[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6579210,"mediaKeyId","3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0","parentId",3096637,"title","Public commenters press council on South Commons referendum, road closure impacts and local economic development","audioSeconds",1024,"startMs",6091000,"endMs",7115000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0&start=6091&end=7115","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0/thumbnail_6091000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6579210/Columbus/Muscogee-County/Georgia/Public-commenters-press-council-on-South-Commons-referendum-road-closure-impacts-and-local-economic-development","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579210-874c8feca454c04207e9e274f694fa87/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506576&Signature=FZYmqBHyLuAg3J0TdhydiLoMVmSMKU9~znA8WY3wUPl3k~9aJQ-AXoS8qANxfoYKbN2aabiecZ-tWkJqugzOP2~gERhG2n6qj8ZpcEoKLm38QYHuP8FBeu8jeVcS9b-~5g9YAhfKahc5YT~VM3h0WeGavT8iWFz4re-iLEQyHkjOi6JHJLQ-xyjqh7LoAryCrzigy1tsXTHJ0sM3e~XENXqbqam3vrORGYmLoZ55Yq7hq6y0aBX7~t0tYsjhTiIeUwhRaXMw3It67IgaGL1JLFKsArY~i5cGIZaLbwfOUSWS7s-x9Iwpdukb~MJ1xMKAKc0h7wldXOfJsTFkEzHvow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Columbus","date","2025-04-23T16:45:15.53Z","article","Several members of the public addressed the City Council during the public‑comment portion of the April 22 meeting, focusing on three recurring themes: the business impacts of a local road closure, concerns about South Commons/Golden Hills and calls for greater economic development on Columbus’s South Side.

Morris Road business impacts
- Ronald Carter, who identified himself as a property and business owner on Morris Road (564 Morris Road), said the project that closes parts of the roadway has cut his business traffic by roughly \"95%\" and that customers are turning around in his driveway. He asked the council to send staff and the engineer to inspect the site and to consider mitigation; councilors said staff would visit the site and meet with him.

South Commons, Golden Hills and a ballot request
- Katherine Tanner urged the council to halt any request for proposals or development steps until voters have a chance to decide whether restrictions on the South Commons land should remain. Tanner said the deed establishing restrictions dates from 1910 and that it includes language that, in her reading, requires a special election and two‑thirds voter approval before conveying the land for private development. She asked the council to restore original deed restrictions and not to proceed with an RFP until voters have been allowed to act.
- Marvin Broadwater Sr. (South Columbus resident) and other speakers urged council to prioritize economic-development projects that produce jobs on the South Side, arguing that capital projects should focus on long-term, job‑creating investments rather than only parks and facilities.

Process and oversight questions
- Public speakers and some councilors asked questions about transparency and whether certain actions had been handled via resolutions or staff processes that should have come to council or to voters. One speaker asked the council to seek an Attorney General review on a grants question unrelated to the South Commons item; that request was directed at council.

Why this matters: Multiple public commenters asked the council to reconsider the pace and method of decision-making for high-profile land on the South Side and to prioritize economic development that produces jobs. Councilors committed to follow-up visits for the Morris Road business owner and to continued discussion of the procedural and legal questions raised about South Commons.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Columbus Ga City Council Meeting 04 22 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents and community advocates used public comment at the April 22 meeting to raise concerns about the impact of a road closure on small businesses, to call for decisive economic development on the South Side and to urge council to place decisions about South Commons/Golden Hills on a public ballot.","taxTitle","Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia","taxId",4892,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579215,"Parks and Recreation sets May 28 pool openings, launches splash pads and steps up lifeguard recruitment",201,6735000,6936000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0&start=6735&end=6936","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0/thumbnail_6735000.jpg","/articles/6579215/Columbus/Muscogee-County/Georgia/Parks-and-Recreation-sets-May-28-pool-openings-launches-splash-pads-and-steps-up-lifeguard-recruitment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579215-2b6a5f12a16dbe3fb33f2e6157162bb3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506576&Signature=ZmJgdXQsCMN6E2tECKsbHrfGS44S-4XtrPctPZPqI3J7kM4-KjYzceyGSg9dbuCNEzOftweH7Tiuua9ljwuENs6Aw1qegyv0ms5jIx7hpMkHAbdlPz1XYHFnU5nAaz5CfvdHOfoZODU9kU2wYYU6e5tKWgjd87ttqA9HQIYOXp7ZDvsqZ7B70uoAciESOjfJQyGFR-FVjlhH40bsp8mFL-IgmVUQCAwjdCXNcPZi2O4PLceyyiy31tTciVCtmW9mdpqJiym-GgRIO6vhGWQ-EUGcrTJvkkQc-p2Z27DES2EeOW9ZG63HpJzBGrk89-bFOiHH32N~epDw0XOhDGYKdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Columbus Parks and Recreation reported progress on new and renovated aquatic facilities and outlined an active recruiting campaign for lifeguards and aquatic staff at the April 22 council meeting.

