Fort Oglethorpe readies for play
By Rachel Brown
Thursday January 10, 2008 6:25:40pm


Fort Oglethorpe residents could be playing on new soccer and softball fields as soon as next year, public works director Jeff Long said.

Long said the city will be working on leveling 42 acres off Dietz Road in preparation for a new park and recreation center that is set to include a fishing pond, gymnasium, several smaller outdoor buildings, multi-purpose fields for soccer and football, a fishing pond, and softball and baseball fields.

Mayor Ronnie Cobb said the amount of financing the city is able to get will partially determine how soon the project is finished. If the facility were built in top-notch style with the best building materials and design, it would cost about $7 million, officials said.

Fort Oglethorpe officials don’t plan to actually spend that much.

Long said the city’s recreation committee has $380,000 left to work with from the county’s special purpose local option sales tax. Cobb said he plans to ask private companies to donate some of the work to save on costs.

“(The park) may be a four or five-year project depending on how the money goes,” he said. “When you’re dealing with recreation it’s too expensive to lay out all your money… We’re not too ashamed to beg for anything, especially free work.”

Officials said the current SPLOST will expire near the end of this year, and the city will likely be in negotiations with the county commission to determine how much funding Fort Oglethorpe would receive if voters pass another sales tax.

Long said city officials plan to ask the county commission to approve a contractor to level the area and professionally design plans at the county commission meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 15.

This park would be in addition to Gilbert Stephenson City Park on Van Cleve Street but would replace the ball fields at Barnhardt Circle where there are more restrictions on fencing, Cobb said.


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ringgoldone
Comments: 574
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/14/2008 01:30:02 PM
Grace:

That would require a mindset of what is best for the county, instead what is best for my little corner of it.

Wait until we have the sales tax allocation battle between the county and the city. Hopefully, things will be more civil and well-behaved as promised.
 
bygracethrufaith
Comments: 1109
Joined: 07/13/2007
01/14/2008 11:52:10 AM
seems a bit silly to build ballfields on deitz, with maddox so close by on Pine Grove, IMO. Why doesn't FO just look into using/helping to expand maddox if we want to be a stone's throw away...
Seems there would be a more suitable, centrally located spot on which to build.
That's just my silly logic, I guess.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 574
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/14/2008 07:12:09 AM
The new mayor says that "money" (i.e., our tax dollars) will be lost if the streetscape project is not pursued.

My comment about the traffic was related to how much more traffic can Dietz Road handle? Why can't FO have ballfields at the Post and on Dietz?
 
catvoter
Comments: 100
Joined: 08/10/2007
01/13/2008 11:53:39 PM
All the traffic you are bringing to Dietz and Cloud Springs due to the recreation development is traffic that will not be in the "streetscape" area.

The "streetscape" is beating a dead horse with a whip that costs $800,000.

FO should spend the money improving the recreation area there. "Fencing" problems are fixable.

Why would sidewalks, benches, steet lights and diagonal parking bring in people?

Tourists have come to the Battlefield via the Parkway and have already seen the key box stores and great variety of dining areas along Battlefield Parkway. Why would a tourist shop or eat at an unkown establishment along the streetscape area when they can drive 4-5 minutes more and be in the thick of eating activity.

Even Hutchinson moved to Battlefield and for the same or less money they could have bought up half the streetscape district.

The recreation traffic will be sorely missed if it leaves the Post area.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 574
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/13/2008 05:03:01 PM
Contractor denies responsibility. Will the city leaders step in and force the issue with them?

Black moves on to better things away from Fort O.

Ballfields - off Dietz? With all the traffic problems that exist there now?
 
catvoter
Comments: 100
Joined: 08/10/2007
01/13/2008 12:32:51 PM
The contractor is responsible for the blast damage.

The old City liability insurance company handles the police issue; that will be settled out of court.

Larry Black moves on to better things.

But FO still needs to get a hold on their planning and spending on those ballfields. Don't you agree that losing the ballfields around the Post will hurt traffic even more?

What does the recreation program need with an amphitheater? 42 acres and all we end up with is 4 ballfields , 2 football fields and a gym? How wise was it to buy that land with so much in the flood area?
And then spend $7 million, less the donated work from contractors that can be blackmailed into providing "free" work (the costs of which will be in add-ons to other work projects)?
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 574
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/13/2008 06:30:12 AM
They also might want reserve some funds to help those folks who live off Mack Smith Road whose homes have been damaged and who have lost power, water and sewer due to construction on the road.

