Travis Moore: Clearing the Air on Cinelease and Cemetery Controversy – Episode 63
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Introduction: When Facebook Turns into City Hall
Every community has those moments when social media explodes and rumors outpace reality. For Covington, Georgia, that moment came when the city council voted to purchase property from Cinelease/Three Ring Studios—a move that set keyboards ablaze across Newton County. Many residents wondered: Was the city bailing out the studio? Was this another taxpayer burden?
So this week on The Town Square Podcast, host Trey Bailey sat down with Travis Moore, East Ward Post 2 Councilman, to get the story straight from the source. Moore is known for his transparency, his calm on social media, and his willingness to explain city decisions in plain language.
This conversation also dove into another hot-button issue: the new ordinance banning for-profit cemetery tours in Covington. After a video went viral, emotions ran high, accusations flew, and Moore once again found himself clarifying facts online—and ultimately casting the council’s lone “no” vote.
In true Town Square fashion, Trey and Travis unpacked both stories in the “messy middle,” where nuance replaces outrage and facts matter more than Facebook.
Setting the Scene: A Councilman Who Actually Communicates
Before tackling controversy, Trey opened with appreciation. In an era when public officials often hide behind press releases, Moore has built a reputation for directly communicating with citizens after each council meeting.
“You’re setting the bar for how we should communicate as public servants,” Trey told him.
Moore laughed, modestly noting that he just likes to “be out there with the folks.” Whether it’s concerts, movie nights, or ribbon cuttings, he’s visible—and online, he’s transparent. After every meeting, he posts the highlights, summarizes the votes, and explains his reasoning.
It’s the kind of grassroots accountability residents say they want—and the kind that probably explains why his Facebook posts often calm storms before they turn into political hurricanes.
The Cinelease Purchase: What Really Happened
The Need for Consolidation
At the heart of the Cinelease story wasn’t Hollywood drama—it was logistics.
Covington’s utility departments were scattered all over town: electric trucks here, gas meters rented from a warehouse off Cook Road, poles and transformers stored elsewhere. It was inefficient, costly, and frustrating.
“We needed to consolidate,” Moore explained. “Get all our materials, trucks, and departments in one place.”
So the city put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) to find property suitable for a centralized utilities complex. Several options surfaced, but the Cinelease/Three Ring property—roughly 20 acres with two 36,000-square-foot buildings—offered the most space for the same price as smaller alternatives.
The $15 Million Price Tag
The agreed purchase price hovered around $15 to $16 million. As soon as that figure hit the local paper, the Facebook comment sections caught fire. The narrative? The city was using tax dollars to bail out a struggling studio it once helped attract.
“I could see the tar being heated up,” Moore said with a grin. “We needed to cool the temperature down.”
So he jumped online and clarified the facts.
No, It Wasn’t Paid with Taxpayer Money
The purchase did not use property-tax funds or utility-rate hikes. Instead, it was financed through MEAG Power—the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia—and the Municipal Competitive Trust, commonly called the MCT fund.
Here’s the short version:
Covington buys wholesale electricity from MEAG.
Each year, MEAG reconciles its budget. If it collected more than it spent, cities get a refund.
Covington has historically received money back.
Rather than spend it, the city deposited those refunds into the MCT Trust—a kind of utility savings account.
“It’s not baked into the city’s annual budget,” Moore explained. “We didn’t raise rates or dip into taxpayer funds. We used money already saved for utility needs.”
That trust can only be used for utility-related projects, such as infrastructure or debt service. In this case, the purchase perfectly fit that criteria.
Why This Property Made Sense
The new complex will:
Eliminate monthly rent for the warehouse on Cook Road.
Speed up response times for outages by housing crews and materials together.
Improve safety and inventory control with fencing, lighting, and cameras.
Provide a modern, efficient base for Covington’s utility departments.
Construction and relocation are slated to wrap by April or May 2026, saving taxpayers money while improving service delivery.
“It just makes things more efficient,” Moore said. “You’ll see faster repairs, fewer delays, and less wasted time.”
That’s the kind of behind-the-scenes decision that rarely trends online—but makes a real difference when the lights go out during a storm.
The Cemetery Ordinance: Respect, Revenue, and Rumors
How It Started
Then came controversy #2—the cemetery tour ban.
A short video surfaced showing a local ghost tour group walking through Covington’s historic cemetery at night. The clip, though brief, ignited outrage among residents who felt the deceased were being disrespected. The comments grew heated; rumors spread that tourists were trampling graves or filming horror scenes among headstones.
Soon, the City Council drafted an ordinance:
No for-profit tours in city cemeteries.
Visiting hours changed to dawn-to-dusk.
No filming without permission.
The ordinance passed 5-to-1. Moore was the one “no” vote.
What Travis Saw
“I’ve been on that tour,” he said. “It was done respectfully.”
He described how guides instructed participants to stay on the paths, avoid touching headstones, and treat the grounds with reverence. The tours, he emphasized, have been operating for years, long before the current administration, often sharing stories of local history more than ghost lore.
When the viral video hit, Moore watched as rhetoric escalated online—and then spilled offline. The business owner behind the tours even had to hire private security after receiving threats.
