Newman City Council approves paving contract, NURA boundary expansion, alcohol-waiver and code updates; approves local events

Newman City — At its April 28 meeting the Newman City Council voted on a set of routine and administrative measures: awarding a municipal paving contract, approving a NURA workforce-housing boundary expansion and contingency ARPA use, granting an alcoholic-beverage waiver for the Newnan Centre Amphitheater summer concert series, adopting amendments to alcohol licensing procedures and the city purchasing code, and approving two downtown event requests.

Contracts and public works: Council approved a full-depth reclamation and paving contract (LRA 2025) covering streets near Newnan High School, including Cougar Way, Sewell Road through Greenville Street and Armory Road. MHB Paving was the low responsive bidder with a base contract price of $1,269,425.58. The Georgia Department of Transportation will fund $607,912.90 of the project; staff said no local match is required and the work is expected to be substantially complete before the start of school (targeted Aug. 13).

Housing and NURA: The NURA board requested expanded project boundaries and eligible activities for the Murray Street workforce-housing project and proposed contingency use of ARPA funds to prepare sites, pursue NSP/DCA resources and make city parcels shovel-ready in targeted areas such as Rocky Hill and West Gate. Gerald Walton, NURA chairman, explained the request; council approved the expansion and contingency language unanimously.

Events and downtown activity: Council granted a waiver to permit possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages at the Newnan Centre Amphitheater during the 2026 Jazz in the Park Concert Series, allowing a brown-bag policy for the outdoor performances after staff described last year’s event as drawing about 1,000 attendees on average. The council also approved a request from Tony Caro of Red Letter Merchant to block two parking spaces on West Washington Street for a May 9 anniversary celebration and approved a street closure request from Porchfest organizers to allow First Baptist Church to host a family-friendly area on Brown Street.

Code changes: Council adopted an ordinance to convert alcohol licensing approvals to an administrative process with an appeals path to council, and it adopted a separate amendment to the purchasing code. The purchasing ordinance raises routine purchase thresholds (from $2,000 to $5,000), increases quote and bid thresholds (including aligning public-works bid thresholds with state law at $250,000), and transfers many procurement approvals to department heads or the city manager (depending on dollar value). Staff told council the threshold changes would speed procurement and cited an example where a drainage project that previously took about nine months could be started in under three months under the new rules.

Votes at a glance:
- Minutes (April 14, 2026 regular + work session): approved, unanimous.
- Demolition application, 153 Temple Ave: approved, unanimous.
- Contract award LRA 2025 (MHB Paving): approved, unanimous; contract base $1,269,425.58; GDOT funding $607,912.90.
- Resolution granting alcohol waiver for Jazz in the Park: approved, unanimous.
- NURA request to expand Murray Street workforce-housing project and contingency ARPA use: approved, unanimous.
- Ordinance amending alcohol-licensing procedures: adopted, unanimous.
- Ordinance amending purchasing code (thresholds/procedures): adopted, unanimous.
- Parking-space block for Red Letter Merchant (May 9): approved, unanimous.
- Porchfest Brown Street closure for First Baptist family area: approved, unanimous.

What this means: The council’s approvals will move several construction and event plans forward while giving staff additional administrative flexibility for procurement. The purchasing-code changes are intended to shorten delivery timelines for small capital and maintenance projects; the council emphasized the changes must be used within the budget process and with appropriate checks and balances.

Local officials and staff said they will monitor project timelines and coordinate follow-up reporting as necessary.