City Council Simplifies Occupation Taxes

Stone Mountain city council on Tuesday voted to change the occupation tax ordinance so that businesses are taxed by the number of employees they have instead of by the type of business they run.

This will simplify the system, City Manager Barry Amos explained at a previous council meeting, with only a minimal change in the amount collected by the city.

The tax will be $180 for zero to five employees, then $30 for each additional employee.

The council also voted in favor of supporting a recycling program for fats, oils and grease (FOG). Residents who sign up for the program will receive containers for collecting used fats, oil and grease, and the containers will be picked up on a regular basis by a private company. The idea is to reduce the amount of fats, oil and grease going into the sewer system.

The council approved a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan. The plan "lays out the procedure for what should be done in a man-made or natural disaster," Amos said. Such a plan must be in place for the city to receive public assistance in case of a disaster.

Among reports at Tuesday night's meeting:

- The visitor's center is looking for 12 more volunteers to work three hours a month.

- Main Street Stone Mountain is gearing up for a membership drive, with new decals and bumper stickers.

 - Main Street Stone Mountain announced a fun race and a five kilometer road race on Oct. 8.

- George Coletti presented a brochure for a walking tour of Civil War sites in the city.

- City Manager Amos praised public works employees who worked through the night Monday during the storm. While most went home at 3 a.m., department head Jim Tavenner was on the job until 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Amos said.