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Published Tuesday, January 13, 2009 in Local

Newnan looks for land for new police/municipal court complex

By Elizabeth Richardson

The Times-Herald

Newnan continues to move on building a new police/municipal court facility.

Mayor Keith Brady instructed city staff at Tuesday's city council meeting to begin crafting a Request for Proposal to hire an architect to construct the facility.

Council recently instructed city staff to proceed with identifying property for the new complex. Among the sites being considered is city property located behind the BP convenience store located at the intersection of Lower Fayetteville and Greison Trail. According to Brady, the property may not be feasible because two creeks run through it and it is heavily wooded.

City council recently accepted the findings of a needs assessment conducted by Pond & Company for a cost of $7,800. It proposes that the facility initially be 30,800 square feet -- with the option of expanding to 45,000 in 25 years -- and be constructed on 6.5 acres for a cost of $6.2 million for a slab foundation and $6.9 million for a basement foundation.

In other meeting business:

* Fred Blackwell, treasurer of the Newnan Carnegie Library Foundation board, presented council with a $500 donation for the restoration of the Andrew Carnegie portrait. Blackwell told council that he hopes to continue making donations to the Carnegie endeavors. He's also looking for community involvement in the foundation, or donations. For information about the NCLF, send e-mail inquiries to nclf@numail.org, or call Carol Burke at 770-251-5723. Membership starts at $25 per year, according to Burke.

Also at the meeting, council accepted a bid in the amount of $3,060 from the Atlanta Art Conservation Center to restore the Carnegie oil painting. The city will apply the NCLF's donation to the restoration bid.

Councilman Ray Dubose mentioned another portrait once displayed in the Carnegie building. Dubose expressed an interest in restoring it at some future point.

* Dubose informed council that he's been contacted by numerous citizens concerned about whether adult novelty stores could open in Newnan. Dubose suggested that city staff check the building ordinances and, if they needed to be "tightened" up, council could consider the issue at their retreat -- which is scheduled for Feb. 10 immediately following council's 2:30 p.m. meeting. City Manager Dick Bolin informed Dubose that the city is already looking into the matter.

* Councilman Bob Coggin expressed his desire to publicly commend the city staff and contracted workers who implemented the roundabout at the intersection of East Broad and Greison Trail, saying he mistakenly voted against the traffic calming device. "It has worked exceptionally well," he said.

* Cynthia Jenkins was re-elected mayor pro-tem. Also re-appointed were department heads, City Attorney Brad Sears and both municipal and magistrate court judges. The council reluctantly accepted the resignation of Rochelle Norred from the Downtown Development Authority and the Carnegie Library board after her many years of service.

* Council adopted the 2009 fiscal year budget.

* Special alcohol permits were granted for the Major Long House on LaGrange Street and the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society facility at the old train depot on East Broad Street. Council also granted an alcohol beverage license transfer for Pizza Hut because of a change in ownership.

* Four quitclaim deeds were approved releasing the city and Newnan Utilities' interest in areas specified for the planned widening of Millard Farmer Industrial Boulevard.

* A resolution was approved setting qualifying fees for the Nov. 3, 2009, general election. Also approved was a resolution adopting the 2009 pay plan.

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