The Vadosta Mayor and City Counci - Business Improvement Project Review

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1 September-October 2013 City Beat LOST Certificate Agreement Signed The Vadosta Mayor and City Counci met in executive session on Oct. 10 and authorized Mayor John Gaye to agree to keep the Loca Option Saes Tax (LOST) distribution the same as the certificate that has been on fie since The mayors of a five cities aso signed the certificate, which Mayor Gaye presented on behaf of the cities to Chairman Bi Saughter on Oct. 11. On Oct. 15, the Lowndes County Commission met and agreed, as we, to eave the distribution percentages the same. In a Specia Caed Meeting on Oct. 17, the Vadosta Mayor and City Counci met briefy to ratify the agreement that prevents the LOST revenues from apsing for the benefit of citizens and the continuation of oca government services. Our first responsibiity is to the taxpayers of the city and the community as a whoe. We fee, with so much at risk, we have made the right decision in the position we were put, said Mayor Gaye. Whie none of us ike taxes, they are necessary. The LOST is perhaps the best and most fair tax for taxpayers, because for each doar of saes tax coected property owners get a doar for doar roback in their property taxes. Athough the cities of Vadosta, Hahira, Lake Park, Dasher and Remerton had hoped to reach a more favorabe agreement through good faith negotiations, the LOST Certificate agreement has been signed by a five mayors. As a resut of the agreement, Lowndes County wi retain 58 percent of the LOST proceeds, and the five cities wi spit the remaining 42 percent. The five cities have committed to the agreement and wi abide by the action taken by the Genera Assemby next year. Improvements to WWTP Underway The City of Vadosta Utiities Department has been working diigenty to compete approximatey $2.5 miion in short-term projects to address issues at its Withacoochee Wastewater Treatment Pant (WWTP), which treats neary 8 miion gaons of wastewater daiy. The city is working cosey with its consutant and contractor who have been on site at the WWTP since August impementing severa projects that are expected to be in pace by year end. These pant improvements wi wi hep keep the Withacoochee Wastewater Treatment Pant in compiance with the NPDES permit unti the reocation of the pant is competed in November Furthermore, these projects have been designed so that the equipment, as much as possibe, can be reused at the new pant. Continued on Page 2 Gornto Road Ext. Opens with Ribbon Cutting Genera pubic invited to Oct. 18 event The City of Vadosta is hosting a ribbon cutting event to ceebrate the opening of the new Gornto Road Extension, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2013, at 1 p.m., at the intersection of Woodrow Wison Drive and N. Patterson Street. The Gornto Road Extension joins Woodrow Wison Drive to Gornto Road and provides a new east-west thoroughfare that wi positivey impact the traffic fow throughout the city. Identified in the city's adopted Comprehensive Transportation Master Pan in 2008, the $1.9 miion project incuded drainage improvements, utiity adjustments, right of way acquisitions and intersection aignment. The competed three-ane road features a center turn ane, sidewaks and bike anes, a new access road to the four existing businesses on Woodrow Wison Drive, pedestrian ighting and LED crosswaks. In addition, the reaigned intersection features mast arms with suspended signa heads that are more resiient in storms and require ess maintenance. Modern detection technoogy has aso been instaed that senses when vehices and motorcyces are present to change the traffic ights accordingy. The project which was designed by LPA, the intersection and signa permit obtained by Innovate, Inc. and construction provided by Reames and Son was competed neary a haf miion doars under the city s project estimates. Continued on Page 2

2 A City Without Limits...A Region of Opportunity Page 2 New East-West Connector Road Continued from page 1 The new road, which was funded by SPLOST VI revenue, wi ease traffic congestion on Northside Drive and Jerry Jones Road and wi provide citizens with a primary, major east/west route to and from the arge commercia area near the Vadosta Ma. The city aso expects it to reduce emergency response times for South Georgia Medica Center staff and other City of Vadosta first responders, as we as improve traffic efficiency for those using the SGMC medica campus faciities, the VSU North Campus and the Caste Park area. The Vadosta Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce has provided 35 Live Oak trees from their Centennia Tree Project, purchased by chamber supporters, to beautify the newy asphated area. The Live Oaks wi contribute to the city s beautifu tree canopy. Ca the Engineering Department at (229) for more information. Progress on WWTP Projects Continued from page 1 Gornto Road Extention near ready for Oct. 18 Ribbon Cutting event and traveing pubic s use on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The foowing