Baseball negotiations to move swiftly, Macon-Bibb mayor says

The Macon-Bibb County Commission swung in motion the start of negotiations to bring a baseball team back to Middle Georgia.

The commission voted Tuesday to allow Mayor Robert Reichert to work out a letter of intent for a summer collegiate baseball team to play at Luther Williams Field. A Coastal Plain League team coming to Macon will likely be dependent on renovations to the Central City Park stadium.

Any final agreement would have to receive the go ahead from the County Commission.

“I anticipate it will take a few weeks simply because of scheduling, but we’re trying to work on it expeditiously,” Reichert said about the letter of intent during Tuesday’s pre-commission meeting.

The team would be owned by sports marketing firm SRO Partners. It’s co-owner, Steve DeLay, has said he believes Macon could replicate the success of the league’s Savannah Bananas had during its inaugural season. The team averaged about 3,600 fans per game during the 2016 season.

But there is expected to be some opposition to pouring an estimated $2.5 million into renovating Luther Williams in time for the 2018 baseball season. The funding would likely come from special sales tax revenue.

The Coastal Plain League is made up of 15 teams based in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

There’s also a riddled history of the success of professional teams in Macon. The Coastal League team would become the latest in a series of teams to play in Macon since an Atlanta Braves affiliate left in 2002. Minor league hockey’s Macon Mayhem began playing in 2015 at the Macon Coliseum.

Garbage fees

Annual billing for garbage and recycling was approved 5-3 on Tuesday.

Commissioners Virgil Watkins, Elaine Lucas and Bert Bivins voted against the ordinance. Commissioner Larry Schlesinger was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.

The measure has undergone a series of changes in recent weeks, with the latest being an exemption added for people whose income is below the federal poverty guidelines. Those individuals will be able to apply for a fee waiver, according to the ordinance.

Garbage and recycling fees are currently paid quarterly.

Prior to Tuesday’s vote, Reichert said he was hopeful that the “third time is the charm” for the ordinance that was tabled at the previous two regular commission meetings.

“I think we made it a much, much improved bill,” Reichert said. “ I think it’s time to move on so now the tax commissioner can make changes ... to transition to annual billing.”

Another amendment approved Tuesday removed a planned cost increase in 2019 as well as future cost adjustments.

The change in billing, some county officials have said, should help shore up a solid waste department that’s losing money each year. One goal is to have the new billing mirror the higher property tax collection rate, officials have said.

The first annual billing covering Oct. 1 through December 2018 will cost $300. The billing will be on a 12 month basis in following years.

Henry Burns Park

The County Commission will vote next week on a $709,250 construction agreement for Henry Burns Park in the Ingleside neighborhood.

Ogles Construction will renovate the tennis court, install new playground equipment, upgrade parking and improve draining, among other improvements. The majority of the funding comes from blight bond funds provided by Commissioners Mallory Jones, Al Tillman and Gary Bechtel.

“If you look at Filmore (Thomas) and Rosa Jackson, they’ve had millions to renovate and change over,” Tillman said. “This is the first time in many years that we have the opportunity to upgrade and rebuild.”

The historic Boy Scout Hut will remain inside the park with plans to turn it into a meeting place for neighborhood groups and other organizations.

In other business Tuesday, commissioners also approved a resolution recognizing March as Women’s History Month.

This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Baseball negotiations to move swiftly, Macon-Bibb mayor says."