Statesboro City Council met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 5:30 PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting followed a work session and both included heavy agendas. We have covered a few of the items addressed in the worksession and council meetings already. This is an overview of all city business covered at the council meeting. You can review the agenda and supporting documents by clicking here.
You can watch the entire meeting below:
Consent Agenda Items
These items are approved together as one item. The minutes approval from the prior meeting is included with these items which include:
Approved: Consideration of a motion for approval of surplus and disposition of a 2005 Sullivan Palatek 10BP Air Compressor in the Public Works Fleet Division.
Approved: Consideration of approval of Resolution 2022-21: A Resolution adopting the maximum tariff rates by towing and storage operators engaged in Non-Consensual
Towing.
Approved: Consideration of grant of utilities easement to Georgia Power to provide an electrical service line for the community garden located at 130 Parker Street.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to approve a second amendment to the water tower lease agreement with Verizon Wireless, location A.J. Riggs Road (JIMPS) Water Tower.
Approved: Consideration of grant of license for the package sale of distilled spirits, beer, and wine to Bootliquors located at 2823 Northside Drive West in accordance with City Ordinance 6-23(h).
Public Hearing Items Considered
Deferred pending approval of town home ordinance: Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve Application RZ 22-05- 02: Horizon Home Builders requests a Zoning Map Amendment from the CR/R-4
(Commercial Retail/High-Density Residential) to the PUD (Planned Unit Development) zoning district for the development of 172 unit townhome development on 17.78 acres at 7130 Veterans Memorial Parkway.
Approved with conditions: Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve Application SE 22-05-03: Quaiesha Oglesby requests special exception from Article XXVII, Section 2704, in order to establish a group daycare hosting 15 children on 0.57 acres at 102 Lee Street.
Deferred pending approval of town home ordinance: Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion to Approve Application RZ 22-05-04: W&L Developers, LLC request a zoning map amendment from the R10(SingleFamily Residential) zoning district to the PUD (Planned Unit Development) zoning district in order to construct a 48 unit townhome development on 14.05 acres at S&S Railroad Bed Road.
Approved: Public Hearing and Consideration of a motion to approve Resolution 2022-22: A Resolution exempting certain vehicles from marking requirement for one year.
Other City Business
Approved: Consideration of a motion to approve Resolution 2022-23: A Resolution to adopt the second amendment to the fiscal year 2022 budget for each fund of the City of Statesboro, Georgia, appropriating the amounts shown in each budget as expenditures/expenses, adopting the several items of revenue anticipations, and prohibiting expenditures or expenses from exceeding the actual funding appropriated.
Approved: Consideration of a Motion to approve Resolution 2022-24: A Resolution to adopt the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget for each fund of the City of Statesboro, Georgia, appropriating the amount shown in each budget as expenditures/expenses, adopting the several items of revenue anticipations, and prohibiting expenditures or expenses from exceeding the actual funding available for appropriations.
Approved with effective date moved to August 1, 2022: Consideration of a Motion to Approve Resolution 2022-25: A Resolution adopting the Statesboro Schedule of Rates, Fees and Fines.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to approve Resolution 2022 - 26: A resolution establishing the policies and procedures for the Community Garden.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to approve Resolution 2022-27: A Resolution approving application to the Transportation Alternatives (TA) set-aside Program for the Creek on the Blue Mile project.
Approved: Consideration of a Motion to Authorize the Mayor to execute a contract for services with the Statesboro Arts Council, Inc. to market downtown Statesboro by operating and managing the Averitt Center for the Arts, using proceeds from the Hotel/Motel Tax.
Approved: Consideration of a Motion to Authorize the Mayor to execute a contract for services with the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority/Main Street to market downtown Statesboro, using proceeds from the Hotel/Motel Tax.
Approved: Consideration of a Motion to Authorize the Mayor to execute a contract for services with the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. to market Statesboro and Bulloch County, using proceeds from the Hotel/Motel Tax.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to approve the Statesboro Police Department Towing Rotation and Wrecker Agreement for FY 2023.
Approved: Consideration of Intergovernmental Contract between City and Bulloch County regarding commitment of matching ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds in the cumulative amount of one million dollars to assist with property acquisition and construction relating to new Food Bank facility.
