Savannah City Council approves new lights for ballfields at Minick Sports Complex

On Thursday, April 11, members of the Savannah City Council approved a plan to install new lights at the Guy Minick Youth Sports Complex on Savannah’s southside. Located on the corner of Sallie Mood Dr. and Eisenhower Dr., the complex has four baseball/softball fields and is the primary complex hosting the city’s recreational youth baseball leagues.

According to the city’s agenda, which was posted ahead of Thursday’s regular meeting of city council, the lights over the ballfields will cost (no more than) $838,445. It was listed as item No. 19 in the “Purchasing Items” portion of the agenda.
The agenda item was approved and allows “the City Manager to execute a contract for the installation of new ballfield lights with MUSCO Sports Lighting, LLC in an amount not to exceed $838,445,” according to the agenda item summary. “The installation of new ballfield lights at the Guy Minick Youth Sports Complex will provide more opportunities for youth and adult sports teams to conduct practices and games during evening hours.”

Alderwoman Alicia Miller Blakely commented on the purchasing item, saying all of the city’s recreation fields should have lights installed if the city was to install them at Minick.

“I’m just concerned we’re spending this amount of money there,” she said. “Is something wrong with the lights currently there?”

Her question was directed at (and answered by) City Manager Jay Melder.

“In 2022,” Melder responded. “We had to remove the lights altogether because they had deteriorated to such a degree that the (light) poles themselves were not able to stand.”

The lights at Minick were not taken down until February of 2023. Nick Palumbo, the District 4 Alderman who represents the area where Minick is located, rounded out the Thursday comments on the approved item.

“We’ve been engaged and reached out to multiple times by youth sports teams about this facility that is utilized by youth throughout the city,” Palumbo said of Minick. “That’s because this is a special place, and an inclusive place.”

COUNCIL PASSES CHANGE TO GUN ORDINANCE
Also at Thursday’s meeting, the council voted to pass city code language changes regarding gun owners and the storage of guns in vehicles. The “Ordinance to Amend of Chapter 1, Personal Conduct, of Part 9, Offenses, of the Code of the City of Savannah” was passed unanimously. Changes include reporting lost or stolen firearms as well as penalties for citizens who do not properly lock up firearms in vehicles within city limits.

The new law regarding reporting rules says, in part, that “any owner or other person lawfully in possession of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun who suffers the loss or theft of said weapon shall within 24 hours of the discovery of the loss or theft report the facts and circumstances of the loss or theft to the Savannah Police Department.”

It also adjusts the rules surrounding storage of firearms. There are three new rules to note, according to the ordinance attached to the agenda minutes.
“Every person with a firearm, rifle, or shotgun in a vehicle shall ensure that each such firearm, rifle, or shotgun is securely stored in a glove compartment, console, a locked trunk, or the area behind the last upright seat of a motor vehicle that is not equipped with a trunk at all times while such vehicle is unoccupied”

“Every person with a firearm, rifle, or shotgun in a vehicle shall ensure that no firearm, rifle, or shotgun is visible at any time while such vehicle is unoccupied.”

“Every person with a firearm, rifle, or shotgun in a vehicle shall ensure that all doors and hatches are locked while such vehicle is unoccupied.”