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Thomasville City Council pushes tax incentives for new hospital The Thomasville City Council voted in principle Monday for an abatement of specific city ad valorem taxes in conjunction with the construction of a new hospital. The council resolution, which will be formally approved at the next council meeting, will mirror a decision Oct. 3 by the city's Industrial Development Board. The Clarke County Healthcare Authority will receive an abatement of city sales and use tax for the construction period, and non-education property tax and mortgage and recording tax will be abated for a 10-year period. "The sales and use tax would only apply to the capital improvement equipment for the construction phase," Mayor Sheldon Day read from a resolution of the IDB. "…The board feels such abatements would be significant incentives to assist in the continuing efforts of hospital owners to secure financing and work within a manageable budget." The authority is a subsidiary of Resurgence Health Group, LLC of Sugar Hill, Ga. and runs the current Thomasville hospital, the Southwest Alabama Medical Center. The newly proposed $35 million hospital would employ 200 people, the mayor said. "This is the first time we have incentivized a non-industrial project….We are only abating city taxes. We are not abating county taxes. The state taxes under this particular type of development are not (able to be waved)." In addition, in lieu of the abatement of taxes, the city will not have to contribute any site preparation for the construction, Mayor Day said. "I want to see somebody moving forward on this project," said Councilman Robert Lewis Herron. "…I want to see them make some effort." Other action In other action from Monday's council meeting, the council approved an amendment to the alcohol control ordinance where alcohol cannot be sold from midnight to 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday. The motion on the amendment was approved over the opposition of councilman Charles Allen, who has a blanket opposition to the alcohol ordinance. Another amendment to the alcohol ordinance received its first reading Monday night. The amendment involves the Responsible Vendor Certification for employees of businesses selling alcohol. Employees selling alcohol must be certified, and certification name badges will have to be on the employee's person. There must also be updated certification training each year, and establishments must keep an incident log detailing any issues with problem customers. • Two more local businesses, the new Gaston's Grill Restaurant and the Hong Kong Buffett Restaurant, have applied for alcohol sales. The first reading of their applications was held Monday night. The council can approve the applications at their Oct. 22 meeting. • A partial payment of $372,531.40 to Cardinal Contracting of Creola was approved for water and sewer project at the Louisiana Pacific mill site. • The council approved the hiring of two new police officers, Derrick Powe and Aaron Kerschner, and the promotion of Bill Spinks to investigator and Mike Bradford to corporal. • The council approved the conceptual design for a new home construction to replace a burned structure on West Front Street. The building permit for the home will be considered at the next meeting.
• A new vehicle was approved for Mayor Day. A 2005 Ford Explorer with 65,000 miles was purchased for $11,550 from the state auction site.
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