balance & Expenditures by $35,000

15. Fire & EMS received donations in the amount of $1,163 for digital cameras and public relations  materials. Senior Center received additional revenue than originally budgeted in the amount of $4,500 for Senior Center Programs. Amend the budget by increasing Donations and Fire & EMS Minor Equipment by $1,163 and by increasing Senior Center Revenue and Senior Center Professional Services by $4,500.

16. The Victim Witness Department and State Court Public Defender had an employee leave and vacation time earned was paid out. This was not budgeted in either department; however, the District Attorney's Office has funds available to transfer to the Victim Witness Department and the General Appropriation's Department will transfer to the State Public Defender. Transfer $3,500 from District Attorney Salaries to Victim Witness Salaries and transfer $3,200 from General Appropriations Budget Reserve to State Public Defender Salaries.

17. The Board of Elections needs additional funds to cover the cost of the two runoffs this year. Amend budget by increasing Election Revenue and Board of Elections Supplies by $7,240.

18. All legal fees are originally paid out of the Legal Services Department.  Periodically, a request goes before the BOC to reallocate the budget funds and expenses to the appropriated departments. Transfer $55,000 from General Appropriations and $35,056 from Legal Services to the following departments' legal fees:
● Planning & Zoning $43,263

● Sheriff Enforcement $3,939
● Sheriff Detention $ 9,164

● Tax Commissioner $2,220
● Board of Elections $30,630

● Board of Assessors $ 840

19. Authorization to enter into agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation to receive funding of $200,000 for Red Light Running Photo Enforcement System to be located at the intersection of SR 6 (Thornton Rd) and SR 8/US78 (Bankhead Highway) and authorize Chairman to sign all required documents (Randy)

20. Award of proposal for aerial photography. (Diane)

21. Award of proposal for an electronic security camera system with digital recording for the Courthouse. (Diane)

22. Request a new classification of Deputy Sheriff (Recruit), Grade 21, be created for Sheriff's Office. (Stan)

23. Authorization for Chairman to sign Memorandum of Understanding with the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council. (Ken)

24. Approval of Pension Plan Amendments recommended by the Pension Board of Trustees. (Ray)

25. Claims for tax credits per recommendation of Chief Appraiser. (Ken)

26. Selection of 2006 Honorees for Walk of Honor and Pathway of Service. (Wes)

27. Adoption of 2007 budget. (Jennifer)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS

EXECUTIVE SESSION - Personnel, Litigation, Land Acquisition

City Coucil Agenda

The meeting is Monday at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.  If you don't want to see Dorris Road turned into another Chapel Hill Road, attend the meeting.  The land is up for change of zoning so Rough Diamond Investments can build a subdivision.

 

CITY OF DOUGLASVILLE CITY COUNCIL

Legislative Work Session

December 14, 2006 7:30 p.m.

AGENDA

1. Call to Order

2. Invocation

3. Pledge of Allegiance

4. Public Safety Committee/Dennis McLain
a. Request for an alcohol beverage license for Publix Super Market, Inc., DBA Publix Super Market #485 for a change in agent outlet manager for the retail package sale of wine and malt beverage at 3316 Georgia Highway 5. Application by Publix Super Market, Inc.

b. Request for an alcohol beverage license for Pizza Hut of America, Inc., DBA Pizza Hut for a change in agent outlet manager for the on premises sale and consumption of wine and malt beverage at 5636 Fairburn Road. Application by Pizza Hut of America, Inc.

c. Request for an alcohol beverage license for Kynn, Inc., DBA Chevron for the retail package sale of wine and malt beverage at 6590 Broad Street. Application by Kynn, Inc.

d. Request for an alcohol beverage license for Grade, Inc., DBA Hospital Drive Food Mart for the retail package sale of wine and malt beverage at 6036 Fairburn Road.

e. Adopt an ordinance amending the City's Alcoholic Beverages Ordinance to clarify serving hours for alcoholic beverages on Sundays which fall on December 31.

f. Adopt a revised Bond Schedule for the Douglasville Municipal Court.

g. Authorize the Mayor to sign a one-year Animal Control Agreement with the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, with the City to pay $40,000.00 to the County for special services.

