Albany city commissioners pass a new wrecker towing policy

ALBANY — Albany city commissioners tentatively approved an updated wrecker towing policy Tuesday that would require wrecker services utilized as part of a rotation by the city to have a tow truck capable of removing large vehicles involved in accidents from accident scenes to remain a part of the city rotation.

The policy, recommended by the Albany Fire Department, has languished for weeks as some on the board have argued that owning trucks capable of towing large vehicles like semis is too much of a financial burden on smaller companies in the city rotation.

“I’m going to recuse myself from this vote, but I want to make it clear that it is not because of anything that was said about me in the Squawkbox,” Coleman said in reference to comments made by readers of The Albany Herald in the newspaper’s reader-generated feature. “I could care less what people say or think about me.”

As discussion of the matter continued, though, Coleman argued as he had in the past that the large tow trucks required by the ordinance are too expensive for small businesses. He stressed that inclusion should be a commission priority.

Ward V Commissioner Bob Langstaff said that while he would like to see smaller businesses have the opportunity to remain in the rotation, he feared that all local towing businesses would sell their expensive tow trucks if they’re not required to have them in order to remain a part of the city’s towing program.

“Then, where’s the closest location, Tifton? Columbus?” Langstaff asked.

Ward III’s B.J. Fletcher made a motion to allow towing businesses to operate without the larger trucks, and Ward IV’s Roger Marietta seconded. Their proposal was voted down, however. Marietta suggested tabling the matter again, and Subadan said, “We’ve been tabling this. That’s why we’re back with this now. We made a recommendation, then put together a second proposal when you tabled the matter before.

“You are the policymakers, and you must make the decision.”

When a motion was made to require towing companies to own the larger tow trucks to remain a part of the rotation, it received four votes. That vote must go before the board at its business meeting next Tuesday to attain final approval.

Also at Tuesday’s busy meeting, the commission discussed its SPLOST projects list and an intergovernmental agreement it is supposed to sign at next Tuesday’s meeting. Commissioners were asked by the local Minority Contractors Association to consider a proposal to add $1 million to their SPLOST VII recommendations for a disparity study.

Mayor Dorothy Hubbard said she received a letter from the group last week asking to include funding for the study in the city’s SPLOST projects list.

Ward III City Commissioner B.J. Fletcher said the request threatens the SPLOST referendum in the community.

“It’s imperative, if we’re going to move forward, that this SPLOST pass,” she said. “I think for that to happen, we have to maintain our commitment to improving the city’s infrastructure. If we’re going to be a city that attracts new businesses, we’ve got to look the part.

“If we entertain this request for a million dollars from the minority contractors, every group in the city will be before us with their hand out. If we lose our focus on improving infrastructure, we’re in danger of losing the taxpayers.”

City Manager Sharon Subadan, who said she hadn’t had time to look at the minority contractors’ request in detail before Tuesday’s meeting, said she’d reach out to Dougherty County and Dougherty School System officials to determine whether those boards were also considering the request.

When Fletcher said she’d like a federal definition of what constitutes a minority, Coleman said, “Anyone who is not a Caucasian male is a minority.”

Coleman went on to say the request for a disparity study is about “economic empowerment.”

“We have a community where 70 percent of the population is one race, and 40 to 50 percent of the people of that race live below the poverty level,” he said. “A disparity study, I believe, will show that something is wrong in a community in which so many people of the majority population live in such conditions.”

The board also gave tentative approval to the sale of the 64-unit Hampton East Apartment Complex to Flint River Salvage of Leesburg. The company is offering the fair market value price of $1.1 million for the property.

Community and Economic Development Director Shelena Hawkins told commissioners the complex had been built in 1997 using some $5- to $6 million in flood recovery funding. She said residents of the property had been informed of the pending sale.

“The money from the sale will revert to our CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) fund and will be used for moderate- to low-income housing projects,” Hawkins said.

Flint River Salvage owner Matthew Fuller said his company will complete needed renovations on the apartment complex once the sale is completed.