Agnes Hagin

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Rockmart’s city council adopted the proposed FY 2014 $9 million budget during its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 10.

Final changes to the general fund budget increased the total from $4,711,554 to $4,774,501. The water/sewer budget totals $4,307,614

The budget includes an increase for the Rockmart Library from $67,000 to $73,543. Additional funds - from $2,000 to $7,000 – were added to purchase books.
The new budget reflects a pay raise for city staff, which will be phased in at one and one-half percent in October and again in April 2014.

The document also includes funds for signage in front of the Rockmart Municipal Complex, located on North Piedmont Avenue; seasonal banners and the of upgrading holiday lights, $20,000; Polk County Drug Task Force, $10,000; equipment and improvements at the Rockmart Fire Department, $25,000 and street and/or road repair, $100,000.

Other budget highlights include water line improvements to Callaway Estates (cost determined by low bid process); equipment upgrades at the water plant, $25,000; and waste treatment plant improvements, $28,000; funds for two police vehicles, $20,000 each, and a recreation truck, $10,000.

During the June meeting, council members also heard a request from Roe D. Bowman to close the old Goodyear sidewalk.

Bowman said the sidewalk, which runs from Wingfoot Street to Goodyear Avenue, is in need of repair.
Mayor Steve Miller suggested sending a letter of information to property owners adjacent to the sidewalk explaining the process and anticipated costs. A survey will also be conducted to determine utility locations.

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After a year off due to the Olympic games in London last summer, Cedartown’s 5K wheelchair race is back.
The 2013 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation World Championship 5K Road Race will take place Monday, July 1.
Several races are planned including a 6:30 p.m. Kids’ Fun Run. The women and quadriplegic division race will begin at 7 p.m. and the men’s open race will start at 7:30 p.m.
There is no charge to participate in the fun run and there is no charge to watch and cheer on the racers, in fact, the louder the cheering, the better, says event organizer Dave Grove.
Grove, who has organized this event with Cedartown’s own world-class wheelchair champion racer Krige Schabort for 14 years, encourages Polk County residents to be a part of the action.
“This is an always exciting event and doubly so this year because we didn’t have it last year,” Grove said. “I never imagined in 1999, when we started this, that this would turn into some-thing like this. It never ceases to amaze me in regard to the athletes that it attracts to our hometown and the amount of people that come out, line the streets, and cheer them on.”
Grove said there are 36 athletes slated to participate in this year’s race, some coming from as far away as Australia and Barcelona.
Schabort is scheduled to race in the event as well.
The racecourse, as in years before, will begin at just past Girard Ave-nue, travel down College Street, loop around Lakeside Drive and George West Road and then continue around Springdale (Mundy’s) Lake and end back at Peek Park.
Because of the race, many city streets and avenues will be closed.
From 6:15 p.m. until 8:15 p.m., Peek Forest Park will be closed, as will College Street be-tween Girard Avenue and Jule Peek Avenue. The intersections of Martha Lane and College Street, and Columbia and Col-lege Street will be closed.
From 6:45 p.m. until 8:15 p.m., College Street from Girard Avenue to College Circle will be closed. College Circle from College Street will be closed, and John Hand Road from College Circle to John Phillips Road will be shut down.
Lakeview Drive from John Hand Road to John Phillips Road from John Hand Road to Main Street will be closed.
All of Lakeside Drive from John Phillips Road to College Street will be closed, as will Ellen Hand Circle and Wiley Drive.
All of George West Road will be shut down, Marshall Street from George West Road to Lakeside Drive and Martha Lane will be closed.
Vehicles wishing to travel east or west between Cave Spring Road and Main Street near the racecourse are encouraged to use Girard Avenue or Cherokee Road.