Commissioner Brown seeks halt to state widening of McDonough Road
The Fayette County Commission on May 10 will take up issues that include a proposed residential rezoning on Ebenezer Road, a request to ask the Ga. Department of Transportation (DOT) to withdraw funds for the widening of McDonough Road and a discussion on the county administrator’s use of county vehicles.
The commission will conduct two public hearings on requests to rezone a total of 39 acres fronting Ebenezer Road and Davis Road from agricultural-residential to a residential designation with 17 lots.
The rezoning was first proposed in July 2016 and was voted down on a 2-3, with commissioners Chuck Oddo and Charles Rousseau in favor of the approval and commissioners Steve Brown, Randy Ognio and David Barlow opposed.
Commissioners will also consider a resolution, requested by Brown, concerning the road widening project for McDonough Road that was tabled on March 22.
The resolution asked that (DOT) withdraw plans for the widening project, given that it would increase traffic flow from Interstate 75 and would create traffic issues, including having a negative impact on downtown Fayetteville. The resolution asked that the funding for the project be allocated for projects such as the Interstate 85/Ga. Highway 74 interchange.
In new business, the board will discuss an item brought by Brown concerning County Administrator Steve Rapson’s use of county vehicles, a 2016 traffic accident in which he was involved and the actions he took without a vote by the board.
A March 3, 2016 letter from Rapson to the Vehicle Accident Review Committee indicated that he subjected himself to the customary penalty, a four-day suspension, as a result of the traffic accident, though his job position did not fall within county policy.
County documents note that Rapson notified then-Chairman Chuck Oddo, Vice Chairman Randy Ognio and others, but not the full board. Brown maintains that all commissioners should have been notified of the accident.
