by Janice Daniel
The Mayor and Council of the City of Villa Rica held their monthly work session on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the Holt-Bishop Justice Center, Municipal Courtroom, 101 Main Street, Villa Rica, with Mayor Pro Tem/Ward 4 Councilmember Anna McCoy absent, and Ward 1 Councilmember Shirley Marchman arriving late.
Interim City Manager/CFO Jennifer Hallman presented Parks and Recreation Director Tracie Ivey with a five year service recognition certificate. Hallman said it has been evident to everyone how the Parks and Recreation Department has flourished since Ivey became Director. She is great with people, a great leader and “We are proud to say she’s our parks and rec director – we hope for many years to come.”
The Consent Agenda was prepared as follows:
- Request by City Engineer Mark Teal for approval of a bid with Blount Construction Co., Inc. to replace a stormwater culvert on West Industrial Court. The $184,648.61 cost includes a 15% contingency, and allows for pavement repair as needed around the culvert. Teal said this is the last of the culverts that had to be repaired at Industrial Court. In response to a question from Ward 5 Councilmember, Danny Carter, Teal said the 15% contingency will be subtracted from the total bid if it is not needed. Carter also asked why they included $20,000 for traffic control, and Teal said that is because the road will have to remain open at all times as the repairs and replacement are done one side at a time, and the area will have to be covered with plates at night, so the construction crew will have to direct the traffic there. Cost will be covered by the LMIG Supplement and Stormwater Funds.
- FY25 Budget Amendments #174 through #180, presented by Interim Finance Director Amanda Long, were to transfer funds between projects at Gold Dust, to recognize an increase in revenue and costs in the Parks and Recreation Program, and to book a payment to Douglas County Animal Control from the Contingency Fund.
Mayor Leslie McPherson welcomed new Planning & Zoning Administrator Sean Myers who went over a variance request at 65 McCurdy Road, and a rezoning request for 15051 Veterans Memorial Highway, both of which will require a public hearing at the regular meeting on September 9th.
Other items discussed for the September 9th meeting were establishment of a Veterans Memorial Park, Commemoration of a new road to honor Louis Harris, and adoption of the FY25-26 Budget.
The livestream was cut off before the adjournment of the meeting.