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Larry Stanford

Editor

When the Thomaston-Upson Industrial Development Authority (TUIDA) held its first meeting Monday afternoon, four new members were sworn in. Upson County Chairman Rusty Blackston and Steve Daniels will represent Upson County on the board, while Scott Blackston and Frank King will represent the City of Thomaston.

Blackston was appointed by the Thomaston City Council at their last meeting in 2012, while King was appointed at their first meeting in 2013 on Jan. 15. Mayor Hays Arnold, who also serves on the TUIDA board, stated that the appointment of King, a retired educator, along with the appointment of Daniel, the Provost at Southern Crescent Technical College, will be a boon to the IDA.

“Throughout the 10 years that I have served with the IDA, there has always been some issue that has arisen about education, it is pretty constant,” said Arnold. “With Mr. Daniel and now with Mr. King, we have individuals there who can answer not only the technical education side of things and discuss those things intelligently, but also on the secondary level. So we’re extremely pleased to have that addition. “

Council member Jim Richards made a motion to appoint Frank King to the TUIDA board. Council member Patsy Perdue seconded the motion and it was approved 4-0. Council member Gary Atwater was absent from the meeting.

In other city business, the council approved a resolution and contract for the intergovernmental participation among members of the Electric Cities of Georgia, which Thomaston is a member of. Mayor Arnold thanked City Manager Patrick Comiskey for representing the city with the organization.

“My thanks to Mr. Comiskey for the work that he does in working with Electric Cities on these issues.,” said the mayor. “They are myriad and they are complicated. He does a great job in protecting and looking out for us.”

Council member Patsy Perdue made a motion to approve the resolution and contract. Mayor Pro Tem Doug Head seconded the motion and it was approved 4-0.

The council also approved budget revision number 2 for the 2012 budget. Comiskey explained that the revision was moving funds between line items in the General Fund without increasing the General Fund.

Council member Jim Richards made a motion to approve the budget revision. Council member Wallace Rhodes seconded the motion and it was approved, 4-0.

The final action of the council was the approval for the city to purchase a Grasshopper mower and collector. Comiskey recommended that the city purchase the mower under the state contract price from Thomaston Hardware for $13,321.

Council member Wallace Rhodes stated he was happy the city is in the position where it can make that kind of purchase.

“I think we are outsiders looking in with two recommendations, and we haven’t been led astray many times in regards to purchases,” said Rhodes. “Most of them are in our best interest, so I’ll make a motion, based on this recommendation, that we buy the Grasshopper mower. “

Council member Jim Richards seconded the motion and it was approved 4-0.