A proposal

from a local business to buy a parcel of city-owned property on Ga. Highway

74 to expand its parking lot has caught some people by surprise, including

some City Council members.

But council

will let the plan go through the planning commission review process before

determining whether or not to sell the property to Frank Cawood &

Associates.

In addition

to expanding its parking lot, FC&A wants to build and maintain a memorial

park on the property in honor of former Fire Chief Gerald Reed, a project

the city has yet to fund.

But City Planner

David Rast thinks there's too much parking lot and not enough park in

the plans submitted to the city by FC&A.

The property

is located at the intersection of Hwy. 74 and Paschall Road and is a major

entrance to the city's industrial park.

FC&A is

owned by Frank Cawood, who is also one of the directors and major stockholders

of Fayette Publishing Inc., the parent company of this newspaper.

FC&A's

park plan was originally to be discussed at last week's city council meeting,

but it was tabled at the request of company officials so they could meet

with city staff to discuss the plans. Council members indicated the plan

must go through the planning commission before they consider selling the

property.

Councilwoman

Annie McMenamin said the city has always told persons interested in the

property that it was not for sale.

"In my

opinion it would be highly inappropriate to sell this piece of property

to one person and not go out to bid," she said, adding that she didn't

mind looking at any design for the park, but she was concerned FC&A

was asking for approval of its plan.

"If somebody

comes up with a very attractive package [financially] and is very appealing

and does not degrade that corner, the council may be interested in that,"

McMenamin said.

Former city

clerk Frances Meaders questioned when the council decided to sell the

property.

"It's

a beautiful piece of land just sitting there looking green and perfect

and you're gonna have a memorial there. Is it because of money? Are you

trying to make money for something else? Why are we selling the piece

of property?"

Councilman

Steve Rapson said council has made no decision to sell the property. Mayor

Steve Brown said the city has only received "a proposal" from

FC&A on the matter and it would be referred to the planning commission.

"I don't

think the decision has been made which is part of the problem we're having,"

Rapson. "There's zoning problems, there's obviously bid problems

and it's also, 'Do we even want to sell the property to begin with?'"

Meaders asked

if the city has gotten an appraisal on the property, and Fire Chief Stony

Lohr said he had but he declined to reveal the value of the property since

it would compromise the bidding process if council decides in the future

to sell the property.

Brown abstained

from voting on the matter since he received a campaign contribution from

"one of the principals" of FC&A.

In a memo to

council, Lohr also noted that FC&A officials want to "provide

a substantial endowment for an educational fund for fire service personnel

and their families."

FC&A has

hired an architectural firm to refine its original concept plan, Lohr

said in the memo, which supported the FC&A proposal.

"This

is a highly unique and potentially beneficial action and I recommend that

council concur with the continuation of the feasibility study," Lohr

said.

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