City Council - Regular Meeting

I'm now called to order the July 23rd, 2026 meeting of mayor and council. I'm going to ask the councilman and mayor pro tem, Andy Gibbs, lead us in prayer. Please remain standing for the pledge.

By your hands, please. Mary, Father, I just thank you for this evening, Lord, bringing us all together. Lord, I just ask you to be with us as we go through this agenda tonight and make decisions that moves our community forward, Lord. Lord, I just thank you for everyone in attendance. I ask you to put your arms around each and every one of us, Lord, and protect us and keep us safe as you have. We thank you for that. In the name of my prayer, amen.

Amen. a couple quick announcements we're going to be a flying blind tonight you will not have the visual aids that you're used to you will not get to see pictures so please close your eyes and envision the equipment that we're about to to purchase tonight we will work that out for future meetings and one other quick announcement too if i could get uh chief master sergeant lawrence twitty to stand and his entire family if you don't mind Chief Master Sergeant after 30 years and 22 days will be retiring from the United States Air Force service to country. I'll be in attendance and I'm betting it's going to be a party. Congratulations and thank you. Leadership lounge class of what year? Okay. Second best class ever. All right, we'll move on to item 2 bids, contracts, agreements and expenditures item 1 consideration of. Approval to transmit the draft 2026 joint comprehensive plan. Maybe. Martin, our senior planner will present and I believe Matt Martin will accompany.

Yes, sir. I'm just here for formality. Um, those of you have not met Amy or have not been. And your presence in a long time. This is Amy Martin. She's our senior planner like me. She also wears several hats. 1 of them is she is the comprehensive or long range planner. And she's been involved with this particular comprehensive plan update. Since we started it back in January, but just to underscore, this is 1 step in a process. It is not an adoption of the comprehensive plan. It is simply to transmit it to the state for their review like we are required to do. It is a shared plan with six local governments. The final public hearing of the draft is next week with the county commission meeting. And that's where all of this comes together, goes to the state for their review and comment. And then we actually adopt it in October. So that's when we put the icing on the cake for, we hope another 5 years before we go through the process again. This is my 6th or 7th time through it. So, me, it's routine and I'll turn it over to Amy. She knows more of the detail.

And Matt, you do want to a vote to advance it tonight, right?

Yes, recommending approval to advance that all the other cities have approved their letters already. Only ones remaining for us.

Yep, that's it. So just to give you a little background on since Matt covered a lot of it, the greater allows comprehensive plan is a shared long range planning document for Lowndes County. In its 5 minutes municipalities, the current plan was was adopted in 2016 with a 5 year update in 2021. so state law requires that we do a full update. Every 10 years, so this has come that time again, where you all have to do a full update. Um, they kicked off the comprehensive plan. Process back in August of 2025 takes about a year to do so. Now, we're reaching the point where we can get to adoption and then, of course, your approval tonight for to review the plan. The plan includes the future development map. Um, which tells us, you know, in the future where certain land uses can go and development can happen and also your community work program, which is that's the big thing, right? The actionable steps that you take. For your long range vision, long range vision. So, within that, we do have, um. We're sure to include tier projects, which were not included before, because you want to show that you're actually. Supporting and improving your transportation infrastructure as well as other things that the city is doing, making sure the blues very festival things like that are in there showing that the community. Is actually doing those actionable steps. For their long range vision, so that's kind of the big thing and that was updated every 5 years. So, when it comes back around, it will get marked off if we've completed it, which looks good at the state level. The plan has to be adopted so that you can stay in compliance with. Your qualified local government, our status, and that helps with grants and funding. Because if we don't have that status, then it makes it harder to get grants and funding. So staff has reviewed the plan. We are recommending approval to submit this plan to DCA for review via a transmittal letter.

So Amy, you've actually been working on it for many years, even your previous role.

Yes, yes, yes. Very familiar with long range planning, but from a transportation perspective.

Council, any questions for either Matt or Amy? None. Thank you both. Council, it's yours for action.

Mayor, I make a motion we approve the plan as presented.

