Tag Archives: Hahira City Council

Videos: Resolutions and Railroad crossing @ Hahira 2018-01-30

The Hahira City Council passed two resolutions at its February 1, 2018 Regular Session, one supporting GA HR 158 to stop state fee diversions, and another supporting the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail. Two days before I spoke about both and there was discussion at the Hahira Work Session of January 30, 2018.

Another item from that Work Session has unfortunately become big news: possibly closing the Lawson Street railroad crossing, where a man was killed February 5 when a Norfolk Southern train struck a dump truck, according to WTXL. WALB says, “The Georgia State Patrol identified the driver as Dexter Brown, 48, of Barnwell, S.C.”. Mayor Bruce Cain gave a statement to Hahira Today, which also included some discussion of that agenda item: Continue reading

Resolutions against GA state fee diversions and for water trail @ Hahira 2018-01-30

Tonight, a resolution for Georgia HR 158 against state fee diversions, and another resolution supporting the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, at the Hahira City Council Work Session (and Thursday on the Regular Session agenda). Also, Terry Benjamin will get sworn in again as Councilman, District 1, the food truck zoning ordinance is back, there’s a RR crossing closure request, and a Recommendation to Raise Hahira Depot Rental Fee from $400 to $500, among other items on the agenda.

Hahira City Council
January 30, 2018
Work Session Agenda
6:00 pm- Hahira Courthouse

  1. Call to order Continue reading

Annexation postponed @ Hahira 2014-06-05

They tabled until July 10th the Wetherington-Nelson annexation request, and approved the city budget; also a beer and wine license. And voted to accept a bid from EZsite to fix their website. Council Mason Barfield said in Council Comments he loves being on video, and sees the Internet as the future of local government. County Manager Jonathan Sumner noted Hahira’s budget is in the black, and, unlike other local governments, does not need to raise its millage. Hm, maybe they could afford to do their own videos, then.

Since their website is still broken, I don’t have an agenda. Here are links to the videos, followed by a playlist. Continue reading

Videos: fire chief, teachers, web site, and chairs @ Hahira 2014-05-15

They talked about a new website; is it up yet? Nope, according to http://www.hahira.ga.us/cityofficials.html Wayne Bullard is still Mayor, Rose Adams is still on the Council, and new Council members Kenneth Davis and Mason Barfield are nowhere to be seen. However, former Council member Bruce Cain has vanished, even though he’s the actual Mayor per last November’s election. Here are some videos from the May 15th special called meeting of the Hahira City Council where they talk about that proposed new website.

Here’s a video playlist:


Videos: fire chief, teachers, web site, and chairs
Special Called Meeting, Hahira City Council (Hahira),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, 15 May 2014.

-jsq

Hahira City Council Special Called Meeting @ Hahira 2014-05-15

Not clear what’s so special about this meeting, since the topics are the usual, or where the agenda is, or why Wayne Bullard is still listed as the Mayor on this announcement (and on Hahira’s own web page). Silly me, I believed the VDT 10 January 2014 when Stuart Taylor wrote “Newly elected Hahira Mayor Bruce Cain is sworn in Thursday by Judge Vernita Bender as his wife, Billie Cain, watches”.

Here’s the announcment, via Barbara Stratton. It lists “Web Site Recommendation”; maybe they’re going to update who’s mayor. Continue reading

Annexation and watershed monitoring @ Hahira 2014-04-03

The rezoning and annexation previously recommended by the Planning Commission and discussed by the Lowndes County Commission.

And there’s a Proposal for Long-term Watershed Monitoring from TTL, which may or may not be related to the flood risk management study or flood mapping previously discussed by the city of Valdosta and the Lowndes County Commission.

Curiously, both Wikipedia and the Hahira City Council’s own web page seem to think Wayne Bullard is still mayor. I read in the VDT that Bruce Cain was sworn in as mayor in January.

Thanks to City Manager Jonathan Sumner for the agenda.

Hahira City Council
April 3, 2014
Agenda
7:30 pm-Hahira Courthouse
Continue reading

Dollar General (Teramore Development) @ GLPC 2013-08-26

Commissioner Franklin Bailey summed up the Dollar General proposal for Hahira:

There’s just a lot here we don’t have.

