The regular meeting of the Swainsboro Mayor and City Council took place on Monday, October 5, at the City Hall. Following a prayer of invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, the minutes of the September meeting were presented and approved. In the public comments section, three speakers addressed council. Mathew Bright spoke concerning property owned by a family member and problems with drainage. John David Bailey spoke thanking the city for various improvements at the Veterans and First Responders Park. Bailey also commented on the lack of information on city council meeting dates as well as the need to update information on the city website. Rita Faulkner inquired about progress of the city in condemning derelict property.
Under old business, council considered the approval of funding from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority for replacement of water meters in the city in the amount of $2,793,350. The funding will be provided in the form of a loan and a partial grant with repayment determined to be approximately $20,000 per month for the duration. Motion to approve the measure was made and approved unanimously.
Under new business, council approved plans of the Emanuel County Branch NAACP to hold the MLK Freedom Run on January 18, 2027. Next, council considered the emergency repairs of sewer structures on Lincoln Street. Motion was made and unanimously approved for the repairs needed. Item 3 under new business concerned a rental fee schedule for the newly opened Karrh Center. Director Kirby of the Downtown Development Authority presented a detailed three-page handout listing various charges. Council voted unanimously to adopt the rate schedule.
Kirby also addressed an offer from the Emanuel Coalition for Cultural and Economic Development to assist in funding a project also affiliated with the Karrh Center that involves renovation of additional space downtown. Council voted to accept the offer of the non-profit organization. Any further discussion involving renovation expenditure was put on hold pending clarification of scope of work and bids. In final order of new business, Councilman Brad McKenzie inquired about the city’s policy on use of credit cards. Discussion revealed the need for clarification of policy and initiation of broader guidelines and stricter terms of use. Motion to form policy was made and agreed to unanimously.
Earlier in the meeting, a change of agenda was agreed to, and the following items were addressed: Repairs in the fire department to Engine #4 were discussed and agreed to totaling $12,500 and hiring in the Police Department was also discussed. Council unanimously agreed to hire Maressa Klein as a full-time Police Officer. Klein holds certification and would not require additional training prior to starting employment.
At this point, the regular order of agenda was complete, and an Executive Session was called for invoking attorney-client privilege to discuss pending litigation.
