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Council denounces federal budget 'sequestration'
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The Hinesville City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution denouncing sequestration.
Near the end of the council’s biweekly meeting, Mayor Jim Thomas proposed the nine-point resolution, which calls on congressional leaders and the president to “work in the spirit of compromise to approve a comprehensive, balanced deficit-reduction plan immediately” and avoid “draconian, indiscriminate and arbitrary budget sequestration” on Jan. 2, 2013.
“We stand to lose 7,000 jobs in our region,” said Thomas, relating information he learned during a recent visit by Georgia’s senior U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss at the MidCoast Regional Airport. “I would ask for your approval and your support for this resolution.”
The resolution passed with little discussion among or comments by council members.
Also at Thursday’s meeting, the mayor and council made a presentation to Team Hinesville’s weightlifters, who recently participated in the Amateur Athletics Union Junior Olympics Games in Houston, Texas. Team Hinesville claimed second place and brought home four medals, including two silver medals and one bronze medal, along with a sixth-place finish.
Assistant City Manager Ken Howard introduced team manager and coach Chris Wood and each team member, who were then recognized by the mayor and presented a certificate.
Special recognition went to James Fox, 17, who took second in the 85-kilogram (187-pound) class; Logan Avant, 16, who took third place in the 94-kilogram (206.8-pound) class; Bryce Crean, 10, who took second place in the 52-kilogram (114-pound) class; and Morgan Crean, 17, who took sixth place in the 77-kilogram (169.4-pound) class.
The first action item considered by the council was a request by Bodamer-Eller LLC to rezone a nearly 1-acre parcel of land from O-I (office institutional) to O-C (office commercial). Gabriele Hartage, assistant zoning administrator with the Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission, said Dr. Paul Bodamer and Dr. Matthew Eller, owners of the two-suite building on the property, desired a larger sign to accommodate other physicians’ names. However, the city’s sign ordinance limited the size of sign they could have under the O-I zoning.
She said the request could not be recommended by the LCPC because of a tied vote. The council approved the request after Thomas pointed out that similar requests had been approved by the council.
A request by Belen Latag, agent for Woo Jin Park, to allow a retail store on property zoned L-I (light industrial) was dismissed by the council. City Manager Billy Edwards noted the request had been dismissed by the LCPC and should not have been presented to the council.
Edwards discussed two information items involving a proposed new ordinance and a change to an existing ordinance. The first ordinance would tie renewal of city business licenses to payment of Liberty County personal property ad valorem taxes. The second ordinance would change alcoholic beverage special-event permit fees. Both proposed ordinances will be action items at the Oct. 4 meeting, he said.
The Hinesville Area Arts Council requested an alcoholic beverage special-event permit for an upcoming event. The group requested a one-day special event alcohol permit to serve beer during the 2012 Blues & BBQ Festival, which is 4-11 p.m. Sept. 29 in the parking lot behind the Justice Center. The arts council also requested a waiver of all fees associated with the special alcohol permit. The city council approved both requests.
Final action items considered and approved by the council included adopting an eight-month moratorium on Internet gaming/sweepstakes, pending legislative action by the Georgia general assembly; and granting a request for a business license to Allen S. Torres to operate Lucky Bella’s Tattoo Studio LLC at 750 E.G. Miles Parkway.


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