Or at least make the company own up to the damage they caused.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 574
Joined: 07/24/2006
01/13/2008 06:25:31 AM
They may want to save some money for this.

Fort Oglethorpe sued on false arrest claim
By Ronnie Moore Staff Writer

RINGGOLD, Ga. — A Hays State Prison officer has filed a $3.5 million civil lawsuit against Fort Oglethorpe, three of its police officers and a former officer claiming false arrest by the officers after a party at one of the men’s homes.
David Shane Morrison filed the case in Catoosa Superior Court. It names as defendants the city, former officer Robert Clark and officers John Lanham, James Leamon and Chief Larry Black.
The complaint stems from an incident Mr. Morrison said began about 2:15 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2007.
The suit claims he was falsely arrested and imprisoned on a driving under the influence charge, was maliciously prosecuted, was subjected to abuse of power and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Attorney Keith Edwards, of LaFayette, Ga., is representing Mr. Morrison.
Fort Oglethorpe City Attorney Ron Goulart said Friday he is aware the complaint was filed.
“I can’t comment on the suit, and as interim city manager I will advise our employees to do the same,” Mr. Goulart said. “The Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency was our liability insurer at the time of the alleged incident and will be representing the city.”
The city was notified by GIRMA last year that it was canceling the city’s policy, effective June 30, because of the city’s claims record.
Fort Oglethorpe obtained liability coverage with another insurance company that became effective last summer.
The lawsuit claims Mr. Morrison left a party at the home of Mr. Lanham about 2:15 a.m. New Year’s Day, then was pulled over on Mack Smith Road and arrested by Mr. Clark on a charge of driving under the influence.
The suit further claims that, because of an incident at the party, Mr. Lanham and Mr. Leamon called the city police department and reported Mr. Morrison was intoxicated.
The complaint states Mr. Morrison had not been drinking but was arrested by Mr. Clark.
When Mr. Morrison demanded a Breathalyzer test, the officer said he did not have one, and when he asked for a copy of the patrol car videotape, he was told it was not working, the lawsuit claims.
It is claimed that in later breath and blood tests administered at the police station, Mr. Morrison tested negative for all substances, including alcohol.
He seeks damages of $3.5 million.
The DUI charge was dismissed on March 22, according to City Court records, with a finding there was no evidence indicating guilt.


 
catvoter
Comments: 100
Joined: 08/10/2007
01/12/2008 04:22:06 PM
The County bought 42 acres for the recreation program of Fort Oglethorpe a few years ago.

Now FO says they will spend less than $7 million (less because of donated services) and then end up with 4 ballfields, 2 football fields and 1 gym.

$7 million, 7 items. Let's do the math.

Don't forget the restrooms, parking lots and an amphitheater. Wait, an amphitheater?

FO and the County can't even get sewers to our residents with raw sewage running in the yards. And then they are going to spend money for an amphitheater?

Reference is made to "negotiations with the county commission to determine how much funding Fort Oglethorpe would receive if voters pass another sales tax". FO deserves some SPLOST funds, but any "negotiations" should start at ZERO and then move up as FO shows some mature responibility about where they may spend the funds.

FO new "electees" better straighten out the problems and waste or there will be another change in 4 years.

Also, $800,000 plus for streetscape on the streets leading to the Battlefield? What is the general public's return on investment on that deal? Trying to keep current shopkeepers in business? Tear half the junk down and put IN some BALLFIELDS!!!

Losing the recreation in THAT area is going to hurt business and make for a lot less traffic past those stores. They are leaving that area because of "fencing"? Only in FO...

They would be better off to post a person at K-Mart and give every car $1 if they drive down the street and back. Maybe someone would stop and buy something. At least they would know they got 800,000 cars in the neighborhood.

Heck, have FO put a $1 coupon in all the papers. $1 FO Dollar good at any store on the streetscape project blocks. See how many FO $1 are actually used. What would it tell the shopkeepers if very few were redeemed? If total sales didn't go up, then only old customers are indicating they will come to the area. They may streetscape it forever and get nothing new, and FO is still out $800,000.
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