A resolution to "keep Conyers MARTA free" drew applause and a unanimous passing vote at Wednesday night's city council meeting.

The resolution originated after Councilman Marty Jones and other council members saw an Atlanta Journal Constitution report listing the expansion of an "East Corridor High Capacity Rail Service — Central Atlanta to Sigman Road (letter of support)" for a price tag of $2,015,000,000 among the transportation projects that were submitted for the wish-list for the 1-penny sales tax referrendum.

Conyers Mayor Randy Mills said the resolution was a way for the city council to go on record with their stance on the project. He said he did not want to debate the issue of MARTA and believed intelligent people could disagree on the subject. However, "I think it's important to say what we want," he said.

The project had not been on the list the city submitted, according to Mills. "There was never mentioned during all the meetings I had any extension of MARTA into Rockdale County," said Mills. He and Rockdale County CEO Richard Oden sit on the Atlanta Regional Commisison that oversees the 10-county metro-Atlanta region for the transportation referrendum. The city and county had met before the wish-list deadline to coordinate their lists.

Mills said he spoke with Todd Long, GDOT's planning director and "gatekeeper" of the regional transporation project list, about the origins of the project. Mills said he was assured the project was not on the list.

Jones pointed out, "If it disappeared (from the list) that fast, it can reappear that fast."

Visioning exercises that projected more than 15 to 30 years out into the future did refer to a possible rail line that could stop at Sigman Road. However, Mills said that was something at the "30,000 foot level" that would not be included in this regional transportation referrrendum.

A "letter of support" for the project reported in the AJC was described as being from MARTA, said Mills.

Councilman Cleveland Stroud said he felt he did not have enough information to support or oppose the resolution. "I just don't have enough information about it. I'm not in the traffic going to Atlanta everyday," he said.  Some unanswered questioned included how extending a rail line to Rockdale would affect traffic, congestion, and commute times. He said his approach to this issue was similar to the council's approach on whether or not to have a vote on Sunday alcohol sales. "We want to talk to the people affected," said Stroud.

Mills explained his objections were governance and taxation issues.

"I'm not against rail. It was really more of a governance issue," said Mills. "I don't understand how those jurisidcitions could impose MARTA as it's set up right now." The city of Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties have a 1-cent sales tax for MARTA and in turn sit on MARTA's governing board.

Jones said, "If MARTA wants to come out here, they'll ask if we want it or not. If they didn't ask I thought we'd tell them."

Jones held up two pieces of paper stating "Keep Conyers Marta free" and "Marta Free Conyers" after the vote.