It seems that a lot of people are interested in what is going on in McDonough.

City officials have determined that there are so many open records requests coming to City Hall on a regular basis that an additional staff member is needed to help address them. That was the reasoning given at the April 1 regular meeting of the City Council, which voted to approve the addition of a full-time administrative assistant position in the city clerk’s office.

Of particular concern is not only the handling of such requests but also the timeliness of doing so. By state law, open records requests have a mandated maximum response time.

In other business, the council approved a residential townhouse district zoning for a 6.5-acre tract at Hwy. 42 North and McDonough Pkwy. The property was previously zoned highway commercial.

An administrative variance was approved for a residential lot at 184 Everett Square in the Stapleton Park development, allowing a three-foot reduction in the 30-foot rear yard setback requirement. City staff recommended approval as the request was within the permitted 10-percent reduction range.

The council voted to declare as surplus a total of 16 pews from the old court building. One is 10 feet long and each of the others is 14 feet long. The council also agreed to donate seven old automated external defibrillators to the city of Flovilla in Butts County.

An acquisition by Georgia Power of a tree trim/clearing easement for a portion of city property on Atlanta Street was approved. Georgia Power will pay the city $6,790 for the property, according to a city staff report.

The council also approved a $13,112 annual maintenance allocation for the two elevators at City Hall and a $20,000 expenditure for engineering services at a city reservoir, as well as a memorandum of understanding between the city’s police department and other local law enforcement agencies so they can work together in the event of a local emergency.