City Manager Frank Parker announced Tuesday that reimbursement of unusually high internet charges accrued by Councilman Will Britt are paid in-full to the City of Statesboro.
    During Council’s regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall, Parker said Britt, who accumulated charges on a city-provided Mifi Wireless Internet Card while on a 14-day trip overseas, has paid the city $1,320.78 to account for overages.
    “The bill has been paid entirely,” said Parker. “The matter has been resolved.”
    The councilman provided the city $1,000 two weeks ago, and the rest when a final bill was determined late last week — the original amount of charges totaled more than $2,700, but Verizon removed some roaming charges that were deemed erroneous, said Parker.
    In other business during its Tuesday meeting, Statesboro City Council approved a pair of variance requests and a zoning amendment clearing the way for a new, four-story hotel.
    The variances — one allowing for a taller-than-usual building height, the other, large signage outside the facility — will allow for the construction of a Hampton Inn on Brampton Avenue, across from East Georgia Regional Hospital.
    Council also approved a second, final reading of a motion to amend an ordinance in the city’s municipal code regarding penalties.
    The change will provide municipal court judges the authority to punish violators of a code or ordinance with up to 12 months of incarceration or probation. The amendment increases the confinement limit from six months.
    According to Staff Attorney Michael Graves, the change is intended to grant judges the authority to sentence 12-months probation for drug-related offenses — something most municipal courts have already made a practice.
    Judges will likely not sentence an offender to 12 months of incarceration, he said.
    The group of elected officials also agreed to call a public hearing to discuss with citizens the proposed 2011 Ad Valorem (Property) Tax Millage Rate for the City of Statesboro. The rate (6.358) is not changing, said Parker.
    The hearing is scheduled for Sept. 1 at 4 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall.
   
    Jeff Harrison can be reached at (912) 489-9454.