Second. I have a motion and a second. All in favor, show of hands. Council, thank you. Staff, thank you. Move on to item two, consideration of bids for an enclosed cab, 130 horsepower, 4x4 tractor. We'll bring John Burton, our motor pool superintendent, forward. John, how you doing?

Pretty good. How y'all doing?

Good, thank you.

The public works department needs to purchase a new 130 horsepower tractor. This tractor will be used to pull a large tri-deck while we're allowing the right-of-ways division to cut tall grass 15 feet wide with each pass. The new vehicle will replace an 18-year-old tractor. Sealed bids were opened on July 14th this month and I recommend that council approve the low bid meeting specifications submitted by AgPro in the amount of $136,000.

Council, any questions for John?

$136,000 for the tractor. That was from AgPro, AgPro Valdosta.

John, you said this is replacing the 18-year-old tractor? 18-year-old tractor, yes.

Yes.

Any other questions for John? John, thank you. Council, yours for action.

Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to approve consideration for this bid. Second.

Motion and a second. All in favor, show of hands. Council, thank you. John, next item, consideration of bids for a front loader 4x4 tractor.

Utilities Department needs to purchase a new front loader 4x4 tractor. This tractor will be used at the Withacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant to assist with the heavy lifting operations required to maintain the facility. Sealed bids were received on July 14th this month, and I recommend that council approve load bids submitted by lender, turf, and tractor in the amount of $65,150.54. Council, any questions on this item? Right. Linder Turf and Tractor. They're also a local company.

Good. Other questions? All right. Council, cheers for action.

Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approve this request as presented.

Second. Motion is second. All in favor, show of hands. Council, thank you. John, item four, consideration of bids for a compact track loader.

The Public Works Department needs to purchase a new compact tract loader. This loader will be used to mulch, load, and clear right-of-way debris throughout the city. Sealed bids were received on June 23rd last month, and I recommend that council approve the low bid meeting specifications submitted by Link Yancey Brothers in the amount of $150,837. Council, any questions on this item? What it will have, this particular tractor will come with a bucket and a mulcher. That's part of the entire price. And it will mow down the high sections of the right of way.

Okay, thank you.

And then it'll be able to load the debris into the trailer.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions, council? John, thank you. Council?

Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approve this request for this compact truck loader.

Second.

I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Show of hands. Council, thank you. John, I think that's your last item. Thank you. Item 5, consideration of a request to purchase Paratech Rescue Shores for the Georgia Search and Rescue Program. Marcus Haynes, our Fire Chief, to present. Chief, if I'd seen you there, Andy wouldn't have been doing prayer. What's that? I said if I'd seen the audience, Andy wouldn't have done prayer.

Hey, we would have been ready. Good afternoon, Mayor, Council, City Manager, everybody here in your respective places. I come before you this evening with a request to purchase Paratech Rescue Shores for our Georgia Search and Rescue Program. The cost of these particular shores will be initiated or either paid by the City of Verozta and reimbursed by GMA Homeland Security Grant Project 8 in its entirety of the sum of $42,950. These particular shores that we're looking to purchase have a five-year warranty and replace existing rescue shores that has been on the Georgia Search and Rescue since receiving that apparatus back in 2008. The application for these particular shores is specifically for trench rescue. And it can be used for other incidents, depending on what type of stability that we may need on scene. Just come before you request the purchase.

You drop those in the hole and that stabilizes.

You drop them in a hole and that is what we call strong backs. 24 inches from the bottom, 48 inches going up top till you get to the very top and have a safe place to work in.

Awesome. Yes. Awesome. Council, any questions? All right. Chief, thank you. Thank you. Council, yours for action. mayor i'd like to approve the request as presented second motion i have a motion in a second all in favor show of hands council thank you chief thank you move on to item six consideration of bids for construction and of adjustment to professional services agreements for the mud creek water pollution control plant benno dowd are just absolutely awesome engineer to present oh boy

