Mayor Johnny Medley and Attapulgus City Council members discussed and prepared for a rabies clinic that was held Monday at the fire station on North Main Street.

The Dog Control Ordinance requires dogs to be vaccinated for rabies as well as registered with the city annually. Registration and vaccination is required no later than Jan. 31.

Additional items that where covered at the city council meeting held on Jan. 19 included the review of the minutes for both the December meeting and the called meeting on Jan. 13, which was for the purpose of the council to decide upon submitting a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to secure funds to erect a new water tower.

The council unanimously agreed to submit the application and will, with the help of the Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center, will be requesting the grant for the funds.

City Clerk Rene Boyett updated the council on an ad for “Request for Qualifications Engineering Services,” which was submitted to The Post-Searchlight, which ran on Jan. 16.

New business included discussion on the additional help the City of Attapulgus Fire Department could receive from the county, which would include one paid firefighter and two M8 assistants that would be in place at the City of Attaplugus Fire Department on weekdays during business hours.

This additional help could be in place around the first to mid-March, according to County Chief Charlie McCann. Attapulgus is one of three areas to receive a proposal for assistance from the county for the additional manpower.

 Construction of the public bathroom on the playground has begun and is being done by the county.

 The council members set a work date of Jan. 26 in order to allow the members of the council, along with Spooner and Brown, to serve as a planning session to decide upon the use of the SPLOST III funds.

Other business

Business in progress included discussion on the following areas:

 All accounting reports where reviewed and accepted by the council;

 All standing committees where given a chance to report on any items, but none where given;

 Court reports, customer concerns for December 2009 and the gasoline use reports where submitted and accepted;

 Public Safety Officer James Earl Spooner submitted his report for calls for service, and he reported he had responded to 21 calls over the past month;

 Georgia Department of Community Affairs review of the financial report for fiscal year ending April 30, 2009, has been reviewed by the City of Attaplugus accountant and all figures have been confirmed;

 Billy Brown reported on the progress of the Wood Street drainage project and said it is approximately three-quarters complete. There was an inspection scheduled for Jan. 21, and after the inspection with the cooperation of the weather they should be able to complete this project within a few days time;

 Adoption of the 2008-2009 audit was accepted by the council, there where no infractions to report;

 Utility Bill Ordinance 12-109 was discussed as it has been submitted to the city’s attorney to be re-written with the appropriate language to address concerns of the payment of the water and garbage fees in both residential and commercial properties within the city limits. More discussion and changes will be required because the council will not accept it at this time and review at next month’s meeting.

 The clean-up committee will meet and tour the city again in the upcoming weeks to check on areas of concern and to identify any new areas of concern.

The City Council meeting for February was set for the 23rd at 5:30 p.m.