Young men beware: Your saggy bottoms soon may be unwelcome in both Columbus and Lowndes County.
The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors Monday is scheduled to discuss an ordinance prohibiting public indecency.
The move follows a 4-2 vote by the Columbus City Council to implement a new ordinance aimed at sagging or below-the-waist pants.
“I think we, as a county, need to be consistent with the city and implement a policy that prohibits saggy pants,” District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith, who will propose the county ordinance Monday, said Saturday. “I think it gives more strength to the ordinance, as a whole.
“I also think it allows us the opportunity to help our young people, without them really knowing they’re being helped,” he continued. “It gives us the opportunity to improve the perception of our young males. We’ve got to get our young males refocused and start with improving their character and how they carry themselves. It’s about the young people and doing everything we can to give them the best opportunity and (improve) the outlook of our community.”
The city ordinance, which was proposed by Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box and is a revision of the city’s existing indecent-exposure policy, will create a system of fines, ranging from $75 to $250 for violators, who also may be sentenced to community service.
The new city ordinance was passed May 15 — with Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens and Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem voting against it — but must be passed again for final adoption, before becoming law. The council likely will vote for final adoption at its June 19 meeting.
In another matter, the supervisors also are scheduled to discuss continuously paying expenses for the local Department of Human Services office.
Currently, the county pays about $25,000 a year for utility, janitorial services, security and repair expenses on the DHS facility, which is located on College Street.
But the state office does not have a formal funding agreement with the county and rent is not paid for the facility.
“The law says we have to furnish an office for DHS and that’s all,” Board President and District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders said Saturday. “Here we are, furnishing a 15,000-square-foot building and paying expenses. That’s a state agency and the state should be responsible for that, not the county. It’s their obligation.”
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