I brought water because I've got five items, so I'm going to be up here for a little bit. All right, so our first item is the consideration of bids for the Mud Creek project, as well as the adjustment of the professional services agreement for the same project. Just for a little bit of background, the City of Valdosta has been working for several years on some targeted upgrades at the Mud Creek Water Pollution Control Plant. The city has two plants, the Withakuchi plant and the Mud Creek plant. We recently completed design for these improvements. The improvements were sent, the plans were sent to the Georgia EPD for final review and approval, and we have that approval requirement. Um, we advertise the project on the city website as well as on the Georgia procurement website in accordance with state law. We had a bid opening on May 28th of 2026 and we received 3 bids. Our low bid was from hunt industries, incorporated about Austin, Georgia. in the amount of $18,880,157.53. The other two bids were from non-local companies, Sawcross Incorporated as well as Reeves Young LLC, in the amounts of $22,481,250 and $22,364,002, respectively. Um, just for a little bit of context there. Uh, cause you may recognize some of those names saw cross incorporated as the company that is currently working. On the city's water treatment plant, the 2nd, water treatment plants off of the airport. And Reeves and young is currently working in on their sanitary plant upgrades. And expansion. Additionally, attached in your agenda packet is a previously approved agreement with Turnip Seed Engineers from January 2024. The agreement follows a standard convention for engineering and professional services agreements whereby the total cost of their services is related to the final bid cost. And so incorporated within this agenda item is an increase to the total project cost to cover those additional expenses. We've also included a 5% contingency of cost for the total project budget to cover any unanticipated. Items that we encounter in the field, whenever we break ground, part of this will also cover additional services during construction for professional services in case we need. Additional inspections to make sure that the city is getting a good. Good product. And so the total project funding amount that the engineering department staff are requesting that city council approve is $21,509,219.47. On the third page of the agenda item, I've included a very detailed breakdown in what specific funding instruments cover what specific project scopes and in what amounts. This is for the sake of transparency so that you know what funds are coming from where, and it also kind of greases the skids whenever we go to turn in POs for contractors, finances, okay, council approved these amounts, these precise amounts and these precise funding instruments. um so staff is recommending uh approval of a award to hunt industries as well as an enhancement of the turnip seed engineers professional design contract as well as a five percent project contingency for a total requested funding amount of 21 million five hundred nine thousand two hundred nineteen dollars and forty seven cents any questions for me council any questions for ben

I don't have a question for you, but that what you read out, since we didn't get a chance to get it in the agenda package, could we get a print out of, because we usually get a print out of what you're reading, we didn't get a print out of it, so could I get a print out of that sent to me?

Oh yeah, I can send you, is digital okay? I can send you the agenda packet digitally, or would you like it printed out?

Print it out.

Okay, I can print it out and provide it to you at the next meeting if that's okay.

Any additional questions?

Who wants this one? Mayor, I make a motion we approve the bid as stated. With all the contingencies that have been read off for 10 minutes.

And engineering.

Second. And engineering.

I have a motion and a second. All in favor, show of hands. Council, thank you. Ben, thank you. Item seven, land donation. Stormwater management, a stormwater management pond.

Yes, there's a good bit of history behind this one as well. In the late 2000s, the stormwater management facility located off of Tupelo was constructed in an effort to reduce the risk of flooding in nearby neighborhoods. The property owner of the stormwater management facility is James Warren. As part of that agreement, the facility was constructed and the city agreed to maintain it. We have so for almost 20 years now. Earlier this year, if you'll remember, the city of Valdosta engineering department engaged with the UGA engineering senior design team and developed a conceptual plan for additional improvements to this very same stormwater management facility, which will further improve and further reduce the risk of flooding in nearby neighborhoods. In order to expend public funds on this property, the city of Valdosta needs to own it. We've been maintaining it for two decades now, and we would like to improve upon the existing facility for the public benefit. In order for the city of Valdosta to receive property which may encumber the city with additional expenses or risk, it has to be presented to city council for your approval in accordance with the city attorney's advisement. Any questions on this one?

When you say stop flooding in these certain areas, would that be over that, like we had over Lakeland Avenue, that would prevent some of that flooding from over there?

This is as part of a different watershed. This is closer to the Chadwick neighborhood, if you're familiar with.

Oh, Chadwick? Yes, ma'am. Off of our perimeter. Okay. So this would just be to put a Chadwood area and tenders in that area, correct?

Correct, yeah. But the Lakeland Avenue Drainage Improvements Project is nearing completion of design, and we're hoping to get it out to bid this fall. for an update on that one. Any other questions?

