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Sandersville council votes to relocate Franklin Haynes Drive after safety and access debate
Summary
After a presentation and public comment, the Sandersville City Council voted 3–2 on Dec. 15, 2025 to reroute Franklin Haynes Drive around the Recreation Department to keep athletic fields together, citing safety and future expansion; residents and some council members had opposed closing the existing road.
Aaron McCalvin and Matthew Tanner presented competing designs for Franklin Haynes Drive in front of Sandersville’s Recreation Department, telling the council that keeping the road in place with gates would preserve the current alignment but that rerouting the road around the park would allow all fields to sit on one side, increase the road length by about 1,300 feet and make future expansion possible. Tanner said the plan included replacing trees that would be removed for the realignment.
Mayor Jimmy Andrews and council members discussed safety, resident access and long‑term value before opening the matter to public comment. Council Member Mayme Dennis told the council that the citizens of District 1 did not want the road closed and favored gates for tournament use; Dennis later moved the motion to install gates and crosswalks.
During the public‑comment period several residents urged the council to prioritize local families. Ethelean Dixon (phone) said, "They need to satisfy the residents of that area." Chris Hutchenson told the council it would be "more valuable to move the road" and warned that gates would be a management burden, and Ken Westbrook raised a safety concern about children crossing the road during weeklong tournaments. Frank Simmons suggested installing a crosswalk with lights instead of gates.
Council debate continued in the formal meeting. On the floor, Council Member Mayme Dennis moved to install gates and crosswalks; Council Member Deborah Brown seconded. Mayor Pro Tem Jeffery Smith and Council Members Danny Brown and Ben Salter recorded opposition, and that motion did not carry.
Mayor Pro Tem Jeffery Smith then moved to relocate the road; Council Member Danny Brown seconded. The motion passed with favorable votes from Mayor Pro Tem Jeffery Smith, Council Member Danny Brown and Council Member Ben Salter; Council Members Deborah Brown and Mayme Dennis opposed. The council recorded the decision to reroute Franklin Haynes Drive to place athletic fields together, increase separation between park users and through traffic, and accommodate future park expansion.
The council did not specify a construction timetable or funding source for the relocation during the meeting. The session adjourned after the vote.
