Town Council Meeting

TYRONE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES February 19, 2026 at 7:00 PM Eric Dial, Mayor Billy Campbell, Mayor Pro Tem, Post 3 Jessica Whelan, Post 1 Brandon Perkins, Town Manager Dia Hunter, Post 2 Dee Baker, Town Clerk Maureen Wheeler, Post 4 Dennis Davenport, Town Attorney Also present: Randy Mundy, Police Chief Mitch Bowman, Public Works Maintenance Supervisor Matthew Underwood, Public Works Maintenance Tech II Patty Newland, Library Supervisor I. CALL TO ORDER II. INVOCATION III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Comments are limited to three (3) minutes. Please state your name & address. Comments that require a response may not be answered during this time. The Council or staff may respond at a later date. Ms. Rebecca McLaren, who lives on Byewood Lane, gave a brief history of Mr. Mitch Bowman. He was born in North Carolina and became a pitcher for Appalachian State and St. Andrews, where he pitched 230 games and served as the Team Capt. After graduation, he coached at a local Catholic school in West Palm Beach. Mitch then moved back home, where he worked for the Parks & Recreation Department and gained much knowledge. He then moved to Georgia, where they bought a home on Byewood Lane. He takes pride in his community, its people, and how it is run. Mitch enjoys coaching and refereeing baseball at Handley Park. He often takes the long way home, just to admire downtown. She stated that Mitch may speak boisterously when it comes to the Town, it is because of his pride and passion for Tyrone. V. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made to approve the agenda. Motion made by Council Member Campbell, Seconded by Council Member Hunter. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. Town Council Meeting Page 1 of 10 February 19, 2026 VI. CONSENT AGENDA: All matters listed under this item are considered to be routine by the Town Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will not be separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered separately. 1. Approval of February 5, 2026, meeting minutes. 2. Approval to surplus and dispose of Redwine Park's Playground Equipment. 3. Approval for Seven Sharp Nine Band contract for Founders Day, October 3, 2026, not to exceed $4,000.00. 4. Approval for performer Adam Grant's contract for two hours on July 4th, 2026, for the America 250 event at Shamrock Park, not to exceed $1,800. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda. Motion made by Council Member Whelan, Seconded by Council Member Hunter. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. VII. PRESENTATIONS 5. Recognition of Mitch Bowman's 10 Year Service Anniversary with the Town. Mr. Perkins honored Public Works Maintenance Supervisor, Mitch Bowman, for 10 years of service, and counting. Mitch always gets things done, and the Town never looked better. Mr. Perkins stated that Mitch was a hardworking, dedicated leader who offered passionate, honest feedback, which he appreciated. He looked forward to many more years with Mitch. Mr. Bowman praised his crew, Matthew Underwood, Rod Jones, Tucker Hembree, Dave Moretz, and Cody Kelley. His crew has gone home dirty, with beestings and sore backs. They are dedicated to the Town and the citizens; he truly appreciates their hard work. He listed many accomplishments for the six years he been in the public works role. Their processes were streamlined, the ponds were maintained, and their fleet had doubled. He stated that there was a list of roads that motorcyclists would not travel on, which was no longer an issue due to repairs. Their level of service was unmatched for a crew of their size. Mr. Bowman shared that during his first four years in his parks and recreation role, he was tasked with creating a 7-day multicultural Founders Day. It included $5,000 in giveaway prizes. The schedule included performances from seven churches, jazz bands, bluegrass, BBQ, a 5K race, fireworks and Action Wrestling. One night was spent at Sandy Creek High School with activities and an impromptu drumline competition. The festival cost $17,000, which brought in the same amount. Page 2 of 10  Mr. Bowman shared that he and his crew have kept up Shamrock Park Lake, where one could fish from all sides, with great visibility of town buildings. He grew the memorial bench program, which began with five and now had twelve. He became certified as a Parks and Recreation professional, and in 2017, the Town was awarded the Class C Agency of the Year award. They were receiving monthly checks from travel baseball and softball. They had a lacrosse program and assisted IBeat All on Senoia Road, which yielded a girl’s state championship team. Mr. Bowman also shared that he placed a request for pickleball courts for the 2017 SPLOST plans. He stated that Redwine Park went from zero activity to having as much activity as Shamrock Park. He added that since everyone was new on Council, he wished to share their accomplishments during his ten years of service. Council Member Wheeler thanked him for sharing and bringing back memories from the old Founder’s Day festival. 