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Stone Mountain moves forward on $492,000 Sexton Drive repair project, plans in-person meetings next month

Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain moves forward on $492,000 Sexton Drive repair project, plans in-person meetings next month

Sexton Drive. Image obtained via Google Maps
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Stone Mountain, GA — The Stone Mountain City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to spend $492,000 on repairs to Sexton Drive. Mayor Patricia Wheeler also announced plans to return to in-person meetings in March.

The council accepted the $492,000 bid for the Sexton Drive repair project presented by Multiplex LLC, a Duluth-based general contractor. The project includes roadway repairs, removing existing storm drain pipes, installing new pipes and a storm inlet structure, and installing new curbs, a retaining wall and concrete swales.

“This is one that’s very important,” Wheeler said.

“It’s been an ongoing issue that probably wouldn’t have gotten accomplished outside the implementation of SPLOST,” added City Manager ChaQuias Thornton.

No timeline was set yet for the start or completion of the project.

COVID-19 safety upgrades to the city’s courthouse will allow the city council and staff to return to in-person meetings starting with the March work session, Wheeler announced.

“Most of the other cities have gone back live,” she said.

The general public will continue to be limited to online meetings.

“At least we can get started back in March and see how it works and see if the COVID slows down some by April or May and we can possibly move back to having a live audience at the council meetings,” Wheeler said.

Councilmember Gina Cox requested that audio enhancements be made for the online meetings.

“I do think that the Zoom has its benefits but it’s hard,” she said. “I was sitting home one day and I could hardly hear.”

The council also discussed allowing Druid Hills Youth Sports to use McCurdy Park for baseball. The park will need to be modified to allow the move, according to Thornton.

“It has to be a council-approved plan,” she said. “We just need some direction so that we can make some headway on getting some of these improvements accomplished.”

The council also approved a request for $7,200 in city funding for the Tech-Connect for Seniors program proposed by Faith Works in Action, a Stone Mountain-based non-profit. The program will provide tablets and internet access to 30 seniors in the city, according to Thornton.

“You have so many seniors living alone and this will definitely make a difference,” Councilmember Shawnette Bryant said.

Councilmember Diane Roe Hollis was the only no vote on the proposal.

“There are so many corporations out there with money that they want to spend on things like this and they would be glad to,” she said. “All they really want to do is be contacted.”

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