The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors wants the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors to delay naming a new director for a while.
Following the announcement by current CVB Director James Tsismanakis that he would leave in February for a job in Georgia, members of the CVB board speculated the tourism entity would appoint a search committee and possibly hire a search firm to find Tsismanakis” replacement.
District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders expressed his hope Wednesday during the supervisors” second December meeting the CVB board will refrain from making any decisions until questions surrounding the city ordinance which created the CVB are answered.
“If the board is illegal, they can”t hire a director,” said Sanders. “I don”t think a sitting board should hire a new director when there”s a chance they won”t even be (on the board when the new director takes over.)”
The supervisors have been at odds in recent weeks regarding the appointment schedule of they county”s four appointees to the CVB board and the scope of the county”s authority over the CVB considering all power is provided via the city ordinance. The county never signed an interlocal agreement with Columbus regarding the CVB or passed a resolution of its own.
However, the board agreed unanimously Wednesday that the CVB should delay naming a new director until the issue is resolved by a joint committee of county, city and CVB representatives which is tentatively scheduled to meet Friday.
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks, the most vocal opponent of Sanders” earlier recommendation to vacate all county CVB board appointments and install new appointees, said the board should be allowed to operate autonomously, but suggested sending a letter to the CVB urging the board not to make any hiring decisions until the ordinance issue is resolved. Sanders seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
According to the city ordinance governing the CVB, both the city and county boards must approve any hiring decisions.
Sanders also asked the board to review the county”s wrecker ordinance after receiving a number of phone calls from dissatisfied county citizens.
He said the board can take up any changes to the ordinance at its Dec. 30 meeting, but suggested every wrecker service included in the county”s rotation be required to maintain at least a B rating through the Better Business Bureau.
Among other complaints, Sanders said citizens have complained of items disappearing from towed vehicles.
Board Attorney Tim Hudson cautioned any changes to the ordinance which do not line up with the city”s ordinance will cause additional difficulty for 911 operators which contact participating wrecker services on a rotating basis if the driver in need doesn”t specify a preferred service.
District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith suggested the joint city-county ad hoc committee take up the wrecker ordinance issue. Smith says the committee, of which he is a member, has not met in months and should be convened to also discuss the CVB ordinance issue, recreation issues and any other issues which the city and county share.
The board took no action on the wrecker issue.
In other business the board:
· Authorized Hudson to proceed with eminent domain proceedings on three pieces of land in Burns Bottom needed to complete the soccer complex. The total value of the three plots is approximately $5,500 which will be paid to the heirs of the original owners.
· Voted to handle two road issues in District 4.
District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith expressed concern over potential damage to Hargrove Road from trucks hauling construction materials to a new subdivision. Smith expressed his support for the economic development, but requested the county instruct the hauling to cease until the developer provides a $30,000 bond to the county promising to pay for any damage to the recently repaired road.
Smith also asked that a landowner on Jenny Penn Road be instructed to remove a gate he placed across the road or else the county would remove the gate.
Both motions passed unanimously.
· Voted unanimously to authorize County Administrator Ralph Billingsley to pay $2,200 remaining from a $6,000 county match to the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District.
The GTPDD completed a grant for Artesia and Crawford to pay a consultant to do strategic planning. The supervisors originally paid some of the match to the communities of Artesia and Crawford until an Attorney General”s opinion informed the board it could not provide matching funds to a municipality.
The board ceased payment on the match until it became clear the GTPDD had secured the grant and the match funds would be paid to the GTPDD.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.