Bowdon Mayor Jim Agan offered congratulations Monday to the candidates who qualified but announced that Mark Muse’s candidacy for mayor has been challenged.

There will be a hearing at the Board of Elections office in Carrollton on Wednesday at 2 p.m. to determine whether Muse will be allowed to continue his candidacy.

Agan also announced at the City Council meeting that Bowdon has received a $92,000 grant from the Georgia State Parks and Historic sites to develop an 8-acre plot near the Senior Center. He said more details would be provided at the City Council meeting in October.

In other business:

Agan said that a water/sewer proposal increase the oxygen levels of water being deposited into the lake. He said the tank has not been working properly and that lower lake levels brought on by hot weather compounded the problem. According to the mayor’s report, the estimated cost of the project would be $10,465.

On a related note, Agan reported he had received information from W.C. Blackmon at the United States Department of Agriculture regarding loans or grants the city may be eligible for. Since Bowdon has fewer than 10,000 residents, it is eligible for a program which carries an interest rate of between 4.375 and 4.5 percent on loans used to improve water and sewer systems. Though Agan has not made plans to use this program, he said he may look into it further.

Agan said anyone without an air-conditioned home is welcome to visit the Bowdon Senior Center or the Warren P. Sewell Memorial Library to cool off. He said that although temperatures have declined, people may still need to seek relief from the weather. “We don’t want anybody to feel uncomfortable in this hot weather,” he said.

Bowdon’s submission to the Department of Community Affairs has been delayed until October of 2008. Agan said he will ask the DCA to allow Bowdon to use a basic comprehensive plan, which will include a community assessment, community participation and a community agenda. Agan said that a draft for the community assessment portion has already been completed. Although Agan expected to comply with an intermediate plan, he said the basic plan can be used for cities with less than 15,000 residents and with less than 2.5 percent population growth.

Agan has received information regarding the Local Update of Census Addresses program. The program allows cities to review their numbers for the 2010 census in advance. Agan said that being undercounted could result in losses from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax or other funds that allot money based on population. He said that correct population counts are crucial in helping small towns like Bowdon receive all the funding to which they are entitled.