The Nahunta City Council signed off on a proclamation for Unison in honor of Developmentally Disabled Awareness Month during Monday night’s March meeting.
Belydia McCarthy of the Intellectual Development Disability Services and Caedon Johnson, the Apex and Marketing Coordinator, were on hand March 3 for the signing of the proclamation by Mayor Marty Lee.
“We just appreciate the recognition and support of the council for individuals with intellectual development disabilities,” McCarthy said.
Two citizens spoke during the public participation, one expressing gratitude and the second asking for help with an odor being emitted from a pump at a oxidation pond.
Jamie Cleland expressed his gratitude in front of the council and Police Chief Brad Todd in particular for keeping Brantley County safe.
“I appreciate the job the police chief has done,” Cleland said. “He is doing an excellent job and is probably one of the best chiefs I’ve seen.”
Cleland focused specifically on issues where drugs were brought into his neighborhood. Cleland came to Chief Todd with these issues and received the desired results.
He also commended the officers for keeping drugs out of the hands of children.
Rodney Jacobs spoke about a pump causing a smell which blows into his home. Jacobs lives behind the oxidation pond where the smell originated.
He was inquiring if and when the council would acquire a pump to take care of the smell. The council responded a pump has been ordered and is expected to arrive Friday, March 7.
In addition to the pump, the council also purchased a Catawater, which eradicates the smell.
Catawater is a proprietary organic biocatalyst technology. By analysis, it is the same as water. Catawater products are used in the oil and gas, wastewater and agriculture industries for all types of remediation, water recycling/treatment and other uses. products stimulate naturally occurring processes to speed up results not typically experienced at nature’s normal pace to rapidly achieve balance and/or remediate contaminants.
Jacobs did say the smell had improved recently. He stated another issue with drainage from a new housing development pushing rainwater onto their property.
Ordinances
The city, after a second reading, will have seven ordinances updated/added to the books. Councilman Altman made the motion to approve the ordinances with a second given by Councilwomen Crystal Johns. The motion passed unanimously.
Thomas Univ. MOU Council members approved a motion by Councilman Andrew Altman to accept a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Thomas University in Thomasville. This is a partnership between the city and the university. It gives city employees a great amount of discounts toward tuition.
Some of the discounts include a 10 percent discount on certification training programs. Other discounts offered are a $3,000 per year tuition discount administered at $1,000 per semester.
Additional discounts also include up to $2,500 per semester for enrollment at no cost to the city.
The MOU would also be beneficial for law enforcement officers. The MOU takes into account the training officers go through with the Police Academy and can bring them up to 40 credit hours towards their degrees.
The courses will be offered both online and in person.
Ordinance fees
The council approved several ordinance fees starting with a $150 Failure to Appear fee, a $50 administrative fee. City Attorney Adam Ferrell informed the mayor and council the policies will be added together with the $35 Technology fee in the costs of running our court under the original City Ordinance so this was the first reading.
CDBG projects
Council members approved three CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) grants for funding for proposed water and sewer improvements in area of Burton Street, Dude Circle, Church Street and Henry Street.
It was noted Council member Deloise Anderson, who missed the meeting due to illness, resides in the target area where improvements are scheduled to take place. The city attorney read into the minutes of the regularly scheduled meeting of the Council a statement fully and publicly disclosing the potential conflict of interest.
Councilwoman Anderson will take no part in any future deliberations or decisions of the council with respect to the project affecting their property/residence.
Councilman Bruce Davis made the motion to approve the conflict of interest, submittal resolution and Admin Contract contingent upon funding. Councilman Altman seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
LMIG project
The council also approved a 2023-25 Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) bid on the recommendation of city engineer Turnipseed Engineering to accept the low bid of Thrift Brothers, LLC to improve street and drainage on Dykes Street.
Councilman Davis made the motion to accept the bid of $380,176.95. Councilwoman Crystal Johns gave the second with the motion passing unanimously.
NPD monthly report Chief Todd gave the monthly report for February 2025. There were 330 E911 calls, 257 traffic stops, 82 citations issued, 175 warnings issued, 11 incident reports filed, one accident report filed, nine warrants taken and seven arrests made.
The chief also informed the council of several drug arrest over the weekend.
He also spoke out numerous drug busts throughout the city in which drug paraphernalia was found inside individual cars.
Street/Water report Jeremy Ryan updated the council with the February Public Works report. There were 375 work orders.
The next Nahunta City Council meeting is Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m.