6. 2026 State of the Town Address. Eric Dial, Mayor Mayor Dial gave his State of the Town Address. Good evening, Council members, town staff, residents, and friends. It’s an honor to come before you tonight to deliver our State of the Town address. As always, our community is strong and full of promise—and that’s because of the people who serve it and the neighbors who care deeply about it. First, I want to recognize the incredible work of our town employees. Every day, often behind the scenes, they ensure that our town runs smoothly and safely. Our Library staff open doors to knowledge, learning, and creativity for all ages. They are not just caretakers of books—they work hard to host events. They continue to increase their reach, year after year. Our Parks and Recreation ladies do a great job in their oversight of spaces and events where families gather, children play, and neighbors connect. It is always encouraging to me to see our parks busy. Our Public Works guys keep our roads safe, our stormwater flowing, and our infrastructure clean and functioning. Their dedication—often in difficult conditions—keeps our town attractive. We hope the new building at Handley Park makes your jobs easier. Our Court staff ensure that our local justice system operates fairly, professionally, and with respect for every citizen. They’ve done so flawlessly for years on end. Our Police Officers serve with courage, professionalism, and dedication. Their commitment to safety, community trust, and service in a sometimes-unpopular environment is something we should all be proud of and not take for granted. And our Administration team holds everything together, managing finances, supporting departments, assisting residents, and ensuring transparency and accountability in all that we do. To each of you: thank you. Your work matters, and this town is better because of all of you. Page 3 of 10 This past year, we have made major investments in our future through infrastructure improvements that will serve our community for decades. We have upgraded roads and facilities to ensure we are prepared for growth while protecting the quality of life our residents expect. One of the most exciting additions to our town is our new stage and pavilion—a place where music, movies, and community will be brought together. This space represents more than bricks and beams; it represents connection, celebration, and pride in where we live. We’ve all received many compliments on this great investment. We are also moving forward with new projects that reflect thoughtful planning and a clear vision for the future—projects that support economic growth while preserving the character of our downtown area. I want to commend our Town Council and staff for their leadership and sound judgment. Their commitment to responsible development has helped bring in new light industrial and business technology growth that will strengthen our tax base and help ease the burden on our residential taxpayers. That balance is not easy, but it is essential. We continue to be asked about the development at 74, and Jenkins Rd, so allow me to clarify what it is and what it will look like. This area will be buildings that meet the various needs of companies that will likely have showrooms in the front and storage in the back. What’s important to point out is that long ago, we adopted strict architectural standards that will keep our 74 corridor aesthetically pleasing with a high percentage of required Class A materials such as brick, stone, and glass. I encourage you to look on either side of me for examples of their other tenants and buildings. We are limited in the extent to which we can control what uses and even appearance of these developments, but I can assure you our goal is always to achieve low traffic impact, a good appearance, and protection of neighboring property values, while respecting constitutional property rights. We have a responsibility to achieve a balanced tax base and to attract economic development. We have more to do here by way of balancing our tax digest. We’re still not where we need to be. I want to spend some time on the topic of these challenges that lie before us to show you what I mean. (SLIDES) The millage rate has remained the same in Tyrone for almost 18 years. Despite regular increases in the cost of living, we have held steady to keep taxes low. This has forced us to kick the can down the road and spend down our reserves. I was first elected in 2007, and for as long as I can remember, we have closely scrutinized our spending, and sometimes we’ve had to do so at the expense of some worthy projects. Meanwhile, recent changes and current proposals by the General Assembly make it more difficult for towns to generate the revenue we need to provide essential services and maintain the infrastructure our citizens rely on – even for responsible governments like us. In addition to last year’s legislation that capped assessments, this year, they