Cordele — CORDELE — Crandall Postell argued at Tuesday night’s City Commission meeting here that “provisions throughout the (picketing) ordinance are unconstitutional and not legally binding, violating people’s first amendment rights.”

Some of those provisions stipulate that spacing between indiviual pickets should be at least eight feet, and picketers should at all times remain in single file.

Picketers may not talk to one another or talk to or gesture to pedestrians, and they should keep moving at all times.

Anyone who violates any of these provisions shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both, according to the ordinance.

Postell says he wants to make Cordele better. “I am aggravated with this and have been dealing with it for months,” he says. “This is a big issue for me.”

After Postell exceeded his designated time limit, Commission Chairman Zack Wade told him the meeting needed to go on. Postell continued to argue and address the commission on the issue.

Wade, seemingly agitated, stated “we have to keep this meeting orderly and we will have our city attorney, Tommy Cotton, look over the ordinance.”

Postell told the commission in closing that if the ordinance is not repealed, “I will file a lawsuit against the city this week for violating my first amendment rights.”

Also, during Tuesday’s meeting, the commission approved a resolution to adopt the proposed 2010-2011 budget for $17.7 million. Commissioner Jimmy Black opposed the motion.

 This compares to last year’s $19.6 million budget. Anticipated revenues in the general fund are $8.3 million which compares to last year’s $9.7 million.  City property owners will be paying this amount in ad valorem taxes.

SPLOST projects are expected to bring in $834,000 compared to last year’s $845,000. The hotel/motel tax, on the other hand, should bring in $398,462 which compares to $243,000 for last year. This is because of an increase in the hotel/motel tax which recently passed.

In other business,

— Appointments/re-appointments were approved for Arleeta Henry, Dr. Benny Wade, and Gabrella Dimery to the Cordele Carnegie Library Board. Terms expire for these board members who are serving a three year term on June 30, 2010.

— City manager, Jean Burnette, said the district planner visited her office this week to go over the 2010 GDOT State Transportation Improvements Program (STIP).

Three projects on their immediate “radar” screen are as follows: (a) a RR warning device on US 280 at the Heart of Georgia rail crossing. Estimated cost is $185,000;

(b) Off system safety improvements (pavement markings) at 5 locations in the county at a cost of $66,163; and (c) construction of a roundabout at US 41 & State Route 33 at a cost of $1,000,000.

Other projects listed include construction after 2014 for GA 90 from South of County Road 365 (GA 300 extended) to GA 257 at a projected cost of $6.1 million; and the widening and reconstruction of US 280 from I-75 to Midway Road at a cost of $5.1 million.

— SPLOST receipts for the period ending May 31, 2010 were $316,611, as compared to $322,816 for the previous month.

— A beer and wine license was approved by the commission for Milam Banquet, LLC, at 1711 East 16th Avenue.

— A board of zoning appeals meeting/hearings will be held on June 17 at 4:30 p.m. for the following requests: Cordele Holiness Church at 1324 E. 8th Ave. wants to place a manufactured building for a church and Cafe Harika at 1706 E. 16th Ave. wants to erect a self standing sign on site.

— Commissioners approved the demolition of a structure  at 307 W. 8th Ave. and removal of debris left when the owner demolished a structure at 404 W. 1st Ave.

Property owners will be billed for this work because the city has gone through the proper legal channels to have the unsafe structures removed.