Albany City Commission joins Dougherty County Commission in opposing Sabal pipeline

ALBANY — The Albany City Commission joined its Dougherty County counterparts Tuesday night by passing a resolution opposing construction of the proposed Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline in the city and county, but tabled a vote on a proposal that would make the city and its utility authority the manager of the seven-county rural South Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority.

City Attorney Nathan Davis added language to the city’s anti-pipeline resolution specific to the commission’s primary concerns, including “… the proposed compression station will be sited close to large wells of the city’s Utility Department”; “… it is clear Sabal has failed to take into consideration that the city’s airport is in close proximity to the proposed site of the compressor station”; and that the pipeline would be located in close proximity “… to Sherwood Christian Academy, Lamar Reese Elementary School and Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School makes no sense.”

Ward VI Commissioner Tommie Postell asked for assurances that the city resolution was not “in opposition of what the county has done or beyond the boundaries that the county specified” in the resolution the county passed Monday.

Regarding the information technology agreement with SGRITA, interim City Manager Tom Berry told the board in a prebriefing that the proposal was not ready for a binding vote.

“We’re negotiating an agreement (with the SGRITA board), but it is not ready,” Berry said. “We’ll bring it back to you at a later date. We have to make sure the city is protected.”

The commission also gave final approval to the issuance of $200,000 from its Deal-Closing Fund to Albany-based Thrush Aircraft. The agricultural aircraft manufacturer will use the funds to help start another production line that will bring 100 jobs to Albany.

“I’m pleased to see these are not Kentucky Fried Chicken/Maryland Fried Chicken/McDonald’s jobs,” Ward I Commissioner Jon Howard said. “They’re good-paying jobs.”

The City Commission also:

— Gave approval to a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority loan that will allow the Water, Gas & Light Commission to move forward with construction of a 1 million-gallon water tank in northwest Albany;

— OK’d rezoning applications for properties at 1520 W. Third Avenue for construction of a new single-tenant office building, at 2409 Dawson Road for location of a Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant and at 2023 Palmyra Road for expansion of an existing group day care; and

— Approved a $48,858.31 bid by Piedmont National of Albany for janitorial supplies. Ward V Commissioner Bob Langstaff voted against the bid because it was the second-lowest bid and fell outside the 2 percent local preference threshold established by the commission. The board voted to accept the bid over a Columbus-based low bidder whose proposal was 2.6 percent lower than the Albany company’s.

Before the business portion of the meeting, David Smith was named Albany Fire Department Firefighter of the Year for his rescue of Douglas Green during a June 8 fire on Dorsett Avenue in Albany. Green, who videotaped a thank-you to the AFD, was on hand at the meeting to present the award to Smith.

Other firefighters who received medals of valor were AEO Danny Hancock, firefighters Scott Whiddon and Josh Olsen, Capt. Wesley Wells, Capt. Clint Nobles, AEO Gary King, Relief Drivers Chris Spargo and Anthony Pearson, and firefighter Charles Hartzo.