MT. AIRY, Ga. — The Mt. Airy Town Council approved a new elevator maintenance contract and delayed action on a proposed engineering services agreement Monday night, a decision tied directly to future development of town-owned property behind the Big Red Caboose and the possible creation of a downtown business district.
The meeting had originally been scheduled for Feb. 2 but was delayed after a Jan. 31 snowstorm dropped between 6 and 7 inches of snow on the town and made travel along Dicks Hill Parkway hazardous.
Police report: quiet January
Mt. Airy Police Chief Jamie Bowden reported a relatively quiet month for the department in January, despite winter weather and the holiday season. Bowden said the department handled one accident and no major incidents during the month.
Elevator maintenance contract approved
The council considered options for repairing and maintaining the elevator at town hall. Town Clerk Sheri Berrong outlined two choices: completing repairs for $4,700 while keeping the town’s current maintenance contract at $1,151 per year, or opting for an updated full-service contract with a lower repair cost of $2,100 and higher annual maintenance of $1,620.
Councilman Ken Moore made the motion to approve the full-service contract, citing the building’s age and the additional coverage the agreement would provide.
“It’s the maximum increase going with the higher yearly cost, but it also covers more service in the future,” Moore said. “The building is starting to get a little more age, and it’s going to need more service.”
The council approved the contract without objection.
Mayor’s spending authority updated
The council also approved a resolution updating the mayor’s spending authority. Mayor Adam Tullis presented two options: maintaining the existing $5,000 spending limit that has been in place for eight years, or allowing the mayor to approve expenditures of $5,000 or less, with any spending between $5,000 and $10,000 requiring immediate electronic approval from council members and formal ratification at the next council meeting.
“So we basically have what we had or an updated version,” Tullis said. “We’d take the text or email approval, and then we would approve it at the next council meeting.”
Councilman Patrick Ledford made the motion to approve the second option, saying it would streamline the process by reducing administrative delays. The motion passed without objection.
Engineering services proposal tabled
The council unanimously voted to table a proposal from Carter Engineering Consultants Inc. for downtown engineering services until the March meeting in order to seek additional bids.
Tullis said he contacted three or four engineering firms to request proposals, but Carter Engineering was the only company to respond. The quoted cost to engineer a site plan and system was approximately $13,700.
Councilman Sam Wilbanks said he wanted at least one more quote before moving forward and made the motion to table the item. Councilman Patrick Ledford initially expressed concern about delaying the process further, while Moore seconded the motion but stressed the need to move quickly once more information is available.
After the meeting, Tullis said the engineering work is a necessary first step tied to the town’s 2026 budget, which includes $50,000 for the creation of a downtown development district. The town owns property behind the Big Red Caboose and needs an engineering assessment to determine infrastructure needs, including septic capacity, before development can proceed.
“We’re doing the engineering work first to see what kind of septic system support we have,” Tullis said. “That way, we can make a better plan and know how much septic capacity is available for that lot.”
If the project receives the green light, Tullis said he hopes the site could become part of a revitalized downtown area.
“A redeveloped downtown business district with storefronts and, ideally, a restaurant,” he said.
