Sunday alcohol ordinance revisited

Published 11:27 pm Monday, November 20, 2006

VALDOSTA — The Valdosta City Council on Monday night approved amending the ordinance on the Sunday sale of alcohol, ruling that an additional fee of $450 to obtain a Sunday alcohol sales license must be paid to accompany a license to sell distilled spirits, wine, and beer.

If the application for the license is made after the beginning of the license year, the additional privilege shall be prorated for the remainder of the license year (one-twelfth of $450 effective Dec. 1, 2006).

During Monday’s meeting, Community Development Director Mara Register asked her staff join her for the presentation of the 2006 Magnolia Award for Homeownership. The dedicated work that earned the Magnolia Award has also commanded the attention of Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Mike Beatty, who is looking to participate in next year’s Southern Hospitality Work camp.

“The reactivation of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) offers exciting opportunities to work with future businesses outside of Central Valdosta,” said Register.

The Council approved the reactivation of the DDA originally established in 1981, which will enable the city to make developments twice the size of the Central Valdosta Development Authority. The CVDA, created in 1974, is constitutionally bound to 26 blocks.

Other issues:

• Made possible by the efforts of Jeff Messer, the Georgia Department of Transportation is offering to reimburse the city $66,000 after the installation of a 3M Opticom GPS system at 10 intersections as well as 10 emergency vehicles as a method to ensure effective intersection signal priority control for safe and swift emergency response. The selected area in which the project will occur is located in the downtown area of the city due to one way configuration and the complications it presents in allowing access by emergency response vehicles. Additionally, 3M is willing to install one additional intersection equipment kit, valued at $5,300. This will offset the $4,000 payment associated with the grant proposal.

• As the first chapter in Valdosta, activated in September 2006, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), represented by five members from Valdosta High School and J.C. Cunningham, came to express their concern about the community. They have been involved in Click It or Ticket and Red Ribbon campaigns as well as the Halloween Carnival to encourage young people to make positive choices.

• The Rev. J.D. Martin and Chaplain R. Morrison asked the City Council to participate in and support Boxing for Christ, which is hosting its exhibition on Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. The Boxing for Christ Exhibition is free.

• During the appointments to the CVDA, Joanne Griner (second seat), Dr. Amanda Brown (third seat), and Gene Seago (fifth seat) were unanimously appointed. Julie Pickle (first seat) and Wanda Miller (fourth seat) were also appointed to the CVDA. Rick Williams was appointed to the Valdosta-Lowndes City Conference Center and Tourism Activity.

Bids

• Recycling containers to Rehrig Pacific for $6.85 per container; Rollout containers to Rehrig Pacific for $51.38 per container; Seven new sway car trucks for the Public Works Department to Allan Virgil Ford $328,769; Additional fire hose for fire department to 1st Choice Fire and Safety $12,396; Three half-ton pickup trucks to Langdale Ford for $42,874; Fourteen new pursuit vehicles for police department to Langdale Ford for $282,702; Three new administration vehicles to Langdale Ford for $61,737; Four new one ton trucks with utility bodies to Legacy Ford for $89,656; New truck for fire department to Langdale Ford for $25,956; New pursuit vehicle equipment for police department to west Chatham Warning Devices for $27,097; New truck for engineering department to Legacy Ford for $28,825; Five new sway car trailer for public works department to Clanton’s welding for $38,093; A GPS system for engineering department to Tri Global Tech for $13,219; New van for fire department to Langdale Ford for $15,869; two half-ton extended cab trucks for engineering and utilities department to Langdale Ford for $35,988.

• Council went into executive session to discuss potential litigation. No decisions or approvals were made after Council came out of executive session.