This is an informal rundown of what happened at the October 7, 2025 Statesboro City Council meeting.
Call to Order by Mayor Jonathan McCollar
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance by Councilmember Tangie Johnson
Recognitions/Public Presentations
- A. Presentation of a Proclamation Honoring Michelle Smith Lank and Kids World Learning Center on the Occasion of 20 Years of Service
- B. Presentation of a Proclamation Honoring October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Public Comments – Agenda Items – No one present to address council.
Consideration of Motion to Approve the Consent Agenda
A) Approval of Minutes
a) 09-16-2025 Work Session Minutes
b) 09-16-2025 Council Minutes
c) 09-16-2025 Executive Session Minutes
B) Consideration of a motion to approve a ‘Deed to Secure Debt’ with the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration for the City Campus Phase 3 property at 64 East Main Street.
Public hearing and first reading of Ordinance 2025-10: An Ordinance updating and replacing Article VI of Chapter 18 of the Statesboro Code of Ordinance for Massage Establishments.
The current ordinance is from 1994 and predates current state laws on massage therapy establishments. Statesboro needs a massage establishment ordinance to help prevent illegal activities like prostitution and human trafficking from operating under the guise of legitimate massage therapy businesses. The ordinance provides the City with a legal framework to regulate these establishments, ensuring they operate within the law and do not pose a threat to public health and safety. This ordinance will allow the City to bring violations in front of the administrative judge. This ordinance will also allow the City to report to the proper State of Georgia authorities about these violations.
Massage Establishment Ordinances reviewed from Cobb County, Augusta, Kennesaw, and Savannah. Our Ordinance will mirror the Cobb County Ordinance, which was placed into effect in 2024, due to issues stemming from issues with Massage Establishments
No one was present from the public to speak during the public hearing.
Council voted to move forward to the second reading.
Public hearing and first reading of Ordinance 2025-11: An Ordinance amending Chapter 18 of the Statesboro Code of Ordinances by adding Article XIV for Salons.
This Ordinance will include Nail and Hair Salons. Statesboro needs a salon ordinance for a number of reasons related to public health, safety, and proper business regulation. While the State of Georgia has its own regulations for the cosmetology and barbering professions, a city-level ordinance allows Statesboro to enforce additional rules that are specific to its local community and business environment. The ordinance provides the City with a legal framework to regulate these establishments, ensuring they operate within the law and don’t pose a threat to public health and safety.
This ordinance will allow the City to bring violations in front of the administrative judge. This ordinance will also allow the City to report to the proper State of Georgia authorities about these violations. While state law sets the baseline for the salon industry, a local ordinance gives the City of Statesboro the necessary tools to regulate the businesses within its city limits, ensuring they operate safely and legally.
No one was present from the public to speak during the public hearing.
Council voted to move forward to the second reading.
Consideration of a motion to approve Resolution 2025-30: A Resolution adopting the 2025 Strategic Plan for the City of Statesboro.
The Coastal Regional Commission has completed the Strategic Plan after multiple public meetings under the advisement of City Staff. The adoption of the Strategic Plan will outline short-term projects and aspirational initiatives for staff to undertake over the next five years.
Read the plan
Approved unanimously.
Consideration of a motion to approve an award of contract for banking services to Truist for five one-year contracts.
Every 4-5 years the City of Statesboro bids out its banking services. In FY2024, the City Staff asked Davenport & Company, LLC to assist with the banking services request for proposals. Davenport updated the City’s 2021 Banking Services RFP and sent it out. The City received five proposals: Colony Bank, Morris Bank, Truist, Synovus and Wells Fargo. Davenport and City Staff reviewed the five proposals. Morris Bank, Truist, Synovus, and Wells Fargo were chosen to give presentations. After review of the proposals and presentations, it is recommended the City of Statesboro award a contract for banking services to Truist for five one-year contracts.
Approved unanimously
Consideration of a motion to donate a 2010 FireBlast Mobile Live Fire Simulator to the Polk County Fire Department.
In 2010, the Statesboro Fire Department received a grant to purchase a FireBlast Mobile Live Fire Simulator in partnership with Ogeechee Technical College (OTC). At the time, both organizations required live fire training capabilities. OTC needed a facility to support its Fire Science and Firefighter Certification programs, and the fire department needed live fire training facilities because none existed locally.
Since then, the department has constructed permanent training facilities, including a burn building, which provide for all current training needs. OTC has also discontinued its fire service programs. As a result, the mobile simulator has not been used in several years. It now requires costly repairs and computer system updates, which makes it impractical for continued use by the department. The department has spoken with OTC, and they support donating the unit to another agency. Polk County Fire Department has expressed interest in the unit and is prepared to cover all costs related to its relocation. Because the simulator no longer serves the needs of the Statesboro Fire Department, we recommend donating the 2010 FireBlast Mobile Live Fire Simulator to Polk County Fire Department.
Approved unanimously
Consideration of a motion to approve a change order with HD Construction in the amount of $132,948 on the ENG-122c East Main Drainage and Sidewalk Project, to be funded by TSPLOST and GDOT LMIG.
The ENG-122c East Main Street Drainage and Sidewalk project includes the installation of sidewalk, curb
and gutter, and storm drain structures from Northside Drive to Packinghouse Road One of the primary purposes of the project is to alleviate flooding at the drainage culvert that crosses under East Main Street in the area between Northside Drive and Cone Crescent. This change order includes the following key items:
The new storm drain pipe crossing East Main Street between Northside Drive and Cone Crescent
is in conflict with an 8-inch Sanitary Sewer Main, as well as an existing fire hydrant assembly.
