Davis, who has previously contributed sculptures of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy and “Gone With the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell, was chosen by the Generals Griffin to construct the statue that will one day stand on Hill St.
Tuesday night’s meeting also saw the city pass several environmental laws, on first reading, meant to bring the city into compliance with the state Environmental Protection Division. The board also discussed its electricity-purchasing options and passed an ordinance regulating pawnshops and scrap metal dealers on its second reading.
The evening meeting began with the introduction of Davis, an artist from McDonough chosen by the Generals Griffin to construct the statue that will one day stand on Hill St. Davis sculpted the image of Chick-fil-A’s Cathy that sits outside the Griffin Truett’s Grill on the North Expressway, as well as one of Mitchell on display at the Atlanta Historical Center and the Atlanta 9/11 monument.
Davis said he plans ”to document as the sculpture is being created,” on a daily Web site so contributors can actually see their money being put to use.
The city also passed on first reading a post-construction stormwater management ordinance that would require builders to post bonds guaranteeing maintenance of their retention bonds and an illicit discharge ordinance that would increase penalties for illegal dumping of toxic substances like engine oil or antifreeze into storm drains. The passage of both these measures was a condition of renewing the city’s MS4 NPDES 2008 permit, which permits the city to issue building permits.
The commissioners also passed a measure that would supply more accurate city maps in order to update the maps of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which Commissioner Dick Morrow said were outdated and inaccurate.
During Tuesday’s morning meeting, city commissioners discussed potential ways of meeting Griffin’s future energy needs. One possibility was buying additional peaking power, which is electricity generated from natural-gas facilities that can be turned on and off at need, from a plant in Thomaston, while Director of Electric Hugo Hodge suggested a different plan.
“We’re looking at getting 10 megawatts (from the Thomaston plant),” said Hodge. However, another city has expressed interest in selling surplus electricity from its baseline grid, power generated using nuclear and coal plants that cannot be easily turned off and on, which would enable Griffin to devote other resources to cover peaking power
“Right now I’m doing analysis to determine which resource would better serve our needs,” Hodge said. “They both have pros and cons.”
Hodge said buying power from another city would cost less to generate the energy, but takes longer to come online, while buying peak power from Thomaston costs more to generate, but will come online immediately.
Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, which controls the Thomaston plant, wants a decision by the end of October.
During the evening meeting, the commissioners passed a revised ordinance designed to regulate scrap-metal dealers and pawnshops in order to reduce metal theft in Spalding County during a second and final reading. The ordinance would require pawnshops and scrap-metal dealers to collect fingerprints and driver’s license or Social Security number and photograph those bringing used or previously owned goods for sale and report daily sales.
Both plans would go into effect in 2009, when the city’s electricity surplus is projected to run out. Hodge hopes to have a power contract on the agenda by the first meeting in October.
City commissioners will meet next on Oct. 9.
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