Cherokee Tribune – Ball Ground City Council tours Main Street in walking work session

BALL GROUND — The mayor and city manager led the city council along Main Street in downtown Ball Ground for an unconventional work session Thursday, discussing historic buildings and future plans for the city.

Ball Ground Mayor Rick Roberts started the walking work session in the Downtown Plaza at 7 p.m., leading the council and residents down Main Street and stopping to explain the importance of each building, lot or monument.

Roberts said it was “one thing to sit in the council chambers and talk about something,” but seeing downtown in person gave the council a different perspective.

The mayor talked about the history of many of the vacant buildings downtown, from their busy past to their owners, and explained the difficulties of downtown development and bringing in new businesses.

From building owners who do not want to rent out their space to deteriorating structures to the task of funding, the city faces some significant challenges, city council members learned during the tour.

via Cherokee Tribune – Ball Ground City Council tours Main Street in walking work session.