5. Community & Economic Development Committee/John Schildroth

6. Planning & Zoning Committee/Michael Carter
a. Request approval of a final plat for Kensington Park Unit One on Lee Road south of Interstate 20. Application by Belans Properties, Inc.

b. Request for a change in zoning from R-A (Residential Agriculture District) in unincorporated Douglas County to R-3 (Single Family Detached Residential District) in the City for approximately 12 acres on Dorris Road adjacent to the North Douglas Elementary School. Application by Rough Diamond Investments, LLC.

c. Request for an amendment to the City's Future Land Use Plan from Urban Residential in unincorporated Douglas County to Low Density Single Family Detached in the City for approximately 12 acres on Dorris Road adjacent to the North Douglas Elementary School. Application by Rough Diamond Investments, LLC.

d. Request to annex approximately 12 acres on Dorris Road adjacent to the North Douglas Elementary School. Application by Rough Diamond Investments, LLC.

e. Request for an amendment to the DCD (Design Concept Development District) of The Villages of Riverview in order to re-configure the existing DCD concept plan to relocate the R-2 (Single Family Detached Residential District) base zone to the south, to relocate the R-3 (Single Family Detached Residential District) base zone to the midsection and to the northeast, and to relocate the R-6-T (Single Family Attached Townhouse Residential District) base zone to the northwest corner on approximately 888.438 acres located at Georgia Highway 92 (Fairburn Road) and South Riverside parkway. Application by Falling Water, Inc.

f. Refer to the City Zoning Board a proposed text change to the City of Douglasville's Zoning Code to prohibit signs lighted with LCD, and to prohibit unused sign structures.

7. Parks & Recreation/Roy Mims
a. Appoint Pete Rattigan and Mel Halfon to the City's Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee for at-large terms extending through December 31, 2008; and as league representatives on the City's Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee extending through December 31, 2007, appoint Barry Gamel from Douglas County Soccer Association, Danny Barrow from Douglasville Girls Softball, and Amy Cogdill from Douglasville Tiger Cubs Football.

8. Finance Committee/Henry Mitchell III
a. Authorize the Mayor to sign a one-year extension of the City's agreement with Perky Clean, Inc., extending through December 31, 2007.

9. Telecommunications Committee/Henry Mitchell III

10. Maintenance & Sanitation Committee/Charles Banks

11. Transportation Committee/Michael Carter

12. Personnel & Organization Committee/Roy Mims
a. Adopt a resolution interpreting Ordinance O-97-56.

13. Ordinances & Intergovernmental Committee/Callye B. Holmes

14. Other Business

15. City Attorney/Joel Dodson

16. Assistant City Attorney/Suzan Littlefield

17. City Manager/Bill Osborne

18. Comments from Citizens and Delegates

B&N To Open In Newnan

Barnes & Noble is currently hiring in all departments for a new location in Newnan.  Newnan is quickly growing to become more like Douglasville.  My prediction is that Douglasville will have a Barnes & Noble sometime next year.  I like Borders, but I like Barnes & Noble more.  Barnes & Noble hosts more book events than our local Borders does and they also offer a better selection of books.  But what would this mean for Douglasville's only independently owned bookstore, Douglasville Books?  I think as long as people are willing to buy and trade used books, there will always be a need for Douglasville Books.  If I didn't take my used books to Douglasville books, my room would be overflowing with books!

Refinery Fire In Douglasville

From 11alive.com:

 

Douglas Co. Refinery Fire Doused

Reported By: Elaine Reyes Web Editor: Leigha Baugham Last Modified: 12/13/2006 1:39:13 PM The investigation continued Wednesday after a fire in a 26,000 gallon tank at a refinery plant in Douglasville. The fire happened at the Young Refining Plant in Douglasville just off Bankhead Highway. A tank of molten asphalt caught fire and caused an explosion just before 5 a.m. Wednesday. Witness David Kearney saw it all unfold while he was working at a motel just across the street. "It was frightening right at first, I guess I was expecting the worst," said Kerney. Douglas County firefighters worked fast to control the fire, pouring a steady stream of water that was able to put the blaze out in about two hours. There were no injuries, no evacuations or environmental repercussions from the fire. "When you're dealing with a refinery, with asphalt you always the possibility that something like that might happen. They know the back roads in, the front roads in and they were able to respond very, very quickly," said Wes Tallon, Douglas County spokesperson.