Hahira City Council votes tonight on the Teramore Development items, which are for a Dollar General (like the one in Naylor), as we discovered at the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission Regular Session 26 August 2013, even though the agenda doesn’t say. GLPC recommended for it, even though engineering details hadn’t been done for water management, the site plan wasn’t finalized, and no solution was proposed for Dollar General’s corporate habit of using sidewalks for cart storage, among many other issues.

309 W Main, Hahira, Tax Assessors map

Planning Commission Agenda for 2013-08-26, with links to the videos: Continue reading

Dollar General, trash, a tobacco warehouse, and alcohol @ Hahira 2013-09-05

The Teramore Development items are for a Dollar General (like the one in Naylor), even though the agenda doesn’t say (see Planning Commission videos). Since City Council District 2 Allen Bruce Cain, Sr. resigned to run for Mayor the ever-contentious, ethically investigated garbage contract last voted on 2 August 2012 could go differently this time. Thanks to City Clerk Jonathan Sumner for providing the agenda upon request, even though it’s not on the web. Stay tuned for LAKE videos. -jsq

Hahira City Council
September 5, 2013
Agenda
7:30 pm- Hahira Courthouse
  1. Call to order
  2. Establish quorum
  3. Pledge of allegiance
  4. Invocation
  5. Review/Correction of Minutes
    1. July 29, 2013 Work Session
    2. August 1, 2013 Council Meeting
    3. August 22, 2013 Special Called Meeting
  6. Public Hearing
    1. HA-2013-01: Rezoning Request by Teramore Development (Planning and Zoning Administrator)
    2. HA-2013-02: Variance Request by Teramore Development (Planning and Zoning Administrator)
    3. FY14 Budget Preliminary Adoption (City Manager)
  7. Citizens to Be Heard
  8. Review of Bills/Budget Overages
  9. Discussions Continue reading

Streetlights and Georgia Power @ Hahira 2012-10-01

To get a decent deal on streetlights, a small Georgia city may have to help change the Georgia Public Service Commission. Or, an energy concern in Hahira happened to coincide with a visit by PSC candidate Steve Oppenheimer.

Ralph Clendenin, City Council member, is looking into converting Hahira's streetlights to LEDs or maybe solar. He has discussed that with Georgia Power, which will do it for $250,000 up front. At a savings of $1,000 a month, that would take quite a while to pay back: more than 20 years.

Steve Oppenheimer, running for Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), found the streetlight issue interesting:

Just like you're looking at options the city might do for better choices for lighting in terms of serving the people and meeting your budget, as Georgians we need that, too.

He indicated that there are more solutions than we're being told.

To me what's improtant are homeowners rights, and we get control over the power rates, because our residential rates and small business rates have gone up about 31% in five years.

He brought up Dublin's solar streetlights, and solar for energy and jobs. He indicated energy was a future source of jobs.

What it comes down to is people like you in this room in the small communities figuring out what pieces do we put together to make our community better for tomorrow.

Afterwards in the entranceway, Ralph Clendenin showed Steve Oppenheimer how he'd figured out that Georgia Power was charging about 73% maintenance above the electricity cost of the streetlights. Oppenheimer said there were many options. Clendenin suggested one:

The option I see right now is, the Commission somehow, has got to change the rules on how Georgia Power… structures payments.

Oppenheimer suggested a way to get there:

We need a commission with some new leadership, with some separation from industry, that doesn't have the apparent conflicts of interest.

Ralph summed it up pithily:

Ralph Clendenin: 73% is that forever payment to Georgia Power.

Steve Oppenheimer: It's a great deal, if you're on the right end of it.
[laughter]

What say we change the end of the stick we the taxpayers are getting from the PSC?

Here's a playlist.

Work Session, Hahira City Council, Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, 1 October 2012.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

-jsq

Council Comments @ Hahira 2012-08-02

Here are the rest of the videos from the Hahira City Council meeting of 2 August 2012, including the very interesting scheduled agenda items in which each Council member, the City Manager, and the Mayor give their thoughts on issues relevant to the City of Hahira.

Here’s a video playlist of the entire meeting:

Regular Session, Hahira City Council (Hahira),
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, 2 August 2012.

Other city employees present included Continue reading