Vidalia Proposes Revised Homelessness Ordinance

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During the regular monthly meeting on Monday, September 9, the Vidalia City Council completed the first reading of the revised Homelessness Ordinance, which no longer requires churches and individuals to get a conditional use permit to provide services and supplies to the homeless.

An ordinance addressing the issue of homelessness was first introduced on June 10, as the Council completed the first reading of the ordinance at its monthly meeting. The measure would repeal conflicting ordinances for the purpose of addressing the growing homelessness issue within the City and would make it illegal for any business or nonprofit organization to act as a homeless shelter or to provide services for the homeless without obtaining a conditional use permit.

To obtain this permit, applicants would have to have an operational tax license. When reviewing applications, authorities would review the character of the applicant, appropriate security plans (for shelters only), impact on the area surrounding the service site, whether the applicant contacted the appropriate neighborhood housing association, and more.

These licenses would only be valid for 10 consecutive days and would be reobtained; an 83-day grace period would be allowed. Also, the City Manager would reserve the right to revoke the permit if there were an event that threatens the safety, health, or welfare of the community. If this occurred, the City Manager could shut the facility down for three days, during which time it would be decided when and if the facility may reopen.

Upon the announcement of this proposition, the public began to speak out, sharing concerns about the costs of the permits and other provisions which the potential law designates. This concern prompted City Manager Josh Beck to address the public, saying that he wants to assure the public that the Council understands the importance of helping the less fortunate, but needs to set guidelines to ensure the safety of the public.

At the Council meeting on July 8, Beck announced that rather than voting on a second reading of this ordinance, the Council would be holding public hearings to allow citizens to share input on the laws which will govern them. “During my Monday morning meetings with department heads, I usually share this quote from John Wesley – ‘We all should have unity in the essentials, grace in the nonessentials, and love through it all.’ We all want the same thing – to make Vidalia better,” he emphasized.

During the hearing on August 13, City Attorney Daniel O’Connor explained to the public several changes that had already been made to the ordinance draft, such as: • An added clause ex cluding “incidental provision of a product or service to a homeless individual by a licensed business or nonprofit organization, when said business or nonprofit organization is regularly engaged in providing the same product or service to the public outside of the homeless population” from needing a conditional use permit • e exclusion of substance abuse centers or housing provided by a domestic violence shelter which is qualied as an IRC 301(c)(3) organization from needing a conditional use permit to house the homeless • e extension of the conditional use permit from 10 days to 60 days • e designation of homeless shelters to remain in areas zoned C-3 • A clause stating that after hours loitering, camping, sleeping, etc. at the homeless day shelter or surrounding streets and sidewalks must follow the existing Urban Camping Ordinance "I made a few adjust ments based on some of the things that were being discussed at that time. Keep in mind, this doesn’t have to be the final form of the ordinance; so, it would help myself and the Council if you would be specific about the circumstance or wording of the ordinance with which you are concerned,” O’Connor commented.

After hearing the public’s concerns at the public forum, the Council, City Manager, and City Attorney worked together to revise the ordinance, and ultimately, omit the requirements for those wanting to provide homelessness services.

Other changes to the ordinance include the provision that domestic violence and recovery centers will not be required to obtain the permit to have a homeless individual stay overnight at their facility.

The first reading of the ordinance was completed during the meeting, and the final adoption of the legislation will be voted on at the next meeting. The entire document is available for review on the city’s website.

Proclamations

Mayor Doug Roper presented three official proclamations during the meeting, as he recognized several in the community for their outstanding efforts and success.

The first of these recognitions honored the 2024 Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) Class B 8U Boys State Championship Baseball Team.

“Last month, we recognized our 12U state champions; tonight, we have the privilege and the honor of recognizing our 8U state champion team,” Roper told the audience. “Championships are extremely hard to win. We’ve been fortunate to have probably one of the better recreation departments in terms of turning out quality athletes that compete at a high level around the state for a very long time. This one is a little extra special for me – I ac tually got a chance to be a part of this team and help coach the team.”

Most of the team was in attendance for the presentation of the official proclamation, with a few being absent because of competing in soccer at the Vidalia Recreation Department. The team is composed of Orlando Dasher, Brantley Dowd, Kievy Hill, Mason Johnson, Tripp Moon, Nash Moore, Chase Phillips, Jeremiah Pittman, Samuel Poole, Durham Roper, Will Shiver, Landyn Wallace, Nash Welch, and led by Head Coach Billy Shiver and Assistant Coaches Buck Moon and Doug Roper.