is an update on the progress of these WWTP projects: Mission To be known by our customers and others for high quaity municipa services. Purpose To provide pubic services that meet or exceed the expectations of citizens. To improve the quaity of ife in the community by a sincere commitment to the ideas of pubic service. To be creative and innovative in our approach to the needs of citizens, recognizing the trust and confidence that our citizens pace in us as caretakers of governmenta services. To be efficient and effective and use wisey the pubic resources we are entrusted to manage. Quaity Service by Quaity Peope Instaation of the mobie bet fiter press wi begin in November. New bar screens were instaed on infuent fow to remove rags, pastics and other arger soids from downstream treatment processes and are functioning as desired. New Return Activated Sudge (RAS) piping to improve soids handing and remova are currenty being instaed. Air piping to nitrification tanks for ammonia remova has instaed. Two new bowers for the aerobic digester to improve soids digestion and thickening are being instaed. The remova of hydrauic bottenecks in the process is ongoing. Currenty converting od primary carifiers to storage basins for fow equaization during heavy rain events. Four additiona projects are expected to be competed by November 2014 at a cost of $32 miion and wi remove over 50 percent of sewer fow from the Meadowbrook sewer trunk ine. These projects incude: Two new major pump stations (Gornto Road and Remer Lane) and two minor pump stations; a new force main system, incuding 6 mies of 30 and 42 mains; a new headworks and fow equaization basin; and the remova of three eevated sewer trunks ines that are approaching the end of their usefu service ife. If SPLOST VII is approved by voters on Nov. 5, it is expected to generate about $150 miion, of which Vadosta wi receive $80 miion. Neary 70 percent of the funding wi be dedicated to wastewater projects. City Counci John Gaye...Mayor James R. Wright...Counciman, District 1 Deidra White...Counciwoman, District 2 Joseph Vickers...Counciman, District 3 Avin Payton, Jr...Counciman, District 4 Mayor Pro Tem Tim Carro...Counciman, District 5 Robert Yost...Counciman, District 6 Ben Norton...Counciman At Large Editoria Staff Larry H. Hanson...City Manager Sementha Mathews...Pubic Info. Officer City Beat is a quartery newsetter for the citizens of Vadosta and is written and pubished by the City of Vadosta Pubic Information Office. For more information, contact Sementha Mathews at (229)

3 A City Without Limits...A Region of Opportunity Page 3 The Facts About SPL ST Approximatey 50 percent of SPLOST revenue is coected from non-residents, meaning they hep to pay for improvements to our infrastracture. SPLOST is an investment in our community. Our roads, bridges, water faciities, parks, drainage improvements, fire stations, sidewaks, sanitation, vehices and other capita needs are paid by SPLOST. SPLOST invests in oca projects, creating oca jobs, and the majority of the funds are spent in this community--meaning oca buiders, contractors, workers and businesses perform much of the work. Many of the projects MUST be done--the choice we have is HOW do we pay for these necessary projects? SPLOST is not a new tax but a continuation of a one-penny tax that has been in pace since To generate the same amount of revenue, property taxes woud MORE THAN DOUBLE for some oca governments. SPLOST benefits ALL RESIDENTS of Lowndes County, incuding those in unincorporated Lowndes, Vadosta, Hahira, Remerton, Lake Park and Dasher. ALL oca governments and ALL oca citizens benefit from the investment in our community. As voters, we have a choice: do we keep the one-penny SPLOST--with much of it paid by visitors and traveers aong I-75--or do we raise property taxes, water rates and other fees that are a paid by oca residents? Remember to base your SPLOST decision according to the facts, and pease vote responsiby on Nov. 5. For more information about City of Vadosta SPLOST projects, visit Future Journaists Meet With Mayor Stay in the Loop Tune into City Focus and other oca government programming on Mediacom Channe 17 or on the web daiy. City Focus airs six times a day at 4 a.m., 7 a.m., noon, 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., and can be enjoyed any time of day via Mayor John Gaye wecomed Ted Getner s News Writing Cass from Vadosta State University for a mock press conference, on Oct. 7, at Vadosta City Ha. The students toured City Ha and participated in the SPLOST VII mock press conference, which was hed in the second foor City Counci Chambers. The city hosts the event each semester to provide the students with practica appication for their future news writing careers and to introduce them to oca government. For more information on simiar educationa opportunities in oca government, contact the Pubic Information Office at (229) Citizens may aso sign up for the city s E- News by visiting the Pubic Information page on the city s website and seecting the type of news they want to receive on a reguar basis.

