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Police dog gets early retirement
City council also OKs $400k wastewater treatment control system
HPD patch

One of Hinesville’s four-legged finest is getting an early retirement.
Pali of the Hinesville Police Department K-9 Unit will retire after 3 and a half years with the department, where he worked in evidence recovery, human detection, suspect control and drug interdiction, police say.
The dog, which cost $12,000, is being retired early because his handler left the department and the dog is too aggressive to be retrained to work with other officers. Pali 

has been sheltered at the Liberty County Sheriff Department kennel, according to HPD Maj. Bill Kirkendall.
He said efforts to introduce Pali to a new handler were unsuccessful, and the dog recently bit one officer who had to seek medical treatment.
The previous handler, who already has an established relationship with Pali, offered to purchase him for $1,000.
Kirkendall said the city will not get a return on all its money but thinks there may be an opportunity to negotiate for more. Allowing someone outside the police force to buy Pali is another option, Kirkendall said, and they would let that person know about Pali’s disposition.
The dog served the city well, Kirkendall said.
“Pali is the hardest working dog we’ve ever had at the police department,” he said. “He was well worth the value we put on the dog at the time.”
Council member Vicky Nelson said in future police should check out the dog’s temperament before buying him “so we don’t have to give them away for $1,000.”
Kirkendall said the department is considering using dogs trained to find things by scent rather than those also trained to protect officers, because they are easier to handle and not as aggressive.
The council approved letting HPD find Pali a suitable home.

WWT system
Engine Service Corporation was awarded with providing a supervisory control and data acquisition system for the waste water treatment center. The system is used to monitor and control functions at a facility.
ESC came in with the lowest bid of $444,000 versus International Services, LLC’s bid of $487,138.

New building
Dryden Enterprises, Inc. will build a new office on South Main Street between the Heritage Bank drive-through and Brinkley’s Floor Covering Inc.
Hinesville City Council approved the design for the site at its meeting Thursday.
The two-story building will be predominantly brick, with the front facing Main Street. There will be a driveway connecting Main Street and Commerce Street, which will be at a slight angle to discourage drivers using it as a short cut.
Some trees on the property will be replanted because of the close proximity of existing power lines and storm water pipes, and a sidewalk will be installed on the Commerce Street side.

Film permits
Hinesville is one step closer to requiring film production crews to have a permit.
The city will begin putting together a more detailed film permit, which will address liability for accidents during production.
Leah Poole, CEO of the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and Conventions and Visitors Bureau, said Walthourville, Allenhurst and Midway have already agreed to have a film permit agreement with the CVB.
The CVB has been designated as the Camera Ready liason for the county, meaning all film productions must contact the CVB first before filming anywhere. The CVB will not issue the permits but will connect producers with the cities.
Council members Diana Reid and Keith Jenkins asked Poole to share the permit information with the Liberty County Minority Chamber, in case someone asks the LCMC about filming.

Banking
Requests for proposals for banking services was sent to banks in the city and three proposals were received from Ameris Bank, Heritage Bank and State Bank.
Billy Edwards, city manager, said the city currently has accounts with each of the three banks that submitted proposals.
The city has a total of 19 accounts, 15 of which are interest bearing accounts and four checking accounts.
During the review of the proposals, Edwards said, there was question over whether or not all 19 accounts should go to one bank or if the city should “be able to go to the market for quotes on the interest bearing accounts because rates change over time.”
The staff recommended to issue new proposal requests, which will include a separate list of accounts that would be kept open for interest rates quotes from time to time.
City council approved the new request.

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