Carroll Chamber Of Commerce Approves Subdivision

Editor's Note:  Part of this development will be in Douglas County.  Get ready for even more traffic.

 

The Wolf Creek Development proposed by Temple-Inland has received the approval of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. The endorsement also comes with recommendations to work with southeast Carroll County residents and other stakeholders throughout the planning and development process, and Temple-Inland President Bob Young says that has been the intention from the start. The Chamber board's vote of support this week cites the Wolf Creek development as a 'valuable project that will provide quality housing, shopping, employment, services and recreational opportunities for new and existing citizens.' A rezoning request to accommodate the 11 thousand plus acre development was officially submitted to the County Board of Commissioners just more than 2 years ago.

Chase Leads To Search

A high speed chase that occurred Saturday afternoon has left the Haralson County Sheriff's Department searching for a 21 year old Villa Rica man. Jonathan Neal Wynn was driving a blue GMB Z-71 pick-up truck as he eluded officers from the Hair Cuttery located at Bremen Corners on Highway 27 to Highway 16 towards Mt. Zion. Wynn is described as a white male 6 feet in height weighing 155 pounds with green eyes and brown hair. Wynn was originally sought for failure to appear on two counts of violation of the Georgia controlled substances act. Wynn could be charged with three counts of aggravated assault on police officers, felony obstruction of an officer, possession of a firearm while committing a crime and one count of reckless conduct. If anyone has further information on the whereabouts of Wynn they are asked to contact the Haralson County Sheriff's department.

Towns Being Dropped off the Georgia Map

I'm listing notable or familiar towns.

 

Batesville

BILL ARP  HOW DARE THEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bowden Junction

Cedar Grove

Chattoogaville

Clem

Evans (near Augusta)

FAIRPLAY

Hollonville

Lowell (if you go west down Hwy 5, past Hwy 166, you'll eventually run into Lowell)

Lost Mountain

Macland

Marble Hill

McWorter

Nacoochee

New Georgia (near Hiram, I think)

New Hope

North Canton

Okefenokee

Owensboro

Pleasant Hill

Raytown

Retreat

Roscoe (near Callaway Gardens, I think)

Sand Hill (near Carrollton)

Scottsboro

Sea Island (How can you leave off Sea Island????)

 

But leaving Bill Arp off...that's HUGE.  Bill Arp, if I'm not mistaken, was here before Douglasville ever existed.  Bill Arp was named after Charles Henry Smith, who wrote essays under the name Bill Arp, who Bill Arp Elementary School is named after..  I've grown up in the Bill Arp community and have lived there for 24 of my 26 years.  I just don't understand how or why they would take Bill Arp off the map.

 

Georgia Dropping Nearly 500 Commmunities Off Its Map

This is insane!  Why would Georgia do this??  There will be a follow-up post on towns near Douglas County that have been dropped.

 

By GREG BLUESTEIN, AP

CHATTOOGAVILLE, Ga. (Dec. 9) -- Poetry Tulip has vanished. So have Due West and Po Biddy Crossroads. Cloudland and Roosterville are gone, too.

A total of 488 communities have been erased from the latest version of Georgia's official map, victims of too few people and too many letters of type.

Georgia's Department of Transportation, which drew the new map, said that the goal was to make it clearer and less cluttered and that many of the dropped communities were mere "placeholders," generally with fewer than 2,500 people. Some are unincorporated and so small they are not even recognized by the Census Bureau.

The state began handing out the new map at rest stops and welcome centers over the summer.

Gone are such places as Dewy Rose, Hemp, Experiment, Retreat, Wooster, Sharp Top and Chattoogaville, a spot in far northwestern Georgia that consists of little more than a two-truck volunteer fire department, a few farmhouses and a country store where locals fill up their gas tanks.

"We're not under obligation to show every single community," department spokeswoman Karlene Barron said. "While we want to, there's a balancing act. And the map was getting illegible."

That doesn't ease the snub to the people who live in those places.

"This gets back to respect for rural areas," said Dennis Holt, who is leading a community group that wants to restore the good name of western Georgia's Hickory Level, population 1,000, which was founded in 1828 and recently put up five new welcome signs. "I'm not sure we're going to accomplish anything, but I would have felt bad about myself if I didn't say something about it."

