CITING A BUDGET CRUNCH AND LIABILITY ISSUES , THE THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO DISCONTINUE THE MAIN STREET PROGRAM AND ELIMINATE THE DOWNTOWN DIRECTOR AT A CALLED MEETING MONDAY.A PROGRAM WITH A $53,000 ANNUAL BUDGET. A ROOM FULL OF SUPPORTERS INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE DOWNTOWN THOMASTON BUSINESS ASSOCIATION EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE MOVE. CITY MANAGER PATRICK COMISKEY , WHO MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL , SAID CITY HALL HAS BEEN WORKING WITH ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE FOR THE PAST DECADE. DTBA PRESIDENT BARBARA HOLLOWAY TOLD THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL DOWNTOWN DIRECTOR SYLVIA CHAPMAN WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE A PAY CUT TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING, AND CLOSING IT WOULD BE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE. WITHOUT A DIRECTOR SHE QUESTIONED HOW THE DTBA COULD FUNCTION . COUNCIL MEMBER PATSY PERDUE HELD UP A COPY OF THE NEW STATE GUIDELINES FOR MAIN STREET CITIES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND CALLED IT AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. AND COUNCIL MENTIONED THE PROGRAM CREATES LIABILITY PROBLEMS, CITY HALL GOT CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE WHEN THE DTBA WAS SUED SEVERAL YEARS AGO OVER A BUSINESS DONATION. AMONG OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS SPEAKING FOR CONTINUING THE PROGRAM, GARY SELF, ELENE COOK AND KAY ROBINSON. COUNCILMAN WALLACE RHODES CALLED COUNCIL THE STEWERDS OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY AND CUTS NEED TO BE MADE IN THE BUDGET, OR A TAX INCREASE COULD RESULT. MAYOR HAYS ARNOLD TOLD THE GROUP,”WE ARE IN DIFFICULT TIMES AND CURRENT TRENDS ARE NOT PROMISING.” DIRECTOR SYLVIA CHAPMAN HAS BEEN OFFERED ANOTHER POSITION , AS A GUARD AT THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT OFF VETERANS DRIVE. PRESIDENT HOLLOWAY TOLD TGA NEWS SHE WAS THE BEST DIRECTOR DTBA EVER HAD.
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