4 A City Without Limits...A Region of Opportunity Page 4 The Vadosta Poice Department has announced the hours for the city s annua trickor-treat activity for Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 9 p.m. Extra poice patro wi be schedued during this time to ensure the evening is both safe and enjoyabe. The city offers the foowing practica tips for citizens and their famiy members to enjoy the traditiona event: City Sets Hours for Trick-or-Treating Chidren shoud wak in pairs and aways stay on the sidewak. Aduts shoud accompany chidren under 12. Chidren shoud wear refective cothing. Aduts shoud pin a sip of paper on their chidren with their chid s name, address and phone number inside a pocket in case he or she gets separated from the group. In addition to seecting a safe route with good ighting, chidren shoud aso be equipped with fashights with fresh batteries or gow sticks to increase visibiity. Chidren who eat a mea before they trick-or-treat may be ess ikey to eat the candy before an adut can approve it. Aduts shoud inspect treats before chidren are aowed to eat them. For more information, contact VPD Commander Bernard Robinson at (229) The city wishes you a safe Trick-or-Treating activity. Stormwater Permit Renewed Through 2017 The City of Vadosta s Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) permit for has officiay been approved by the Georgia Environmenta Protection Division (EPD). On Dec. 6, 2012 the EPD reissued the Genera Nationa Poutant Discharge Eimination System (NPDES) Permit No. GAG for Phase II Municipa Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) to waters of the State. This five-year permit is in accordance with the Federa Cean Water Act and the Georgia Water Quaity Contro Act and requires each MS4 to submit to EPD a new SWMP, which addresses six minimum contro measures: On Main Street... The ast Farm Days of the 2013 season wi take pace on Saturday, Oct. 19, on the sidewaks around the historic Lowndes County Courthouse in downtown Vadosta, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Vadosta Main staff woud ike to thank a vendors and patrons for their support in making the 3rd annua season another success. The month of October puts the Main Street office in panning mode for the upcoming hoiday activities, which incudes the Hoiday Open House and Greater Vadosta Christmas Parade, on Saturday, Dec. 7. Citizens and businesses interested in reserving a booth at the Open House or a pace in the parade shoud contact the Main Street office at (229) or visit for additiona information. Citizens have enjoyed a variety of ocay-grown produce at Farm Days throughout the season. Vendors and patrons can expect the popuar farmers market to begin again in Apri Pubic Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts 2. Pubic Invovement and Participation 3. Iicit Discharge Detection and Eimination 4 Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Contro 5. Post Construction Stormwater Management in New Deveopment and Redeveopment 6. Poution Prevention and Good Housekeeping a- for Municipa Oper tions The city has worked diigenty on the SWMP to estabish a successfu stormwater program that reduces poution through education, poicy and procedures, inspection and maintenance. To earn more, pease contact the Stormwater Division at (229) or visit

5 A City Without Limits...A Region of Opportunity Page 5 Making a Difference Day in Vadosta Ceanup schedued for Saturday, Oct. 26 Dozens are expected to turn out for the 2013 Make a Difference Day, hosted by the City of Vadosta and Keep Lowndes Vadosta Beautifu (KLVB), on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Vounteers are sti needed and shoud meet at the Greater Saint James Missionary Baptist Church, ocated at 104-1/2 Wisenbaker Lane, at 8:30 a.m. Their hep is needed to cean up the neighborhood bordered by Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Dasher Lane, Wisenbaker Lane, Griffin Avenue and South Patterson Street. During the event, city marshas and other city and KLVB staff wi coordinate the cean up of the area. The Vadosta Fire Department wi be aso be out visiting homes in the ceanup area to check the working condition of their smoke detectors. Make a Difference Day, and other efforts in the city throughout the year, are responsibe for ceaning up iteray tons of garbage from our city neighborhoods. For more information or to vounteer for the ceanup, ca KLVB at (229) Keeping the Rivers Aive The Oct. 5 Rivers Aive cean up, sponsored by Keep Lowndes/Vadosta Beautifu, saw a turnout of over 140 vounteers, ike the ones pictured above, at seven different sites around the city and county. These vounteers were abe to gather enough trash to fi 99 bags, --an estimated 2,200 pounds of itter--from oca waterways such as the Withacoochee & Litte Rivers, Mud Creek, and One & Two Mie Branches. Rivers Aive is a continuing statewide campaign to preserve and beautify Georgia s 70,150 mies of rivers and streams. Vadosta-Lowndes Competes for Most Active Community in Ga. GMA Initiative is heping cities across Georgia get heathier A new Georgia Municipa Agency (GMA) initiative is encouraging communities across the state to join a fun chaenge to determine the most active community through socia connections and highighting everything active. Community teams--such as the Vadosta-Lowndes County Team--earn points when participants share how far they waked, ran or cyced. Participants aso earn points by entering events onine, such as road races, cycing events, etc. Points add up for the community team through Dec. 31, The winning team wi be announced at the GMA Mayor s Conference in Savannah, Ga., on Jan. 25, The goa?...bragging rights for being the Most Active Community in Georgia and a FREE outdoor fitness station. How to get started: 1. Create a profie at 2. Join the See-Wak-Cities community. 3. Join the Vadosta-Lowndes County Team. 4. Add events to the caendar. 5. Join events and participate in them. 6. Log workouts (waking, running, cycing by mies) into your activity feed. Join the Vadosta-Lowndes County team today for a heathier community. Ca (229) for more information.

