Thursday, July 6, 2023–7:52 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
The Cave Spring City Council is set to vote on an ordinance regarding the transition to a city manager form of government during their next regular meeting on July 11.
Local legislation was passed during the last session of the Georgia General Assembly and then signed by Governor Brian Kemp, which changes the Cave Spring City Charter, allowing for the hiring of a city manager.
According to Mayor Rob Ware, a transition ordinance is being drafted by City Attorney Frank Beacham.
“Basically it is about how we get from July and the implementation of the new city charter until the time my term ends at the end of December,” Ware said. “After December 31, the mayorship in Cave Spring goes away.”
According to the job description, the city manager will be responsible for the overall administration of city government, including personnel, budgets, purchasing, grants, and pensions.
Cave Spring currently has five elected council members and an elected mayor, which is a part-time position. Under the previous charter, the mayor was the chief administrator.
12 people applied for the city manager’s job, and that list has been narrowed down. Interviews with the remaining candidates are scheduled for July 17 and July 18. The plan is to name a city manager by the end of the month.
The council still has to vote on some of the particulars of the contract that will be offered to the finalist, when he or she is selected. The city attorney is also drafting a contract which is also expected to be presented to the council for a vote at their next meeting.
Cave Spring to seek bids from lease agents for former elementary school
The Cave Spring City Council is considering issuing a Request for Proposals from qualified firms to handle the leasing of space at the former Cave Spring Elementary School.
The Floyd County Board of Education voted in 2021 to close the school, citing declining enrollment and financial considerations. In October, both the school board and city council approved a resolution and intergovernmental agreement for Cave Spring to purchase the school for $40,000.
Recently, the citizen’s SPLOST advisory committee included funding for repairs to the roofs of the gymnasium and auditorium in the final list of proposed projects for this November’s special purpose, local option sales tax referendum.
Mayor Ware confirmed that there has been interest from at least one possible tenant. Those discussions are continuing.
