Highlands commissioners have added a new meeting, an hour-long discussion, to their agenda with an inaugural session last week. These workshops will be an informational period where commissioners will discuss items that may be voted on at the following month’s town hall.
These meetings will replace committees, following concerns from town attorney Bob Hagemann that committees of three could violate the public meeting requirements. Essentially, Hagemann said two members could meet, whether at lunch or in passing, and inadvertently discuss committee work without the third member present.
The workshops run from 6 – 7 p.m. the third Thursday of every month before town hall, which begins at 7 p.m.
The first meeting’s agenda included digital signage at Highlands School and a presentation from Principal Sarah Holbrooks, street lighting, and resurfacing Arnold Road.
The Board of Commissioners, minus Amy Patterson who was absent, and Mayor Patrick Taylor began discussions with digital signage at Highlands School.
Town Manager, Josh Ward, said Holbrooks should be present at October’s workshop. Ward said Holbrooks had previously been in contact to convey wishes for Highlands School to get an illuminated digital sign with rotating messages. Many of Macon County’s other schools have digital signage like this, but the problem is Highlands’ sign ordinance doesn’t allow those sort of illuminated signs.
Ward said Holbrooks would like the sign toward the front of the school, but she wasn’t opposed to it on the side. Commissioner Brian Stiehler said the school was out of the way, so rotating messages might not reach a larger audience. On top of this, Commissioner Eric Pierson said the town has been against these signs for years.
Taylor said Highlands has had this discussion before and rejected other institutions’ requests for digital signage, including the Highlands Performing Arts Center. Despite previous requests and rejections, Taylor suggested the town needs to continue these discussions as this may be a more pressing need. Hagemann suggested the town could adopt a special ordinance allowing digital signs in select zones and criteria, but that could be an issue with other areas that have requested signs.
Moving on from the signs, the town turned to the issue of street lighting. The town lacks a set policy relating to street lights. Ward encouraged adopting a policy for street lights. It can be difficult establishing rules for street lights, especially on private roads.
Town Public Works Director, Lamar Nix, spoke at the workshop about calls he and his crew get relating to street lights. Nix said street light issues on private roads tend to be a dispute between two neighbors. One may want a street light put up, so Nix will work with them for that, but then Nix said there is about a 50 to 70 percent chance, in his opinion, the light will be opposed by a neighbor. It may be shining in a neighbor’s house, it may be too bright, or otherwise, but then the neighbor may call to have the light dimmed or removed.
Commissioner John Dotson expressed beliefs the town of Highlands shouldn’t be responsible for lighting on private streets. In his view, neighbors, the HOA, or other organizations on the private roads should be responsible for their own lighting. Dotson would also like to see smaller lights closer to the ground to illuminate sidewalks and foot trails, saying Highlands isn’t crime-infested. Nix said these ground lights can pose electrical and safety issues.
A Highlands community member, Nanita Sutton, spoke up with her concerns over street lighting. Sutton, who lives on Sagee Drive, said a neighbor had sent a midnight email asking the light to be dimmed and not pointing directly at her house, but the light was removed. Removal of this light can lead to driver and pedestrian safety as the road goes around a blind curve and a decline. Sutton said Nix’s team inspected the area and determined a light should be present due to the driving conditions.
“I’d like to see the street light from months ago returned,” Sutton said. “The issue is the light was there. I just want the light back.”
Sutton again cited safety concerns but was met with questions from Dotson as to whether there have been accidents or other issues on the road, going back to his original belief that private roads should be dealt with privately.
“I know we’re in the city limit. I know I pay a lot of taxes being in the city limit,” Sutton said.
Still on the issue of public versus private roads, the town discussed repaving Arnold Road. Taylor said repaving Arnold Road is “an immediate problem now,” saying the road has areas of disrepair where it has fallen down.
Nix said the road was last repaved around 20 years ago when development along Arnold Road began, but the road has since deteriorated. Nix said resurfacing would require at least one drainage ditch repair, it would need to be leveled, and then finished.
Many parties, including Old Edwards Inn and the town of Highlands, use the road regularly. Highlands uses Arnold Road on the way to the sewer plant.
“The question is how much [does Highlands] use it, what kind of damage have we done versus OEI and so forth,” said Taylor. “Since it is a private road… how do we assess or determine who’s going to pay for what?”
Taylor said the town may not need to wait for a budget cycle, rather they should see about commitments from stakeholders and get ready to pave Arnold Road in the spring. Hehn said since the town has the largest vehicles that use the road and cause wear and tear, he believes the town should accept the road and take care of it. Hagemann said he will look into whether Highlands can take over the road.