During Tuesday morning's regular meeting, City Council took three further steps toward construction of the Statesboro Fire Department's planned $4.8 million Station 3, including arrangements for a Sept. 3 "public sale" of the Brannen Street site to the Georgia Municipal Association.

Statesboro city officials are turning to the GMA, a nonprofit corporation supported by city governments, as a conduit for tax-exempt financing. The ultimate funding source will be the city's share of the countywide Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. But to move forward with construction this year, the city will need to borrow money.

To issue tax-exempt bonds on its own, the city would have needed to work through a special local finance authority, which it doesn't have in place for this project.

"In this case, we would have to have some type of authority, or we could work with GMA," City Manager Charles Penny told the council. "So, what we're recommending to you, in order to make this thing work out smoothly, is that we work with GMA to finance the construction of the fire station. … 

"But … in order for us to be able to do this, we actually have to sell the land, transfer our land over to GMA," he continued. "After we finance the construction of the fire station over a period of time, what would happen is that property would revert back to the city."

One alternative would have been for the city to act through the Bulloch County government's Public Facilities Authority, but to do that, the city would have needed to obtain permission from the county, Penny noted.

"So the city of Statesboro in the future might want to look at creating our own vehicle, so that if we need to finance something, we can do it without being dependent on anybody else," he said.

But right now, with a contractor already hired and the announced timeline calling for Statesboro Fire Department Station 3 to be complete by the end of June 2026, city officials are working with GMA. In June, the council awarded Lavender & Associates an initial $4.36 million design-build contract for the fire station and authorized spending up to $440,000 more for furniture and fixtures as well as for any "unforeseen issues."

'Public' sale — to GMA

The first of three actions related to the SFD Station 3 project on Tuesday's agenda was a resolution authorizing a formal "public sale of real property" and setting a public hearing on this action to be held as part of the 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, council meeting. Then the sale of the 1.3-acre site, which is where Bernard Lane intersects Brannen Street behind Lowe's, will then be held with the opening of a sealed bid — or bids, if anyone other than the GMA bothers — at noon Wednesday, Sept. 3, after an 11 a.m. deadline that day for delivery of the bids to the city clerk's office.

District 5 Councilmember Shari Barr said she had been concerned at first about the possibility that someone other than the Georgia Municipal Association might bid and acquire the site, since the city is advertising this as a public sale in accordance with state law. But Barr said she was reassured by the wording of the resolution, which Penny and City Attorney Cain Smith indicated was meant to address this.

Two sentences from the resolution are repeated in slightly different terms in the bid form that any bidders would be required to use: "The Bidder understands that a deed to the Property will not be delivered until the Bidder agrees to sell said property to the City on installment terms agreeable to the governing body of the City. The Bidder also understands that the City has specifically reserved the right to reject any and all bids."

Otherwise, the resolution authorizes the city manager or his designee to sell the property to "the highest responsible bidder." The resolution also notes that the city "contemplates" a tax-exempt arrangement with GMA for financing "in whole or in part" the construction and equipping of a new fire station. It doesn't state an amount. But the city's financial advisors, Davenport & Company, previously recommended that the city issue 20-year bonds to finance $3.7 million of the cost and use voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST, revenue to cover the remaining cost and debt payments for the first six years. Continuing to repay the financing will require a continued share from future SPLOST renewal referendums or other tax money.

After a motion and second, the vote approving the GMA resolution was 5-0, with all five council members and Mayor Jonathan McCollar present. All other votes Tuesday were also unanimous at 5-0, in a meeting lasting a little less than one hour.

Tuesday's second action regarding SFD Station 3 was the city's acceptance of a right of way deed of a little less than two-thirds (0.683) of an acre on Brannen Street from Robbie Franklin Real Estate LLC. This transaction is "at no cost" to the city, according to the memo from Assistant City Manager Jason Boyles to the council, or for a symbolic "sum of $10," according to the deed. However, Robbie Franklin LLC was the seller of the larger, 1.3-acre tract for which the city paid $588,000, as approved by the council in December. The additional area conveyed by the right of way deed will allow the city to build a driveway to the rear of the station from a side street.

"This proposal will provide for that road and reserves options for future fire station expansions and an additional area for staging (and) testing apparatus adjacent to the station," Boyles stated in the memo.

The council also unanimously approved a $41,000 contract with EMC Engineering Services for design and engineering of the access road.

Other council actions

The first significant item on Tuesday's agenda was the second reading and final approval of an amendment to Chapter 82, having to do with water and sewer services, of the Statesboro Code of Ordinances. The amendment removed language that created water and sewer charges for residents or businesses that do not use the services, since such charges are now unenforceable. The new version also replaces "city engineer" with "public utilities director" to identify the official with responsibility for these services. 

This meeting's largest spending item was a routine one. The council renewed, for one year, both the city's general liability property and casualty insurance with Travelers at a cost of a little over $1.33 million and workers compensation coverage with Bitco at a cost of $561,507.

A brand-new contract was awarded to Revize for a comprehensive replacement of the city government's website and four years support of the new site. The first-year fee is $36,100, including $23,900 for the site design and $12,200 for the first-year support. This will be followed by $12,200 for the last three years of website support. 

City honors Joe McGlamery

Mayor Jonathan McCollar ordered the flags at City Hall to be flown at half-staff through Friday in honor of Mr. Andrew "Joe" McGlamery, who passed away Saturday, Aug. 2.

A post to the city's Facebook page reads:

"A lifelong resident of Bulloch County, Mr. McGlamery was known for his deep commitment to his family and community.

Mr. McGlamery joined the staff at the Statesboro Herald in 1975 and recently retired from his position as President in June. During his life, he was an active civic member, serving with the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro, Bulloch County Historical Society, United Way, Statesboro Planning Commission, and much more. His commitment to both personal and public life made a lasting impact in Statesboro and beyond.

The family will receive visitors on Saturday, August 9, from 1–2 p.m. at Statesboro First United Methodist Church. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m.

Please join the City of Statesboro in extending heartfelt condolences to the McGlamery family."