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Dawsonville City Council renews 2021 professional services contract in 3-1 vote
City hall

At the Dec. 7 meeting of the Dawsonville City Council, council members approved the 2021 renewal of professional services in a non-unanimous decision. They also approved a renewal of vape licenses and discussed the city’s leases. 

According to Dawsonville Mayor Mike Eason, the city’s professional services contract includes a wide range of services, including water and sewer infrastructure repair, geological services, the city auditor and city attorney. The 2021 rates have not changed from past years. 

Three of the four city council members voted to approve the renewal of the professional services contract, with Council Member Mark French dissenting. French said that his vote against the motion was due to his opinion of the city’s legal team, and wasn’t meant to reflect on any of the other services included in the contract.

“I’m sure this will pass without my vote anyways; the other services outside of legal do not take my no vote on this as anything reflected toward the services you provide,” French said. “I just have found, in my opinion, that legal has on multiple occasions exhibited prejudice against a city and council member, and I cannot support a law firm that would do that to a city and council member.”

The other three council members voted in favor of the services renewal, allowing the motion to pass, in spite of the dissenting vote. 

In addition to the professional services contract, the council voted to renew the city’s vape ordinance.

“Our ordinance we passed last year calls for an annual renewal of our vape licenses,” Eason said. “The purpose of this is to make sure that underage children don’t acquire vape products; it requires them to be secure in a facility and for identification to be required much like alcohol and cigarettes.” 

There were five applications of vape vendors for renewal, with the current license expiring on Dec. 31. The council voted unanimously to approve the renewal of the vape licenses. 

The council also discussed the city’s leases, which include the Dawsonville History Museum, the Dawsonville Moonshine Distillery and a residential property at 244 Flat Creek Drive. 

According to Eason, the first two leases will expire on Dec. 31 and the residential property’s lease will expire on April 30. 

City Manager Bob Bolz and his staff will review the leases following the council’s discussion. 

“We can take action on this and have the city manager and his staff review those leases and make sure that we’re charging the appropriate amount and getting the kind of services we need and then come back to us with those findings at our Dec. 21 meeting,” Eason said. 

The council will vote on whether or not to renew the leases following a presentation by Bolz at their next meeting.