Councilmembers and the public got to see and hear some of the highlights of the Hinesville delegation’s economic trip to the Jianxigi province of south central China during Thursday’s city council meeting as Mayor Jim Thomas gave a slideshow presentation.
Besides the 18-hour travel to and from, he explained the trip included six days chock-full of visits to several residential and commercial developments, steel mills and technology parks in Yichun, Hinesville’s sister city.
“I truly believe it was a success,” Thomas said. “For three small cities in the state of Georgia to meet at the national level, is extraordinary.”
Along with representatives from Savannah and Brunswick, Hinesville officials made the trip in hopes of expanding economic growth and attracting international business.
But it all starts with relationship-building, according to Thomas.
“We’ve taken that first step of establishing that relationship,” he said.
In the meeting of the democratic and communist countries, Thomas said Yichun officials wanted to learn from Hinesville representatives how to have more citizen involvement in their governing process.
“They need to learn how to deal with the person in the street because, if they don’t address that middle class, they’re going to have rebellion,” the mayor said.
Thomas was particularly impressed with how knowledgeable the vice-governor of the province was with the background of Hinesville, including economics, population and coastal location.
“We’re a small area on the coast of Georgia, but we’re not unknown to the world,” Thomas said.
In other business Thursday, councilmen weighed in on applying for a $6.5 million grant from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program of Housing and Urban Development.
The grant would demolish, redevelop or rehabilitate 19 foreclosed homes in the city and 36 homes as part of the Azalea Street redevelopment project.
Under the guidelines, the funds can be used to buy and work on homes, but a couple of councilmen questioned if the city would have jurisdiction of the land or if the property would still belong to the owner.
Thomas wanted to wait before signing the resolution, but gave Assistant City Manager Kenneth Howard the go-ahead to submit the application before the Nov. 30 deadline.
“I don’t want people thinking we’re taking away property,” Thomas said. “We’re assisting people in getting rid of it if they want to.”
However, everything was in line for the council to agree to pursue a GATEway state grant for $50,000 to be used for road enhancement and beautification for the median and right-of-ways of the new Frank Cochran extension.
The city will only need to sign a memorandum of understanding with GDOT obligating the city to maintain the landscape when complete.
“My greatest hope is that we get the money to four-lane Frank Cochran into Fort Stewart,” Thomas said. “Right now, that’s on hold because DOT doesn’t have the money.”Thomas said Yichun officials wanted to learn from Hinesville representatives how to have more citizen involvement in their governing process.
“They need to learn how to deal with the person in the street because, if they don’t address that middle class, they’re going to have rebellion,” the mayor said.
Thomas was particularly impressed with how knowledgeable the vice-governor of the province was with the background of Hinesville, including economics, population and coastal location.
“We’re a small area on the coast of Georgia, but we’re not unknown to the world,” Thomas said.
In other business Thursday, councilmen weighed in on applying for a $6.5 million grant from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program of Housing and Urban Development.
The grant would demolish, redevelop or rehabilitate 19 foreclosed homes in the city and 36 homes as part of the Azalea Street redevelopment project.
Under the guidelines, the funds can be used to buy and work on homes, but a couple of councilmen questioned if the city would have jurisdiction of the land or if the property would still belong to the owner.
Thomas wanted to wait before signing the resolution, but gave Assistant City Manager Kenneth Howard the go-ahead to submit the application before the Nov. 30 deadline.
“I don’t want people thinking we’re taking away property,” Thomas said. “We’re assisting people in getting rid of it if they want to.”
However, everything was in line for the council to agree to pursue a GATEway state grant for $50,000 to be used for road enhancement and beautification for the median and right-of-ways of the new Frank Cochran extension.
The city will only need to sign a memorandum of understanding with GDOT obligating the city to maintain the landscape when complete.
“My greatest hope is that we get the money to four-lane Frank Cochran into Fort Stewart,” Thomas said. “Right now, that’s on hold because DOT doesn’t have the money.”
Besides the 18-hour travel to and from, he explained the trip included six days chock-full of visits to several residential and commercial developments, steel mills and technology parks in Yichun, Hinesville’s sister city.
“I truly believe it was a success,” Thomas said. “For three small cities in the state of Georgia to meet at the national level, is extraordinary.”
Along with representatives from Savannah and Brunswick, Hinesville officials made the trip in hopes of expanding economic growth and attracting international business.
But it all starts with relationship-building, according to Thomas.
“We’ve taken that first step of establishing that relationship,” he said.
In the meeting of the democratic and communist countries, Thomas said Yichun officials wanted to learn from Hinesville representatives how to have more citizen involvement in their governing process.
“They need to learn how to deal with the person in the street because, if they don’t address that middle class, they’re going to have rebellion,” the mayor said.
Thomas was particularly impressed with how knowledgeable the vice-governor of the province was with the background of Hinesville, including economics, population and coastal location.
“We’re a small area on the coast of Georgia, but we’re not unknown to the world,” Thomas said.
In other business Thursday, councilmen weighed in on applying for a $6.5 million grant from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program of Housing and Urban Development.
The grant would demolish, redevelop or rehabilitate 19 foreclosed homes in the city and 36 homes as part of the Azalea Street redevelopment project.
Under the guidelines, the funds can be used to buy and work on homes, but a couple of councilmen questioned if the city would have jurisdiction of the land or if the property would still belong to the owner.
Thomas wanted to wait before signing the resolution, but gave Assistant City Manager Kenneth Howard the go-ahead to submit the application before the Nov. 30 deadline.
“I don’t want people thinking we’re taking away property,” Thomas said. “We’re assisting people in getting rid of it if they want to.”
However, everything was in line for the council to agree to pursue a GATEway state grant for $50,000 to be used for road enhancement and beautification for the median and right-of-ways of the new Frank Cochran extension.
The city will only need to sign a memorandum of understanding with GDOT obligating the city to maintain the landscape when complete.
“My greatest hope is that we get the money to four-lane Frank Cochran into Fort Stewart,” Thomas said. “Right now, that’s on hold because DOT doesn’t have the money.”Thomas said Yichun officials wanted to learn from Hinesville representatives how to have more citizen involvement in their governing process.
“They need to learn how to deal with the person in the street because, if they don’t address that middle class, they’re going to have rebellion,” the mayor said.
Thomas was particularly impressed with how knowledgeable the vice-governor of the province was with the background of Hinesville, including economics, population and coastal location.
“We’re a small area on the coast of Georgia, but we’re not unknown to the world,” Thomas said.
In other business Thursday, councilmen weighed in on applying for a $6.5 million grant from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program of Housing and Urban Development.
The grant would demolish, redevelop or rehabilitate 19 foreclosed homes in the city and 36 homes as part of the Azalea Street redevelopment project.
Under the guidelines, the funds can be used to buy and work on homes, but a couple of councilmen questioned if the city would have jurisdiction of the land or if the property would still belong to the owner.
Thomas wanted to wait before signing the resolution, but gave Assistant City Manager Kenneth Howard the go-ahead to submit the application before the Nov. 30 deadline.
“I don’t want people thinking we’re taking away property,” Thomas said. “We’re assisting people in getting rid of it if they want to.”
However, everything was in line for the council to agree to pursue a GATEway state grant for $50,000 to be used for road enhancement and beautification for the median and right-of-ways of the new Frank Cochran extension.
The city will only need to sign a memorandum of understanding with GDOT obligating the city to maintain the landscape when complete.
“My greatest hope is that we get the money to four-lane Frank Cochran into Fort Stewart,” Thomas said. “Right now, that’s on hold because DOT doesn’t have the money.”