Newspaper Page Text
The ADVANCE, September 27, 2023/Page 2A
Stye Aftuance
Alamo Council’s Busy Session
Includes Emergency Allocation
The Council approved ex
pending $2,250.99 for the
work, using ARP funds for
the electrical outlets and
funds from water and sewer
fund to provide the spigots.
Floyd said the City will pro
vide the labor.
By Deborah Clark
Regional Editor
dclarkadvance@gmail. com
The September meet
ing of the Alamo City Coun
cil was busy with a number
of housekeeping items, in
cluding swearing in a new
member, and an encroach
ing deadline for fixing an
aging piece of equipment at
the City’s Water and Sewer
processing facility.
The meeting sched
uled for 6 p.m. started over
a half hour late following a
lengthy executive session
which began at 5:30 p.m.
and at which no action was
taken, according to Mayor
Pam Lee.
City Attorney Rus
sell Clark administered
the oath of office to Geof
frey Villegas, who assumed
the post of Harry Lewis,
who resigned earlier this
year. Villegas was the only
person who qualified to
fill the empty seat, deter
mining that a special elec
tion for that seat will not
be required in November.
Villegas is a store manager
at South Georgia Tools in
Alamo and will fill the post
through the end of the term
in 2025.
Burn Ordinance
The Council approved
the suspension of its city
wide policy on burning de
bris due to the hiatus of the
City’s limbs and leaves col
lection. City Attorney Clark
advised that residents will
still need to be mindful of
state regulations regarding
the burning of items that
could produce toxic smoke.
The Council’s action will
negate residents’ obligation
to obtain permission from
the City to burn debris.
The Council’s action will be
posted on the City’s media
pages and information will
be distributed in water and
sewer bills.
that crews are working
throughout the weekend to
hang sheetrock and perform
duct work as the inside of
the structure is completed.
The structure is expected to
be ready for occupancy in
mid-November.
The Council approved
a $40,000 budget using
ARP funds for furnishings
for the new City Hall and
the adjacent police head
quarters. Floyd said he had
received three bids from
companies in the $30,000-
$45,000 price range. The
Council was also advised
that flooring and paint col
ors need to be selected.
Photo by Deborah Clark
TAKING OATH — Alamo City Attorney Russell Clark administers the oath of office fo
Geoffrey Villegas, an Alamo parts store manager who will assume the remainder of
Councilman Harry Lewis's term. Lewis resigned earlier this year. The term ends in 2025,
From left, foreground, are Councilmen Bobby Cox and Steve Jones.
Water and Sewer Plant
Emergency
After hearing from City
Manager Jeff Floyd about
the status of the blowers at
the City’s wastewater treat
ment plant, the Council
voted to expend $73,555
from the Water and Sewer
account to remedy the
problem. Floyd said the
city had received only one
Local Candidate Forum
to Be Held October 10
Courtesy of the Toombs
County Republican Party
The City of Vidalia
and The City of Lyons
have contested municipal
elections on November 7.
Thus, the Toombs County
Republican Party has set
up a Municipal Election
Candidate Forum to allow
these men and women to
share their positions with
the public on Tuesday, Oc
tober 10.
The forum is free to
the public, and will begin at
6:30 p.m. at Southeastern
Technical College. All can
didates have been invited
to participate.
Contested Vidalia elec
tions are for the seats of Vi
dalia City Council at Large,
Vidalia City Council Ward
4, Vidalia City School at
Large, Vidalia City School
Ward 1, and Vidalia City
School Ward 3. The con
tested Lyons election is
for the seat of Lyons City
Council Ward 5.
Election day is Tues
day, November 7, 2023.
Early voting begins Mon
day, October 16. Early vot
ing for Vidalia will b e at the
Vidalia Police Department
located at 302 E. First
Street in Vidalia. Early vot
ing for Lyons will be at the
Toombs County Board of
Elections and Registration
Office located at 125 W.
Lincoln Avenue in Lyons.
For additional infor
mation, please contact
Trish Poole at (912) 293-
4478 or toombs(a)12gagop.
org.
