In a 4 to 2 vote, the Columbus City Council on Tuesday committed to spending $850,000 on a $1.6 million plan to renovate neighborhood parks.
Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens and Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box, who said he didn”t remember the council”s “verbal agreement” to commit the funds, voted against the motion to spend the money.
The verbal agreement was made during a Nov. 3 joint meeting of the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority board of directors, the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors and the council, during which CLRA Executive Director Roger Short presented a $1.6 million plan for upgrading and improving neighborhood parks.
The supervisors, who Monday questioned whether the city would fund its share of the plan, earlier committed $850,000 to the parks plan.
“I”d like to know what the $850,000 is going to do for us,” Box began Tuesday night, before Columbus Mayor Robert Smith reminded him the council earlier was informed of the details of the plan.
“The main thing here is the county is waiting to see what the city will do,” Smith said, noting construction on the parks likely won”t begin until June and the city had time to find ways to finance the work. “What I”m hoping is the council will agree and uphold their verbal agreement.”
Chief Financial Officer Mike Bernsen noted the city could borrow the money and likely not “start pay back until October.”
“We still have to be creative; we still have a shortfall,” he said. “I don”t recommend we try to give the county our half of it. We should wait until June or July. Borrowing from a bank is the way to go.
“There are just too many unknowns for me right now,” he added, suggesting the city also could adopt a “pay-as-you-go” mentality in renovating city parks, while the county pays to renovate the parks located in the county. “I don”t feel comfortable with it, whatsoever.”
“I think it”s a good-sense investment,” said Smith. “I”m tired of meeting with the Board of Supervisors and we make verbal agreements and renege two or three days later.”
In other matters, the council:
n Unanimously issued final approval of a citywide smoking ordinance. The ordinance, which largely is modeled after a Tennessee state law, bans smoking in “all enclosed public places,” including restaurants, but allows smoking in “age-restricted venues” — or bars, restaurants and other establishments which only allow people age 21 or older to enter — and “private clubs,” which restrict access to the general public.
Additionally, the ordinance allows businesses with three or fewer employees to designate enclosed smoking rooms, inaccessible to the general public, and provides exemptions for “non-enclosed areas of public places, including, open-air patios, porches or decks.”
Prior to the council”s approval, two city residents noted the new ordinance presents a conflict for employees under the age of 21 at bars or restaurants which are “age-restricted venues.”
City Attorney Jeff Turnage noted affected employees can “find a new employer who elects to be a non-smoking” establishment or their parents or guardians can file a petition in Chancery Court to have their status as minors removed.
n Tabled a request from Main Street Columbus to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages at the Market Street Festival for the next three years.
“I”m totally in favor of the festival,” said Box, who agreed to meet with a Market Street Festival committee to discuss his desire to limit the locations at which beer can be sold during the festival. “I”m very concerned about the amount of beer. A lot of children come to the event and you have little kids being pushed around in strollers and people splashing beer on them.”
n Was informed by District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith the Mississippi Full Gospel Baptist Church State Conference will be hosted by Columbus March 17 through March 19 and is expected to include “three days of several thousand people.”
n Tabled a request to approve a proposal from Birmingham, Ala.-based KPS Group, Inc. to develop the first phase of a comprehensive plan for the city.
Under the proposal, KPS Group is to work with the city”s engineering firm, Neel-Schaffer, Inc., to develop and prioritize a list of previous plans done in the city, for a cost of $17,400.
A “good comprehensive plan” is expected to cost about $70,000, said City Engineer Kevin Stafford.
“We need to do some things to move the city forward, but I”m kind of under the impression maybe this $17,000 will be better spent on putting in sidewalks and so forth, instead of someone telling us we need sidewalks and such,” said Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin.
“It”s not going out there and looking for new money,” said the mayor, noting several department heads earlier agreed to engage in cost-cutting measures to help the city fund development of a comprehensive plan.
Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem suggested tabling the matter until after an upcoming retreat for the city council, during which the plan can be further discussed.
“We don”t need another plan that”s going to sit on the shelf,” Karriem said. “We need a plan to implement it.”
“We need to let these people (serving on a comprehensive-plan committee) know what we”re going to do,” said the mayor. “Let”s just vote this up or down, so we can move on.”
Karriem”s motion to table the matter passed in a 5 to 1 vote; Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor voted against the motion.
n Approved a 90-day contract extension for Taloney Air Service to serve as the fixed-base operator for the Columbus-Lowndes County Airport.
Taloney Air Service, which now will serve as the operator, at a reduced rate, until March 31, earlier served notice of its intent to no longer manage the airport.
But the city”s chief administrative officer, David Armstrong, indicated more time is needed to find a suitable replacement.
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