Director Holly Browder displayed renderings of the renovated neighborhood pools (Rigdon, Shirley, Solomon and one more) and said the city plans a May 28 opening for pools (Wednesday through Friday 12 p.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.). Parks staff also described the first city-operated splash pad outside the City Service Center and a second splash pad planned for Carver Park; both splash pads were described as being scheduled to open in the coming weeks with a ribbon-cutting planned.

Lifeguard recruitment: Browder said the department has been actively recruiting for months (radio/TV/digital billboards, school visits and job fairs) and reported the following figures during the meeting: the department had 52 certified lifeguards available at the time of the presentation, a target of 125 lifeguards (25 per pool, counting indoor pool), and approximately 300 applicants in the overall applicant pool by the time of the meeting update. Browder explained the American Red Cross prerequisites (150‑yard swim, timed treading, retrieving a 10‑pound weight from 8‑foot depth) and said the city provides certification training at no cost to applicants who commit to work for the city that summer.

Why this matters: Reopening pools and operating splash pads expands summer recreation options for families and young people; successfully recruiting lifeguards is critical for safety and for planned operating hours. Councilors applauded the progress and asked staff to continue outreach and to consider limited weekend or extended operations if staffing permits.

Next steps: Parks will hold a community kickoff (luau) the second week after opening, continue lifeguard classes in May and evaluate weekend schedules if additional certified lifeguards are available.","Columbus Parks and Recreation told council that four renovated pools will open beginning May 28, that two splash pads (City Services and Carver Park) will open in early summer, and that the department is running lifeguard classes and outreach to meet a target of about 125 lifeguards.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579220,"Recorder's Court reports heavier caseload, school-camera cases and new annex scheduling",773,4393000,5166000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0&start=4393&end=5166","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0/thumbnail_4393000.jpg","/articles/6579220/Columbus/Muscogee-County/Georgia/Recorders-Court-reports-heavier-caseload-school-camera-cases-and-new-annex-scheduling","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579220-f992d74b4a8135e40c3ef6d2be9627b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506576&Signature=OmzjzCegdLE6UYgSH3~RBo35XAXIqAUb55re6fLHHsI8P0m0cK4bGiwtwJSa9AIQv-mUwrXS5GsdNrXYyB4pzwGRxijbXItIBX5j50HavN4aLqLfXCQrUyCB1Ja27oiol~z7wNpEFBeZyglz8aSzb3Ds91lk4fDO2AaIzFy01xsKLSp4i4~k6HQXfp~tN2XUY7hL~0z766NTnnLkzN43O3cviu5h~UzRY~QSiQc62WvjGMG7sSYbO03wzw~W~JFmhbjpW39GHSlqzNfbeIJhr9h2zW4wg71N~FRGjo3b7o5BWN-JboY7ysb-J2oIuikI17GTRfXS4pC~-PfqB1UknQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Recorder's Court gave its annual update to the City Council on April 22, reporting rising caseloads, new courtroom scheduling to reduce wait times, and the addition of school‑zone camera cases to its dockets.

