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City council considers contracts, approves preliminary plats
hinesville city hall

Last week’s Hinesville City Council members took action on numerous “house-keeping” items.

City of Hinesville’s Trick-or-Treat is set for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31. Council voted to approve the date at the Sept. 20 meeting, as well as preliminary plats for three subdivisions, an extension on Liberty Transportation’s contract, law enforcement contracts and a request for LMIG modification.

The Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission’s Executive Director Jeff Ricketson refreshed council on two ordinances presented at previous council meetings. One concerning the revised Home Occupation Ordinance, which allows residents living in manufactured homes to apply for a home-business license.

The Cargo Shipping Ordinance allows businesses to have two permanent cargo storage containers on their property, as well as an additional 10 temporary units, at a maximum of 90 days. Conditions are one storage container per acre of land. Both ordinances have been heard and have received approval from LCPC. No action was taken by council at this meeting.

Three preliminary plats: phase 3 of Pineridge Subdivision, phase 10 of Griffin Park and phase 2 of Independence Settlement, received previous approval from the LCPC at their Aug. 21 meeting. With no dissent or questions among councilmembers, the plats all received unanimous approval from council.

City grant writer Erica Usher presented the 2017 CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report) for council’s approval to send to the U.S. Department of Housing. According to Usher, in 2003, the city received a designation as an entitlement community, and began receiving funds from the Community Development Block Grant program in 2004.

The city is required to file a consolidated plan every five years, outlining priorities, objectives and strategies. The city is also obligated to file an annual action plan that speaks to the activities undertaken during the fiscal year, Usher said. After the fiscal year is complete, the city files their CAPER with HUD. Council approved the request for submission unanimously.

City Manager Ken Howard recommended to council that they extend their contract for Transit Operations through Oct. 31, 2019. Currently, the city’s contract for transit services is through Transdev Services Inc., Howard said. The contract extension received approval.

Assistant City Manager Ryan Arnold and Hinesville Chief of Police Bill Kirkendall co-presented amendments to previous contracts with Liberty County School District and Liberty County Hospital Authority to contract police officers to cover off-duty events.

Currently, when officers are contracted to cover special events, Kirkendall said, they log that extra time on their timesheets, and then are eventually compensated through the City.

Arnold suggested a more traditional model where LCSD and LCHA contact the police department directly to contract officers for events.

“It’s my recommendation that instead of contracting with the city, they contact directly with the police department,” Arnold said. The only major change is that the officers will be directly paid by either LCSD or LCHA, instead of being reimbursed by the city, Arnold continued. Council approved the change unanimously.

The City of Flemington has put in a request to the City of Hinesville to include approximately 110-feet of road within the city’s LMIG (Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant) RFP (request for proposal), Howard said. 

The funding would be supplemented by the City of Flemington, presenting no unforeseen or additional expenses to the city.

“It is more economically advantageous for them to include their road resurfacing within the scope of Hinesville’s LMIG,” he said. “It will not adversely affect the City of Hinesville either.” The request received unanimous approval.


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