Vidalia City Council Recognizes State Champions, Handles Regular Business
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The Vidalia City Council presented the 2024 Vidalia Recreation Department 12U All-Star Boys Baseball Team with a formal proclamation of the city’s pride in the team’s Georgia Recreation and Parks Association Class B State Championship victory during the Council’s regular monthly meeting on Monday, August 12.
“It takes a lot of hard work to win a state championship, and we are so proud of you guys and your coaches,” Mayor Doug Roper told the team.
The team won the state championship with a 9-1 victory over Wayne County on June 29. Because of this victory, the Council had planned to recognize the team members and coaches during a meeting, but waited until August so that all members would be able to attend.
The team included Asher Hamilton, Logan Scott, Tucker McCallum, Pete Lewis, Cayden Mc-Donald, Colt Page, Kace Rush, Peyton Williamson, Gavin Reynolds, Brayden Williams, Kam Bacon, Cole Scott, Hudson Deloach, Ethan Holmes, and Luke Hopkins. Coleby Reynolds, Allen ScoG, and Bart McDonald were the coaches.
Public Participation
Also, during the meeting, local business owner Kris Eisenhut addressed the Council with his frustration regarding downtown parking and monthly street closures for the Downtown Vidalia Association Sweet Saturday events.
According to Eisenhut, both the lack of downtown parking availability and the street closures on the second Saturday of each month have hindered his business from performing well, as he shared that his customers do not want to have to walk to get food. “I have people that come from Atlanta and all over to eat at my restaurant. I tell them that they can park across the street at [First Baptist Church of Vidalia], but they do not want to have to walk far to eat,” he explained.
He also informed the Council that he was not the only member of the Downtown area suffering from these closures, as he had discussed the issue with some of his friends who own businesses downtown, and they agreed that they were frustrated about the set-up. “I am just the only one willing to speak up,” he remarked.
To solve this issue, Eisenhut offered two suggestions of moving the event either to the Ronnie A. Dixon City Park or to hosting Sweet Saturday at the vacant lot adjacent to the Vidalia Recreation De partment Ed Smith Complex, where the Captain’s Corner restaurant was formerly. “That way, you have bathrooms available and there are more rooms for kids’ activities,” he explained.
The Council members thanked Eisenhut for his comments and shared that they would review the current Sweet Saturday set-up.
Action Items
The necessary local funding match required for the Georgia Department of Transportation State Funding Assistance for the design of the rehabili- tation of Vidalia Regional Airport Runway 14-32 and installation of the automated weather observation system (AWOS) at the airport was unanimously approved by the Council. This local match is estimated to cost $83,334 based on the preapproved design, planning, and engineering costs, while the state will provide $250,000 of funding. The local match will be provided through the city’s Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) fund.
ESG Engineering was selected to provide the professional management and engineering services to aid the City in the work to ensure that the municipality’s water lines are in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Lead and Cop- per Rule." is compliance is mandated by the federal government to be completed by the end of October and will be funded through the remaining Georgia Environmental Finance Authority grant funds, which were previously received. These services are agreed to not exceed $30,000 total.
Council members approved the lease of one GPS operated field striping machine from Turf Tank for the Vidalia Recreation Department. This lease includes the paint robot and an Android tablet, an annual subscription to the unit’s software, and paint valued at $2,000. The total lease will cost $11,000 per year for three years.
Fields 1-5 at the Vida- lia Recreation Department will be shaved and receive a "top dressing" of qual ity sand and aerating from T.W. Washinger, Inc. These services will cost $13,914 and will be funded through SPLOST.
Repairs, stripping, and revarnishing of the Darby Gym floor was authorized to be completed prior to basketball season. This work will be completed by Stevens Gymnasiums and will cost $12,900, which will be paid from SPLOST funds.
The Council agreed to convert one of the Vi- dalia Recreation Depart ment’s tennis courts into four pickleball courts. This work will cost $11,900 in SPLOST funds and will be completed by Eco Premier Coatings.
Council members authorized an agreement between Hofstadter & Associates, Inc. and the Sweet Onion Golf Authority for professional civil engineering services for work related to the construction of the Warmouth Sands Golf Course clubhouse. The Sweet Onion Golf Authority is responsible for any costs associated with this agreement.
The Council approved entering into an agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation to acquire rights of way for the Department’s future highway plan, construction cluster and recreation trails program.
A “Trunk or Treat” event was authorized to be held at the Memorial Health Meadows Physicians’ Group, located at 1707 Meadows Lane, on October 31. Set-up for the event is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., while the event will kick off at 4 p.m. and end at 6 p.m.
The next City Council meeting is slated for Tuesday, September 9.
