Cedartown’s organizers for annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations remembering the legacy and impact of the civil rights leader are on for 2021, with some changes to the program for the year meant to ensure the safety of participants.

A delegation from the MLK Community Relations Commission came before the City Commission during their October session seeking approval to use the Cedartown Performing Arts Center for the 2021 celebrations and reported that changes are being made for the upcoming MLK celebration to wrap up the weekend of events on January 18 at 6 p.m.

For instance, social distancing guidelines will be adhered to with the crowd for next January’s event and additional changes might be required based on how COVID-19 numbers look in the months ahead, and will make adjustments as necessary.

Without any issue in scheduling from City Manager Edward Guzman, Commissioners voted and approved the date for the upcoming event.

The Commission’s other business on the evening was overall on the light side. They approved a request from Guzman to approve the Boys and Girls Club lease for the city-owned property used by the organization on Queen Street. Guzman said that the lease hadn’t yet been renewed when he had been going through records to catch up on where his predecessor Bill Fann left off, and it was an item he noted.

The Commission also approved of the annual grant resolution requesting funds from the state and federal governments for the city’s small-scale bus service.

They also heard the reading of the National Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation.