The Savannah City Council has not met since May 23. When the council reconvenes on Thursday, June 27 for its regularly scheduled 2 p.m. meeting, the list of issues to consider will be more lengthy than normal. Posted to the city’s website on Friday, June 21, the agenda for council includes 56 total items grouped into various categories.

In the “resolutions” portion of the agenda are items Nos. 47-49 concerning the future for the Savannah Civic Center and the Johnny Mercer Theatre. The agenda lists three potential options for the council: Resolution 1, Resolution 2, and Resolution 3.

Following a May 23 workshop with City Manager Jay Melder and City Council, Melder prepared the three resolutions for the future of the Civic Center site.

Melder included details for implementing each plan, should it be chosen, in the agenda for Thursday. Resolution 1 is to renovate the entire facility, including the arena, Theatre, and community meeting rooms.

Resolution 2 is to remove “the entire Civic Center facility to include the arena, Theatre, ballroom, and community meeting rooms and replace the Theatre, ballroom, and community meeting rooms at an alternative location.” Resolution 3 is the “removal of the arena and renovation of the Theatre, ballroom, and community meeting rooms.”

Each resolution has the approval of Melder, and the public has been encouraged to weigh in on the future of the site for several months. The Thursday City Council meeting can be seen on the City of Savannah’s local government channel and on the City’s YouTube page.

PLANS FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS
Savannah’s annual fireworks display at the Savannah Waterfront Association Independence Day Celebration is set for July 4 on River Street from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. The website dedicated to the event can be accessed here.
According to the site, the fireworks show begins at 9:30 p.m. and should finish up around 9:50. There will be food and beverage vendors, as well as music from the 3rd Infantry Division Band beginning at 6:30. A 40-member unit with a variety of performing groups, the Independence Day performances are expected to come from the New Orleans-styled Brass Band, the Rock Band and Concert Band.

The City of Savannah lists the official event address as 1 West River Street, but many spectators choose to find their own spots for watching the fireworks.

“Spectators on the waterfront can bring chairs and blankets; however, coolers are discouraged,” the site says. “The show takes place from a barge in the Savannah River in front of the Savannah Convention Center. River Street and the ramps will close at 6:30 p.m. and cars parked on the ramps or parking lots will need to remain there until the street opens to vehicular traffic after the show.”

CRIME STATS FROM SPD, CCPD
A weekly crime report from the Savannah Police Department (SPD) for the week ending June 15 shows Savannah’s homicide rate in 2024 is on a pace well above that of 2023. It’s on a similar track as 2022 in terms of homicides to have taken place by June 15 each year.

The SPD report, which can be seen above, shows 15 homicides have taken place in Savannah this year. At the same time in 2023, only three homicides had occurred within city limits. In 2022, there had been 16 homicides by June 15. Beyond the homicides, the weekly report also shows 157 aggravated assaults have occurred with a gun so far this year.

There were 178 such occurrences at the same time last year.

The Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) also releases a weekly crime report, and the department’s latest report shows stats for the county for the week ending June 18.

Two homicides are on the CCPD books, as of June 18, the same number of homicides that had taken place at this point last year. For the year, Chatham County has seen 32 aggravated assaults with a gun. This is a significant decrease in the amount of gun assaults from the same time last year (56).

This article appears in Connect Savannah I June 2024.