VALDOSTA – The City of Valdosta is again seeking public transportation as council recently approved a plan that could provide it.

Meanwhile, the city took a step to building a downtown amphitheater.

Richard Hardy, assistant city manager and public works director, brought a consideration for a public transit Title VI plan to Valdosta City Council.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Georgia Department of Transportation require the adoption of the plan to receive financial assistance.

Title VI, which was established via the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is “designed to ensure that no person in the United States, based on race, color, or national origin, is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program that DOT financially assists,” according to the federal transportation department.

“Adoption of this plan by the city is a requirement and must be met as per Georgia Department of Transportation giving the City of Valdosta notice to receive authorization to further contract negotiations and approval between the city and River North Transit to bring further transportation to Valdosta,” Hardy said.

Council unanimously approved it. 

The city has reviewed several public transportation options in the past.

City Council also approved the creation of a downtown amphitheater park.

It would be located at the city’s recently acquired property at Central Avenue and North Lee Street. Patrick Collins, city engineering director, said council expressed an interest in an amphitheater during the recent city retreat.

Besides an amphitheater, Collins said the park will have a water feature, such as a fountain, plenty of parking, an area for the Christmas tree and biointensive ponds featuring flowering plants.

Artesian Contracting bid for the park, with a 10% contingency in mind, at $1,263,460 which City Council approved unanimously.

The Valdosta Fire Department had two grants and a purchase approved by council last week which should provide a wealth of new firefighting equipment.

Fire Chief Brian Boutwell asked council to file for a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant to purchase 20 ballistic vests for the fire department. The total came out to $13,000.

Boutwell asked the city to apply for funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Assistance to Firefighters grant program.

The request was made to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus equipment and requires a 10% match ($31,751.20) to the program’s $317,512 if approved.

City Council approved the grant request. Boutwell also asked council to purchase 17 self-contained breathing apparatus at $125,447.11 on a state contract, totaling $126,553.

Valdosta’s Fiscal Year 2020 audit came back and was presented by Mark Rogers with Henderson and Godbee.

The total amount of government revenue funds used was $88,847,000. The general fund ended with a budgetary income of $536,000, breaking down to 32% property taxes, 25% sales taxes and 35% miscellaneous/other taxes.

Revenue amounted to $35,688,000, under budget by $1,010,000.

Expenditures used amounted to $37,832,000, under budget by $2,562,000. It broke down to general government usage at 23%, police usage at 42% and fire department usage at 24%.

Accommodation tax funds received a revenue of $2,700,000 and doled out $2,053,000 in expenditures. Capital projects brought in a revenue of $15 million and required $10 million in expenditures.

All other items on the agenda were approved including a grant application with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Historic Preservation Division for a Phase 2 re-surveying of the city’s local historic district.

Appointments were made to the Valdosta-Lowndes Hospital Authority, Valdosta Historic Preservation Commission and the Community Development Block Grant Citizens Advisory Committee.