GAINESVILLE - Gainesville City Council Thursday expressed support for an easing of water restrictions from Gov. Sonny Perdue - two weeks after the city's public utilities director gave the green light for outdoor water use under the state's revised guidelines.
City Utilities Director Kelly Randall told the council Thursday Gainesville is still under the state-mandated 10 percent water use reduction and this does not open the door for outdoor water use like it used to be.
"It just opened up the door to be able to water for 25 minutes plantings and to allow us to continue to plant some trees and restore our yards where they need it," Randall said.
He told AccessNorthGa.com Feb. 14 that it was OK for city water customers to begin limited outdoor water use and to begin filling and/or topping off swimming pools under the guidelines announced a few days earlier by Perdue and state Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch.
Randall said the city is meeting the state mandate and he does not expect Gainesville's water customers to return to their pre-drought habits.
"We haven't seen any change in our water use," Randall added. "This month our average is about 15.3 million gallons a day; this month last year the average was about 17.4 million gallons a day."
Randall said Gainesville is saving just over 2 million gallons of water a day and believes water customers have really changed their habits.
Randall added the city would continue to monitor water use, especially with warm weather months coming up.
GREENWAY CONTRACTS
Gainesville Parks and Recreation Director Melvin Cooper told City Council he hopes to get project bids in soon for the completion of the Rock Creek Greenway project.
When complete by year's end, pedestrians can walk from Longwood Park on Lake Lanier to Rock Creek Park downtown with completion of Phase Three, the Ivey Terrace section.
Cooper said $300,000 of the $395,000 project cost comes from federal funds distributed by the state Department of Transportation.
GATEWAY MONEY
Centennial Gateway Initiative project members from the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce asked Gainesville City Council for support.
The five year project is aimed at landscaping all the Hall County interstate exits; Chamber Chairwoman Denise Deal said she wants all the cities along the four lane to help out.
The Chamber asked for $30,000 for three years from Gainesville; Hall County commissioners already agreed to contribute that amount.
MORE INCUBATOR MONEY
Gainesville's Manufacturing Development Center Incubator in the Featherbone Center needs a $200,000 funding extension, according to Center officials who appeared before City Council.
Lanier Tech's Russel Vandiver told Council the center needs that extension to support graduating the first developing industry.
City Council committed $50,000 for three years; the Development Center needs $50,000 for an additional four years.
Thursday
October 17th, 2024
9:24AM