Council, any other questions? Good questions, Ms. Cody. All right, Ben, thank you. Council, yours for action.

Mr. Mayor, I elect a motion to approve the request as stated.

Second. Motion to the second. All in favor? Show of hands. Council, thank you. Item eight is consideration of an engineering professional design service agreement for fire station number nine. Ben?

Yes, sir. I've got two professional service agreements in front of you tonight back to back. Both are related to the same project. As you're well aware, the city of Valdosta is now and has been for many years growing in the northeast portion of town. The City of Valdosta has an ISO rating of one and is very proud of that. We're very proud that we provide the highest level of service to our citizens from a fire response standpoint. And in the interest of maintaining that ready ability to rapidly respond to fire emergencies and other emergencies, the City of Valdosta needs to construct an additional fire station along the inter-perimeter corridor. The city of Valdosta currently owns the property that this fire station is proposed to be situated upon. And what I've presented before you is a professional design service agreement for the engineering, so the civil site work. The next one is for the building, but this one is for the civil site work for the site plan, some minor utility extensions to reach and serve the structure, as well as a minor roadway extension onto the city's property in order to facilitate connection by the fire station. Any questions on this one? Council.

Well, you said it so fast, I didn't understand what you were saying, but I'll just go with what everybody is saying.

I'm happy to go back over. If you've got other questions, I'm happy to go back over.

When you were saying about the low part plan, you know, you kind of talked real, I thought I talked fast, but you talked a little faster than me. I apologize. So I couldn't grasp some of what you were saying. You say this is going to be, this is just a format of it, right? Is that what you were saying?

Yes, this is just the agreement for the engineering services. So they'll go out there and they'll perform the survey for the existing ground conditions, and then they'll develop plans for construction of some water and sewer services, as well as the site work for the fire station and the roadway extension to provide access to it.

All right, thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Any other questions? Council? Oh, Ben, thank you.

Council, that's yours for action. Quickly, I apologize. I did want to mention there may be additional services that were required to perform in conjunction with this design service agreement, and so I did want to include contingencies on this one as well as the architectural. in an effort to not have to bring these back before you for incidentals and things that we encounter during design.

Understood. You said to include some contingencies?

Yes, sir. So the funding, the total funding budget requested on this one is $141,125, and that includes contingency. Okay.

that be for items eight and nine and can we vote on both of them or separately it is not they're separate separate so that 141 is just for the item eight right yep just for the engineering we'll have architectural things that's 141 million 141 000.

141 000 if it was 141 million i would not be working here You got me that time.

Say what it was, Mayor. 141,000 and what? It's 141,125. He's including a 25% contingency because he expects trouble out there.

Thank you.

All right. Entertain a motion.

Go ahead. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to approve the request that's presented with a 25% contingency.

second motion in a second all in favor show of hands miss cody i apologize in opposition same sign thank you motion carries move on to item nine consideration of architectural design on that same project ben

Uh, yes, sir. Um, in order to design the actual structure of the fire station, we have enlisted the services of architects of. Um, their design proposal is, uh. Based on an estimated cost of, I believe 2.5Million dollars total construction costs. And the total estimated is 144,000 dollars. Um, and similarly to the engineering design services proposal, staff is recommending. Utilization of a 25% contingency applied to that budget for a total requested amount of $180,000 And again, this is for architectural services. Any questions on this one.

Yeah, being just for the sake of people who are listening online and audience as well. Will you let them know where station 9 is going?

Yes, so if you're familiar, we know where it's going. Yeah, I apologize. I should have clarified that. But for the purpose of the public's information. The proposed location for station 9 is off of in a perimeter road. Immediately opposite the driveway, the primary driveway on in a perimeter. For the new high school. So if you, you know, pretty much directly across the street from my high school.

I just wanted people to know. I know people have been asking where Station 9 is going, and so I just wanted people to know that.

And you guys are making great progress on 8, too. I drove by there today.

Yep.

Well done. Council, any other questions? The architectural design?

Are we doing a new fire station?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, well, what was the one we just did on Forest Street?

That's 8. Yep.