6 A City Without Limits...A Region of Opportunity Page 6 Change Your Cocks, Change Your Batteries Dayight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m., on Sunday, Nov. 3, and citizens shoud turn their cocks backward one hour to 1 a.m. The purpose of dayight saving time observed by the United States and Canada is to provide more hours of dayight during the evenings and ess in the mornings. Vadosta Fire Chief J.D. Rice says Dayight Saving Time is aso a great bi-annua reminder to change the batteries in smoke detectors. More than 70 percent of home fire deaths resut from fires in homes where the smoke detector did not work. On Nov. 3, remember to take an extra minute to change your smoke detector batteries whie setting your cocks backward. Opportunities to Serve Community The deadine is quicky approaching to appy for severa vacant city board positions. The City of Vadosta has announced the foowing openings: Vadosta Housing Authority (1) Vadosta Tree Commission (1) MPO Citizens Advisory Committee (2) Vadosta-Lowndes County Conference Center & Tourism Authority (1) Centra Vadosta Deveop. Authority/Downtown Deveop. Authority (3) Citizens interested in serving the community this way shoud appy by first reviewing the Membership Requirements and Code of Ethics Booket, competing a Genera Board Appication and then signing a Code of Ethics form. Contact City Cerk Teresa Boden at (229) or downoad this information at The cosing date for submitting the Genera Board Appication and Code of Ethics form to the City Cerk is Oct. 30, by 5 p.m. Roe of Panners Ceebrated The City of Vadosta is observing Nationa Community Panning Month in October with a variety of events recognizing the efforts of professiona and citizen panners committed to creating great paces to ive and work. Visit /panning for a ist of events during the month. City and County Present CPM Procamations From eft: County Panner Jason Davenport, Lowndes County Chairman Bi Saughter, MPO Coordinator Corey Hu, Vadosta Mayor John Gaye, Historic Preservation Panner Emiy Foster and Panning & Zoning Tech. Aexandra Arzayus. NOV. 9 Your Eectronics Citizens who are wondering what to do with their outdated or unwanted eectronics are urged to attend a community e-recycing event that wi propery dispose of their unwanted eectronics, whie reducing unnecessary cutter in time for the hoiday season. The City of Vadosta Pubic Works Department, in partnership with Keep Lowndes/Vadosta Beautifu (KLVB) and Atanta Recycing Soutions, wi host the Eectronic Recycing event on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the parking ot of Mathis Auditorium, ocated at 2300 N. Ashey Street. Citizens may drop off a number of eectronic items at the event, such as ce phones, computer monitors, aptops, disk and foppy drives, test equipment, modems, circuit boards, typewriters, cabes, eight-tracks, computer accessories, video machines, stereos, video cassette recorders (VCRs), CB radios, scanners, speakers, camcorders and cameras. Vounteers wi be avaiabe at the event to hep remove items from vehices. Teevisions wi be accepted at the event; however, there is a $10 charge per teevision to cover the costs of dissembing the teevisions for the recycabe parts. A number of items wi NOT be accepted at the Nov. 9 event such as vacuum ceaners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, gas-powered equipment, non-eectronic equipment, and other non-recycabe items. This event is one of two annua e- recycing events and other year-round efforts that support the city s recycing program. Citizens may ca the Pubic Works Department at (229) for more information.