Judge David Ranieri told council that total case counts have increased year over year and that Recorder's Court processed about 29,000 cases in 2024. The court reported it collected approximately $4.3 million in fines and bond revenue in 2024. Judge Ranieri said the court's priority has been reducing the time citizens and officers spend waiting in court; to that end the court is using an annex facility to hold patrol/traffic sessions (three daily sessions) and has reallocated dockets so specialized calendars (motor squad, environmental/code enforcement, school camera cases) are handled on designated days.

Judge Ranieri also said the court has begun processing Muscogee County School District school-zone speed-camera cases; he said about 10 camera zones were already being processed and that, when fully deployed, there could be up to 55 school-zone locations handled by the court. The judge explained that integrating the school-camera cases will increase volume and that the court has reserved additional times as needed.

Solicitor General Siobhan Sutcliffe Thomas outlined the solicitor's role (misdemeanor prosecution, warrant applications, probation violations) and thanked councilors who visited the office; she said staff have been processing a significant number of cases and were doing so with limited resources prior to recent staffing improvements.

Why this matters: The court's caseload and the addition of automated school-camera enforcement will increase demand on judicial resources and scheduling. Councilors expressed interest in having data on the volume of school-camera citations and Georgia State Patrol cases and in monitoring whether staffing and judge assignments keep pace with new workload.

Numbers cited on the record
- 29,000 total Recorder's Court cases in 2024 (court figure).
- Approximately $4.3 million in fines and bond receipts handled through Recorder's Court in 2024.
- Court has expanded to three traffic sessions daily at the annex (08:00, 10:00, 14:00) and dedicated calendars for patrol/motor squad and school-camera cases.

Council response: Councilors asked for quarterly data on case volumes from Georgia State Patrol and school-camera citations and emphasized coordination so that court capacity keeps pace with enforcement activity.","Recorder's Court told the City Council that caseloads have increased, revenues generated more than $4 million in fines in 2024, and the court is implementing a schedule (including an annex courtroom) to handle traffic, patrol and school-camera cases more efficiently.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579223,"Georgia delegation briefs council on 2025 session; lists local projects and bills",1990,1913000,3903000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0&start=1913&end=3903","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0/thumbnail_1913000.jpg","/articles/6579223/Columbus/Muscogee-County/Georgia/Georgia-delegation-briefs-council-on-2025-session-lists-local-projects-and-bills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579223-04d7be9ed9ae2dd231d98f1e8a6d5e8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506576&Signature=YSfopohvjTaa1zzuAcn7I42xGm-QmBI1VHgJsmvqaZvb9bd9TXS6zx2XQWtfaKtjpySpz0s5BKQB0jIGVeNudWINBwG6RSbRt6E4rYRCremEEBysURnaTMNuYNsgX6hYlxz3aMwvbxR41n-WN1cQpu6oMlcj6tpyBnqF6WGKDXfUMd8BTD3DZEyDpnMuoR~OlKG2FZMStejP-O~b3Ktl3yyYyKxnJeGURs7me6Z9jN0FMePtXcuUWfZUO3XebX2sQ-42tTUwDAJrVbn53TqaJcGZjR120PbpBnOARSQuPz67f-zInNvL~Z8fXaja4XEvWWF73FdawYmV4F4LhzgoNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Columbus-area state legislative delegation briefed the City Council on the 2025 legislative session during the April 22 meeting, outlining budget outcomes, legislation that passed the General Assembly and several appropriations that directly affect Columbus-area projects.

The delegation emphasized bipartisan cooperation in budgeting and highlighted locally targeted funding and policy changes. Senator Ed Harbison noted measures to expand veterans’ exemptions and veteran grave-site benefits and said legislation would improve insurance protections for veterans. Senator Randy Robertson and other delegation members described the budget process and said the assembly focused on disaster relief, education (including school safety and scholarships) and corrections funding.

