James Caldwell
Helen Crawford

VARNELL, Ga. — Candidates in Varnell’s upcoming city elections share a goal — to focus on the city’s growth.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city’s 1990 population of about 350 grew to more than 1,500 by 2008. Candidates say they expect — and want — the trend to continue.

James Caldwell, a candidate for City Council seat 1, said the city should develop a long-range plan because “we’ve got to be ready to handle the growth.”

The mayor’s office and council seats 1 and 2 are up for election Nov. 3. Some candidates met Tuesday night at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Dalton Inc., where they explained their positions and took questions from a crowd of about 50.

Harveyleen Rollins, candidate for council seat 2, and Laura Hammontree, candidate for council seat 1, did not attend. Frank Crowe is no longer running for council seat 1.

Among other ideas, candidates said they’ll work to expand activities for seniors and youth and bring sewers to the city to accommodate growth.

The city recently received a $500,000 community development block grant to restore the historic Varnell House as a senior and community center.

The city also spent for $115,000 on 2.2 acres of land next to the Varnell House that is slated for a new city hall. Both properties are at the intersection of Georgia highways 201 and 2.

Brent Newsome, candidate for council seat 2, said he’s excited to help with planning a city complex at the site, which will “be the start of us getting our identity.”

“I want to see us move forward,” he said. “We don’t need to move back. We’ve got a positive thing going here.”

Mr. Caldwell said he regularly travels for business, visiting other small towns, and has ideas to make Varnell unique.

Carlus Mosier hopes to continue serving in council seat 1 and said he, too, “would like to see Varnell grow, get bigger and be a better place to live.”

Candidates agree that bringing sewer lines to the area will help.

Mayor Dan Peeples, who is running for re-election and his first full four-year term, said he’s talking with Dalton Utilities to see if a short section of sewer line could be extended from the line planned to the new high school off Crow Road.

Bill Morgan, who is also running for mayor, said a countywide special purpose local option sales tax could help extend sewers down Highway 71 to the Varnell area.

Mr. Newsome said grant money may also be available for sewers.

Mr. Peeples and Mr. Morgan disagreed on a few recent city choices, including the purchase of a new sanitation truck and selling the former city hall — an old school building from 1934.

Mr. Peeples said the new truck, which cost about $150,000, will quickly pay for itself in saved costs for labor, fuel and insurance. Residents also will now have city-issued garbage containers.

While Mr. Morgan didn’t disagree that the city needed a new sanitation truck, he said some purchases should have waited until the economy improves.

“I think we need to cut the pace back,” he said.

Mr. Peeples said the former city hall was sold in a sealed-bid auction because it has structural problems, mold and asbestos. He said restoring the building would have cost a lot more than buying land and building a new city hall. City offices now are in a leased modular building.

Mr. Morgan said the old city hall was worth about $229,000 on the county tax digest and that he would have liked city officials to spend more time investigating options.

VARNELL FAST FACTS

* 1,587: Population in 2008

* $2.404: City millage rate

* $700,000: Approximate city budget

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Varnell City Manager Mark Gibson

THE CANDIDATES

MAYOR

* Bill Morgan

* Dan Peeples

COUNCIL SEAT 1

* James Caldwell

* Laura Hammontree

* Carlus Mosier

COUNCIL SEAT 2

* Brent Newsome

* Harveyleen Rollins

CAST YOUR VOTE

* Early voting is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 30 at the Whitfield County Courthouse

* Vote on Election Day, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Varnell City Gym

Source: Varnell City Clerk Pam Garrison