Buying alcohol on Sundays just got one step closer to reality Thursday evening, with the Valdosta City Council’s passage of an ordinance to authorize a referendum for the Nov. 8 General Election.

The referendum will allow voters in the city of Valdosta to decide whether package sales of malt beverages, wine and distilled spirits should be allowed by retailers on  Sundays between 12:30 and 11:30 p.m. Currently, citizens can purchase alcoholic beverages on Sundays at local restaurants. This measure, approved by the state of Georgia’s legislature this year, will allow package and grocery stores, and other retailers, to sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays.

The measure passed 5 to 1, with Councilman Robert Yost opposing. Councilman Deidre White was not in attendance.

Councilmen also voted to appoint a Citizens Ethics Board to review the complaint against Mayor John Fretti regarding the filing of a duplication of travel expenses with the state and the city.

Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Payton Jr. appointed William “Dan” Hollimon to serve as the chairman. The council then voted on two additional members, appointing Bette Bechtel and Scott Orenstein. The chairman will appoint an additional member and the  two committee members will appoint an additional member, for a total of five.

The initial hearing was held in June by members of council and the citizens board must meet within 60 days of that meeting date.

Assistant to the City Manager Mara Register gave a presentation to the Council concerning the 2011 Southern Hospitality Group Workcamp. She thanked a number of community organizations and

 businesses, as well as individual volunteers, and presented plaques to a number of the individuals present.

Valdosta has hosted the camp for six years and in that time, Register said, 240 houses have been repaired, with a total investment of $1.4 million. More than 400 students came to Valdosta June 26 to July 2 this year and repaired 34 houses, and Register recognized the homeowners in attendance at the meeting, asking two to come forward and give their testimony.

Delois Bivens said, “It was a blessing received. I couldn’t do this work myself.”

She said she enjoyed the group of young people who worked on her home and was very appreciative of the assistance she received.

“My house was in a very bad way and I didn’t have the money to do it. God is so good,” added homeowner Margaret Johnson.

She thanked the council and those involved for choosing her for the program and said it was wonderful “to see the love of God in their hearts,” referring to the youth who worked on her home.

Register said the city’s goal is to eradicate substandard housing by 2020. She then showed council a touching video showing the workers and the homeowners, and gave a special thank you to city employees, Lowe’s Distribution Center and Wild Adventures.

Mayor Fretti said the program may be used as a training program for other communities.

In other business:

• Council unanimously approved awarding a lift station contract to Radney Plumbling for $204,000 to replace gravity lines adjacent to the Department of Transportation work site on Tucker Road bridge;

• Council unanimously approved hiring the PRMG group to conduct a water/ sewer study, with Utilities Director Henry Hicks stating that he couldn’t locate the last one done. City Manager Larry Hanson said he believes the last one was conducted in the 1980s;

• Heard the city manager’s report, which included an update on the Five Points Steering Committee. Councilman Tim Carroll requested that information regarding meetings be placed online;

Under citizens to be heard, William Holliman requested information regarding sidewalks for Newbern Middle School, with Hanson saying the city recently received approval and assistance from the state to move forward with the project through Safe Routes to Schools.

Iras DuBard thanked the city for helping with his water issues, but stated that his request for assistance with an asphalt issue and drainage on his street had not been handled professionally or timely. He asked the city to have the courtesy to follow up with him as he had been told they would.

The meeting adjourned into an executive session to discuss personnel issues.