During their regularly scheduled meeting Monday night, the Tallapoosa City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Haralson County Board of Education.

The agreement rents the gym of the old Tallapoosa Elementary School to the city for $1 per year for 10 years. This allows the city to use the gym as they need it, specifically for reaction use.

“We need this gym for our recreation department programs,” said Tallapoosa Mayor William “Pete” Bridges. “This will really help us out, and we’ll be able to use the downstairs for programs as well.”

The city will be responsible for maintenance, utilities and providing insurance coverage for the building.

The measure was approved unanimously.

The board also approved Holiday Pay for city employees at the same amount they received last year.

In other business, the board heard an update from Greg Dewberry on the Dub Denman Canoe Trail.

“We’ve applied for our buffer variance inside the 25 foot ‘do not disturb’ area with the Georgia Environmental Protection Devision, and all we have left is to post it for 30 days for public comment,” Dewberry said.

If the permit is approved after the 30-day public comment period, the city should have the official go ahead by the first of the year. The permit would allow the city to get started on two of the five proposed loading and unloading sites along the Little Tallapoosa River. The Poplar Springs site and the Broad Street site, therefore, will be the first of the five sites to be installed.

“We’re really close now [to getting started],” Dewberry said.

Mayor Bridges also announced that the annual Christmas Tree Lighting will be held at 6 p.m. On Nov. 26. At the corner of Lyon Street and Head Avenue. There will be caroling, and Santa will be paying a visit as well.

During the planning report, Planning Coordinator Patrick Clarey announced that the city has applied for four new grants.

The first is called the Creative Placemaking Project Grant from an organization called “Our Place” based in Chicago, Ill., which would provide a 100 percent grant to improve the Helton-Howlad Park amphitheater and the Tallapoosa Cultural Arts and Civic Center’s auditorium and lights.

The other three grants would be facilitated by the state through the Department of Economic Development. All would be Tourism Product Development grants, which would renovate existing and install new signs throughout downtown directing visitors to places of interest in town; place QR codes at 80 locations in town and build a database for them; and hook up an audio system in the downtown area to allow the city to play music or use as a PA system during events.

Council Member Jonathan James also announced that the City of Tallapoosa will be forming a Relay for Life team, which will begin raising funds in January until the Haralson County Relay for Life event in April. Cost is $10 to join. For more information contact Jonathan James at City Hall or Lori Hutcheson at Touch of Heaven Salon in Tallapoosa.

The next Tallapoosa City Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10.