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Americus City Council met for their agenda setting meeting on Thursday, 8.12.21. Most items went to the consent agenda and will be voted upon with one vote rather than separately. Items which will go to consent agenda include an elections agreement with Sumter County Board of Elections, a hazard mitigation plan, deck construction on Jackson Street, construction a Fallen Public Service Officer Memorial, awarding bids, one of which is landscaping lighting for downtown, paying invoices on city infrastructure services and Rylander fountain, gathering quotes for emergency repairs at Brookdale Drive and Peachtree Street, purchasing equipment such as service trucks and approving alcohol licenses.

Some items required City Attorney, Jimmy Skipper to take further action before Thursday’s regular meeting. These includes items related to Americus Fresh, a new industry coming to Sumter County, as well as research on how to procure a Municipal Court Judge.

Voting items for next Thursday are limited. However, there is a second and final reading of a fireworks and noise ordinance. The ordinance addresses use of fireworks within the city limits. Another ordinance will address fees associated with utilizing fireworks. A request has been made to suspend the rules and vote on the fee Thursday evening. The proposed fee is $100 per day for use of fireworks. There are some days in which a firework permit will not be required. Those include New Year’s Day, New Year’s Eve, Memorial Day weekend, Labor Day, and July 3 and 4. However there will be time limits on the use of the explosives. The time allowable is 10am until 11:59 pm. There is an additional hour included for New Year’s Eve and fireworks can be used until 1am.

Also up for a vote is a speed bump on Rose Avenue. Speed bumps require city workers to establish the best type and placement of bump as well as an assessment by first responders to ensure placement does not impede emergency responses.

In the city manager’s report were several reminders. September 18 will be a city wide clean up day, GSW and SGTC are moving students in, qualifying for city council and mayor positions are next week and can be completed at the municipal building, August’s First Friday was an amazing success and September’s will be a back-to-school theme.

The voting meeting will be held via Zoom on Thursday, 8.19.21 at 6pm.