“That’s just unfortunate,” Moore said. “Even if you don’t agree with a local business, they’re still our neighbors.”
Savannah Has Them—Why Not Covington?
Trey pointed out that cities like Savannah thrive on historic and ghost tours. Those excursions blend entertainment with education—“edutainment,” as Trey put it. Moore agreed, noting that Covington’s cemetery holds deep historical significance dating back generations—including his own family’s graves.
“As a seventh-generation Covington resident,” he said, “I’ve got family buried there. And I’ve never seen those tours be anything but respectful.”
Why He Voted “No”
Moore saw the ordinance as reactionary—born more from outrage than evidence.
“The rhetoric was blaming the tours,” he said. “But they weren’t breaking any laws. And meanwhile, thousands of visitors still walk through the cemetery every year.”
He pointed out the inconsistency: casual visitors can still stroll the cemetery, take pictures, and explore history—but one licensed, small business can’t guide people through for profit.
“It felt one-sided,” Moore said. “And it sends a message that Covington might not be welcoming.”
That perception matters. Many downtown merchants have told Moore that visitor spending is what keeps their doors open. If Covington gains a reputation as unfriendly to tourists, small businesses—restaurants, boutiques, galleries—will feel the pinch.
“We’re a destination city,” Moore reminded listeners. “Tourism is vital. Let’s not lose sight of that.”
The Business of Being Business-Friendly
Moore’s advocacy for small business isn’t theoretical. He leads the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), regularly hosting “Travis Around Town” visits to highlight local shops and entrepreneurs.
From Your Pie to Roots Boutique, he believes in championing the people who make downtown vibrant.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the community,” he said. “If it weren’t for our visitors, many wouldn’t survive.”
He listed new projects in motion:
Billy’s Bites & Brews, a new sandwich shop next to Social Goat, filling the lunch gap left by the closing of Plain Nuts.
A microbrewery under construction in the old Ramsey Furniture building.
Plans for a food hall-style market beside it—similar to Atlanta’s Ponce City Market.
New event space behind Your Pie, opening January 2026.
“We’ve already filled two or three downtown vacancies this year,” he said. “And we’re just getting started.”
Add to that the long-anticipated Target development near Covington Town Center and upcoming infrastructure upgrades to the Square—way-finding signs, landscaping, underground utilities—and the city’s momentum is undeniable.
Transparency and Trust: How Government Should Work
Trey steered the conversation toward governance itself—specifically, the role of communication in building public trust.
“The worst thing you can do is be silent,” Moore replied.
After each council meeting, he sits down, types up a digestible summary, and posts it online. He doesn’t include every line item (“If we approved a bucket truck, that’s great for the electric department, but not headline news,” he joked). Instead, he focuses on big-picture votes—rezonings, ordinances, developments—and, crucially, he tells residents how he voted and why.
That approach often earns him respect even from those who disagree.
“Some folks tell me, ‘I don’t agree with your vote, but I appreciate you explaining it,’” he said. “That means a lot.”
Trey agreed, noting how that transparency diffuses misinformation before it festers.
“It goes a long way,” he said. “Just being open builds trust.”
For residents wanting to stay informed, Moore offered simple advice: watch meetings online, read council summaries, and reach out directly. He answers Facebook messages, texts, and calls.
“Accessibility is intentional,” he said. “I want people to be able to reach me anytime.”
Looking Ahead: The Vision for Covington
Asked about his hopes for the future, Moore’s priorities were clear:
Keep tourism thriving.
Fill downtown vacancies.
Complete infrastructure upgrades on the square.
Attract more retail and boutique businesses.
“We have 2.5 million annual visits to the downtown square,” he said. “That’s incredible foot traffic. And people love to eat and shop.”
He’d like to see more variety in retail, to balance the “Vampire Diaries” nostalgia with everyday local commerce. And he’s optimistic that new anchors like Target will reduce “retail leakage” to neighboring counties.
“When I grew up, downtown shut down at 5 o’clock,” he reminisced. “Now it’s alive. I’d rather have this problem than empty storefronts.”
Closing Thoughts: Living in the Messy Middle
As the episode wrapped, Trey thanked Moore for showing up quickly—literally dropping everything to bring clarity to two stories dominating local conversation.
“That’s what this show’s about,” Trey said. “We don’t live on the extremes. We talk it out in the messy middle.”
Moore smiled, happy to have had the chance to clear the air.
“Hopefully this wasn’t clear as mud,” he joked.
But it wasn’t. It was Covington, clarified.
Episode Takeaways
Cinelease Purchase: The $15 million property buy was not funded by taxes but by MEAG/MCT utility reserves. It consolidates city utilities, saving time and money.
Cemetery Ordinance: Moore cast the only “no” vote, arguing the ban unfairly targeted a long-standing local business and could hurt tourism.
Downtown Growth: New restaurants, breweries, and event spaces are filling vacancies as Covington prepares for major infrastructure updates in 2026.
Transparency: Moore’s habit of explaining his votes online has become a model for open local government.
Links & Sponsors
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