Bainbridge officials have given updates on several current and future projects that will have noticeable impact.

The Bainbridge City Council will consider bids on construction of a sewer system at the new Bainbridge High School off U.S. 84 East at its Dec. 16 meeting, City Manager Chris Hobby said.

The city has an agreement to supply water and sewer services to the new school, with the Decatur County Board of Education reimbursing the city for associated costs.

City Engineer Jim York said work is underway on the West Alice Street portion of a sewer extension and upgrade project focused around U.S. 27 South and Georgia 97 South. Work has begun near Alice Street’s intersection with South West Street and will eventually move toward the Bainbridge Wal-Mart and nearby residences, York said. Although Alice Street was already served by city sewer service, the ongoing work will upgrade the pipes’ capacity to handle additional stormwater during heavy rainfall.

Hobby said The Genesis Group of Tallahassee, Fla., has submitted a revised concept plan that would allow the city to go ahead with its plans to build eight new sports fields without having to purchase additional land from Wheat & Company, which owns a large tract of land between West Shotwell Street and Georgia 97 South.

The second phase of the City Council’s plan to extend sewer service throughout Bainbridge by 2011 is slated to begin in Spring 2009, Hobby said. The second phase, dubbed the Douglas East Sewer Project, could extend sewer lines to parts of Lakewood Drive, Back Lake Circle, College Road, Twin Lakes Drive and Thomas Drive at an estimated cost of $4.1 million.

The city plans to pay for the total $16 million, four-year sewer master plan using loans from the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, which are tied to SPLOST receipts and future utility payments. People who connect to the new sewer infrastructure will also be assessed on top of their tap fee.

Phase II of the city’s downtown Streetscape plan is also expected to begin in the first half of 2009, Hobby said previously.

Other business

In other business at their Tuesday, Dec. 2, meeting, the Bainbridge City Council:

• Held public hearings on the city’s proposed ordinances related to indecent exposure and usage of motorized carts. Business owner Sara Griffin spoke again in support of the city’s proposed ban on wearing of pants in a manner that shows a person’s underwear. There was no citizen comment on the motorized cart ordinance.

• Approved a request from the organizers of Bainbridge Bikefest, an annual music and motorcycling festival, to reserve use of the unoccupied area of Commodore Decatur Industrial Park between Sept. 11-21, 2009. Bikefest’s organizers have indicated they will likely hold next year’s festival on private property off Pondtown Road, instead of the Industrial Park.

• Held an approximately 10-minute-long closed session for the purpose of discussing an unspecified real estate transaction. When the open meeting resumed, Mayor Mark Harrell said no action would be taken.

• Recognized visiting members of Boy Scout Troop No. 502.