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Council addresses projects, ordinances
City recognizes staff, citizens
hinesville city hall

During a recent Hinesville City Council meeting, council addressed an updated flood ordinance and zoning map book from Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission, as well as multiple construction project awards under P.C. Simonton and Associates.

Mayor Allen Brown opened the meeting by presenting certificates to recognize both staff and community members for their participation in the 16th Annual “Mayor’s Service of Songs, Prayers and Thanksgiving”. Others recognized included Hinesville Police Department for winning the Mayor’s Award for first place in the Hinesville Christmas Parade, and the City of Hinesville’s Finance Department for securing recognition for excellent financial reporting for the 13th consecutive year.

Council unanimously approved revisions to Hinesville’s flood ordinance, which is reviewed whenever the coastal flood panels are updated. Georgia Department of Natural Resources suggested minor changes to the ordinance, which have all been incorporated. Council previously discussed this on Nov. 1 and Nov. 15. The coastal flood panels are officially active as of Dec. 7.

The 2018 Zoning Map Book, which is compiled by LCPC and contains all zoning requests council approved from November 2017 to November 2018, received approval from council. The map book was previously brought to council on Nov. 1 and Nov. 15 for discussion.

LCPC Executive Director Jeff Ricketson presented the final plat for Griffin Park Phase 10. With approval, the 10th phase will add another 60 lots to the development, bringing the total to 610 single family residential units. The initial development was approved by council in 2006 for a maximum of 700 units, Ricketson said.

Since 2006, the Griffin Park development has brought an estimated 1,500 new residents to the Hinesville area. There will be the addition of two new streets: Alcott Circle and Brasher Drive. According to Ricketson, with the exception of paving, lot sidewalks and lot street trees, all the required public improvements have been installed, inspected and found in compliance with the approved plans.

LCPC recommended approval and council unanimously agreed.

P.C. Simonton and Associates’s vice-president Matthew Barrow presented the 5307 Sidewalk Project Award to council. The project will eliminate sidewalk gaps along South Main Street and Shaw Road from Glenn Bryan Drive to Airport Road, along Darsey Road from SR 38 to South Main Street, and the north side of Ralph Quarterman Drive from SR 38 to South Main Street, according to Barrow.

The recommendation was to award the contract, including alternates one and two, to Sittle Construction, Inc., in the amount of $959,003. Council approved unanimously.

Council also approved the preliminary 2019 LMIG resurfacing list. The list includes streets that need repaving, starting from most need to least need.

District 5 Council Member Vicky Nelson and District 1 Council Member Diana Reid both raised concerns about streets not listed on the preliminary list. Barrow said that the streets mentioned are potentially listed under the 2018 LMIG resurfacing list, and that he would be sure to look into the matter and confirm.

The Pineridge and South Main Reuse Extension Project was approved by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority in 2018 for a loan of $409,000, and a principal forgiveness of $102,500, Barrow said.

Barrow continued saying P.C. Simonton bid the project and received numbers that were well above the estimated project cost. P.C. Simonton performed value engineering, he said, and were able to negotiate with the lowest bidder to bring the project closer to the estimated budget.

“The project is within $17,628 of the originally presented budget in 2015,” Barrow said. “We feel that is acceptable and are happy with the numbers.”

Barrow asked that council approve a loan amendment in the amount of $409,000 with GEFA, approve McClendon Enterprises to perform the specific work, and approve the value engineered and negotiated cost with McClendon Enterprises.

“By increasing the loan amount 10 percent, we’ll have enough to cover the new cost of construction and engineering/inspection, as well as contingency to cover unexpected occurrences,” Barrow said.

Council unanimously approved all requests.

In other council business, council received updates concerning the Warrant Amnesty Program from Clerk of Courts Malissa Oberlander.

According to Oberlander, since the program’s approval on Oct. 3, the 2018 Municipal Court has had 41 defendants willfully contact the court to participate.

The court has waived 41 warrant fees in the amount of approximately $13,530, she said. This created immediate revenue of $5,380 in bond money.

“All warrant files were checked, and there were 28 that had paid the original bond on their citations but still owed the warrant fee,” Oberlander said. “This led to the waiving of approximately $9,128 for those warrant fees. By clearing those warrants, nearly $14,017 will be generated in immediate revenue. The combined revenue for citations stands at $19,398 and a combined total of $22,658 in waived warrant fees.”

The program concludes at 11:59 p.m. on January 2, 2019.

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