By Ted Carter

Tybee ordinances on ethics and shoreline protection are headed back to review boards as a prelude to what could be tweaks, overhauls or outright repeal of the measures.

Victors in the fall City Council elections pledged to either change or replace the current ordinances adopted by a council majority that was voted out in November.

By a 5-1 vote, council members Jan. 28 agreed to a proposal by Paul Wolff to send the ethics ordinance to the Ethics Committee for review and recommendations and the shoreline protection ordinance to the Planning Commission for similar action.

Wolff said he wants to restore “balance” to the ordinances, both of which were adopted by a council on which Wolff sat but often ended up on the losing end of votes. His proposal drew no discussion before the vote other than a comment from Wanda Doyle, a re-elected member of the previous council, 

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” she said of the possible revisions, though she conceded her vote would not make a difference this time around.

Doyle was among a council majority that repealed the previous ethics ordinance and adopted a shoreline ordinance largely based on Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ shore protection lines. The new ordinances had high profiles throughout the fall election campaign.

Wolff, in an interview the night of his re-election, ranked changing the ethics and shoreline ordinances as his top priorities. “Both could have long term repercussions if we don’t reinstate what we had,” he said election night.

“Right now Tybee has no jurisdiction of our beaches. We need to take control of our beaches,” he added.

In repealing the previous ethics ordinance, last year’s council majority characterized the ethics ordinance as too complex and ambiguous.

“I can deal with complexity,” Wolff said. “The ordinance they trashed was more complicated (than the new one) because it intended to anticipate conflicts of interests that may arise. Some of the nuances they took out should still be there.”

In place of the former ordinance, said Wolff, the previous council “adopted a boilerplate that was based on what Cedartown (Ga.) had done.”

Wolff said he wanted to especially address the issue of “what happens when the entire Planning Commission runs for the City Council.”

Council also agreed at the Jan. 28 meeting to send  the city’s historic preservation ordinance to the Historic Preservation Review Committee for possible updates. The review committee has been authorized but never activated,

In other action, council members:

*Discussed charging Savannah taxis that operate on Tybee fees similar to what Tybee taxis are charged to operate within Savannah. “We may need something reciprocal,” said Mayor Jason Buelterman.

  *Indicated a willingness to consider restoring showers to the dune crossovers. “I think they should be back,” said Buelterman of the showers the city turned off last beach season as a water saving measure.

Council agreed to send the issue to the Infrastructure Committee for study. Wolff said he wants a close look given to acquiring vandal-proof shower handles. Also needed are handles that can be turned completely off without continuing to drip after use, Kathryn Williams said.

*Agreed to pay $305 to buy the rights to play music at public events on the island. The payment goes to a musician rights fund and helps to ensure the city does not get sued for a music rights violation, said Bubba Hughes, city attorney

“Three-hundred and five-bucks and we don’t get sued by Led Zeppelin or whatever,” Mayor Buelterman said.

*Congratulated Billy Burke on his retirement after 28 years with the city’s Public Works Department and 37 years with the Fire Department. Several dozen co-workers and firefighters turned out to wish Burke well.

Joe Wilson, public works director, described Burke as a steady worker who was like the tortoise in the tortoise and the hare story. By the end of the day he would always get more work done than the guys who were “flying down the road,” Wilson said.

And he “always brought a smile to the job,” Wilson said.

As a firefighter, Burke had a long list of certifications. And he never visited a town without stopping by the local fire department to pick the brains of the fire crews there.

“He’s touched everybody here,” Fire Chief C.L. Sasser said. “We consider him a member of the department forever and ever.”

*Created a Bicycle Friendly Community Committee as a prelude to gaining designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community. Councilman Wolff said the designation would be a big boost to Tybee’s efforts to become an eco tourism destination.

*Agreed to consider reinstatement of quarterly oral department head reports on a staggered basis.  Councilman Williams said the practice adopted by the previous council of allowing the reports to be submitted but not presented diminishes transparency.

“I thought the whole purpose [of the reports] was to keep the community informed, Williams said.