have proposed completely eliminating property taxes on homesteads. Page 4 of 10 Even if it is done in a phased approach, by 2032, that’s approximately 64% of our overall property tax revenue. Let me be clear, as a conservative, I’m all about finding ways to minimize the tax burden on homeowners, but these decisions should be made by this body, not the state. This is not an official proposal, but an example of what I’m talking about. If the decision is made on the local level, we are able to slightly raise the millage rate while offering a local exemption, which softens the millage rate burden, and overall revenue still increases from non-homestead property. The state is simply not agile enough to make decisions like this. Not all cities are the same. We know that this is currently our formula. Residential areas cost $1.15 for every $1.00 generated. Big picture, our residential revenue generated is approximately $5.8 million, while the cost to provide services is over $7 million. The primary reason for this is because our tax digest composition is 79% residential – a healthy recommendation is 55%-60% -- and our millage rate is well below the state average. As we seek other ways to cushion this blow, Tyrone and our partners in the County will need to be strategic, united, and innovative as we navigate these changes together. Another area we need to give attention is our residential character areas. Through our comprehensive plan, which begins in April, it’s time to evaluate how we can benefit from quality development that strengthens what makes us a great town, tempered by high standards. We need to strike a balance between closing and blowing open the gate. Neither is healthy for a town, especially one of our size. We have questions to work through together. Questions like, “What types of housing will we allow?” “What size lots will we allow?” “WHERE will we allow different types of housing and lots?” “How will we handle our sewer capacity limitations?” “What changes will we make to support and promote small business?” “What will we do with the downtown area?” “Will we enter into public-private partnerships to spur downtown development?” “How will we promote economic development on the 74 corridor?” “What is the town’s economic strategy as it relates to development?” “How do we accommodate commercial and residential travel patterns?” This includes vehicles travelling from both inside and outside Tyrone. The roundabout is a good example of this. We’re spending over $2 million on an intersection problem that is not caused by Tyrone residents. “What will future public greenspace look like in Tyrone?” “What will we do to continue improvements to current public greenspace?” “What will our master path plan look like and how will it address the needs and wishes of our residents?” And probably the biggest question for Tyrone right now is, “how well do we implement the plans we have made over the last 5-10 years which are now ready for execution?” Page 5 of 10  The issues we’ve discussed tonight will require hard work, partnership, leadership, and thorough planning. Thorough planning involves consulting with professionals. Those who are experts in their fields and proactive surveys of as many citizens as we can hear from. We can’t make changes without a plan. Making decisions on these issues also requires courageous leadership. Leadership is not defined by following a few of the loudest voices. It is not defined by following what might be read on social media and assuming it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes leadership may be about making decisions in which nobody else in the room agrees but is consistent with proper planning and long-term benefit. And most importantly consistent with the law and the constitution. As I always have been, I am confident in our future. We are a town built on service, collaboration, and kindness. With dedicated employees, responsible leadership, and engaged residents, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. Thank you for believing in this town, for supporting one another, and for working together to make our community an even better place to call home. May we continue to move forward—stronger, smarter, and united. VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS 7. Public Hearing for the consideration of an Alcohol License application from Bethany Smith for The Legacy Theatre located at 1175 Senoia Road for retail consumption of beer and wine. Dee Baker, Town Clerk Ms. Baker shared that, as with event centers, the ordinance was also changed to accommodate performing arts centers that met the requirements. Mrs. Smith applied for a license for beer and wine. Legal ads were placed along with the placement of public hearing signage. If approved, she can apply for her state license. Once approved, she can commence alcohol sales at her location. Mayor Dial opened the public hearing for anyone who wished to speak in favor of the item. Mrs. Bethany Smith, the owner and founder of The Legacy Theatre, spoke. It was her and her