06 February 2018

Covington Council Meets: Hospitality Drinks & Brownbagging Passes; City to Provide Legal Support for NCRC Flap

The Piedmont Chronicles 
est 2010 

[State of GA]
[Newton Co.]



(Covington, GA * 2/6/18) -

The City of Covington held its regularly scheduled meeting last night - February 5th - at Covington City Hall. The meeting was presided over by the Hon. Mayor Ronnie Johnston with five council members present & approx. two dozen Citizens, City employees & City public safety members in attendance along with the City Manager and back-up City Attorney, Bob Stansfield. 

The two big stories with this meeting were the 1st readings of three different hospitality drinks & brownbagging ordinances, and then a late addition to the agenda - whether or not the city would provide legal support and counsel for its representative to the Newton Co. Rec. Commission, Josh McKelvey.

Two of the three ordinances passed 3 to 2 with members Keck, McKelvey & Whatley voting for & members Williams & Henderson voting against.

On the third ordinance, the one dealing with art shops, Councilman Henderson changed his vote so the final tally on that one was 4 to 1.

As to the motion to provide support and legal counsel for Josh McKelvey as he deals with, in our estimation, a witch hunt and now a kangaroo court, the Council actually voted 4 to 0 to pass this measure with Henderson, Keck, Whatley & Williams voting for, McKelvey absent after he recused himself & left the Council chambers. 

On a final note, the meeting was run swiftly & efficiently, lasting barely over an hour. To us - this is how the people's business should be tended to. This writer told the Mayor after the meeting - "maybe you can give the Newton BOC a tutorial on how to run a public meeting."

That's all for now. We'll see you down the road.

- MB McCart