HAHIRA — City Council presented new rules Thursday evening for Sunday package sales passed by voters in May.

Rob Plumb, city attorney, presented the regulations to the council.

In order to participate in Sunday package sales, a business will need to buy a separate license, City Manager Jonathan Sumner said. 

Package sales will be from 12:30 p.m.-11 p.m Sundays.

Council members discussed fees associated with the new law.

The first public hearing for the new regulations will take place in August, Sumner said.

Council also voted to allow the city engineer to begin looking into Georgia Department of Transportation program applications to landscape and build sidewalks on the Hahira corridor toward Union Road.

The project is not expected to start for several more years due to the application process, Sumner said.

The city engineer looked at programs with a 20 percent match for a $1 million project minimum. So, the city would pay at least $200,000 if it comes to fruition; however, if the project does materialize, Sumner said he expects the costs to be part of Special Local Option Sales Tax VIII.

Being on a new SPLOST budget will allow the city to plan for the high cost, Sumner said. SPLOST VIII negotiations will start in 2019.

The city also voted to increase the tonnage used for the aerated pond dredging project from 900 to 1,100 tons.

The cost for additional tonnage will cost approximately $42,000.

Council also talked about its upcoming trip to several city halls around the state in communities similar in size to Hahira.

The trip is part of a council-sponsored survey to understand what a new city hall may look like.

Hahira City Council meets 6 p.m. the first Thursday of every month in the court house. The meetings are open to the public. 

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1257.