By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Development panel plans long term
Debt reduction, water reclamation among focuses
IMG 0563
Liberty County Development Authority CEO Ron Tolley, left, and LCDA Chairman Allen Brown, right, discuss various topics during a development authority planning session Monday. - photo by Photo by Denise Etheridge

The Liberty County Development Authority updated a number of its long-range plans Monday, including debt reduction and divesting itself of the water-reclamation facility at Tradeport East. The authority board held a planning workshop following a regular meeting early this week at Coastal EMC in Midway.
Authority members agreed to explore the possibility of selling the facility to investors after first determining the status of the facility’s EPD permit.
The plant is permitted to process 1.4 million gallons per day in water and 100,000 gallons per day for the Midway Industrial Park sewer.
The authority previously discussed this topic at its board retreat in September. At that work session, the authority considered developing a plan to work with the city of Midway on sewer issues. Midway and the LCDA have had a long-running dispute over connection fees and waste-water-usage rates that has not been resolved. The city and development authority have an intergovernmental agreement in place to share water and sewer infrastructure.
Hinesville Mayor Jim Thomas, who serves on the board, advised the authority to develop a plan, solicit partners and ensure the permitting process is complete in order to move forward on a potential sale of the facility. Authority board members discussed issuing development or investment firms a request for proposal to analyze the facility’s value. Thomas also advised the authority to determine whether the water-reclamation facility needs to be refurbished before a potential sale and see what the cost for such maintenance might run. In addition, Thomas said the authority could dispose of its surplus water-reclamation-facility supplies on a governmental website. Authority member Robert Stokes suggested a 60-day period in which to inventory surplus items.
Authority members also touched on debt reduction. Reporting on the authority’s finances for fiscal year 2013, Chris Lightle with Karp, Ronning and Tindol CPAs, stated the authority has reduced a significant amount of debt and is on firmer financial footing now than was the case in recent years.  
“The year turned out to be much better than planned,” Lightle said.
The authority’s long-term liabilities decreased by $3,760,739 in fiscal year 2013 due to principal payments and to $1,335,000 in forgiven debt as a result of debt restructuring, he reported.
The authority’s financial advisor, Jim Hargrove, recommended the authority continue to explore restructuring its debt before interest rates rise. Hargrove also urged the LCDA to acquire three to six months worth of operating funds for contingencies. The authority has about two to three months in contingency now, he said.
During the regular business meeting, the LCDA approved an easement that would allow the county to extend a water/sewer line on Technology Drive to service the proposed site for a new animal-control facility.
County Administrator Joey Brown told authority board members the county commission is moving forward with the construction of a new animal-control facility as approved by voters under the current Special Local Option Sales Tax capital-project list.
“Our plan is to place this facility on property previously used as the airport so as to access municipal water and sewer, which are key components in efficient operation of the facility,” Brown said.
Costs associated with the easement will be shouldered by the county, he said.
Brown also told authority members the county hopes to partner with a local adoption agency so that group could locate next to the proposed animal-control facility, he said.
The authority also approved a resolution allowing Friendship Baptist Church to transfer its assets to Grace Christian Church of Midway Inc., which actually is the same church, but with a new name and corporate structure. The authority was given a right of first refusal because a 1.9-acre tract of the church’s property was bought from the LCDA and is adjacent to Midway Industrial Park.


Sign up for our e-newsletters
GPA grows trade, market share
Intermodal volume up 20 percent
port photo
Rubber tired gantry cranes handle cargo at the Chatham Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the Port of Savannah. The Georgia Ports Authority's Mason Mega Rail project will double rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year by 2020 - photo by Provided

The Georgia Ports Authority achieved 14 percent growth in March container volumes, moving 355,208 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers.

From July 2017 to March, TEU container trade grew by 9 percent, or 255,786 additional units for a total of 3.08 million, a new record for Savannah.

"Savannah's continued strength is a reflection of our customers' commitment, Georgia's leadership, and the many dedicated service providers, GPA employees and ILA members who come together every day to achieve great things," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "March marked our 17th consecutive month of business expansion thanks, in part, to a strong economy and growing market share."

Intermodal rail volumes jumped by 20 percent in March and 15.4 percent for the fiscal year to date, for a total of 318,454 containers handled over nine months – another record for the GPA.

"As the numbers show, our rail cargo is growing at a faster pace than our overall trade," GPA Chairman Jimmy Allgood said. "This is important because rail is playing a key role in our responsible growth strategy. We anticipate our rail infrastructure investments to take 250,000 trucks off the road each year by 2020."

The GPA recently broke ground on its Mason Mega Rail Terminal, on which the Port of Savannah will build 10,000-foot unit trains within its own footprint. From the expanded rail infrastructure at Garden City Terminal, Class I rail providers CSX and Norfolk Southern will provide direct rail service to major Southeast and Midwestern markets from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago to Cincinnati.

An added benefit is that the Mason Mega Rail project will move all rail switching on terminal – improving vehicle traffic flow around the port.

In August, the GPA will open its Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County. Located in an industrial belt, including the production and export of carpet and flooring, automobiles and tires, the ARP will provide an alternative to all-truck transit to Northwest Georgia.

Each round-trip container moved via the Appalachian Regional Port will offset 710 truck miles on Georgia highways.

March was also a strong month for roll-on/roll-off auto and machinery units at the Port of Brunswick and Ocean Terminal in Savannah. Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 66,144 cars, trucks and tractors, while Ocean Terminal added 4,050, for a total 70,194, a 17.2 percent increase.

"The global economy is thriving and our volumes are following suit," Lynch said. "As existing accounts grow their footprint in the expanding auto facility in Brunswick, Georgia's competitive logistical advantages are drawing additional business across all of our docks."

Lynch noted that for the fiscal year to date, Mayor's Point breakbulk terminal in Brunswick grew by 44 percent (34,515 tons) to reach 112,728 tons of forest products. At East River Terminal, bulk cargo expanded by 34 percent July-March (189,918 tons) for a total of 750,384 tons.

Latest Obituaries