That was got me confused because we did a lot for eight. Yeah, that's what that's what I was going. No, because I was confused, though.

You thought we were talking about station eight. You can make it up in this boat.

You got me.

I apologize. I wasn't trying to get you. Well, I'm just glad you're here, by the way. You sound so we could have done any of this without you.

Yeah. They made me understand that. OK.

All right. Council, it's yours for action if there's no more questions.

I'll make a motion that we approve the architectural design. Second.

Motion and a second. All in favor, show of hands. Got it. Move on to item 10, Ben donation of a city on property. The G dot for country club drive and Barack Obama.

Improvements correct this one's pretty straightforward. Um. And again, I apologize, there's several maps that kind of depict each of the 4 parcels. Um. In the acquisition that's required for the property, um, as you're very well aware, the. Program is proposing 2 projects. That are complete with design and are progressing now through right of way acquisition. Um, those 2 projects are, uh, the projects on Barack Obama Boulevard as well as. The project on country club. There is 1 parcel for acquisition on country club, and I believe 3 that the city owns. On Barack Obama Boulevard, um, in order to progress into construction for these, the right away. Uh, the city, or the, the, the road property has to be certified, um, in order for it to be certified, it has to be classified as right of way. And so this is basically the city giving small slivers of land, um, adjacent to the roadway to G dot temporarily during construction or prior to letting. And then post construction, they will be given back to the city in the form of right of way. Um, and so this is effectively, uh, just a change in classification for city on property. The city is not actually. There's no net loss and property any questions on this one. Pretty straightforward.

Council, any questions? All right. Council, yours for action.

Mayor, I make a motion that we approve the city-owned property to GDOT.

I'm second. That's Barack Obama second.

Andy did Country Club. She did Barack. All right. Motion to the second. All in favor, show of hands. Council, thank you. And Ben, thank you very much tonight. Well done.

Thank you.

Move on to item 11, consideration of request to approve the purchase of the property at 200 South Lee Street by the City of Valdosta and approve a limited warranty deed to our Central Development, Central Valdosta Development Authority, Al Crace. Our project manager to present.

That's close enough. Close enough. City of Valdosta seeks to purchase property at 200 South Lee Street for redevelopment purposes. This is a key parcel. To complement the many redevelopment projects in the South Patterson street area. And Savannah street area, or Savannah Avenue area, including the renovation of the former Department of labor. Be used by the city and for other projects. Facts and issues 200. South Lee street parcel is 0.44 acres. Um. with a purchase price of $250,000 to be paid with spouse funds. The 2026 tax assessor's value is $255,364. This site includes a commercial building of about 19,000 square feet that was built about 1985 for the Southern Stationery and Printing Company. The existing building is a steel frame structure with a brick facade on the front. It's proposed to dismantle and relocate that steel structure to the Myrtle Street Service Center and to be used by the city departments for city operations and maintenance activities. Options are to approve this project located at 200 South Lee Street and to convey the property ultimately to the Central Valdosta Development Authority for their redevelopment purposes.

Council, any questions on this purchase and transfer? Y'all looking at me.

No, I don't have a question.

Al, thank you.

I understood that one. I could hear it real good.

Council, it's yours for action.

May I make a motion that we approve the request as presented? Second.

Motion and second. All in favor, show of hands. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, Al. We'll now move on to the citizens to be heard portion of the evening. We ask that you come forward and state your name and address so we can have it for the record. Our policy requires you stay under three minutes so that all have time to be heard. Please direct all comments to council as a whole. Do not attempt to engage individual members of council and debate. It is our policy to follow through with you and your concern. Additionally, we ask that any groups designate a spokesperson for that same interest of time. Having said that, are there any citizens wishing to be heard at this time? If so, please come forward.

