Warner Robins Mayor and City Council met on Monday evening for their regularly scheduled meeting to go over some new changes in hopes of progressing the city. Two major topics of the evening led to the discussion of the Mid-State Energy Commission and the approval of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Houston County Board of Education (HCBOE) regarding the construction of the proposed tennis courts.
Mayor Randy Toms clarified the ordinance of the second reading of the Mid-State energy Commission by saying, “They’re changing the name of Mid-State Energy. It’s going to be a separate commission.” He further went on to address, “It’s actually just renaming what is Jointly Owned Natural Gas (JONG). It’s putting them in a different position, so it’s a matter of semantics.” He explained that the position of Warner Robins will not change and ensured that the city will still be the 40% of profit, the biggest compound city involved between Byron, Cochran, Hawkinsville, Perry and Warner Robins. He eased that, “All the cities are still going to get their profit from the business.”
Toms pointed out that changing the name and creating a separate commission allows the Mid-State Energy Commission, “the opportunity to buy vehicles without having to go through us, to get their own insurance, and those kinds of things that we’re having to do for them.” Toms explained that this new change would alleviate some of the tedious nature of the business off of the city employees. “Our employees won’t be tasked with the billing process anymore. That will come straight from the Mid-state Energy (Commission).”
In other business, a majority of the votes between the council members passed the IGA between the city of Warner Robins and the HCBOE. The agreement outlines the partnership of the two entities in regard to a tennis court facility. The agreement provides that the city of Warner Robins pay $1.7 million toward the project, thus paying half of the construction total in order to split the use of the facility.
Councilmen Charlie Bibb and Kevin Lashley praised the agreement, mentioning that the partnership between the city and county will benefit the community. Lashley pointed out that, “[The] partnership with the HCBE is a very key partnership. They are part of the reason why a lot of people move into our area. Anything we do in a good light with them and working alongside them in a cooperative manner is always good.”
Though most of the council approved the deal with positive feedback, Councilman Larry Curtis opposed the agreement saying, “I think this is a terrible deal. We could use the 1.7 million dollars somewhere else. We have several tennis courts. We could build our own tennis courts.” He further expressed, “As city officials, we should be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money. We should not just do things because they look good or sound good. If it’s not beneficial to the city of Warner Robins, we really need to pay attention to what we’re doing.”
Mayor Toms commented that there is a plan in place to do away with the current tennis courts. “I think that as we move forward with different plans on sports facilities and recreation facilities, we’re going to need that tennis facility. I think that’s what was anticipated in the money that we have in there anyways.” He went on to defend the city council, stating, “So I think we have been good stewards of that money, and I think we’re being even better stewards with that money with the partnership to get more bang for the buck, if you will, with the board of education.”
He then pointed out that due to the points laid out in the agreement, the revenue would exceed the amount taken to run the facility. Toms said, “I think we’re going to certainly do as well as we will do on any of our sports complexes – which are becoming quite a highlight for our community.”
“So, in all good fun,” concluded Toms, “I appreciate your opinion, but I hope to prove you wrong on that one. I think it’s going to be well run and very well partnered. And I think it’s going to be accessible to anyone who wants to use it. I think that’s going to be a good partnership as well as give us the opportunities to use some of the other facilities that we currently have for other endeavors. So I’m looking forward to that. And some of those, you’re certainly in support of moving forward on.”
The council adjourned their meeting after several urges to the community members to continue to practice safe measures when going out in public and interacting with others. Reminding people that COVID is still on the rise, the council members wished everyone a safe holiday.
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