BOE Chairs’ response favorable to Mayor’s request for discussion

by Benita Fuzzell

Following the first reading of an ordinance increasing water rates in the city of Fulton and the surrounding water district, heard at the previous Fulton City Commission meeting, City Manager Mike Gunn reported he found errors in the first draft, which he determined should be corrected.

Instead of a second reading of the ordinance at Monday night’s regular commission session, Mayor David Prater, Commissioners Martha Vowell, Elaine Forrester, Darcy Linn and Jeff Vaughn heard a revised first reading of the ordinance, with a special called session for the second reading set for March 26 at 8 a.m. at Fulton City Hall.

Gunn said the error involved numbers per gallon, in the original draft.

Mayor Prater, during his comments, updated the officials regarding the Meadowview drainage and flooding issues, stating he had once again been in contact with parties involved and should have more to report at the next meeting.

Fulton citizen Donna Hacker asked if the Mayor was aware of a new sink hole which had developed on the property of James Butts in the Meadowview neighborhood and Mayor Prater said he was aware of a sink hole at one time on the property, but not in the most recent area referenced. He asked City Manager Gunn to arrange for city crews to haul dirt to the site to fill in the holes.

Mayor Prater asked Tommy Rogers, another resident of the Meadowview neighborhood, if he had also noticed a sink hole in his yard and he said there was one which had developed in the front yard of his property.

In reference to requests by a number of citizens present for the previous regular commission session, Mayor Prater reported he had been in touch with Fulton Independent School Board Chairman Debbie Vaughn, as well as Fulton County School Board Chairman Rob Garrigan, and both of them had indicated they were receptive to sit down together with city officials and discuss the future of the two school systems. He said he would get back with each of the Board chairs and make an attempt to schedule a date for that meeting.

Mrs. Hacker asked if Mayor Prater could determine whether that meeting could be scheduled within the next couple of weeks and Mayor Prater said that would depend on the board’s schedules as well as the commission’s schedule.

Commissioner Jeff Vaughn asked the group of citizens present for the March 25 meeting whether any of them currently had students in the Fulton Independent system, noting that the group seemed to be “pushing for the betterment of the students.”

While no one in the group indicated they had students who were enrolled in the FIS district at this time, Mrs. Hacker said at one time she had three children who were enrolled in the system.

During the portion of the meeting designated for Remarks and Requests From Visitors, Mayor Prater asked if any citizens in the audience wanted to address the commission, however Dr. Bill Smith stated the group was “here to show support.”

When asked by Mayor Prater as to what, specifically, the group was present to support Dr. Smith responded that their purpose for attendance was in regard to the Fulton Independent School System and that efforts were being made to dig more into the basis of fact and law regarding the system, as it relates to city government..