Mapmaking criteria vary by state, and it is not unusual for a little housecleaning over time, often to get rid of place names now considered racially offensive. But other states said it is almost unheard of to see hundreds of communities given the boot in a single year.

In Texas, few of the 2,076 cities and towns are ever deleted because of strict standards that weigh whether a spot is along a state highway, has a post office or boasts a population of 50 or more.

Rand McNally, which as North America's biggest commercial mapmaker sells its maps at gas stations and bookstores, is not going to follow Georgia's example. It said a change of even just a dozen place names on its state maps is rare.

"Our criteria for keeping towns on the map is not just population," said Joel Minster, the company's chief cartographer. "We won't take a town off the map if we can confirm there's still a landmark - even if there's no people there."

The mapmaker generally deals with clutter by varying the size and style of its print.

Because of the complaints, Georgia transportation officials said will they take another look at their guidelines for what constitutes a "community."

"It's going to take a little bit of work and time, but I think maybe we can get it resolved," said state Rep. Tim Bearden, who represents a western Georgia county that includes Hickory Level and eight other towns removed from the map. "It's about history and heritage. And if you're going down the road and you're trying to find an area that's been on the map and they're not, they make good landmarks."

Some, though, do not seem to mind that their hometowns have vanished.

12-09-06 01:45 EST

Restaurant Inspection Scores

I'm including only a fraction of recent (not very recent, but these are the most recent) inspection scores.  Also, other states mention why the restaurant may have gotten a low score, like the presence of rodents or unclean surfaces--Douglas County Board of Health does not do this, but I think they should.  Citizens should know about the cleanliness (or non-cleanliness) of a restaurant before they choose to eat there.  90 and above is passing.  90 is just barely passing, 100 is a perfect score.

 

Restaurant, Last Score & Date, Previous Score & Date

 

Alpine Steakhouse  8/17/06 100     7/27/06  100

Applebee's Bar & Grill  8/7/06  78      3/2/06  100

Asia Buffet  8/18/06  98          8/9/06  95

Bonz  8/16/06  96         3/10/06  100

Boys And Girls Club of America  8/28/06  79      12/20/04 94

Carollo's Restaurant  8/22/06  92      8/18/06  77

Charley's Steakery (Arbor Place Mall)  8/11/06  100  (No previous score)

China Liu's  8/1/06  88     9/13/06  100

China Star  8/3/06  93      9/16/06  97

Chinese Pagoda Restaurant  8/9/06  100      8/8/06  62

Cracker Barrel  8/17/06  100      8/14/06  88

Dairy Queen (Stewart Pkwy)  8/7/06  97     8/2/06  77

Fabiano's  8/15/06  95     8/14/06  70

Fire Mountain  8/10/06  74      2/27/06  93

Golden Corral  8/4/06  93   3/23/06  72

Golden Dragon (Thorton Rd)  8/15/06  86    8/10/06  77

Hudson's Hickory House 8/15/06  88   8/15/06  70 (fishy, fishy...)

Iron Horse BBQ  8/29/06  86    2/21/06  98

Joe's Crab Shack  8/7/06  94     6/13/06  93

Johnny's New York Style Pizza  8/15/06  92  9/20/05  100

Kentucky Fried Chicken  8/15/06  94    8/11/06  77

The Olive Tree  8/9/06  82    4/17/06  79

Shoney's (Thorton Rd)  8/23/06  88    8/9/06  80

T.G.I. Friday's  8/1/06  90    7/19/06  95

Tokyo Japanese Steak House  8/1/06  95   8/27/04  83

Waffle House (in front of Wal-Mart on Concourse Pkwy)  8/18/06  92     8/16/06  73

Wendy's  8/10/06  93    5/25/06  100

 

And a lot of restaurants aren't listed on the Douglas Public Health website.  And it's kind of fishy that the earlier inspection is a failing score, then the inspector goes back a day or a few days later and voila!  A passing score.  Douglas County has to share their public health website with Cobb County.  So keep these scores in mind the next time you go out to eat...and ponder the fact that all of these restaurants haven't been inspected since August.