Approved: Consideration of Memorandum of Understanding between City, Bulloch County, and Food Bank regarding provision of real property and construction funding to assist Food Bank with obtaining a new food pantry facility.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to award a contract extension to Assured Partners (Glenn Davis and Assoc.) for General Liability and Workers Comp brokerage services.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to award and contract extension to NFP for health services brokerage services. If approved, this extension would terminate on December 31, 2023.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to award a purchase contract for bus stop shelters to Hasley Recreation in the amount of $31,400.00. The project will be paid from 2018 TSPLOST funds.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to award a contract for engineering design of the East Grady Street Sidewalk Improvements project to T. R. Long Engineering PC in the amount of $31,400.00. The project will be paid from 2018 TSPLOST funds.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to approve the purchase of three (3) complete sets of TNT Hydraulic Extraction tools in the amount of $24,000.00 ($8,000.00 per set) from Ten-8 Fire & Safety LLC.
Deferred to July 19, 2022 meeting: Consideration of a motion to approve a contract with SAFEbuilt in the not to exceed amount of $100,000 for building inspection, plan review, and permitting services.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to award a contract to Sapp Engineering Inc. in the amount of $36,000.00 for professional engineering services and project management for installation of natural gas main and regulator station to serve the Aspen Aerogels facility with funds proposed in the 2023 CIP Budget, Item # NGD-99.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to award the Akins Boulevard Phase 3B construction contract to Mill Creek Construction up to the amount of $5,300,000.00. The project will be paid from GDOT HB 170 funds.
Approved: Consideration of a motion to approve Change Order 2 with McLendon Enterprises, Inc. in the amount of $89,501.22 for the Blue Mile Streetscape Improvements Project.
Added Agenda Items
Approved: Emergency procurement for the replacement of the HVAC at the Averitt Center for the arts with Augusta Chiller Service for $493,500. There are temporary air units throughout the building now providing air condition after the main unit failed. The City staff received three quotes and this was the best option. It will be in the late fall because of supply issues before the unit is in and replaced. These emergency procurement funds will come from the fund balance.
Approved: Intergovernmental agreement regarding to potential 2023 TSpolst renewal. TSplost coming up for renewal the end of 2022 and the County has provided and intergovernmental agreement with the Bulloch County and the cities of Register, Portal, Brooklet and Statesboro for the distribution of potential 2023 TSplost proceeds if the citizens renew the five year agreement on the November 2022 ballot. The City of Statesboro would receive about 43% of the total funds. This is projected to be $30,000,960 which will be used for infrastructure, roads and transit system in the City of Statesboro. The only change recommended from current agreement which has $450k set aside for public transit. They are recommending increasing that number to to $3,000,000.
The current busses are smaller than they had first hoped to get. Due to this and as ridership increases they anticipate increasing the size of the buses in the future. This is the reason for the proposed increase.
Community member address Council
City of Statesboro resident and business owner Mary Sue Hodges, who owns 39 businesses, addressed the council regarding her concern about raising taxes. She encouraged them to strongly consider other options and keep local businesses in mind, who are operating in a very difficult environment.
Kevin Lewis, with Southern City Lounge addressed issues brought up at a previous council meeting where he feels wrong information was given about the business. He said they have been labeled a danger to the public and threat to public safety by SPD with an orange sign on their door.
They have not had anyone hurt or killed in the lounge and feel that they are being unnecessarily targeted. He mentioned a recent shooting where over 30 shell casing were located by SPD and bullet holes in local businesses. He said this happened on a side street, not in front or in their business. He even worked with police to identify the vehicle that was shooting.
He also mentioned that Councilman Boyum had stated at the meeting that he had tried to enter the business during normal business hours, but it was closed. They reviewed video footage during this time and did not see Councilman Boyum making an attempt to enter. He was also concerned about a meeting held with other business owners located in the area of his business that Councilman Chavers, who represents this district, nor a representative of the business was invited to.
After that meeting, Councilman Boyum entered a motion to remove the liquor license from the business. The motion did not pass.
Mr. Lewis invited the council members and the public to come check out his business. They are open Tuesday through Saturday and serve food during open hours.
