Theater Drama: The Morton Theatre's nonprofit board and the Athens-Clarke Leisure Services Department are at odds on a new power-sharing agreement for the historic theater which is an Athens landmark, especially within the African-American community.

Leisure Services Director Pam Reidy wants to revise the 1993 agreement to reflect the fact that ACC staffs and runs the facility day-to-day. The board, meanwhile, provides volunteers, sells tickets and pays artists, which it can do faster than the county bureaucracy. "We're just looking to bring [the contract] in line with how operations at the Morton Theatre work now," Reidy said.

Leisure Services should tread lightly here. The department has a long history of rocky relations with the black community—when it cut back on amenities at East Athens and Rocksprings parks, for example, or raised fees for recreation programs.

Because of the Morton's importance as the centerpiece of the black-owned businesses on the "Hot Corner," the local NAACP weighed in. "The Morton board has done an excellent job managing the Morton Theatre on behalf of the community, and we hope they continue," Hope Iglehart said.

Board members said they have no problem with the way the Morton is run now, so they question why Leisure Services wants a new agreement. They also want input on fees to keep the theater affordable for the entire community and written permission to use it for fundraising events, storage and meetings.

"We want to keep the collaborativeness," treasurer Melanie Burden said. "We want to keep the history and the community input."

Monroe "Pink" Morton, one of the richest African-Americans of his time, built the theater in 1910. Legends like Blind Willie McTell and Duke Ellington performed there (blacks got the good seats, and whites had to sit in the balcony). By the early 1990s, it had fallen into disrepair, but a group of volunteers led by Jill Jayne Read restored it using SPLOST funds, leading to the current management arrangement.

"This is a very vital partnership," Commissioner Harry Sims said. "When nobody wanted that building, the Morton Theatre Corp. kept it from falling in."

Other commissioners said they feel the facility is underused. "I want more people to experience the Morton Theatre," Mike Hamby said. "Does this agreement do that? Sometimes, it seems like there's not a whole lot of activity there, and I think that's a shame."

Both board members and county officials said they were optimistic they can iron out their differences soon. "We are very close to having this done," ACC Assistant Manager Richard White said last Thursday. "A few more days, and I think we'll be there."

Get Out My Bizness: During a discussion on economic development at Thursday's meeting, Commissioner and ex-laundromat owner Ed Robinson declared that politicians make terrible businesspeople. Hamby, who owns a successful office-cleaning operation, took offense: "Several of us know how to operate a business. Some of us have been doing it for a long time." Robinson then asked to hear from Jared Bailey, the former bar owner, calling him "the only one of us who knows how business works in this town," he said. Bailey demurred.

I'm going to miss the Ed Robinson Era.

Senate Shakeup: Athens lost a little clout in the state Senate last week when Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, defeated Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, for president pro tem, the chamber's top post. Cowsert gave up his position as caucus chairman, the No. 3 spot, to run. The new leadership is expected to restore some of the powers senators took away from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle two years ago.

Steak 'N Shake: The faux-'50s burger joint has generated more buzz than any new chain in Athens in years, except maybe Trader Joe's. Even Pete McCommons couldn't resist the siren song of a cold, creamy, corporate milkshake, declaring it to be an honorary local business. Later, it was so busy that cars were lined up on West Broad Street to get in, and a cop directed traffic. Get a grip, people. Take a deep breath and go to The Grill.

In other development news, Kroger has filed plans for a 123,000 square-foot store at U.S. Highway 29 and Hull Road. The planning commission will consider them Monday, Dec. 10.

Downtown Plan: UGA's Fanning Institute will moderate a public hearing on the downtown master plan at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 in the Classic Center's Parthenon Room. It's very important that people attend this meeting because we'll be asked to vote on various concepts to include in the master plan. This is your best opportunity to influence the future of downtown. Seriously. Go to this meeting.