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The Bainbridge City Council met for their monthly meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Following the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, the council approved the minutes of their specially-called meeting held on August 13.

Next, the council recognized visitors and delegations looking to speak about topics not on the agenda. The first person to speak was Bruce Kirbo, who spoke about the city’s lease agreement with Kitchen South. Kirbo reminded the council that Kitchen South’s owner was an appointee to one of the city’s development authorities, and stated that Kitchen South had been behind on its lease payments.

“I’m disappointed that y’all have allowed that lease to go behind sometimes for five months… without taking any action to try to collect it,” Kirbo said. He went on to list other issues he had with the agreement, including what he said was the city awarding credits for work done before the lease went into effect. “Y’all are good stewards of our money, y’all are good stewards of our property, but when you deal with people you ought not be dealing with, because they have conflicts,” Kirbo continued, “and it’s a sweetheart deal, and then don’t take any action when somebody doesn’t pay what they promised to pay… We cannot give gratuities out. That was money that was owed to the public, and y’all are giving it away, and I’m very disappointed.”

After the public recognition portion, the council moved into a public hearing about the millage rate, which it had previously discussed at two prior specially-called meetings. City manager Roy Oliver briefly explained the rate again, which is 3.511 mills, the same rate as the previous year.

“The 2024 rates result in an increase in the property tax for a home with a fair market value of $100,000 of approximately $.48,” Oliver said. “A home with a fair market value of $300,000 will receive an increase of approximately $1.44.” This increase would apply if the property’s value had increased. The council voted to adopt the millage rate.

Afterwards, the council recognized the Employee of the Quarter, that being BPS Investigator Gaston Corson.

Next, the council heard considerations of planning commission recommendations. The first recommendation was regarding a conditional use application for a short-term rental, which had been passed unanimously by the planning commission. The second involved a rezoning of the property at 507 Martin Street, formerly West Bainbridge Elementary School, from institutional to accommodate apartments. This issue had been previously discussed in last December’s council meeting, when the developer, Mr. Ruben Cabrera, had applied for the property to be a planned unit development, hoping to include an arcade on the property, along with the apartments. This proposal was denied at the December meeting. The application presented to the council at this month’s meeting was strictly for multi-family apartments.

Multiple residents that live in the neighborhood surrounding the property spoke against this development at the meeting, citing concerns over a potential increase in crime, the presence of asbestos in the facility, as well as rumors that the property would be used for migrant housing. (Steve O’Neil, the city’s Director of Community and Economic Development, stated that Mr. Cabrera has denied that the property would be used as migrant housing.)

During the discussion, city councilman Kregg Close spoke about the proposal and the issues raised: “I want to ask a question to my fellow councilmen, and everybody in here: If this was your neighborhood, would you want that in the place that you live? And I’m pretty sure I know what that answer would be.”

He continued, “I’ve been approached, on several occasions, to the people of the West Bainbridge area, and it seems to be a forgotten area of the city of Bainbridge. They do want some development, they do want some things done in their community, but what they don’t want is things to be done that’s not comparable to their living spaces that’s in and around that school area.”

City Councilwoman Roslyn Palmer also spoke, asking if it was possible for the council to see the project’s plan before approving or denying it. Councilman Don Whaley responded that this was before the council to decide if apartments could be a use for the property, and the specifics of the plan were to be handled by the building department.

“I think, really and truly, all we’re trying to decide is if this is the best use for this property,” Whaley said. “As far as looking at the plans, that’s not our job.”

After the council discussed the plan among themselves, residents came forward to address the previously mentioned concerns. Additionally, representatives of the development project spoke, responding to some of the concerns raised, denying the claims that this would migrant housing, and arguing that the risk of crime in the area was higher if the building remained abandoned.

The council initially held a vote to approve both of the planning commission’s recommendations, both the short-term rental project and the Martin Street project, but this vote failed. As a result, they voted on the matters separately, with the rental project being approved, and the 507 Martin Street project vote failing.

Next on the agenda, the council considered a special park use event application, submitted by Patsy McCall for the upcoming BHS Mega-reunion, which would be held at Carson Hathcer Park. After some discussion, the application was approved.

After this, the council considered an alcoholic beverage license application for Downtown Foods at 241 S West Street. This was approved.

Street closure requests were considered next. There were four: closure of a portion of Broughton Street, from Broad Street to West Street, for the hosting of an Octoberfest-style event on September 28; closure of portions of N Broad Street, Water Street, Market Street, and Broughton Street for First Port City Bank’s 50th Anniversary celebration on October 12; the closure of  portions of Wheat Avenue, Shotwell Street, Broad Street and Jackson Street for the BHS Homecoming Parade on October 17; and a request to close Broughton and Water Street for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 19. All four requests were approved.

Lastly, the council considered a mayoral appointment to the Historic Preservation Commission, that being Branagan Webb. This was approved.

Following this, the meeting was adjourned.