Residents packed out Grovetown City Hall for Monday’s Grovetown City Council meeting to show an outpouring of support for the rezoning of a local tint shop.
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Mike White, the owner of The Tint Shop, requested to rezone the property from CC-1 Core District to CC-2 Commercial Corridor for the use of his business. The business is currently located at 103 Robinson Ave, but someone else purchased the property from the investor who owned the previous building. White now currently has purchased the building at 105 Robinson Ave. in hopes of continuing his business.
“Small businesses bring a tax base to the City of Grovetown,” said local restaurant owner Armando Reyes. “Let this man make a living. He has done great job and has been proven.”
Other residents praised the local owner’s work and pleaded for the business to stay open. Even local residents who were not attendance showed support for the business on the City of Grovetown’s Facebook live stream.
The staff of Planning and Community Development recommended the rezoning request be denied because it wasn’t deemed suitable for the area, according to its director Ronnie Kurtz; however, after long discussion and an executive session, the council members approved the rezoning.
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City Council also discussed the salaries of Public Safety dispatchers during the meeting.
“We/re down four dispatchers right now, and we’re having a hard time keeping them,” said Councilmember Eric Blair.
Many dispatchers around the area are leaving due to the low pay according to Blair.
Dispatchers in Grovetown currently make $15.18 an hour. Most dispatchers in Columbia County earn more than $20 an hour.
“Many dispatchers are coming to Grovetown to get trained, but then leave for more money,” said Grovetown Public Safety Cpl. Naise Gordon.