The project plans/bid package did not address these items. The change order includes
replacement of 80 feet of the existing clay sanitary sewer pipe with 8-inch Ductile Iron Sewer
pipe, and associated bypass pumping.
- Relocation of the fire hydrant, not addressed in bid documents.
- The replacement and relocation of a water meter bank serving an apartment building. The sidewalk construction is in conflict with the water meter bank, which requires special fittings.
- An existing plastic storm drain pipe running from East Main down Packinghouse Road, 358 ft in length, was discovered to be collapsed and not functioning properly. This pipe was intended to receive part of the stormwater runoff from East Main Street as part of the project. The existing pipe requires replacement with new 18-inch concrete pipe, 280 feet in length.
- An additional 40 TN of Graded Aggregate Base, for repairs to a water main under East Main St. that ruptured due to vibrations from the construction.
- 10 CY of driveway concrete to replace a driveway adjacent to new storm pipe installation, which was omitted from the plans. Replacement of concrete steps in the right of way, adjacent to sidewalk, at 325 East Main Street, which was omitted from plans.
- In order to avoid conflicts with water and sewer lines, the storm drainage was revised to include one concrete headwall, 8 CY of concrete rip rap, 134 linear ft of 18-inch concrete pipe, and three additional storm sewer manholes that were not included in the original plans.
- The revisions to drainage plans also resulted in the deduction of the following items:
- 240 linear feet of 14”x22” elliptical pipe
- 3 storm drain drop inlets
$996,000 is budgeted for construction in ENG-122c for FY 2026, in TSPLOST funds. The total bid for the
project was $717, 465. The City received $145,000 in supplemental Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation for the project. The total cost of the change order is $132,948.
Approved unanimously
Consideration of a motion to approve a contract with Parker Engineering for engineering design services for ENG-122q Stockyard Road Sidewalk and Drainage Improvements Project in the amount of $67,000, to be funded by TSPLOST.
The project goal is to provide safe pedestrian and bicycle travel, in addition to associated drainage improvements, along Stockyard Road from Williams Road to Westside Road. The project corridor connects residential neighborhoods to Julia P. Bryant Elementary School. Stockyard Road is a collector road between Westside Road and US Hwy 80, with a mixture of residential neighborhoods, commercial, and industrial properties. Currently, pedestrians and bicycle riders use the street or ditch/shoulder area for travel. The project concept includes a multi-use trail/sidewalk and drainage improvements including curb and gutter and storm drainage pipe.
The City advertised a request for qualifications (RFQ) from qualified engineering consultants for design services in July 2025. Responses were received from Parker Engineering, T.R. Long Engineering, Cranston, Thomas & Hutton, and Pape-Dawson on August 6, 2025. The responses were scored according to criteria in the RFQ, and Parker Engineering was selected by staff.
$563,200 is currently budgeted for ENG-122q for design and construction from 2023 TSPLOST funds.
Approved unanimously
Consideration of a motion to approve a change order with OptiRTC, Inc. for the STM-36 Lake Sal Stormwater Detention Project in the amount of $85,130.70, to be funded by 2013 SPLOST funds.
The project scope includes modification of the existing outfall structure in Lake Sal, to install an adaptive
water level control system utilizing solar power to alleviate flooding in the Lake Sal drainage basin in the northwestern part of the City. During construction, parts of the outfall structure’s outer wall began to fail. The contractor has provided temporary shoring to hold the structure in place. The design engineer has recommended to replace the existing outfall structure with a reinforced precast structure. Much of the change order cost is for driving sheet pile to create a cofferdam for construction.
The total amount of the change order is $85,130.70. If this change order is approved, the revised cost of the contract will be $369,966.70. The budget for design and construction for the project, which is to include other improvements, is $1,000,000.00. The project is to be paid for through 2013 SPLOST funds under STM-36 Lake Sal Drainage Improvement CIP.
Approved unanimously
Consideration of a motion to approve Change Order #4, in the amount of $87,546.00, to Southern Civil LLC for the Blower and Pump Upgrades Project at the WasteWater Treatment Plant to be paid for with Operating and ATC funds included in the project budget #WTP-24.
In August of 2023, Council approved CIP project WTP-24 for upgrades to Blowers and Pumps at the WWTP, as part of our efforts to modernize and maintain equipment at the plant. During the construction process, it was discovered that the variable frequency drives (VFD’s) for the new blowers were separate units and not housed in the blower enclosure as originally designed and anticipated.
The consulting electrical engineer recommended a design change to account for the VFD’s to be provided in separate NEMA 1 cabinets rather than integral with the blower enclosures. His recommendations include additional control cabinets, conduits, cabling and extensions of all associated telemetry/SCADA controls to the new equipment locations.
The total project cost will increase from $2,303,240.00 to $2,390,786.00.
Approved unanimously
Other Business from Council
City Manager Comments
Public Comments (General)
Samira (Inaudible) – Wanted to discuss city cooperation regarding an event she is organizing, including traffic control, road closure, and safety.
Marshall Webster – Addressed city council about the employment records of Mayor McCollar in his private capacity at Georgia Southern University and his current work with the New Georgia Project.
Raymond Harris – Addressed Mayor McCollar about comments made by him regarding Harris’ work history, specifically comments made by McCollar that Harris said were incorrect.
Len Fatica – Spoke on the First Flight event and Habitat for Humanity’s pumpkin patch fundraiser.
Consideration of a Motion to enter into Executive Session to discuss “Personnel Matters” “Real Estate” and/or “Potential Litigation” in accordance with O.C.G.A 50-14-3(b)
Council voted to go into executive session at 9:54 a.m.
Consideration of a Motion to Adjourn
Read the complete agenda packet.
