Blackshear City Council discussed and/or voted on the following during their monthly work session on December 1 and regular meeting held on December 8.
ATC requests easement through city park: Steven Paul of Alma Telephone Company came before the city council to provide information about a possible easement ATC will be officially requesting in the future. As part of a previously established project to bring high speed fiber optic to Blackshear, ATC’s original plans incorporated a street running through Blackshear City Park which no longer exists. The purpose of Paul’s presentation to the council was primarily informational.
Paul’s presentation was not listed on the official agenda for the meeting. The council will vote upon the proposed easement once a precise location has been outlined.
Zoning and land use within Blackshear: The council unanimously approved a proposal for modifying the city’s joint agreement with Pierce County regarding enforcement of the zoning and land-use ordinance.
Previously, Blackshear has relied upon the county to enforce zoning laws. The amended ordinance would allow Blackshear law enforcement officers to bring zoning violations occurring within the city limits before the Magistrate Court.
The final portion of the document reads, “The City of Blackshear respectfully requests that the proposed amendment be placed on the next available agendas of the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners and stands ready to provide supporting documentation or testimony as needed.”
Ryland contract renewal: The council unanimously voted to extend the 2021 contract for waste removal with Ryland Environmental for another 5 years. The new contract will begin July 1, 2026 and run until June 30, 2031. The contract includes provisions for annual price adjustments, fuel surcharge procedures and landfill fee adjustments. The new contract’s rates are locked in and Ryland cannot request any adjustments until July, 2027.
New dump truck: The city council unanimously approved the purchase of a newer dump truck to replace two older units currently in service.
The new unit will be a 2019 Ford F-650 Dump Truck with 17,291 miles purchased from Ken Lugibihl Auto & Truck Sales, Inc. of Bluffton, Ohio.
The two older units being replaced are a 1999 International 4700 and a • 2009 Ford F-350. As with other surplused city vehicles, they will be sold at auction through the Gov-Deals website to help offset the purchase price of the replacement vehicle.
Alcohol license: The council unanimously approve issuing a new alcohol license to Warehouse Billiard, Inc.
Formerly, Warehouse Billiard was located outside the city limits and received their license from the county, but their new location constructed near Dollar Tree and Dairy Queen now puts them under the jurisdiction of the city. In response to an inquiry by the mayor prior to the vote, Blackshear Police Chief Chris Wright reported all official prerequisites for the license had been met.
Department Reports Blackshear Police Dept. Report: BPD reported 19 vehicular accidents in the month of November, 7 with injuries. Ten warnings, 84 citations and 1 ordinance violation were recorded.
There were only 4 arrests in November, 3 adults and 1 juvenile, which is a 75% decrease from November 2024.
Blackshear Volunteer Fire Dept. Report: BFD responded to 39 different events in November, including 5 rubbish, trash or waste fires, investigating 3, extinguishing 1 and issuing 1 citation. BFD workers and volunteers completed a total of 141 cumulative hours of activities and training.
Main Street Program: The Main Street/Better Hometown program spent $6,000 during the reporting period. During their November board meeting the Main Street board did a “30 ideas in 30 minutes” training activity. Board members also attended a training activity in Vidalia.
There were three events during the reporting period: the Pecan Festival of Georgia, a Veterans Day program and the Silver Bowl Gala. Approximately 30 volunteer hours were used to conduct all three events. There was a total cumulative expense of $900 for all three events, which had a combined estimated attendance of 3,000.
Senior Center: Center volunteer Karen Herndon reported the recent senior farmers market in Offerman served fresh produce and a bagged lunch to approximately 139 seniors in that community. Senior Center Director Lynn Platt reported they will be hosting an in-person event to assist local seniors with filling out a Southern Georgia Commission survey about the needs of area seniors.
Attendance: Next meeting: The council will hold its next work session, meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 6, 2026 and its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
