Busy city council meeting for month of July

Council members and Mayor Charles Schwabe of Swainsboro convened Monday, July 6, at 6 p.m. at the Swainsboro-Emanuel County Billy C. Carmichael Recreation Complex for their regular monthly meeting. 

Donald Jenkins led the invocation, and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all prior to entering the night’s agenda. 

Minutes from the last city council meeting were then reviewed and approved by council members with Johnny Ray Stafford motioning for approval and Julian Sconyers seconding.

With no consent matters to discuss, council entertained new business, which were as follows:

• Will Sullivan with Allgreen Services addressed council about a renewal contract. He stated the contract had expired as of April 1 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, contact on the matter was postponed until Monday night’s meeting. He assured council that no price increase would be requested for commercial and residential garbage services, but that an increase of $1.50 per cubic yard for commercial cardboard prices would be applied if council opted to enter the renewed contract. Ricky Stevens motioned to approve the renewal with Allgreen. Rita Faulkner seconded, and all council members voted in favor.

Council then heard concerns from Swainsboro Fire Department employees who addressed the board about recent hazard pay discussion as well as pay rate received by firefighters within the department. Lieutenant/Training Officer James Ward, fire department employee for 12 years, was selected to speak to council by his fellow colleagues on the matter.

He advised that Swainsboro Fire Department is staffed with responders who are trained in a variety of categories that include not just fire but hazardeous materials and first responder services as well. He further stated that Swainsboro Fire Department’s hazmat team is recognized by the Department of Homeland Security as one of only a handful of response teams in the area. In addition to response to emergencies, fire personnel also provide training to other departments within the region and throughout the state of Georgia as well as teachers and children at local schools and respond to good intent calls.

Ward further reported that only 11 percent of all response calls recorded for last year’s services were fire while 61 percent of all responses from the fire department occurred between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. just last year.

After contacting approximately nine other departments of similar size to Swainsboro, Ward advised the average hourly starting pay for firefighters was estimated to be around $10.75 and compared that pay to Swainsboro’s starting pay of $7.85 per hour.

“We have known for a while that we have been underpaid but chose to stay because we love this profession and our community. We would rather be the ones called upon when our friends and family are in need but without your support and fair wagers, we will not do it any longer,” Ward stated to council.

Council responded by reminding the fire department of the large amount of money spent to provide needed equipment for responding personnel. W-2 forms from the highest paid fire personnel and lowest paid personnel were also presented during the night’s session and indicated that the highest paid fire employee, not being the chief, was compensated $80,500 and the lowest pay compensated was in the amount of $45,042.

Council then expressed appreciation for the department and services provided by fire personnel and advised the matter will be further reviewed once entering budget season. Budgeting will begin during the month of August, and council promised Swainsboro Fire Department it would review compensation for fair pay.

• DiTanya Zamudio then addressed council with a request for permission for the formation of a neighborhood watch. She addressed council with concerns of local crimes within the area as well as vacant and abandoned structures needing to be removed, stating the said areas are “breeding grounds for crime and dangerous situations.” Mayor Schwabe and Swainsboro Police Chief Randy Ellison commended Zamudio on the matter and gave their full support.

Council also motioned for approval to bid prices for property clean-up to include the destruction of an abandoned house at one city-owned location and will continue looking into completing the same task with other owned properties within the city.

Other discussions held that were not included on the night’s agenda included the following:

• Issues with fireworks still being set off during late night hours were addressed. Swainsboro Fire Department Chief Mike Strobridge advised that by Georgia law, it is legal to shoot fireworks until 9 p.m. He also advised that during the Fourth of July holidays, the curfew is slightly extended to 12 a.m. He stated that as of Sunday, July 5, it is unlawful to shoot fireworks after 12 a.m., and the curfew is now set back to its standard curfew at 9 p.m.
• Faulkner proposed a motion regarding the wearing of masks, specifically asking this potential motion to simply be a recommendation to citizens within the city limits and in the general public in the City of Swainsboro. If passed, the motion would not be a mandate for citizens but instead an organized effort by city council to encourage citizens in these two given areas to wear masks voluntarily. The motion would show council’s support for mask-wearing. Faulkner eventually made the motion, and all of council voted in favor.
• City Administrator Al Lawson addressed council with an internal problem faced by the City of Swainsboro with one of its contracted companies, JACOBS. According to the reported complaints of residents and council members, the company, who is contracted to perform public works for the City of Swainsboro, had been denying requests to perform services, under the pretense the requests were not covered under JACOBS’ contract.

Such requests include correcting water drainage issues, potholes, ditch draining, washouts, sidewalk services, property clean-up of cemeteries and right-of-ways, and other similar matters. It was also stated that JACOBS has made changes to the contract within the last recent 45 days.

Mayor Schwabe advised council that JACOBS representatives had until the end of July to resolve issues and respond to requests before legal action would be pursued.

• Lastly, SPD Chief Ellison advised of recent crimes occurring within the area of Gumlog Street. He namely discussed a recent incident occurred this past weekend involving one victim who was shot but survived.

“We are losing too many young people, and we need everyone to join together,” he further stated. To back up the seriousness of crime discussed, he advised of an 11-year-old child who was recently shot within the city limits just six weeks ago.

Unrico Lloyd, property owner of 540 Gumlog Street, also known as “Gilley’s,” was present to dispute Saturday’s shooting that was out of his control. He advised that when calling to request for services due to trying to leave the location and lock up his property, he was advised to stay put until help was sent. Lloyd stated he waited for multiple hours before flagging down a law enforcement officer who had not been advised to respond to his multiple calls. This matter was addressed by Mayor Schwabe and Chief Ellison after the meeting was adjourned.

• Prior to ending the night’s meeting, Mayor Schwabe reminded all of the importance for participating in the 2020 Census. Council then motioned for adjournment.