husband’s dream to open the theatre. They later bought the entire building and placed it into a trust to bless her family and the community. She shared that they fought for her marquee. They also opened a VIP lounge within the theatre. She thought it would be nice for patrons to enjoy a glass of wine as they do at the Fox and the Alliance Theatres. The diamond lounge would only be open to the diamond members. Mayor Dial opened the public hearing for anyone who wished to speak in opposition to the item. Council Member Wheeler inquired about serving. Ms. Smith shared that it would only be served for performances and not to the public. Mayor Dial thanked Ms. Smith for her business, an asset to the community. Page 6 of 10  A motion was made to approve the alcohol license for The Legacy Theatre located at 1175 Senoia Road for retail consumption of beer and wine. Motion made by Council Member Campbell, Seconded by Council Member Hunter. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. IX. OLD BUSINESS 8. Consideration to Award the 881 Senoia Road Rehabilitation Design Build Project for a Community Center, project number PW-2024-04 to Blue Chip Builders not to exceed $199,935. Scott Langford, Public Works Director & Town Engineer Mr. Langford reminded everyone that a frozen waterline damaged the former administration building. The Town performed demo work and minor framing. RFPs were reviewed to complete the build-out of ADA restrooms and a new Recreation Community Center. The first selected was Blue Chip Builders at $185,435. He asked for a contingency of $14,500 for a total of $199,935 for small changes or adjustments. Funding sources would be from the 2017 SPLOST and the General Fund. Council Member Campbell asked for a timeframe. Mr. Langford shared that the request was to be completed by August 1, 2026. A motion was made to award the 881 Senoia Road rehabilitation project, Community Center project number PW-2024-04 to Blue Chip Builders not to exceed $199,935. Motion made by Council Member Hunter, Seconded by Council Member Campbell. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. X. NEW BUSINESS 9. Consideration to approve a Contract for Services with Fayette County Tax Commissioner Kristie King. Brandon Perkins, Town Manager Mr. Perkins stated that Fayette County municipalities were notified by Tax Commissioner Kristie King that her office would be exercising its authority under Georgia Law to charge a fee for the billing and collection of Ad Valorem taxes on their behalf. The proposed fee would be $2.50 per parcel, which totals $8,020 for 3,208 parcels per year for Tyrone. Mayor Dial began the discussion and stated that it was unprecedented, and he would have liked to have had more notification. Mr. Perkins stated that it was sprung on the municipalities and that if a professional was hired to do the same, it would cost more. Council Member Whelan asked if the citizens could pay the small annual fee. Mr. Davenport stated that citizens, in essence, were paying the fee through the millage rate and that municipalities did not have the authority to charge that specific fee. Mayor Dial shared that he disagreed with the communication process. Page 7 of 10  A motion was made to approve the contract for services with Fayette County Tax Commissioner Kristie King for a $2.50 per parcel annual service fee. Motion made by Council Member Campbell, Seconded by Council Member Whelan. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. 10. Consideration to Award the 2025 Stormwater Structure Maintenance project PW-2025- 14 to HD Excavation & Utilities, LLC in the amount not to exceed $76,625. Scott Langford, PE Public Works Director & Town Engineer Mr. Langford stated that bids were received for grouting and infiltration repairs for 50 stormwater structures. The lowest bidder was HD Excavation & Utilities, LLC, for the amount not to exceed $76,625. Paid for by 2023 SPLOST, stormwater infrastructure maintenance. Council Member Campbell asked if Mr. Langford was familiar with the contractor. Mr. Langford stated that they were currently working on the Shamrock Dam. A motion was made to award the 2025 Stormwater Structure Maintenance project PW- 2025-14 to HD Excavation & Utilities, LLC in the amount not to exceed $76,625. Motion made by Council Member Campbell, Seconded by Council Member Whelan. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. 