Banning Mills Fire Suspected Arson

From the Times-Georgian:

 

Arson suspected in Banning fire By Amanda Kramer

Investigators suspect the Thanksgiving night fire at Historic Banning Mills was purposely set, possibly to cover up a burglary. Carroll County Fire Chief Gary Thomas said the fire department and sheriff's office are following up on leads and information that indicate the fire that caused more than $1.8 million in damages to the Whitesburg convention and resort lodge could be an arson case. "Our information indicates the fire was possibly set to cover up a burglary," Thomas said. "We are investigating this as an intentionally set fire and have developed information through the examination of the scene and interviews the fire was set intentionally."

Thomas said arson investigators continued to interview more people and follow leads in what he described as a "solvable investigation." He said at this point in the investigation authorities believe more than one person was involved in the incident. "We feel there is additional information out there that would be helpful to the investigation," he said. "We're still examining evidence to determine exactly how the fire started and where it started." The resort's main, 10,000-square-foot building was engulfed in flames that spread to two smaller buildings and ignited brush fires.

Properties in Douglasville For Sale

I joined a website that allows one to view properties for sale.  Some interesting places up for sale:

 

Fire Mountain Restaurant--they're asking $2.6 million.  Not sure if this includes the actual restaurant or just the building.

 

The carwash across the street from Hudson's is also for sale.  Wasn't this just built about a year ago?

 

The Checkers, or rather the land it is on, is for sale.  So I wouldn't be surprised if Checkers will have to be moved or torn down to make way for Hwy 92.

Another Water Spill Near Anneewakee Creek

A transfer line clogged with rags is being blamed for a six thousand gallon spill being reported this week by the Douglasville-Douglas County water and sewer authority. The spill into a tributary of Anneewakee Creek was reported Monday morning and authority crews had cleared the obstruction and restored the line to working order about four hours later. Environmental agencies and the local media have been notified, and no further action or detrimental effects are anticipated in connection with the spill.

Truck Crashes Into Home

A pickup truck crashed into a home near Forest Road (this isn't the exact name of the road, can't remember it) and Hwy 92 this afternoon.  FOX5 News just reported on it.  They said drugs might have been involved.  My mother saw two heliocopters hovering near the train tracks and one of them was from FOX5.  We'll see if this is in the Sentinel tomorrow.  I think their press deadline is about 4pm because I usually can access tomorrow's articles on their website around 5pm.

Shooting Suspect Caught

A 31 year old Carrollton man is in custody on two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the November 26th shooting incident that critically injured 26 year old Justin Barker of Villa Rica. Derrick Bailey was apprehended Friday at a motel in Douglasville after Carrollton police called the U.S. Marshall's office for assistance in their search. Police Captain Chris Dobbs says the Marshall's Office Southeast Regional Task Force did an excellent job locating Bailey and bringing him into custody hours after the call. Bailey is accused of firing a handgun multiple times outside a birthday party gathering at a warehouse site on Columbia Drive. Barker was shot once in the chest and remains hospitalized.

City of Douglasville City Council Meeting December 4, 2006

CITY OF DOUGLASVILLE CITY COUNCIL

Regular Meeting

December 4, 2006 7:30 p.m.

AGENDA

1. Call to Order

2. Invocation

3. Pledge of Allegiance

4. Minutes of previous regular meeting of November 20, 2006, executive session of November 16, 2006, and legislative session of November 16, 2006.

5. Consent Agenda:
Community & Economic Development Committee/John Schildroth
a. 21-06-46 - Appoint Dr. Robbie Pope to the City's Historic Preservation Commission to complete the unexpired three-year term of former member Joycie C. Wren, which extends through December 31, 2007.

Planning & Zoning Committee/Michael Carter
a. 22-06-99 - Refer to the City Zoning Board a proposed text change to the City's Zoning Code to add libraries and social service centers as accessory uses to a church, to add "church as an accessory use" to the zoning use chart, to limit the relocation of certain non-conforming signs pursuant to a road widening project, and to make other revisions for the purpose of consistency.

b. 22-06-100 - Cancel the public hearing on the City of Douglasville's possible implementation of impact fees scheduled for Monday, December 11, with a new date to be set later.

Parks & Recreation/Roy Mims
a. 23-06-37 - Authorize the Mayor to sign all documents necessary to finalize the City's purchase of two parcels of land adjacent to Davis Park, funded in part by a Land and Water Conservation grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

b. 23-06-38 - Authorize the Mayor to sign the Renewal Agreement with the Douglas County Board of Education and the City of Douglasville for calendar 2007 for the reciprocal use of recreational and/or school facilities.

