City, County Have Differing Views On Transportation Plan

From today’s Sentinel:

City, BOC to work on differences over 25-year transporation plan

By Bobby Moore
Staff Writer

The Douglasville City Council Monday unanimously passed a resolution opposing the draft of the Douglas County Transportation Plan presented in a June 26 public hearing at the Douglas County Courthouse but also announced a meeting with the county to work on a resolution of the city’s complaints.

The 25-year plan, presented at a June 26 public hearing at the Douglas County Courthouse, is a blueprint for county wide transportation development for the next quarter century. The plan looks at current and future needs based on projected growth in Douglas County, including the cities of Douglasville, Austell and Villa Rica.

Wilbur Smith Associates is the agency preparing the plan with Steve Brown as project manager.

According to the resolution, city officials feel city road projects outside of Interstate 20 interchanges were either given low priority or not listed at all in the proposed plan.

City Manager Bill Osborne said Monday city officials and the City Council will meet with county officials and the Board of Commissioners Monday, July 28, to work on possible solutions to the city’s complaints.

If a compromise between the county and city is not reached by early August, Osborne said the city may pursue having its own transportation plan constructed by an outside firm.

In other business, the council granted a 7.5 percent adjustment to Waste Industries for commercial front-load waste collection services in the city. The increase will help cover the rising cost of diesel fuel.

The council accepted by a 5-1 vote a recycling trailer, portable bins and promotional materials from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) as part of an Away-from-Home turn-key recycling grant.

The lone opposing vote was cast by Councilor Callye B. Holmes.

There was some debate over accepting the grant prior to Monday’s meeting because all artwork options for the trailer depict people sporting pro-recycling tattoos.