Long County Administrator Chuck Scragg spoke at the Nov. 5 Rotary Club of Hinesville meeting. Scragg talked about the rapid growth in Long County noting, “right now we are the fastest growing county in the state.”
But Scragg said while the county is rapidly growing in population and the construction of single-family homes, it still struggles in bringing in new industry.
“We have that 40-acre industrial park and it still sits pretty much empty,” he said. “So right now people are living in our county but having to leave our county every day to go to work either in Liberty County or our other neighboring counties.”
Scragg said people tend to do their grocery shopping outside the county line as well.
He said the city of Ludowici, and the county are working together to bring more business and industry to the area.
Scragg said the county has moved forward with several projects. He said the county has received ownership of the old Long County High School building from the Board of Education. The 23,000 square foot building is in the process of becoming the Long County Government Annex.
“As some of you might know, right now if you want to pay your water bill you have to go to a different location than where you pay your tax bill or where you get a business license and things like that,” he said. “This will allow us to place all these services in one location.”
Scragg said if things stay on schedule, the new government building might be open prior to the end of the year. The old tax assessor’s and tax commissioner’s office building has already been demolished allowing for more parking behind the courthouse and near the sheriff’s office.
Scragg said the county has also worked with the Board of Education in securing a new communications tower for the BOE and the Long County Sheriff’s Office. He said work is being done at the historic well.
Scragg said the Long County Board of Commissioners have completed the Long County budget for fiscal year 2020 and the county has hired Harris & Company CPA to assist with the annual audit.
The county and the city of Ludowici have completed the Comprehensive Plan for 2039 and the City of Ludowici Service Delivery Plan for 2029.
“The county has also financed their portion of the Long County / McIntosh County E-911 system upgrades,” Scragg said.
He said the county hired a new accounting technician for accounts payable and have also outsourced the payroll and financial reporting operations, “to folks who are more knowledgeable to handle those particular matters.”
Scragg said the county has completed repairs on the DFACS building, the senior center and the Head Start building as well.
Scragg, who lives on St. Simons Island and drives to Long County nearly every day, said he is committed to working with the Liberty and Long County Development Authorities to make sure the county can keep up with the rapid growth.