How's it going? All right. Good evening, Mayor Matheson, members of the City Council and City Manager Wheeler. Welcome. My name is Dwayne Johnson, 3867 Island Creek Road, Delos, Georgia, and President and CEO for the Southern Georgia Black Chamber here in Delos, Georgia. I stand before you tonight proudly to present an informal closeout preview of our CDBG funded 2026 Small Business Academy. 25 weeks ago, you entrusted us with a $7,500 allotment for CDBG funding. Our objective was clear, which was to build a real operational capacity for low to moderate income entrepreneurs here in Valdosta. I'm proud to report that we didn't just deliver casual business seminars. We executed an intensive technical residency in partnership with VSU Langdale College of Business, And we also brought in corporate entities such as Georgia Power and Ace South Georgia to deploy direct technical assistance and access to capital training directly to small business owners across eleven weeks and thirty three total hours of intense fingertips to keyboard instruction. We average thirty seven business owners per session. 25 dedicated entrepreneurs achieved our strict 80% attendance threshold and graduated with their seal of execution credentials. We didn't just teach them how to dream. These founders built SAM.gov profiles within their federal unique entity IDs for municipal and defense bidding. Some migrated off shoebox accounting into synchronized QuickBooks ledgers with profit and loss statements. And through our Project Puente and our partnership with Verraz de Latino Association, we integrated live AI translation, which achieved linguistic equity for our Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs. At this time, I would like to ask any graduates and participants here today to please stand and be recognized by this council in the building here. Thank you, council. These are the food manufacturer families from housing fraud, the accountants, the caterers, and wellness providers who keep Valdosta's economic engine running. And I'd like to add a special recognition for Ms. Quaylen Wilson, Mr. Trayvon Twitty, who's here, as well, through our Small Business Academy. The strength of what we do here within SUBC is our commitment to small business education and technical assistance. This program proved that when municipal funding meets local business discipline, we don't just help businesses survive, we build compliant, contract-ready, and bankable local supply chain. So on behalf of our board and the small business area here in Valdosta, we thank you for supporting and investing in the Small Business Academy. Thank you.

Duane, thank you. mayor i i was ready to grant them another 20 seconds because of robust applause right i i think we should um get a picture with them afterwards i absolutely think so i have many pictures with them already they've done a great job all right congratulations duane and to all the graduates you guys you guys were awesome i was honored to be there at the start and the finish as well it was quite a celebration

right any other citizens wishing to be heard at this time seeing none we'll end that portion of the evening and turn it over to jennifer wheeler our city manager for the city manager's report good afternoon i just want to make everyone aware of some events that we have upcoming we have the eighth annual back to school community block party this will be the community event on August 1st from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Unity Park Amphitheater. This free family event will feature a live DJ, family games, community resource boosts, free school supplies while supplies last, and free haircuts in the City Hall Annex multipurpose room to help students prepare for the upcoming school year. We have the National Night Out. The Valdosta Police Department will host its annual National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 500 North Tomb Street, Valdosta, Georgia. This free family-friendly event provides an opportunity for residents to engage with local law enforcement, meet their neighbors, explore public safety vehicles, and enjoy activities for all ages. National Night Out is a nationwide initiative designed to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the community they serve. And then we have Call for Santa Claus Applicants. The City of Valdosta is seeking the official Santa Claus for this year's Valdosta Christmas Parade and Jingle Bells Festival. I've heard a certain Matt may apply for this. the casting call will be held on monday august 17th 2026 at 4 p.m at the baldosta city hall annex this is a paid position with the selected individual serving during the christmas parade and jingle bells festival over three event days does that conclude your report yes paying santa claus three times sure are

If you think the energy is going to ever get any higher in our downtown, just come down here August 1st when we have our back to school bash in conjunction with the 100 black men barbecue going on at the same time, it is going to be lit. I've been practicing that. We'll move on to council comments and if you don't mind council, I'll lead off with a very special event tomorrow. I'll be meeting our state representative Alvin Payton here. He and I will be driving to Tallahassee. To honor 1 of our own. Coming home after 80 years. Mac Homer was a private. He was stationed at Fort Benning. He went over to the theater during World War II. He was killed near Normandy, France, when his engineering crew was dismantling a bunker the Germans had established to obviously keep them off the beaches. It exploded, killing eight. They recovered four bodies, could not recover four others. But through an unbelievable effort, 80 years later, his remains have been identified and he will be buried in the Tallahassee National Cemetery. Above us, the native is coming home. That's all I got, Thomas. Thank you, everybody. Yep. Hey, Dwayne. Dwayne, can we get everybody up here?

Thank you.