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Council discusses grants, budget
Hinesville City Hall
Hinesville City Hall is at the corner of Commerce Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. - photo by File photo

The progress of the wastewater-treatment plant on Fort Stewart, the fiscal 2016 budget for Hinesville, and grant applications for Bryant Commons projects where discussed at the last City Council meeting.

Coastal Incentive Grant

Marcus Sack, vice president and professional engineer with P.C. Simonton & Associates, Inc., requested approval to submit letters of intent for two projects to apply for the Coastal Incentive Grant through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The grant, a dollar-for-dollar match, has a $100,000 construction-project limit and $160,000 limit for theme-related projects, he said.

Sack said the two projects are assisting Hinesville with administering the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System and building a trash-collection system for storm water entering the pond at Bryant Commons.

The rating system, run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, determines how much residents pay in insurance premiums, Sack said during the Council’s Oct. 15 meeting. Since joining the program in 2012, it has saved city residents $70,000 annually, Sack said.

The city has to recertify every five years, and it will need the grant money to offset the cost of conducting the recertification, Sack said.

The other project is for trash at Bryant Commons that is accumulating in the pond, banks and ditches from storm water. Sack said he wants to build a concrete weir with reusable netting that will collect the trash and help in easily removing it from the pond.

The project will cost $99,015 and will need a dollar match, possibly through the storm-water utility fund, he said. The city approved sending the two letters of intent for the grant.

OneGeorgia Equity fund grant

A request to submit an application for the OneGeorgia Equity Fund Grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to secure funds to renovate a metal building at Bryant Commons.

The renovation will add a new kitchen/concession area, restrooms and seating area, as well as a conference area able to hold up to
200 people.

The project will cost $495,120, and the council approved submitting the grant application.

False Alarm Review Board removal

Willie Swint, the chairman for the False Alarm Review Board, has been absent three times in the last year because of medical problems. Swint, appointed in 2007, asked to be released and replaced with a new person, according to the agenda.

Councilman David Anderson Sr. recommended Moses Willis to replace Swint because it was his district’s appointment. City Council approved the appointment.

Water-treatment plant

The wastewater treatment plant being built on Fort Stewart is between 15 percent and 20 percent complete. Even though the project is currently about a month behind schedule, it may be able to be made it up, according to Paul Simonton with P.C. Simonton & Associates Inc. who presented the information to City Council.

The cost for the project is more than $14 million.

Budget

The council passed a resolution to adopt the budget for fiscal year 2016. The balanced budget is $35,661,789. Funds in the budget include the general fund at $19,347,038; the water and sewer fund at $8,564,314; and the solid waste fund at $3,024,854.

Recognition

Bobby Reynolds and Quantae Reynolds were recognized for putting out a fire at New Day Community Church Aug. 23.

The father and son went to their church early to turn on the air-conditioning and found a fire going inside the church. Quantae grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the fire.

Mayor Jim Thomas and City Council presented the awards, including signed firefighter helmets from the fire department. Also recognized were people who had helped coordinate the recent filming of the “Fireball Run” online reality show in downtown Hinesville and around Liberty County.

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