Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds light and variable..

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.

MOULTRIE, Ga. – The Moultrie City Council approved a lease agreement with Southern Powder Coating for the old gymnasium at Spence Field at Tuesday night’s council meeting. 

City Manager Pete Dillard introduced the potential lease agreement during the June 8 meeting . 

At the time, he said leasing the old gymnasium at Spence Field Campgrounds to Southern Powder Coating would establish a sandblast operation. The city would spend approximately $6,000 to bring the building up to code before leasing.

Tyler Mobley, the president of Southern Powder Coating, presented a quick overview of their intentions with the building. 

“What [we’re] doing is a lot of pretreatment powder coating [which] is going to be sandblasting,” Mobley said during the work session.

Sandblasting uses compressed air at high speeds to smooth and clean a hard surface like metal. 

Mobley said they currently outsource for sandblasting, but the old gym is close to the business’s location.

The sandblast operation will create approximately two to three jobs. 

Council Member Wilma Hadley of District III, Post 6, asked what they would be sandblasting.

“It’s really a variety of industries we will be servicing. We do tanks for water facilities, handrails for metal fabricators and cast iron grills,” Mobley responded. 

Council Member Lisa Clarke Hill of District I Post 1 asked what percentage of Moultrie-Colquitt County residents SPC takes on as business partners or even actual customers.

Mobley explained, “A lot of the work I get from Colquitt County is more custom jobs like working on car rims or patio furniture. A lot of our manufacturing jobs are outsourced.”

“I think it's a good use for building,” Dillard said. 

The city approved the lease agreement during the regular session with a vote of 5-0. Council Member Cecil Barber was absent.

The lease will start on August 1, and the sandblast operation will tentatively open in mid-August. 

During the work session, Dillard raised awareness of the increase in COVID-19 cases. Two weeks ago, the city had approximately 10 people absent due to COVID-19. 

“In every case, it was a very light fever for about a day and a little bit of discomfort. That was it. All of them are back at work,” he said. “We have three others that are [currently] out, so it doesn't seem to be exploding. We're not taking any extreme measures, but we are trying to be careful,” he said. 

Dillard mentioned changing the city’s alcohol ordinance. Nothing has changed at this time.

“I would like to standardize the on-consumption beer requirements and the on-consumption liquor requirements,” he said. “The big change would be the 35% food content requirement. That would not affect off-premise sales strictly beyond consumption.”

He continues, “I would like to consider the distance requirements between an on-consumption establishment and a residential neighborhood to be increased from 50 feet to 100 feet, which would make it the same as the districts from a church. Anybody who's within that now would be grandfathered in and would not be affected.”

Dillard also commented on outdoor events. 

He explained, “As far as outdoor events, I think the ordinance leaves us the latitude that we will not approve any more outdoor events for commercial establishments within 300 feet of a residential area. That does not include the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, Presbyterian Church, the YMCA or the Art Center.”

Four citizens came forward to the council during the regular session.

Mary Ann McKeown expressed concern about the lighting of fireworks. She said numerous fireworks have been set off in her neighborhood at a very high rate since the July 4 holiday. 

Guadalupe Alsono told the council he wants to drive his golf cart in his residential area. 

“I want to drive my golf cart in a residential [area] at 35 miles an hour. I have a street-legal golf cart when I'm talking about seatbelts, windshields, single lights and brake lights,” Alonso said. 

The council will research the transportation requirements for golf carts within residential areas. 

Garry Moore, from 2445 Jacqueline Circle, addressed the permit given for the GA Boyz Pool Party . 

“The alcohol license for the establishment has been suspended, and no future outdoor applications for outdoor activities by a commercial establishment will be approved,” Dillard responded. 

Mayor William McLeod McIntosh said, “The parameters of the permit, as I understand it, were not followed. They were given certain guidelines, and they exceeded those guidelines. That was one of the reasons for the suspension of the license.”

McIntosh added, “The issue of off-duty police officers in their uniforms at any event with alcohol will be addressed.”

Another resident from Jacqueline Circle expressed concerns about reckless and high-speed driving within the neighborhood. She also asked how they can get speed bumps installed within the area. 

Dillard told the resident that they can put up speed limit monitors for one to two months to survey the area. The survey will tell the city when and how fast people are going. Once they can target the area for the study then they can increase the patrols in the area. 

The next Moultrie City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 6 p.m. 

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