ELLIJAY, Ga. – The Ellijay City Council held its monthly scheduled meeting Monday, May 21.  In a short session, the council Chairman Al Hoyle called the meeting to order and opened with prayer followed by the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance.

The first order of business on the night was to approve the agenda for this May 21 meeting with an amendment added to new business and to be brought forth in the last vote before the executive session began.  With all unanimous votes on the night, the April 2018’s minutes, the financial statement and all new business, including the reappointment of current Ellijay-Gilmer Water and Sewer head Mike Gibbs to continue in his present role, was approved.  Applications submitted to the council were also approved by all members.  Bharat Kumar A. Patel’s application for off-premises beer and wine sales passed with zero nay votes.  Patel is doing business as Green’s Country Store located at 2028 Old Hwy 5 South. The request came as a name change and not for a new application.

Page Green with the Gilmer Chamber submitted an application for a special request permit.  This permit asked that the Taste of Ellijay being a city-sponsored event, that the $100 application fee be waived and that insurance currently in effect be accepted in lieu of providing additional for services. All members voted in favor of this request.

The construction codes are now up-to-date with current international standards of building for the city of Ellijay.  All members voted to accept this amendment.  Lastly, in an amended vote in new business,  Chairman Hoyle read an application for alcohol sales in the city parking lot on the Fourth of July of 2018.  A motion and a second followed with a vote of the council, which saw approval allowing this action.