Oct. 8--CORDELE -- Prompted by a citizen's question, City Commissioners here admitted Tuesday night that they really don't have a vision for improving the appearance of the Gillespie-Selden area of the city. Commissioner A. J. Rivers said he is more concerned with improving the human situation on the westside than the appearance of the area. "We should worry first about reducing the poverty, crime and high school dropout rates," he said. Chairman Zack Wade said the Board is concerned with the health, welfare and safety of all of Cordele; however, making specific improvements in certain areas of town requires money, and "money is in short supply right now," the chairman added. The city had applied for grant funding to help residents of the westside rehabilitate their homes. That funding was not approved, but another similar application can be submitted in 2010. Molly Thomas, speaking on behalf of Katricia Williams, asked if there are other grant opportunities. City Manager Jean Burnette said she would look into that possibility. Wade told Mrs. Thomas that city officials would be happy to listen to any suggestions that citizens have. Residents of the O'Neal area of town banded together, he said, brought a proposal to the city for a local historic district designation, and they got what they wanted for their neighborhood. For the past few years, Commissioner Jimmy Black said, "our biggest focus has been creating jobs. While we've done that, housing has gone downhill." He also suggested that residents of the westside should propose a plan for improving their neighborhoods. Mrs. Thomas concluded her remarks with the statement, "citizens depend upon their leaders for vision and direction. We beg you for vision." For the third consecutive year, Commissioners adopted a tax millage rate of 10.995. They learned that the county's hotel/motel tax rate will be increased to 5% Jan. 1, 2010. Hoteliers agreed to the increase provided they can have three additional representatives sitting on the Tourism Board. This will bring the total number of board members to 12. A portion of the tax increase will be used to help fund activities at Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park and SAM Shortline. Also, during the Tuesday meeting, Kay Hagler with River Valley Regional Commission presented city officials with an oversized check for $486,000. This check represents stimulus funds that were awarded to Cordele for rehabilitation of a sewer trunk line. Representatives of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce Monica Simmons, Billy Cannon and Greg Turton reported on recent activities of the Chamber. With Simmons and Cannon looking on, Wade signed a proclamation for Red Ribbon Week. In other activity, Commissioners: --Accepted a bid from Pride Utility Construction Co. of Chestnut Mountain, GA to extend the gas main and provide a metering station for the Owens Corning plant project. That bid came in at $188,305 which is almost $100,000 less than the original estimated cost of the project. --Accepted an $80,000 grant that will help defray the cost of a street sweeper. --Agreed to sponsor miniature golf during the Thomas the Tank Engine event at the Veterans Park at a cost of $500 to $600.

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