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Resident alleges improper sole-bid demolition for 302 Pine Street; city attorney says court has jurisdiction
Summary
At the Feb. 3 Hogansville City Council meeting, resident Mike Johnson accused the city of awarding a November demolition contract for 302 Pine Street to a single bidder and said a permit was issued after a court-ordered compliance period; City Attorney Alex Dixion said the court, not the council, has jurisdiction.
Mike Johnson, a Hogansville resident, told the City Council on Feb. 3 that a demolition contract for 302 Pine Street awarded Nov. 4 was signed by a single bidder and did not appear in the meeting minutes, a practice he said conflicts with the Hogansville charter and state law prohibiting sole-bid awards.
Johnson said a court gave him 90 days in July to bring the property up to code, that a permit was not obtained until after that deadline had passed, and that the property’s meters were removed. He also reported submitting two open-records requests to City Manager Lisa Kelly seeking documents about the contract and permitting.
City Attorney Alex Dixion responded that the court has jurisdiction over the property and that the council was not involved in the demolition decision; he also noted the mayor had authority to vote on the demolition but chose to abstain. Mayor Jake Ayers ended the citizen appearance after it exceeded the five-minute allotment.
The council did not take formal action on the demolition during the Feb. 3 meeting. Johnson’s concerns were recorded in the public-comment portion of the meeting; the attorney’s statement that the court retains jurisdiction was the only procedural clarification offered by city staff during the session.
