City says ‘No’ to GDOT proposal

By
MARY ANN ANDERSON
During the June 2020 meeting of the Hazlehurst City Council, then-Mayor R. Bayne Stone reported that the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) was beginning plans to install a turn lane on the now four-lane U.S. Highway 341 from its intersection with U.S. 23 Bypass northward to U.S. Highway 221. The plan would have reduced that stretch of highway to one northbound lane and one southbound lane in an already congested area frequently clogged with log trucks, semis, and transfer trucks.
That proposal came to a screeching halt at last Thursday night’s regular City Council meeting after Marcus Trowell Jr. and Tre Wiggins addressed the council. The two said they had circulated a petition among local businesses and residents, and the consensus was that the turn lane would harm the community more than help it. Trowell also told council members he had spoken with GDOT officials, who said the agency would halt the project if it received a formal letter from the City of Hazlehurst requesting that it be ended permanently.
“The 341 project had two or three major challenges that were there from the initiation of it,” said Mayor John Ramay, adding that the change would “affect a lot of businesses,” including Renasant Bank, Huddle House, and Captain D’s, among others. Several audience members also noted the annual Peaches to the Beach yard sale would become “chaos” if the project moved forward.
“It’s not going to affect the businesses in Hazlehurst if I have anything to do with it,” Ramay said firmly.
City Clerk Vernice Thompson added that travelers driving U.S. 341 between McRae and Brunswick have two lanes in both directions. If GDOT were to proceed, she noted, on that route Hazlehurst would become “the only city that would have a one-way street going through town.”
Mayor Ramay then made a motion to formally shut down the project. The motion passed unanimously, 4–0.
Ward 2 Councilwoman Elizabeth Oliver attended the meeting via phone. The city attorney’s office, Smith and Smith, was not present.
In other action, the council ….
…. approved a request from landowners Stanley and Elaine McCall to fence off a portion of Becky Lane to prevent ATVs, four-wheelers, and other motorized vehicles from crossing their property illegally.
…. granted Tyler Williams of Two Brothers Diner LLC a license, by a 3–0 vote, to sell alcoholic beverages by the drink for on-premises consumption at his new restaurant, to be located at Mulliganz Golf Course and expected to open by mid-April. Williams noted the diner is a separate establishment from Sarah’s at the Course, though owner Sarah Boatright is in full support of the new venture. Ward 1 Councilman Dywane Johnson abstained from voting.
…. adopted a resolution for the hazard mitigation plan under the provisions of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. The resolution ensures that Hazlehurst and Jeff Davis County remain eligible for federal disaster-relief funding, citing Hurricane Helene as an example.
…. approved travel and expenses for Fire and Rescue Department member Matt Hyers to attend the Hazardous Materials Technician course in May at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.
…. accepted February’s water and sewer adjustments, departmental reports, and check register. Ward 4 Councilman Landon Chavis noted that policy revisions are underway to make water and sewer adjustment decisions with “fairness across the board.”
…. heard during Citizens Comments from several residents. Officer Sylvester Brown of the Hazlehurst Police and Animal Control Departments spoke as a citizen to express concerns about traffic at the roundabout at Pat Dixon Road and Collins Street. Oakley Perry of the Joint Development Authority gave updates on upcoming events, including the Three Rivers Arts Festival in April. Janet Corcoran, a volunteer with the Voices of Hazlehurst Animal Shelter, reported that the shelter currently houses 18 dogs and provided an update on rescues, reclaims, adoptions, and fosters, adding there have been no euthanasia cases this year.
…. during closing comments, Ward 3 Councilman Chris Jones commended the Fire and Rescue Department for their outstanding efforts in handling the recent string of local fires.