Key local items and bills mentioned by the delegation
- CHIPS-related legislation: Delegation members described a CHIPS Act (federal/state microelectronics incentive) passed by the legislature and now on the governor’s desk; members said the bill positions Georgia to attract semiconductor supply-chain investment.
- Columbus Technical College / VICTOR project: Delegates said the FY2025 budget includes $3 million for the Vector (VICTOR) project at Columbus Technical College to support workforce development for veterans and other students.
- Local capital and one-time allocations: Representative Debbie Buckner enumerated one‑time appropriations that the delegation secured for the region, including funding cited in the meeting for a New Hope forensic “step-down” unit (reported as roughly $1.6 million), design and construction funding for a space science and robotics facility at Columbus State University (a one-time amount reported in the meeting transcript), design/construction funds for a Day Reporting Center and funds for juvenile justice construction and a veterans education/transition center at Columbus Tech. (Amounts read aloud in the meeting transcript were presented as one‑time funding and are noted below as reported by the delegation.)
- Court- and liability-related law: Senator Robertson highlighted Senate Bill 298 (on direct appeals for denial of immunity), which would allow immediate appeal of immunity denials and a stay of trial activity while the appeal is pending; the measure was described as priority legislation supported by the Georgia Municipal Association and the ACCG.
- Foster care and corrections: Delegates said the session included increases for foster-care scholarships and funding to address physical and staffing needs in corrections facilities; members also noted controversial measures on prison health and religious freedom were on the governor’s desk at the time of the report.

Why this matters: The delegation’s briefing mapped state-level outcomes to local needs — workforce and education investments (Columbus Tech projects), veterans benefits, mental-health funding and disaster relief that will affect local budgets and services. Several items discussed require further administrative steps before funding lands in local projects.

What council members asked: Councilors pressed for details on several items, including specific bill numbers for conflict-of-interest language connected to the city’s TAB process (House bills 609 and 610 were cited as active bills requiring follow-up), and asked staff to continue coordination with state offices on projects such as the VICTOR facility and juvenile-justice funding.

Reported figures and notes: The delegation cited several dollar figures during the presentation; the transcript gives those amounts as the speakers read them aloud. Some numbers were reported in the briefing in a format that made exact digits unclear in the audio transcript; council staff will confirm final amounts in budget documents and grant agreements.","State legislators representing Columbus reported wins and funding for local projects, including funding for Columbus Technical College, a proposed CHIPS marketing bill, mental-health and veterans measures and several one‑time allocations to local facilities.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579227,"City Council approves rezonings, code changes, property purchases and new community program",392,5580000,5972000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0&start=5580&end=5972","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3096637-36536c431d13bd0a185419553d3bd7d0/thumbnail_5580000.jpg","/articles/6579227/Columbus/Muscogee-County/Georgia/City-Council-approves-rezonings-code-changes-property-purchases-and-new-community-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579227-023b9b64b4814c37ad64f461bb81ff29/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506576&Signature=PO8QXgvLQggyBv37EfFvht2bvoYpqmrpj~l63ZyT3PiSPC7lkluxaNk~uCo5ZI4wioTCEJS1iWsl-7kqufF1rus9XF5cKCryLD~kuREluKqeYgEFPHqTx7nYiPJIO-8eoRA6qOKi4UGk5XH3ifCnvB~wh9vS-oRs5ScZIFo9YpCGnRybbVbVgSrfTXOcyJhsiX2WhqadLowz60bpOUX1R-1dau4HBY5LNjo90OgocvfuKiiiAvDs8bG6xcnmsyzqCcxTwAkqAsefXk38AdO1MbY4urrcAYXmKAtlBEP1G4bR1vCpt3ie-AMEMUpdtCLeDwoHna0tEzc8WIjjLLBtEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Columbus City Council on April 22 approved a package of land-use actions, code amendments and budgeted program changes, including three rezoning requests, two city-code ordinances, a resolution clarifying vendor insurance requirements and a new community care program for medically underserved residents.

