Council Members Discuss Dog Park's Strengths, Problems, Possible Solutions

Before Tuesday's majority vote by the Stone Mountain city council to keep (now entering its third month) while the city , four council members spent a few minutes discussing the issue:

Councilwoman Susan Coletti: "I feel very strongly that this is an asset to our community and I think that on my behalf , it was a rash decision on my part. I think we really do need to revisit this, even if it's on a temporary basis."

Councilman Richard Mailman: "I, too have looked back at what I thought during the time that we and I have to say, I did not think it was a rash decision. I think that the dog park is a definite asset to the community, but I think that we still would have and will have problems in the area that it's in, and I think some of those problems would be something of a safety issue and I think I still stand that that's what I think it would be.

"Now, I do believe it would be a great thing to find another location and to reopen the dog park and make it safe for the community and to do the things we should be doing which is put up a sign stating [rules and regulations] and also putting up times that are safe and good for people."

"In my opinion, it was not one bad side. I think we just had two bad situations. One of them was the location in a residential area and a few people that made it a bad situation....that's all."

Councilwoman Nan Nash: "I'd like to see us revisit the situation as well and just not close it for good at this time. I'd rather see it tabled and brought up at the work session."

Councilwoman/Mayor Pro Tem Chakira Sallee: "If we table it tonight it would still remain closed because we wouldn't be changing the action and the motion on the table is to leave it closed temporarily while we investigate relocating it. I worded the motion that way because if we find out that the doesn't work we could still revisit it at that point. I'm just clarifying why I wrote the motion."