Monroe receives donation of 108 acres for future use

In other business, city manager agreement extended for another 6 years

The Monroe City Council has unanimously accepted what Mayor John Howard is calling “the best Christmas gift this town has ever received” – a donation of 108 acres of land along Second Street, Barrett Street, Walker Drive and Alcovy Street.

Councilmembers Lee Malcom, Myoshia Crawford, Julie Sams, Adriane Brown, Tyler Gregory and David Dickinson accepted the donation, from Loganville-based MFT Land Investments LLC, at the council’s Tuesday meeting. 

Councilmembers Charles Boyce and Greg Thompson were not on hand for the meeting.

Following Monday’s vote, Howard called the donated acreage the “largest, most economic development potential piece of property we have ever seen.”

The public vote came after the council emerged from a lengthy closed-door executive session that also included other real estate action and a personnel matter. State law allows local governing bodies to go behind closed doors to discuss real estate, legal and personnel matters, but any votes taken as a result of those sessions must be conducted in public.

Walton County tax records show the donated acreage — a combination of four nearly undeveloped tracts stretching from the corner of Alcovy Street and Walker Drive to Barrett Street, abutting residential areas from 4th Street to Douglas Street and back to Walker Drive, and including two parcels on 2nd Street across Barrett Street —carries an appraised value of nearly $1.35 million.

The largest tract comprises 106 acres, with one tract of slightly more than an acre and two tracts of slightly more than a half-acre each.

According to Howard, the donation is the result of work involving MFT Land Investments LLC and Monroe City Administrator Logan Propes over the past few months.  

Howard said the city has no immediate plans for the acreage. But, he added, whatever comes to the donated tract, whether commercial or residential development, will be developed under “plans directed by the city.”

In other real estate action Tuesday, the council voted unanimously to purchase two parcels on West Washington Street, comprising a total of 1.63 acres, from TMFT Lot Investments, LLC, for $260,000.

TMFT Lot Investments shares a Loganville post office box address with MFT Land Investments, LLC, according to records in the Corporations Division of the Georgia Secretary of State.

The two tracts are adjacent to a city recreational facility, and could become part of it, Howard hinted Tuesday.

Other executive session action

In a third vote conducted after Tuesday’s closed-door session, the council voted 5-1 in favor of a new employment agreement for Propes. Under the new agreement, a six-year arrangement starting Jan. 1, 2025, Propes’ salary will be set at an initial $208,000 annually, an 11% increase from his current annual compensation of $186,000.

The lone dissenting vote came from Councilwoman Myoshia Crawford, who said in a brief interview after Monday’s meeting only that she “didn’t agree with” the new employment agreement.

Regular session action

The city council ended its year Tuesday with a number of major votes, including the unanimous approval of the city’s 2025 budget. The operating budget for 2025 is set at $84,378,021, an increase of approximately 9% over the 2024 spending document. The capital budget, covering various infrastructure projects, is set at $16,761,236 for 2025.

Also approved unanimously by the council on Tuesday was a sweeping amendment of the city’s zoning ordinance. Broadly speaking, the amended ordinance sets up residential, urban and civic “character districts” and a “form-based code” addressing issues such as building heights, roof contours, construction materials and other technical requirements.

Following the Tuesday meeting, Howard said he did not have any concerns that the amended ordinance might discourage development in the city. “I don’t have any negative thoughts about that happening,” he said.

In further comments on the amended ordinance, the mayor indicated that it is a reflection of the fact that the city “is not going to accept just anything” in terms of development.

“We’re serious about quality,” Howard said.

Also Tuesday, the council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Geogia Department of Community Affairs in connection with the DCA designating the city as a PlanFirst community, recognizing excellence in comprehensive planning. Council members learned Tuesday that Monroe had scored highest among the eight communities to most recently earn the PlanFirst designation.

The three-year PlanFirst designation can help the city attract DCA redevelopment funding and give it easier access to a revolving loan fund for downtown development, among other benefits. In return, the memorandum of understanding requires the city to assist the DCA in promoting excellence in planning.

“We’ve been working on it a long time,” Howard said of the city’s effort to earn the PlanFirst designation. He called the designation “a huge compliment to the team here.”  

Also Tuesday, to come into compliance with a new state law becoming effective on Jan. 1, the council agreed on a premium of nearly $12,000 to provide the city’s emergency responders with post-traumatic stress coverage.