Sunday, August 11, 2024–4:55 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
The Rome City Commission is expected to discuss the location of a new water treatment facility when they meet Monday night.
The Rome Water and Sewer Committee is recommending that the new reverse osmosis water treatment facility be located on Riverside Parkway, with a price tag of up to $200 million, but will the recommendation have enough votes to pass the full Rome City Commission?
Rome Mayor Craig McDaniel, who is just one vote on the commission, prefers the Riverside Parkway location.
“You’ve got some commissioners, I think, who want to put it up on top of the hill up there where our public works is,” he said. “I do not want to spend another 30, 40, or $50 million to put it somewhere where it doesn’t need to be. I think that’s a tremendous waste of tax money
Water and Sewer Division Director John Boyd told the water and sewer committee that whatever decision is made, it needs to be made sooner rather than later because there is a deadline of 2029 before new water quality standards go into effect.
Commissioners to consider Unity Point contract
The Rome City Commission is expected to consider a bid award with Tri-Scapes LLC for work on the Unity Point Project when they meet on Monday.
Unity Point at the confluence of the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers is slowly crumbling into the water due mostly to up and down river flow.
Funding was included in the 2013 special purpose sales tax for the project with the low bid coming in at $1,388,538.
Small Bar ordinance back before the commission
Also Monday, City commissioners will consider adoption of a small bar ordinance that would allow smaller establishments to sell liquor without having to meet Rome’s 50-50 food-to-drink ratio with restrictions. For example:
The bar would also have to close by 11 p.m. instead of 2 a.m. for regular pouring establishments. Small bars would also be prohibited from pouring off premises, and any type of admission fee would be prohibited with the Alcohol Control Commission having to approve any type of entertainment. Small bars would only be permitted in the Central Business Commercial and Urban Mixed Use zoning districts.
There would also be a lower license fee for small bars, according to Rome City Clerk Joe Smith.
“The Alcohol Control Commission recommended that instead of the $2,500 base fee, it would be $2,000,” he said. “Liquor, including the small bar, would still be a volume base system with a base fee, so much per liter after that, to a maximum of $5,000.”
Last year, similar ordinances were voted down by a split vote.