Pine Grove Road in Arnoldsville may be paved, but it might also need waterline work.
Arnoldsville council member Blake Arnold introduced a motion last Thursday to explore adding waterline upgrades and a new fire hydrant to the Pine Grove Road paving project. Council member Lillian Sanders seconded, and the motion unanimously passed.
The meeting was held prior to the regularly scheduled city council meeting.
Five Pine Grove Road residents attended the meeting, two of whom supported the project. One opposed it and two remained indifferent. Pine Grove Road is the only unpaved street within city limits.
“We see the benefit and the detriment to both sides,” said Stags Oristaglio, a resident of Pine Grove Road. “Whether or not it gets paved, we’d be happy either way.”
Concerns raised included dust, speeding, increased traffic and mud.
“You can feel the dirt falling in your face,” said Judy Haynes, who lives on Pine Grove Road.
Last week, residents set up cameras to track the amount of traffic on the residential road. Across approximately eight hours, nearly 35-50 individual vehicles were spotted traveling the stretch, which has less than 10 households.
Council member and volunteer firefighter Douglas Cosby is an advocate for having the road paved, citing easier access for fire trucks.
The most pressing issue, however, was the potential impact on the road’s waterline, which would need to be moved and possibly replaced prior to the proposed paving.
“If you’ve got to move it, you’ve got to improve it,” Morcom said.
Nine years ago, Oglethorpe County and Arnoldsville split the cost for a drainage pipe on the road to minimize flooding. Residents now say that the culvert needs to be serviced and water pressure is impacted.
The lowest bid for the paving portion was $75,381.40 and will be funded by Oglethorpe County’s TSPLOST, which must be used by the end of 2026. The price tag for the waterline replacement has yet to be mentioned, but the council plans to gather quotes, and the city will pick up the cost.
Also at the meeting, the council heard that the Arnoldsville Fire Department responded to two structure fires in the past month, both total losses, and received nearly $20,000 worth of donated gear following a visit to the Muddy Brook Fire Department in Woodstock, Connecticut.
Crawford
The Crawford City Council approved a pay raise for the mayor and the council, beginning in January 2026.
Council member Sandra Sheridan made a motion during its Aug. 12 meeting to increase the mayor’s pay from $25 a month to $100 a month, plus $25 per meeting if held. Council pay will increase from $25 per meeting to $50 per meeting.
The city is also moving forward with a change of zoning contractors. A new agreement was proposed, bringing on Bureau Veritas to replace Tim Shelnutt.
The motion passed on a 4-1 vote, with Brenda Butler, Kathy Little, Carol McGrath and Johnny Shedd in favor, and Sheridan opposed.
Lexington
Mayor Ronnie Boggs presented the city’s final Master Plan, now including a market analysis. Discussion was tabled in a 3-0 vote so the council could review the new figures further.
The Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST) intergovernmental agreement was passed with a 2-1 majority, with Jennifer Whitlock and Cory Crayton voting yes and Jill Severn voting no.
The council also discussed brush and tree limb removal on Church Street and Boggs Street. Boggs requested contractor contacts from the public.
The council also agreed to move forward with legal action regarding the damaged historic sign at Highway 78 and Dupree Street, which was hit by a driver in February 2024.
Whitlock presented an updated version of the city’s water service application form, raising non-sufficient fund fees to $30.
A work session date dedicated to discussing water rates is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 4.
Maxeys
Maxeys has caught up on overdue state finance reports and audits dating to 2019.
The delays stripped the city of its Qualified Local Government status, meaning it could not request state or federal grants. The successful filing will allow the city to apply for grant funding for projects.
The council will discuss a new city purchasing policy and the 2026 budget at its next meeting, set for 7 p.m. Sept. 9.