Americus’ Council breaks record for shortest meeting

Members approve appointments

Beth Alston

AMERICUS — In a record-breaking 20-minute session Thursday evening, the Americus Mayor and City Council dispensed of all of its business for the month of January

Council unanimously approved its consent agenda which included the following.

• Worker’s Compensation Bids for City workers’ self-insurance fund with a premium of $332,864 from the Georgia Municipal Association.

• Storm drain easement for Rick Davis’ property in the Plum Street/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard area.

• Storm drain easement for James and Diane Smith in The Fairways.

• Selection of a consultant for Hydraulic Water Model.

• Bid for bridge repairs.

• Agreement between the DOT, the City of Americus and Heart of Georgia Railroad adding a pedestrian corridor on Church Street.

• Increasing fares for City Transit services to $3/ages 0-59, $1.50/ages 60 and over, $15/regular tickets for five rides and $15/senior tickets for 10 rides.

• Request to begin the replacement project of Well No. 7.

In other action, the Council also approved the following.

• Approved amendments to the Personnel Ordinance to switch some job titles in the Water and Sewer Maintenance Department, with no addition of personnel.

• Approved changing the time of the Feb. 18 meeting of Mayor and Council from 6 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Approved amending the Fee Ordinance, raising the cost of a refundable rental fee for a hydrant meter from $50 to $1,000.

• Approved selection of Omega Mapping Services of Woodbury for ground penetration radar services for three sections of Eastview Cemetery at a cost of $8,725 (excluding stainless steel markers) and $175 per day for overnight stays required.

• Approved appointment of Alex Saratsiotis to fill the five-year expired term of Daniel Lopez on the Americus-Sumter County Payroll Development Authority.

• Approved the appointment of Marcus Johnson to fill the unexpired term of Annita Carter-Barron, who resigned, on the Americus Theater and Cultural Authority.

• Approved the appointment of Chuck Smith to fill the unexpired term of David Lively, who resigned, on the Downtown Development Authority.

Mayor Barry Blount recognized Patricia Mable, honorary Council member for January, appointed by Council member Lorenzo Johnson. Blount also administered the oath of office to Faith Pinnell who has been appointed to the Americus-Sumter County Tourism Council.

Americus Police Chief James Green told the Mayor and City Council that the number of calls for service were well over the previous year’s. He said that the department’s rate of solving crimes is improved with the cooperation of the public and urges more citizens to contact police if they see anything suspicious. He cautioned that there have been people in town recently offering to resurface driveways and some are preying on the elderly with scams. He urges citizens to call police if they are suspicious.

Mandy Young, director of Economic Development for the City, gave a brief update of activity. She mentioned that the Archway Tripp Street Revitalization Corridor Project is moving forward; that Americus is one of five communities in the state selected for the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, which will focus on middle-income housing in the city; that the new Phoebe Sumter Medical Center is scheduled to be completed by December 2011; and that the January issue of Georgia Trend magazine has a seven-page spread on Americus.

Virginia Sanford was on the agenda, having requested to speak to Council concerning her property on South Jackson Street; however she did not show up for the meeting.

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