Political Notebook: Chickens come up again at Warner Robins City Council
A group hoping to make it legal to have chickens in Warner Robins isn’t giving up.
One year after the City Council voted not to allow chickens in the city, poultry supporter Tammy Bushnell showed up at Monday’s council meeting to support the cause.
She called the prohibition on chickens “an unnecessary restriction of our liberties” and said it supports “the horrible factory chicken farm industry.”
She asked the council to consider a new amendment to the animal ordinance that would allow chickens. No council members commented.
Macon-Bibb candidate forum set for Thursday
The Bibb County Democratic Party is hosting a candidate forum Thursday at the Macon-Bibb County Government Center.
Candidates for the sheriff, mayoral, tax commissioner, County Commission, school board and water authority have been invited to participate. The forum will last from 4:15 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Election day is May 24.
Rezoning approved for apartment complex
The Warner Robins City Council on Monday approved the rezoning and annexation of a tract near the Booth Road Wal-Mart for a large apartment complex.
Tad Bullard, the developer, told the council he is planning a 192-unit apartment complex. Some of the units would have subsidized rents through tax credits for providing low-income housing. The complex will have a large swimming pool, he said.
The property is the area bordered by Booth Road, Russell Parkway and Wellborn Road.
Bullard said he is also planning a similar but smaller apartment complex at 1131 South Houston Lake Road just north of Feagin Mill Road. That project would have 96 units.
Both projects are subject to approval of applications for the tax credits.
East Macon Park improvements to be celebrated Saturday
Youth baseball players and Macon-Bibb County officials will celebrate improvements made at East Macon Park, according to a news release.
Various leaders with the county and the East Macon Youth Baseball League will be on hand Saturday at 9 a.m. for the ceremony marking the completion of $300,00 in upgrades that includes new sidewalks, T-ball field, concession stands, scoring boxes and improvements to the storm draining system. The East Macon Park, 3326 Ocmulgee East Blvd., improvements were paid for through the special purpose local option sales tax.
“The SPLOST-funded renovations is a prime example of how our tax dollars are truly being used for the direct benefit of our community,” League Vice President Crystal Jones said in the release. “We now have fields that are both efficient and safe to use, along with (being) beautiful and state of the art.”
Macon pastor to be honored this weekend
A memorial will be unveiled Saturday for a longtime Macon pastor.
Macon-Bibb County Commissioners Larry Schlesinger and Al Tillman will be among the guest speakers as street signs are unveiled that designate a portion of Elm Street as “Reverend Jacob Parker Memorial Way.” Parker, born in 1929, has served the congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church for nearly 50 years, according to a news release.
The ceremony will take place Saturday at 1 p..m. at the church located at 777 Elm St. On Sunday, a special 49th pastor’s anniversary service will begin at 1:30 p.m.
Parker is also a founding member of Unity Churches of Macon and is a member of the NAACP and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He has also served at churches in Lizella, Eastman, Indian Springs and Byromville, the release said.
Staff writers Wayne Crenshaw and Stanley Dunlap contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Political Notebook: Chickens come up again at Warner Robins City Council."