Columbus, Georgia

A RESOLUTION



No.



A Resolution requesting that the Georgia General Assembly amend the Columbus

Charter, Sections 5-600 through 5-605 (Ga. L. 1993, pp. 5013-5015), so as to

provide that the Recorder's Court of Columbus may create and designate a

division of Recorder's Court to hear and to exercise jurisdiction over all

environmental ordinances of Columbus, Georgia, including but not limited to,

building code violations, rehabilitation or demolition of substandard

properties, health and sanitation regulations, zoning regulations and other

environmental regulations; and so as to provide that the Recorder's Court shall

have the power to order any person found guilty of violating any such

ordinances to correct such violation at his or her own expense and to provide

that the Recorder's Court shall have the power to punish any person for

contempt who, having been ordered to correct a violation of any such ordinance,

willfully fails to obey such order within the designated day and at the

designated time as given by such court order with punishment for contempt in

each such case limited to a fine of one hundred ($100.00) dollars or

imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days or both for each such violation; and

further requesting that the bill authorize the presentation of evidence in

Recorder's Court by special enforcement officers of Columbus, Georgia who shall

have authority to issue citations for violations of all such environmental

ordinances.



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WHEREAS, the enforcement of environmental ordinances, including but not limited

to, building code violations, rehabilitation or demolition of substandard

properties, health and sanitation regulations, zoning regulations and other

environmental regulations has become increasingly important for the citizens of

Columbus and the State of Georgia;



WHEREAS, this Council desires that the Georgia General Assembly amend

provisions of the Columbus Charter so as to authorize the designation of a

branch of the Recorder's Court of Columbus to exercise jurisdiction over

violations of such ordinances and desires that such environmental division of

the Recorder's Court be empowered to order defendants found guilty of violating

such ordinances to correct such violations at the defendant's expense and be

empowered to punish such offenders for contempt through fines of one hundred

($100.00) dollars or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days or both.



NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES:



We hereby request that the local delegation to the Georgia General Assembly

introduce a bill which would amend the Columbus Charter, Sections 5-600 through

5-605 (Ga. L. 1993, pp. 5013-5015), so as to provide that the Recorder's Court

of Columbus may create and designate a division of Recorder's Court to hear and

to exercise jurisdiction over all environmental ordinances of Columbus,

Georgia, including but not limited to, building code violations, rehabilitation

or demolition of substandard properties, health and sanitation regulations,

zoning regulations and other environmental regulations; and so as to provide

that the Recorder's Court shall have the power to order any person found guilty

of violating any such ordinances to correct such violation at his or her own

expense and to provide that the Recorder's Court shall have the power to punish

any person for contempt who, having been ordered to correct a violation of any

such ordinance, willfully fails to obey such order within the designated day

and at the designated time as given by such court order with punishment for

contempt in each such case limited to a fine of one hundred ($100.00) dollars

or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days or both for each such violation.

We further request that the bill authorize the presentation of evidence in

Recorder's Court by special enforcement officers of Columbus, Georgia who shall

have authority to issue citations for violations of all such environmental

ordinances.



Let a copy of this resolution be forwarded to each member of the local

legislative delegation to the Georgia General Assembly.



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Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held on

the _______ day of ______________, 2001, and adopted at said meeting by the

affirmative vote of ______ members of said Council.











Councilor Allen voting____________.

Councilor Henderson voting________.

Councilor Hunter voting___________.

Councilor McDaniel voting_________.

Councilor Poydasheff voting_______.

Councilor Rodgers voting__________.

Councilor Smith voting____________.

Councilor Suber voting____________.

Councilor Turner Pugh voting______.

Councilor Woodson voting__________.









_____________________________

TINY B. WASHINGTON

CLERK





_____________________________

BOBBY G. PETERS

MAYOR