Pooler City Council Regular Meeting – August 3, 2026

The City of Pooler City Council held its regular meeting on August 3, 2026, at 100 US Highway 80 SW, Pooler, GA. Mayor Karen Williams called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m., and the meeting adjourned at 6:19 p.m. All six councilmembers were present, with Councilmember Michael Carpenter participating via teleconference. The council unanimously approved the consent agenda, a conditional use request for a tank wash facility, and an agreement for municipal court probation services.

Announcements & Proclamations

• Mayor Pro Tem Aaron Henry invited the public to a service at Wesley Monumental Baptist Church in Savannah on October 3, 2026, commemorating the completion of the sanctuary reconstruction.
• Councilmember John Wilcher wished City Manager Heath Lloyd a happy birthday.
• Mayor Williams announced that the City had been awarded a Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) grant of $800,000 for the conceptual design of the Pooler Park-to-Park Trail Project, which includes an 80-20 local match and will connect Roger Street Park and Pooler Recreation Park.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the City Council Workshop Minutes and City Council Meeting Minutes of July 20, 2026.
• Approved the release of a maintenance bond in the amount of $512,322.85 and a sidewalk performance bond in the amount of $173,487.60 for Ellis Park Phase 4, Kraft Cove, Charles Lane, and Windrush Pines.
• Approved a special event permit application (no alcohol service) for the Home Depot Christmas Tree Sale from November 6, 2026 – December 6, 2026 and December 6, 2026 – January 6, 2027, at 190 Pooler Parkway (one event, two permits).
• Motion to approve passed 6-0, moved by Mayor Pro Tem Henry and seconded by Councilmember Wilcher.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mayor Williams opened and closed the public hearing for the conditional use request without any public comments.
• No public comment was received on the Southeast Corrections agreement.

Discussion Items

• Conditional Use Request – Total Clean, LLC (6 A.J. Garcia Road): City Manager Heath Lloyd presented the request for remediation and other waste management services to operate a tank wash and maintenance facility in the I-2 Heavy Industrial Zoning District. He detailed mitigation measures: all tank cleaning and maintenance would occur inside the existing 55,813 square foot building; a perimeter trench drain and secondary containment system would prevent release of wash water; collected washwater would be stored in an on-site holding tank and transported to a permitted treatment facility in Garden City (Georgia EPD permit number GAP050134); and the applicant submitted a spill prevention and countermeasure (SPCC) plan. Staff and Planning & Zoning recommended approval. Petitioner's attorney, identified in the minutes as Mark Lieberman and in the transcript as Mark Liverman, stated that a June 10 site walkthrough with Fire Chief Simmons occurred, that the high-pressure low-volume system uses about 30 gallons of water per isotank compared to about 300 gallons for traditional systems, and that only about two tanker trucks of washwater per month would be transferred to the Garden City facility. A councilmember asked about the trench drain, sump, pump, and 12,000-gallon above-ground holding tank; the attorney explained the system and noted that residual chemicals could vary from food-grade products to industrial chemicals. Council discussion noted the significant water savings and dilution factor. The motion to approve passed 6-0, moved by Mayor Pro Tem Henry and seconded by Councilmember Bashlor.
• Agreement with Southeast Corrections, LLC: City Manager Lloyd presented the agreement for provision of probation services for the Pooler Municipal Court. The agreement is effective September 1, 2026, with a five-year term ending August 31, 2031, and is executed among the City, Southeast Corrections, and the municipal court judge. Probation services would be provided at no direct cost to the City; the contractor would be compensated through statutorily authorized supervision fees paid by probationers, not through City appropriations or general fund dollars. During discussion, a councilmember noted the agreement is similar to the prior year's, that the fee structure changed, and that paragraph 28 states the City will not be billed or invoiced in any circumstances, and that an annual report is provided. The motion to approve, subject to City Attorney review, passed 6-0, moved by Councilmember Bashlor and seconded by Councilmember Hutcherson.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved 6-0.
• Conditional use request for Total Clean, LLC approved 6-0.
• Agreement with Southeast Corrections, LLC approved 6-0, subject to City Attorney approval.
• No executive session was held; the meeting adjourned at 6:19 p.m. on a motion by Councilmember Wilcher, seconded by Councilmember Bashlor, passed 6-0.