11. Consideration to Award the 2026 Sidewalk Repairs, project number PW-2026-02, to Limitless Concrete, Incorporated in the amount of $48,776. Scott Langford, PE Public Works Director & Town Engineer Mr. Langford stated that this year's ongoing sidewalk repairs included sections in Southfork, River Crest, and River Oaks. Bids were received on February 11, 2026, and the lowest bidder was Limitless Concrete, Inc. for $48,7776. He added that the project was $18,776 over budget, but there was funding available in the Public Works budget. Council Member Campbell asked if Mr. Langford was familiar with the contractor. Mr. Langford clarified that Limitless Concrete was the company working on Shamrock Dam and that HD Excavation had great references. Council Member Campbell stated that he wanted a good contractor, not like last time. The second bidder would do the job well. Mr. Langford shared that staff had to legally go with the lowest responsible bidder, and their references checked out. Mayor Dial asked Council Member Campbell to explain his concerns. Council Member Campbell stated that Aabby would do a great job, we do not know about this contractor, and we had mishaps last year with the sidewalk contractor. Mr. Langford stated that he did document the mishaps for reference if they were to be considered in the future. Mr. Perkins stated that the Town policy did not offer much flexibility. Mr. Trocquet added that different levels of procurement offer a little more flexibility. Council Member Whelan reminded everyone that the project was also $18,000 over budget. Page 8 of 10  A motion was made to award the 2026 Sidewalk Repairs project PW-2026-02 to Limitless Concrete, Inc. for $48,776. Motion made by Council Member Whelan, Seconded by Council Member Hunter. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. XI. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The second public comment period is for any issue. Comments are limited to three (3) minutes. Please state your name & address. Comments that require a response may not be answered during this time. The Council or staff may respond at a later date. XII. STAFF COMMENTS Chief Mundy shared that the two cadets were doing well in the academy. He also announced that Detective Tony Koranda would soon be attending the Georgia Public Safety Training Center to become a certified peer counselor to increase the wellness of the department. He added that another member of the department may be sent after. He also announced that Sergeant Cayla Banks would be attending AI training specific to public safety. Mr. Langford shared that the contractor for the Spencer/Arrowood/Palmetto roundabout presented staff with an accelerated option for completing the project. This would save the Town $24,000 and to finish a month ahead of schedule. The main downside would be closing a portion of Spencer Road for seven days. He explained the layout. This would also indicate that the roundabout would be operational during the project. Mr. Langford stated that barrels and cones would be in place for safety. Mr. Perkins stated that only from Wynfield to the four-way would be closed. An email blast would be placed, including information on social media, and staff would meet with the Southampton HOA. A motion was made to approve the modified accelerated roundabout plan, saving the Town $24,000 and finishing one month early, with a downside of closing a portion of Spencer Road for one week. Motion made by Council Member Hunter, Seconded by Council Member Wheeler. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. Mr. Perkins mentioned that citizen Steve Chontos, had requested that patch work been done near that intersection. We did not forget that section would be a part of this project. Mr. Perkins informed everyone that the back half of the Shamrock Park walking path would be closed when the dam spillway was being worked on. The schedule will be coming soon and may last over a week. When staff is told, the public will be made aware. Page 9 of 10 XIII. COUNCIL COMMENTS Council Member Whelan informed Council that the next Veterans Park committee meeting would be next Friday at 10:00 am. She added that there was space for an additional Council Member. Council Member Wheeler began a discussion on how to bring back the elaborate Founders Day celebrations. Mr. Perkins stated that staff tried, but the smaller carnival companies were bought by larger ones; the carnival required a large percentage of ticket sales. It is a challenge, but not for a lack of trying. Council Member Campbell added that we were competing with other cities, also homecoming. Council Member Wheeler recalled a year the rides did not show. She inquired about the budget. Mr. Perkins stated that it was not a money issue, it was, can we sell tickets. Council Member Wheeler shared that it was a big part of the Town. Council Member Whelan shared that next year is the 50th anniversary of Founders Day, and we could make it a big event. Mr. Perkins asked for Council volunteers to be on the Founders Day committee. He shared that Ms. McClenney would be ramping up discussions for the 50 th anniversary soon. Council Member Hunter gave Major Philip Nelson a shout-out. He has an engaging personality and dedication to connecting with residents, along with a strong sense of community. XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION XV. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made to adjourn. Motion made by Council Member Campbell. Voting Yea: Council Member Campbell, Council Member Whelan, Council Member Hunter, Council Member Wheeler. The meeting adjourned at 8:19 p.m. By: Attest: Eric Dial, Mayor Dee Baker, Town Clerk Page 10 of 10