Council says farewell to Land

By
MARY ANN ANDERSON
The last meeting of 2025 for the Hazlehurst City Council was also the last for Ward 2 Councilman Steve Land, who chose not to run for another term in office. The council members offered a slew of accolades for the outgoing councilman and former longtime chief of police during last Thursday night’s regular meeting of the council.
With Land looking on, Mayor John Ramay said to him, “It has been a great privilege to have you serve on council. You spent a great deal of time serving this city as police chief and through many other things you have done. It has been a privilege to be able to call on you for your expertise many, many times. The city owes you great gratitude for your service over the many years you have put in and helped out.”
“You’ve done a good job,” said Ward 1 Councilman Dywane Johnson to Land. “The city has been a part of your life. I consider Hazlehurst one of the best places in the state to live.”
Elizabeth Kingery Oliver will step into the role as council member for Ward 2 in January.
The council also feted employees of ESG Infomark — the company that now runs the city’s water department — with certificates of appreciation for work completed on J.A. Yawn Road when the area was hit with a leak that, as Ramay stated, was “so bad it looked like a river.”
“I want to express my appreciation — and appreciation from the City of Hazlehurst — for a job well done in hazardous, rough, terrible conditions,” Ramay said to the group, adding that the work occurred during what he called the “worst weather of the year,” with tremendous cold and freezing rain.
Among those receiving certificates were Michael Mangold, Robbie Merritt, Lagarian Lanier, Chris McEachin, Rodney King, Matt King and, in absentia, Rodriguez Holt.
In other action during the meeting, held with Ward 4 Councilman Landon Chavis absent, the council ….
…. after hearing the second reading of the millage rate ordinance given by Wood Smith of the city attorney’s firm Smith and Smith, adopted the 2025 millage rate of 6 mills.
…. with City Clerk Vernice Thompson and Ward 3 Councilman Chris Jones citing numerous problems with the city’s current water billing provider, InvoiceCloud — including inaccurate customer information, posting errors, and autopay malfunctions — approved a change in billing services to Xpress Bill Pay, with initial setup and training costs of $2,800 and a monthly fee of $130, substantially less than the $380 the city currently pays to InvoiceCloud.
…. rejected Jones’s proposal to double the council members’ monthly pay from $200 to $400, with Ramay, Land and Ward 1 Councilman Dywane Johnson referring to the city’s strained finances and recent tax increase on residents. Ramay said that although a raise may be warranted, the city must “cut expenses in everything we’ve got” and that it would not be appropriate to grant elected officials a pay increase at this time. Land added that the city’s budget is “very, very, very tight,” while Jones argued that council members are using their own money for gas and other expenses related to city business and that a raise would at least help offset some of those costs.
…. heard from Thompson, who summarized a letter from Hofstadter and Associates, one of the city’s engineering firms, concerning the 2026 Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant and asked council members to submit by the end of January a list of roads in their wards most in need of improvements.
…. after hearing a presentation from Joe LoBianco of ER Assist Disaster Funding Solutions, directed him to move forward with preparing and publishing a request for engineering services tied to a OneGeorgia grant and a Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery award for restructuring of the drainage area around Pine and Plum streets, damaged by recent storms including Hurricane Helene.
…. listened as Thompson briefed the council on a letter from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources indicating that the city may be eligible for reimbursement from a hazardous waste fund related to the old landfill on Barney Road.
…. in monthly housekeeping measures, listened as Janet Corcoran of Voices of Hazlehurst Animal Shelter volunteer group gave an update on the shelter — including the anticipated hiring of an animal control officer and replacement of tarps on damaged buildings — and approved November’s water and sewer adjustments, departmental reports, check register, and the minutes of the workshop and regular session.
…. In Citizens’ Comments, heard again from Thompson, who explained that the bid process is in motion for Southside Circle’s lift station improvements and relocation.