Skidaway Island residents ask for vote on cityhood (Savannah, Sandy Springs: gated, garden)

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

If the bill does pass it will be by a thin margin and knowing how the people are on Skidaway, most city services would be privatized with the execption of the city hall operations. Also I'm sure they wouldn't have their own police and fire and would still rely on the county. As for the rest of the islands, I don't see a cityhood push gaining much traction, especially when the Chatham county delegation is push the Savannah-Chatham merger and even the county commission chairman is on board. When it comes to Georgetown trying to become a city, I don't see that happening because quite frankly there haven't been any calls in the past for the area to become a city. Also the race factor must be brought into the discussion. Georgetown is far more diverse than the islands and I doubt many of the black folks in Georgetown or the rest of unincorporated western and southern Chatham County would be opposed to a city-county merger. Finally, as for the three cities in western Chatham that would be impacted by as potential merger, I'm sure some sort of deal would be worked out so that they could grab some extra pieces of land before the door is closed on annexation for good by the merger. In many ways Chatham somewhat resembles Fulton County when it comes to it political layout and I have a feeling that just like Fulton, Chatham will be filled with incorporated cities by the end of the decade and have no unincorporated land left.

You make some really great points, AF -- sensible and logical. (Also, Georgetown probably can't incorporate for all the reasons you say.) Still, when it comes to "metro government," Chatham County folks have never been very sensible, or even sane.

One county commissioner sends out feelers that he's open to a study of Savannah-Chatham consolidation, and the next thing we see are page-one headlines about Skidaway becoming a city? And yesterday, a community meeting is called for the other islands to debate the incorporation of a second city? This is NUTS. Perhaps they should go it alone, and I think Skidaway probably will. The islands are where most all the opposition to city-county consolidation is. Let them become independent cities like Pooler. Then they won't get to vote in the Savannah-Chatham referendum and that will help it pass.

[Airforceguy]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

You make some really great points, AF -- sensible and logical. (Also, Georgetown probably can't incorporate for all the reasons you say.) Still, when it comes to "metro government," Chatham County folks have never been very sensible, or even sane.

One county commissioner sends out feelers that he's open to a study of Savannah-Chatham consolidation, and the next thing we see are page-one headlines about Skidaway becoming a city? And yesterday, a community meeting is called for the other islands to debate the incorporation of a second city? This is NUTS. Perhaps they should go it alone, and I think Skidaway probably will. The islands are where most all the opposition to city-county consolidation is. Let them become independent cities like Pooler. Then they won't get to vote in the Savannah-Chatham referendum and that will help it pass.

You make some good points Mason, its funny how the island communities all of a sudden want to become cities. I think at this point in time its almost guaranteed that Savannah and unincorporated Chatham will merge. It has been one of the top priorities of the chamber of commerce and the local legislative delegation for a couple of years now, heck even the county commission chairman is for the idea. I think the funding for the study will be approved this legislative session and of course it will be deemed feasible. It will probably go before the voters in 2019 and be approved.

[GA Survivor]

I dont think consolidation will pass a vote. I think you you will see Skidaway and the Islands incorporate. Then some large single property owner areas of the westside will annex into Garden City, Bloomingdale, Pooler and Savannah. The hold outs will be the Georgetown area and Southbridge although Southbridge as already looked at Pooler, Garden City and Savannah. I just don't see any area wanting to be part of the City of Savannah. I think Chatham will end up like Fulton County.

[Airforceguy]

Just as I figured, the folks on the Islands don't want to be apart of a consolidated Savannah-Chatham County. I believe both a study for the Islands cityhood and Savannah-Chatham consolidation will be pushed and approved this lesgislative session, with either fall 2018 or fall 2019 being the times chosen for the votes. I still believe that just like Fulton, Chatham will be entirely incorporated cities by the end of the decade.

It was standing room only at the Frank Murray Community Center on Whitemarsh Island Tuesday night, where residents living on the unincorporated islands east of the Wilmington River signaled they’re ready to consider forming their own city.

The yeas far outnumbered the nays when organizers of the meeting called for a consensus vote on whether Oatland, Talahi, Whitemarsh and Wilmington islands should examine incorporation. Now, spokesmen for the four islands will petition their representatives in the Georgia Legislature to authorize some $30,000 in state funding next year to conduct a study into whether forming a city from these unincorporated Chatham County communities makes sense.

Although it appeared that the bulk of the island residents who attended the day-after-Christmas meeting were in support of at least studying the idea of incorporation, not everyone in attendance thought the proposal was necessary. Some referred to a study conducted in the mid-1980s by resident Bobby Phillips as evidence that incorporation is too costly. One resident, Steve Aldrich, said the islands might do better under a consolidated Savannah-Chatham government — an idea that was swiftly drowned out by a chorus of “No!”

Oatland, Talahi, Whitemarsh and Wilmington islands residents push for incorporation study | SavannahNow

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

Just as I figured, the folks on the Islands don't want to be apart of a consolidated Savannah-Chatham County. I believe both a study for the Islands cityhood and Savannah-Chatham consolidation will be pushed and approved this lesgislative session, with either fall 2018 or fall 2019 being the times chosen for the votes. I still believe that just like Fulton, Chatham will be entirely incorporated cities by the end of the decade.




Oatland, Talahi, Whitemarsh and Wilmington islands residents push for incorporation study | SavannahNow

Agree. It's also clear that unincorporated Chatham won't continue as a local government, or doesn't want to continue, and that a Columbus/Augusta/Macon/Athens merger solution was in the works for Savannah. People on the islands got the message (did they ever) and are acting on it. Skidaway Island (9,000 residents) and the other islands (28,000) are populous enough to become viable cities, and that could make Savannah's merger with the rest of the unincorporated county far easier. You mentioned a few carve-outs of land tracts for Pooler and Port Wentworth, and that might be necessary too. This is all quite a shakeup. I never saw it coming -- at least not this fast and furious.

[ajc100890]

Anyone know what the combined name of the the islands would be? Hopefully it won’t be something silly like “The Islands, GA.”

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by ajc100890

Anyone know what the combined name of the the islands would be? Hopefully it won’t be something silly like “The Islands, GA.”

I think East Savannah would be nice, although there's an ethical problem (a town that doesn't want to be part of Savannah shouldn't trade on its famous name). But the new name will probably be something bland and "modern golf-club suburb" like The Islands, GA.

[ajc100890]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

I think East Savannah would be nice, although there's an ethical problem (a town that doesn't want to be part of Savannah shouldn't trade on its famous name). But the new name will probably be something bland and "modern golf-club suburb" like The Islands, GA.

Reminds me of "The Colony" outside of Dallas.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by ajc100890

Reminds me of "The Colony" outside of Dallas.

Perfect example -- it's awful but typical of Sun Belt suburban names. Your guess about "The Islands, GA" is so good I'd never bet my hard-earned money against it.

[Newsboy]

Folks, Savannah-Chatham County will not see consolditaton. Rather, all portions of currently unincorporated Chatham County will eventually become annexed by existing cities or incorporated into new cities, as has happened to the entirety of Fulton and is about to happen in Dekalb.