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HDDA considers attorneys, insurance
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At their May 26 meeting Hinesville Downtown Development Authority Chairman John Baker said they had a talk with the Georgia Municipal Association who informed them it would be a good idea to create an Intergovernmental Service  Agreement (ISA) with the City of Hinesville as well as hire their own attorney and not use the City attorney.

“We talked about this (the ISA) in March and how we were lacking that,” he said.

Baker said the GMA spokesperson also told the HDDA to make sure they had insurance. Baker said the HDDA reached out to City Clerk Lia Jones who sent them a letter stating that the HDDA members were indeed covered by the City’s insurance.

However, Board member Tom Ratcliffe said the City Clerk’s letter didn’t really address the question.

“I’m not sure it addressed that the Downtown Development Authority’s events are covered,” he said. It did not cover the question of whether the directors of this body are covered.

He said the letter seems convey that the HDDA entity is covered but not individual board members.

Ricketson said she would follow up with the City Clerk for clarification.

During their conversation about retaining their own lawyer, Ricketson said having a different attorney from the City would prevent conflict of interest issues.

“If we were working on something, even in concert with the City it’s to make sure the DDA’s interests are represented as well as the City’s interest,” she said. “Because sometimes those are different. It’s not that anyone it trying to take advantage of anyone else, it is just to make sure everyone’s interests are represented.”

Ratcliffe said the HDDA has been fortunate and to date there have been no instances of conflicts of interests but added, “That could very easily be the case.”

“In some communities it often does happen,” he continued.

Baker said the HDDA had their own attorney when the entity was first formed. The group also discussed the need to add a line item in the next budget to fund an attorney if needed. Neither City of Hinesville Mayor Brown nor City Manager Kenneth Howard were able to attend the meeting. The HDDA Board decided to table the discussion until they could address the issue with the City, possibly at their June 23rd, workshop.

Ricketson said former Hinesville Police Officer Kevin Remillard was hired as the new HDDA Main Street Program and Events Coordinator.

Ricketson said a new woman’s boutique was coming to downtown at the site of the former’s Howe 2 Run shop on Main Street. It is set to open the first week of June. The International Pioneer Telecommunications Association Museum also plans to re-open the first week of June.

Ricketson reminded the Board that the annual Peanut Butter and Jelly collection has started. Since the HDDA started the program, six years ago, more than 12,000 jars have been collected.

Ricketson informed the Board that the City Manager, City Councilmembers, HDDA staff, HDDA Board members recently attended a meeting about the roles of the DDA. The meeting was held May 17.

Ricketson said they are also planning to bring back several events that were either cancelled or modified last year due to the pandemic to include Blues, Brews and BBQ, the Scarecrow Stroll and the Pumpkin Patch at Bryant Commons Park. 

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3rd ID, Army, allies mourn four soldiers lost in accident
Farewell ceremony set for Thursday morning in Lithuanian capital
four soldiers

The four U.S. Army soldiers assigned to 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry found deceased near Pabradė, Lithuania have been identified.  

The Army has confirmed the four soldiers who died when their vehicle sank into a bog as Staff Sgt. Edvin Franco, 25, Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez, 25, PFC Dante Taitano, 21, and Staff Sgt. Troy Knutson-Collins, 28.

"First and foremost, we offer condolences to the loved ones of our soldiers,” said Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. “I can't say enough about the support our Lithuanian Allies have provided us. We have leaned on them, and they, alongside our Polish and Estonian Allies - and our own sailors, airmen and experts from the Corps of Engineers - have enabled us to find and bring home our soldiers. This is a tragic event, but it reinforces what it means to have Allies and friends.” 

The four soldiers, who were the crew of a M88A2 armored recovery vehicle, went missing in the early morning hours of March 25. Their vehicle eventually was found March 26 but it was beneath approximately 14 feet of water and sunk into more than six feet of mud.

Crews worked to drain the area around the vehicle to make it stable for heavy equipment needed to pull out the M88. U.S. Navy divers were flown in and attached cables to hoist points so the submerged vehicle could be lifted out of the bog.

"This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain with the loss of our final Dogface Soldier," said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd ID commanding general. “Though we have received some closure, the world is darker without them.” 

Knutson-Collins, Duenez Jr., and Franco were all posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.

Knutson-Collins was an artillery mechanic with over seven years in the Army. He arrived at Fort Stewart in February 2018 and was assigned to 1/41 Field Artillery Battalion.

Knutson-Collins graduated from the Army Basic Leader Course, the Advanced Leaders Course, the Tracked Vehicle Recovery Operations course, and the Combat Lifesaver course. He deployed to Korea in 2020.

His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Master Technician Badge.

“Words cannot express how deeply this loss is felt by everyone in our unit,” said Capt. Jackson Patillo, commander, Foxtrot Company, 1/41 Field Artillery Battalion. “Staff Sgt. Troy Collins was an exceptional friend to all of us and an irreplaceable member to our entire Fox family that we will truly miss.”

“The pain we feel from this loss is insurmountable,” said Lt. Col. Erick Buckner, 1/41 Field Artillery Battalion commander. “Staff Sgt. Knutson-Collins was well loved throughout our unit and a brother to all. He was an expert, an incredibly talented mechanic and a warrior. We will never forget his dedication to his unit, his family and his country.”

“We are incredibly relieved that we were able to bring this recovery to an end and bring closure to all the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of the 1st Armored Division, who also grew up on Fort Stewart. “We cannot thank our Allies and fellow service members enough, especially the Lithuanians, who spared no resource in support of this mission. Together, we delivered on our promise to never leave a fallen comrade.” 

Throughout the seven-day recovery effort, the combined and joint team worked day and night to find the soldiers. 

“As the fourth and final soldier has been recovered from this tragic accident, we will continue to mourn their loss as we work to quickly return our Dog Face Soldiers home to their families,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, commanding general of V Corps and former Fort Stewart and 3rd ID commanding general. “It has been truly amazing and very humbling to watch the incredible recovery team from different commands, countries and continents come together and give everything to recover our Soldiers. Thank you, Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, the U.S. Navy and the Army Corps of Engineers. We are forever grateful.” 

All four soldiers were deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve to provide credible ground deterrence alongside Allies and partners, and were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart. 

“I'm immensely proud of our entire team. They have been relentless in their efforts to search and recover our soldiers and get every capability and asset necessary to enable this effort,” Gen. Donahue said. 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also posted on X his sorrow at the loss of the four soldiers.

“I want to personally extend my deepest condolences to the families of all four fallen soldiers,” he wrote. “Our hearts are heavy across the Department of Defense. We are deeply grateful to our brave servicemembers who enabled this difficult recovery and to our Lithuanian hosts who labored alongside them. The recovery was conducted with urgency, resolve and deep respect for the fallen. We will never forget these soldiers — and our prayers are with their families.”

A farewell ceremony for the soldiers will be held Thursday morning in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

“Every soldier is also a Lithuanian soldier, and their families’ pain is our pain,” said a statement from the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.

The U.S. Army is investigating the cause of the accident. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. 

"We continue to stand by the families and loved ones through this incredibly difficult time,” said Maj. Gen. Norrie. “Now, it’s time to bring them home.” 

 

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