The actions were taken during the business agenda; councilors voted on second readings of three rezoning requests and adopted two ordinances after motions and brief staff presentations. The meeting record shows unanimous approvals for each item where a roll call was taken.

Votes at a glance
- Rees Road rezoning (3051 Rees Road): approved on second reading. The zoning was changed from Single-Family Residential-2 to Single-Family Residential-4. (Action: land_use — approved.)
- River Road rezoning (11001 River Road): approved on second reading; zoning changed from Residential Estate 10 to Residential Estate 1. (Action: land_use — approved.)
- Third Street rezoning (104630 Third Street / 30 Third Street): approved on second reading; changed from Residential Multifamily-2 to Residential Multifamily-1 with conditions. (Action: land_use — approved.)
- Ordinance adopting amendments to Chapter 5 of the Columbus Code (bridal services): approved on second reading. (Action: ordinance_adoption — approved.)
- Ordinance amending Section 17B-11 of the Columbus Code (demonstration and festival permits): approved on second reading. (Action: ordinance_adoption — approved.)
- Resolution amending resolution 3-2-25 (insurance requirements for CCG vendors): approved; the amendment narrows enforcement so certain professional-service providers are exempt. (Action: resolution — approved.)
- Community Care Program for the medically underserved and inmate population (formally described as indigent care): council approved creation and funding authorization; the program will include a program administrator, mental-health and medical provider contracts, and program oversight. (Action: other — approved.)
- Property purchases and dispositions: council authorized purchase of 5803 Moon Road (appraised value reported in the meeting as $166,000) to hold as green space and approved conveyance of a small alley parcel to Webb family holdings so the city can stop maintaining it. (Action: other — approved each.)
- Appropriation to cover the Muscogee County Prison inmate food contract overrun: council approved an additional appropriation to cover an approximately $247,000 cost increase in the inmate food contract. (Action: budget_amendment — approved.)
- Waiver of penalty and interest for Columbus State University properties: council found no gross willful neglect and approved waiving $18,405.03 in penalties/interest after the university paid delinquent taxes discovered during a recent title review. (Action: other — approved.)
- Donation acceptance: Peach Little League donated a batting cage valued at $41,199 for installation adjacent to Wilkinson Field at Lakebottom; council accepted the donation. (Action: other — accepted.)
- Fleet and equipment purchases: council approved several budgeted replacement vehicle and equipment purchases (listed on the agenda as items A–C) that were included in the FY25 budget and are being executed now. (Action: other — approved.)

Several items on first reading were continued to a future meeting; council also adopted a small cleanup resolution clarifying insurance requirements for vendors after staff noted enforcement questions.

Why this matters: The package bundles routine land-use approvals and administrative code updates with programmatic spending decisions that affect city operations (parks, property holdings, inmate services and a new community care program). The community care item in particular moves a multi‑year policy discussion toward implementation and creates a new locally run option for medically underserved residents.

What council said: Items were presented by the assistant city attorney and the city manager's office; council discussion was limited on most items and votes were recorded as approved by consensus. When the Moon Road appraisal was discussed the city manager said the long-term intent is to put the parcel back on the tax rolls; staff noted some parcels are retained as green space until a use is identified.

Next steps: Items on first reading will return for final action at future meetings; staff will begin implementation tasks for the community care program and the procurement and installation work for donated equipment and approved purchases.","At its April 22 meeting the Columbus, Ga., City Council approved multiple rezoning requests and code amendments, authorized several city property transactions and advanced a new community care program for medically underserved residents. Votes were unanimous where recorded.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenters press council on South Commons referendum, road closure impacts and local economic development

Parks and Recreation sets May 28 pool openings, launches splash pads and steps up lifeguard recruitment

Recorder's Court reports heavier caseload, school-camera cases and new annex scheduling

Georgia delegation briefs council on 2025 session; lists local projects and bills

City Council approves rezonings, code changes, property purchases and new community program