The Ludowici City Council on Sept. 8 discussed the new McDonald’s restaurant and cleaning up mobile homes.  

During the monthly meeting, Councilwoman Kathy Phillips asked if a construction date for the new McDonald’s restaurant had been set. City Clerk Tina Skipper said a date has not been established, but that a set of plans has been received by the city. She said the plans could not be released now at the builder’s request.

In regard to a start date, according to an earlier “good faith” letter provided to the council from the buyer, the construction will begin no later than Jan. 22. That date is the one-year mark from when the final tract of land was purchased for the project.

Phillips also told the group that it was good to see more businesses opening in the city. She said the recent additions of the Americana Grill and Chris’s Curbside Shackalacka increase revenue for the city and also give citizens more restaurant choices.

Mayor James Fuller also received unanimous approval from the council to begin cleaning up two dilapidated mobile homes on Pear Street and one on Macon Street. Fuller brought the issue to the floor last month, saying that anything of value has been taken from the homes, and now there is nothing more than trash on the sites. He said the areas are dangerous and nothing more than breeding grounds for rats and snakes.

Also at the meeting, the council gave Police Chief Robert Poppell the authority to cite any vehicle weighing more than 5 tons that causes damage to a city street. The measure does not include Highways 84 and 301. Fuller said the measure is needed because some owners of larger trucks were causing damage, and it isn’t fair for the taxpayers to have to pay for their abuse.  

In other law-enforcement business, Poppell reported that all of his officers are now wearing body cameras to record activities on incidents.

The council also approved contracting out AirEvac helicopter medical-transport service for city residents. Fuller said that with the service, any resident involved in an accident in the city or Long County will be eligible for transport to a hospital by AirEvac if needed. He said the cost to provide the service is $12 per household, and that an additional $1 would be added to residents’ utility bills. Skipper said a survey was conducted by the city to determine if the citizens wanted to add the service, and 100 percent of those who returned the surveys were in favor of the measure.

Councilman Jim Fuller said he, too, had gathered information and every person he spoke with wanted to add it.

The council also appointed Cindy McClelland as the absentee-ballot clerk for the Nov. 3 city election. McClelland said Oct. 5 is the last day a resident can register to vote. She said early voting begins Oct. 12 and runs for three weeks. Qualifying for the election ended Sept. 4, with the only contested race being between incumbent Mayor Fuller and challenger Robert Parker.