TIFTON — The festival ordinance was approved unanimously by the City Council at the May 15 regular meeting.

The festival ordinance that was presented at the May workshop was revisited after city attorney Rob Wilmot made some adjustments.

It was clarified that pets will be allowed in the festival’s control zones, which, according to the ordinance, are where alcohol will be allowed to be carried freely, and a prohibition against carrying weapons was removed.

Concerns about weapons being allowed in the control zone were raised. 

Wilmot and Mayor Julie Smith both said that, since the council is a governing body, they couldn’t ban weapons. However bar owner could say that weapons aren’t allowed in their establishment, since the ordinance doesn’t take away that right.

Wilmot also clarified that carrying of alcohol in the control zones will be permitted for one hour after alcohol sales are ended.

Diversified Enterprises nominated the City of Tifton as their Employer of the Year through their trade association, and the city was selected as the employer of the year by the Service Providers Association for Developmental Disabilities.

The city has partnered with Diversified Enterprises since the early 80s, according to director David Wilbur.

“The City of Tifton continues to be a model employer for people with disabilities,” Wilbur said. “That has been acknowledged through this award.”

The council unanimously approved the resolution supporting the Downtown Development Authority’s  Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund application to assist Baxley Properties and Investments with their upcoming development project on Commerce Way.

The new development will include a new home for Hawkeye’s BBQ, as well as two other restaurants in a three phase project.

There was time allotted at the beginning of the meeting for a public hearing on the fiscal year 2018 proposed budget, but there were no members of the public in attendance.

Resolutions approving alcohol licenses for Publix and the Shell station on Highway 41 were approved unanimously, as was the resolution re-designating and classifying Hunt Road and Larkin Road.

City Manager Pete Pyrzenski gave the council the city manager report.

Pyrzenski said that the senior fish fry hosted by the city fire department and the Leroy Rogers Senior Center went “exceptionally well.”

It was the first time in nine years the fish fry had been held, which used to be an annual event, and there were 215 seniors present.

Pyrzenski also talked about how he had been approached about panhandlers out on 82 and downtown, and asked if it was something the council wanted to address.

Wilmot said that the city already has an ordinance about panhandling, but said that because of issues of free speech, the ordinance can only prohibit aggressive panhandling.

“If you stand there with a sign that says something, that is free speech and you can’t regulate that speech,” said Wilmot, but said that he would be happy to take a closer look at the ordinance and other ways they can deal with the issue.

He also reminded the council about the new Tifton office of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and said that he felt it would be a benefit to Tifton.

Brad Barbee and Chris Beals were sworn in to the Keep Tift Beautiful board by the mayor.

Karina Delgado and Johnna Young were awarded the James E. Dove Memorial Scholarship.

Donna Pate and Earnest Dove were on hand to dispense the award and congratulations.