Library Introduces Kanopy
Streaming Service
Courtesy of the Ohoopee
Regional Library System
The Ohoopee Re
gional Library System has
added to its variety of re
sources available to the
public by adding the new
Kanopy Streaming Service.
Kanopy is owned by
the same company which
owns the Libby app, a re
source already provided by
the library system. Patrons
can sign into Kanopy us
ing their PINES username
and password, meaning
that anyone with a PINES
card in good standing can
stream thousands of videos
for free.
The Kanopy app can
be downloaded on iPhone
and Android phone. In ad
dition, you can stream on
Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV,
Android TV most tablets,
and Chromecast. From
your device you can stream
British TV shows and
movies, thrilling myster
ies and police procedures,
family-friendly movies,
and fan favorites. Fans of
bid from Southeast Envi
ronmental of Blackshear to
repair the blocks on the two
blowers at the plant.
Floyd said one blower
was already inoperable
when he came on board
as City Manager, and the
second blower was in bad
condition. He said he had
reached out to area com
panies to repair the blocks
some time ago, but the
Environmental Protec
tion Divisions September
22 deadline for addressing
the problem was at hand
and needed immediate ac
tion. Floyd said it would
cost $300,000 to $400,000
to replace the plant’s entire
systems, making the option
of replacing only the blocks
more realistic. The life ex
pectancy of the blocks is 7
to 8 years due to daily wear
and tear. He said if the City
pays 50% down, the parts
may be ordered and an ac
tion plan can be submitted
to EPD ahead of the dead
line.
Proposed Budget
The Council voted to
advertise the City’s pro
posed 2024-2025 budget
in the county’s legal organ,
The Advance, ahead of a
public hearing at the next
Council meeting on Octo
ber 10 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
The Council is expected to
adopt the budget and set
the millage at its Novem
ber session, following three
weeks allowing for public
input. The public may view
the budget on the City’s
website and copies will be
available at City Hall.
Eastside Park Expenses
Councilman Dondrea
Geter asked to Council to
consider expedited alloca
tions for providing water
spigots and outlets at pa
vilions at Eastside Park.
The improvements are
needed ahead of an annual
tailgate event at the park.
City Manager s Report
Floyd advised the
Council of an issue with
two ornamental trees at the
City’s Rose Garden/Vet
eran’s Memorial on Main
Street (U.S. Highway 280).
Floyd said the trees are en
croaching on the flag poles
at the site and potentially
could cause damage to the
monument. He requested
the Council’s permission to
remove the trees and grind
the stumps, then replace
the trees with another less
problematic species situat
ed further from the monu
ment. His request included
grinding the stumps from
two other trees previously
removed from the site. He
estimated that grinding the
stumps would cost about
$100 per tree. The Council
approved Floyd’s request
and decided to inform city
residents of the proposed
work via City media and
water bills.
Floyd advised the
Council that work on the
new City Hall is progressing
on pace now after weather
delays. He said the build
ing’s roof is complete and
Road Name Change,
Trunk or Treat
The Council approved
renaming a portion of First
Street as Martin Luther
King, Jr. Boulevard. The
action required notifying
the two residents and two
churches on the street of
the change, as well as the
911 Call Center. The public
had been polled previously
on the suggested change.
During the session, the
Council approved holding
the annual Trunk or Treat
event at the City’s Rose
Garden on Tuesday, Octo
ber 31, 6 until 8 p.m. Area
business, churches and or
ganizations are invited to
participate. For more infor
mation, contact City Hall.
Police and Fire Reports
Chief Karen Zanders
reported that her office re
sponded to 66 calls during
the past month and collect
ed $195 in fines, as well as
$351 from Red Speed cam
era violations in the school
zone.
The Alamo Fire De
partment responded to 6
calls in August, including
2 downed trees and power
lines cases, a missing ju
venile, 2 vehicle accidents
with injuries, and a gas leak.
The department engaged in
8 hours of training address
ing ladder bailouts, patient
movement, and basic first
aid.
A
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Bank on Common \
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The Ohoopee Region
al Library Systems serves
the citizens of Jeff Davis,
Montgomery, Tattnall, and
Toombs Counties. Con
tact your local branch for
more information.
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