Roper commented on the support of the players’ families and community throughout the state tour- nament. "I've been waiting to say this for quite some time. What was equally as impressive as what you guys did on the baseball diamond in competing for a state championship and winning is what [your families] did this summer,” he emphasized. “There is a gentleman in the room that I have a tremendous amount of respect for, that has said, ‘The disease of me will be the death of us.’ There was no disease of me with these kids, these parents, these grandparents, or extended family members the entire summer. That is almost unheard of. It re – stored some hope in me. I have seen, or heard, or witnessed, too many stories or too many teams that get ripped apart with dissention and that ‘disease of me’ takes over. But to this group of parents, what you did this summer and how you supported not just your child but every child that put on that uniform was seen, appreciated, valued, and most definitely should be replicated.”

In honor of September being National Recovery Month, the mayor also issued a formal proclamation to Gardens of Hope RCO Representatives Jimbo Partin and Ashley Garner to recognize the work that their organizations do. “September is being recognized as National Recovery Month. We wanted to present you all with a proclamation to support the work that you and your many organizations do,” Roper told

the representatives. The proclamation emphasized that recovery is real and possible and recognized that necessary resources must be available to allow people to prosper in long-term recovery and to change the stigma regarding addiction.

The mayor also declared his support for literacy within the community, as he presented Vidalia City Schools Assistant Superintendent Lesa Brown with a formal proclamation declaring September 30,2024, as “Vidalia Reads Day.”

“This is something that we believe that through multiple agencies, the school system, and leaders in the community, we can rally behind. We believe continued from page

there is an opportunity for a lot of leaders in the community to come together and hopefully see progress and strides around this subject because it is a subject that touches every community across the country,” he remarked. "I challenge ev eryone to become involved in this effort and learn how you may do your part to improve literacy locally.”

Action Items

During the business section of the meeting, the Council approved the acceptance of the rollback millage rates, which total 3.685 mills for properties in the city limits in Toombs County and 3.933 mills for properties within the city limits in Montgomery County. City Manager Beck spoke on this difference in rates, as he explained, “The reason the rate is different in the rollback rate for Montgomery County versus the Toombs County side [of the city] is Toombs County had inflationary growth of roughly $32,000,000 in their assessment. Montgomery County had $0 inflationary growth in their assessment, which is why we were able to keep their rate basically the same. So, that’s why those rates don’t match.”

The Council also voted to place a 3-month moratorium on the acceptance of permit or license applications related to the use of land within city limits as R.V. parks. This will allow the Council to review the ordinance governing these parks before allowing any more of these sites within the city.

Council members agreed to contract MMI Construction of Uvalda to replace the roof of the PAL Theatre. This replacement will cost $120,900, which will be funded through Special Local Options Sales Tax (SPLOST) revenues. The initiation and completion date for this project has not yet been disclosed.

The Council authorized the payment of $55,588 to Passero Engineering, who are overseeing the rehabilitation of Vidalia Regional Airport runways, for expenses related to completed work on the runways. According to City Manager Beck, the grant funding that was previously used to pay for the services already completed by contractors was deemed unallowable by the Georgia Department of Transportation Audit Division because of specifications of the grant. Passero Engineering absorbed 75% of the cost of the mistake, but requested that the city pay 25% of the remaining balance, which totals $55,588. Additional separate grant funding will be used to pay for the cost.

Council members also voted to sign an agreement to design a 12-unit T-hangar building and taxi lanes for the airport after discovering that the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to give money for the project in FY2025. The airport is set to receive $156,818 tentatively, which will require a $9,090 local match. The City plans to fund this local match from SPLOST funds.

Monroe Goss and Angela Lane were reappointed to the Sweet Onion Golf Authority, and will now continue to serve until their new terms expire on October 1, 2029.

A special events permit for a cookout for members of the Jackson Heights Neighborhood Association and their guests. This event will occur from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. on October 7, and will require Sixth Street to be closed between Jackson and Church Streets during the event.

The Council’s next meeting is slated for October 14.

VIDALIA READS DAY — Mayor Doug Roper (right) presented Vidalia City Schools Assistant Superintendant Lesa Brown (left) with an official proclamation declaring September 30, 2024, as “Vidalia Reads Day” to promote literacy in the community.Photo by Makaylee Randolph

NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH – Mayor Doug Roper (right) presented Gardens of Hope Recovery Community Organization Representatives Jimbo Partin (left) and Ashley Garner (center) will an official proclamation declaring September as Recovery Month in Vidalia.Photo by Makaylee Randolph