by WHITLEY CLIFTON
Council members of Swainsboro City Council and Mayor Charles Schwabe convened Monday, November 2, at 6 p.m. the Swainsboro Fire Department’s classroom for their regularly scheduled monthly meeting.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Schwabe and announced that Councilperson Ricky Stevens would not be present for the evening meeting due to complications with his back but sent apologies for his absence.
Minutes from the last council meeting were then reviewed by council. Councilperson Julian Sconyers cast motion for approval of minutes as presented and Councilperson Johnny Ray Stafford seconded the motion that passed unanimously by all councilpersons.
Conversation and the public hearing of Swainsboro’s mask ordinance was then held. If passed, the ordinance indicated that individuals not abiding by the ordinance would be issued two written warnings prior to a citation for the violation being issued. The maximum fine for this offense would be no greater than $50. City Administrator Al Lawson outlined the involved rules and regulations of said ordinance. After further conversation, a 3-2 vote shut down the ordinance from being adopted. Motioning for approval for the ordinance to pass was Councilperson John E. Parker, who was seconded by Councilperson Rita Faulkner. Opposing the ordinance to be passed and placed into effect was Councilpersons Bobbi Collins, Sconyers, and Stafford.
Swainsboro Police Chief Randy Ellison then addressed council with an employment approval of Frank Joseph Scrubbs who requested to transfer from part time status to full time status. Motioning for approval of this transition was Faulkner. Stafford seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
Lawson then addressed the need for purchase and repair of the Swainsboro City Hall air conditioning unit and advised that the current one had gone out. He advised that the cost for replacing and repairing the air conditioning unit would be in the amount of $10,700 and stated that the city hall last installed the current system 32 years ago. He suggested George Williamson with Indoor Temperature Control be approved to perform the repair, being that the business has been servicing the city hall’s air conditioning needs for the past three years. Motioning for approval of said requested was Stafford, who was seconded by Sconyers. Remaining councilpersons all voted accordingly.
Swainsboro Fire Department Chief Mike Strobridge then presented an update to council, advising of a recent visit made by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). He announced that when taking over office as chief, the Swainsboro Fire Department was ranked at a class six but is now ranked as a class three fire department and is working on obtaining a class two status. Without much further discussion, Chief Strobridge was happy to present to council a check from the ISO in the amount of $581,696, which included a $30,000 increase since last year’s ISO visit and issuing of funds. The fire department and its personnel were all commended on a wonderful job performed for the county and city.
Faulkner and Lawson then provided an update on the Robin Road Project and advised that it has been transformed back into the original state of the canal as well as received clean up services at a local cemetery. Clear Water Solutions were commended on a wonderful job done performed. Lawson further announced that contract bids for the Robin Road project are still in the process of hiring a contractor to further the progress of the project.
Sconyers then addressed receiving complaints of high school students using flour and mashed potato flakes on other individual’s properties during annual homecoming season festivities as well as complaints of cooking oil being poured on porches and raising safety concerns for those involved.
Parker then questioned the status of roads needing to be repaired and Collins addressed an issue with ditch repairs needing to be performed on Felix Street.
Prior to closing the meeting, Mayor Schwabe encouraged all who have not done so already to vote in the elections the following day, November 2.
Casting first motion for the meeting to be adjourned was Sconyers. Faulkner seconded this motion and all voted accordingly.
