No Millage Increase For Watkinsville

The Watkinsville City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to keep millage rates for the city at their current level of 2.937 for .

“If we were to increase the millage rate, it would be more of a burden to property owners, so we should keep it as is at least for this year,” Mayor Joe Walter said before the vote.

If the millage rate had been increased to the proposed rate of 3.47, the city would have gained about $12,000, the mayor added.

Council approves business licenses

The council approved licenses for four new businesses in Watkinsville as well as a Beer and Wine Pouring License for a new bakery in town.

The Kumquat Mae Bakery & Café will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 a.m to 3 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

The bakery, which will also offer a light fare menu, will be allowed to serve beer and wine upon completion of a training course on alcohol awareness.

Council member Mike Link posed the lone vote against the license.

The business licenses approved included:

• Felton Fitness Fanatics, a “boot camp” style group fitness program that will meet at 1180 Felton Drive Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8-9 p.m.
• Gone With the Bead, an Artisan bead shop at 16 N. Main St. that will offer one-of-a-kind hand-blown beads and will feature a classroom space for up to 14 people.
• Pretty-N-Pink, a consignment shop for children’s and women’s clothing located 18 N. Main St.
• U.S. Trading Alliance, Inc. (doing business as Eagle-Mart.com), a home office that will operate at 39 Harris Lane.

In other business, the council:

• Announced a special called meeting Aug. 23 that will be open to the public to discuss a for the mayor. Council members said they will look at cities with the same population, same expectations of the mayor, same time spent in office, etc. to determine if the salary should be increased. 
• Announced a Nov. 8 election for the positions of mayor, Post 1 and Post 2 on the council. Qualifying will occur Aug. 29-31.
• Awarded Barbara and Tommy Jones with the “Watkinsville Beautiful Yard Award.”