Finance Committee/Henry Mitchell III
a. 24-06-36 - Accept the presentation by the actuarial firm of Mauldin & Jenkins concerning the June 30, 2006, City of Douglasville Financial Report and audit findings.

b. 24-06-37 - Authorize the City Finance Director to solicit Requests for Proposals from Certified Public Accountant firms for GASB 45 services for the City of Douglasville.

c. 24-06-38 - Adopt an ordinance to amend the City's General Fund budget, Sanitation Fund budget, Conference Center budget, Convention and Visitors Bureau budget, and Police Department Drug Fund budget for Fiscal Year 2006 - 2007.

Telecommunications Committee/Henry Mitchell III
a. 25-06-13 - Authorize the Mayor to sign a Deed to Landlord and Termination of Agreement and related documents with New Cingular Wireless PCS, accepting ownership of that company's fixtures located on the City's 806 radio communications tower site and terminating the parties' lease agreement due to merger of that company with another City tenant.

Personnel & Organization Committee/Roy Mims
a. 28-06-23 - Adopt a resolution authorizing the City's Human Resources Department and Finance Department to prepare and distribute one-time Christmas season payments to City employees.

b. 28-06-24 - Adopt a resolution to clarify the maximum amount per month the City of Douglasville will pay in calendar 2007 for health insurance and for dental insurance for current or retired City employees and elected officials, and for their dependent coverage.

Ordinances & Intergovernmental Committee/Callye B. Holmes
a. 29-06-14 - Adopt an ordinance to repeal City Code Section 14-26 regarding the duty of a proprietor of a pool room or bowling alley to prohibit underage patrons, to repeal Section 70-108 regarding the duty of a proprietor to clean sidewalks, to amend Section 74-2 regarding outdoor display of merchandise to conform to the existing requirements of the City Zoning Code, and to amend Section 4.07 of the City Development Code Ordinance to prohibit use of non-residential parking spaces for uses other than parking for permitted special outdoor events.

6. Public Safety Committee/Dennis McLain
a. 20-06-75 - Consider the request of the City of Douglasville's Legal Department to revoke, suspend, probate, or otherwise sanction all alcoholic beverage licenses of N & Y Investments, Inc., and Jyotsna Aksar DBA R & R Superette at 7714 West Bankhead Highway (West Broad Street) due to sale of alcoholic beverages to a minor in violation of the Douglasville Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance.

b. 20-06-77 - Consider the request of the City of Douglasville's Legal Department to revoke, suspend, probate, or otherwise sanction all alcoholic beverage licenses of Racetrac Petroleum, Inc. and Tibias Clements DBA Racetrac #636 at 656 Thornton Road due to sale of alcoholic beverages to a minor in violation of the Douglasville Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance.

c. 20-06-78 - Request for an alcohol beverage license for Taco Feliz, Inc., DBA Taco Feliz for a transfer of the license and a change in agent outlet manager for the on premises sale of wine and malt beverage at 5975 Fairburn Road. Application by Taco Feliz, Inc.

7. Community & Economic Development Committee/John Schildroth

8. Planning & Zoning Committee/Michael Carter

9. Parks & Recreation Committee/Roy Mims

10. Finance Committee/Henry Mitchell III

11. Telecommunications Committee/Henry Mitchell III

12. Maintenance & Sanitation Committee/Charles Banks

13. Transportation Committee/Michael Carter

14. Personnel & Organization Committee/Roy Mims

15. Ordinances & Intergovernmental Committee/Callye B. Holmes

16. Other Business

17. City Attorney/Joel Dodson

18. Assistant City Attorney/Suzan Littlefield

19. City Manager/Bill Osborne

20. Comments from Citizens and Delegates --PLEASE show up if you want to voice your opinions!

Found On Carrollton's B92.1 FM Website

A 15 hundred gallon spill is being reported by the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority this week. The spill reportedly occurred Monday between Anneewakee lifts stations number one and lift station number 2, impacting a portion of a tributary to the creek. Authority crews spent about six hours repairing an air release valve that apparently failed. Notices have been posted and state environmental officials have been notified. No further action or adverse effects are anticipated.