Smokers may want to think twice before lighting up at Bryan County rec fields now that Bryan County Commissioners have approved designated smoking areas.
The move came at the request of Recreation Director Pratt Lockwood, who said he has received numerous complaints about smoking within Bryan County’s recreational parks.
"People are particularly concerned about the areas surrounding the baseball fields and fences around the football fields and have requested that there be designated smoking areas at the parks," he said Tuesday at the Oct. 6 commissioners meeting.
Lockwood said he would like permission from the commissioners to implement designated smoking areas with penalties for not observing the request.
When 1st District representative Ed "Rufus" Bacon asked about existing policy, Georgia law code that allows such ordinances to be set was cited.
Lockwood said the process would be difficult at first until people become familiar with the areas, and that signs would need to be posted marking the areas.
He said 95 percent of smokers already move to another area to smoke, but there is still about 5 percent of the die-hard smokers that refuse to move.
Rick Gardner, 5th District representative made the motion to allow designation of such areas and alter the policy. Glenn Willard, 3rd District representative seconded and the vote carried unanimously.
In other business:
- Jim Anderson, director of Bryan County Emergency Services said the 3rd ID at Fort Stewart contacted him about setting up a ride along program with their "civilian counterparts" for training purposes and so each can see in more detail how the other works.
Anderson said, "I think it will work out nicely," and that a waiver of liability would be furnished with a complete roster for legal issues that may come up.
The commission approved $27,000 from a rollback fund to complete the paving of the new fire station in the industrial park and the station on Hwy. 204.
County Engineer Dale Dudley said getting into the industrial park to finish is a high priority so they will be in compliance with the covenants of the park.
"The rock is in and done, so the rest should go pretty quickly," he said.
Anderson said they hope to be in the station by Nov. 1, and that the industrial park station will replace the Blitchton station as the active fire station in the area.
Dudley said some items of concerns expressed by the residents of Demeries Lake Subdivision have been taken care of by the city and will be charged by to the developer, Lloyd Murray.
"Another outfall pipe has been put in the lake, cracked catch basin tops have been repaired, but the area still needs to be hydro seeded with grass," he said.
He said the level of the lake is currently below and outlet structure and it will take at least another foot of water before any flow occurs, but no one has any control over the water in the lake, it’s just dry, and the only thing that can bring the water level up is rain.
Demeries Lake resident Paul Cates said despite developer Lloyd Murray’s promises in March to complete items of concerns regarding the unfinished appearance of the subdivision, the only items that have been taken care of are those done by the city and that Murray will not return anyone’s calls.
He asked the commission "to intervene to get Murray to do what he was supposed to do to begin with. I’m asking you to help us. There is something wrong with the subdivision. We aren’t blaming you [the commission] we are just asking for some help."
The commission indicated that it will attempt to put the meeting together so they can sit face to face with Murray to address the issues that were supposed to be addressed in March, and will take on the task of notifying property owners about a scheduled meeting.