It was a look behind and a look ahead for Tyrone Mayor Eric Dial as he delivered the 2014 State of the Town address at the Jan. 16 meeting of the Tyrone Town Council. Dial suggested that conditions that led to a successful 2013 are in place to make 2014 a time of increased opportunity.
Beginning with the year just ended, Dial said the town government’s pledges during 2013 included the battle to protect Tyrone Elementary School from closure.
“This time last year we were in the midst of a battle to protect Tyrone Elementary from closure and ways to minimize the impact of what turned out to be inevitable,” said Dial. “Though the school system made the unfortunate decision to close the school, we have spent the last few months in dozens of meetings discussing options on repurposing the building.”
Dial said the town was recently approved for a Community Choice Grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission. The grant will provide the town and county with technical assistance and project management as we move forward with this effort to repurpose the building, Dial said.
“I am confident that the school building will see a new occupant in 2014 and our town will recognize a positive impact,” said Dial.
Turning his remarks to the town’s infrastructure, Dial said Tyrone a year ago was coming to grips with the need for stormwater and infrastructure improvements that had been postponed during the height of the economic downturn.
“We have completed over 30 projects, some that you see and some that you don’t see, but all of which will improve the way our town looks and functions,” Dial said. “Roads were striped or resurfaced, sidewalks and cart paths were repaired or installed and sewer and drainage systems were maintained or created. We achieved all of this while protecting our taxpayers from an increase in taxes for the ninth year in a row. Few can make this claim.”
Tyrone in 2013 remained committed to promoting health and education, said Dial, noting the importance of maintaining that posture.
“Our recreation department sponsors over 30 classes a week, numerous camps, frequent holiday activities and, of course, our annual Founders’ Day celebration,” said Dial. “Our library continues to draw much attention with a circulation that averages approximately 7,500 a month and 800 special program participants.”
The council and I have the luxury of knowing that the business of this town is well taken care of and we extend our thanks to the staff for your hard work, Dial said of town employees.
“In what is arguably the most important function of any government, we remain vigilant in our dedication to maintaining a safe environment for our people to live, work and play,” Dial said.
In addressing law enforcement, Dial said the town in 2013 saw a 36 percent decrease in serious crimes such as burglary, theft and armed robbery.
“This comes at a time when many other jurisdictions are experiencing an increase in similar crimes,” he said. “We offer our gratitude to Chief (Brandon) Perkins, our hard-working police officers and our court staff for maintaining Tyrone’s reputation as one of the safest places in Georgia.”
Rounding out the past year, Dial said 2013 came with 35 new businesses and an increase of nearly 500 percent in new single-family homes.
Looking ahead, Dial suggested that 2014 will see new opportunities and continued improvement in the local economy.
“Economic recovery is in full swing and prosperity is right around the corner in Tyrone. We don’t take this for granted and we are grateful to the Lord for our situation,” said Dial. “One of His blessings comes in the form of Pinewood Studios and all of the small businesses and residents it promises to bring to Tyrone. While we remain open and inviting to these new businesses and residents, we know that due diligence must be done by making sure we responsibly manage the impact on our town.”
A part of that due diligence includes reviewing development standards.
“This is no time to be reactive. We must be proactive,” Dial said. “We will discuss and entertain prudent changes to our zoning ordinance with a keen eye turned to our development standards. We also have to assess our current infrastructure capabilities such as roads, paths and sewer to determine what changes need to be made going forward.”
Citing the examples of Ga. Highway 74 and the downtown corridor, Dial said planning commission members understand the history of Tyrone and have the technical knowledge to make wise, thoughtful recommendations.
Dial in his closing remarks said, “Hopefully you have recognized a common theme in what I have presented tonight. The theme is a commitment to responsible caretaking of the government you have entrusted to the (town council). We take this very seriously and plan to make every decision with your best interests in mind.”
