Just when

you thought it was safe to go back to Senoia City Council

meetings, the old subject of Rockhouse Road resurfaced

Monday night.

This time,

residents learned the city may have to pay up to $40,000

to have the road realigned.

Mayor Joan

Trammell, who was visibly mad over the news, told the

residents the distressing news.

"This

is a clean-up project," she said.

The mayor

showed the residents a thick book that contained all the

discussions concerning the road over the last three

years. Originally, the city was not supposed to

contribute any amount to realigning the road and making

it safer.

But

Trammell said a vote by the City Council in October 1996

left the door open for the city to have to pay for the

road and now the bill is coming due since the state

Department of Transportation has issued a contract for

construction.

"You

only have to travel out there to see how congested it is.

This is a safety issue," she said.

John

Meiller, who developed a small shopping center at the

intersection of Rockhouse Road and Ga. Highway 16, has

committed $10,000 toward realigning the road.

"He's

hired a lawyer to tell us that he only committed to

$10,000," Trammell said.

The road

has been discussed in minute detail for the last three

years. When it was announced the road would align with

the entrance to the Cumberland subdivision instead of

Howard Road, Cumberland residents petitioned the city to

change its mind.

But

Trammell stuck with the DOT's recommendation and left the

road aligning with Cumberland. Now, the city faces an

unexpected expenditure in getting the road fixed for

safety purposes.

The council

voted to spend the funds, but all hoped the actual costs

would come in significantly lower.

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