The Long County Commissioner’s meeting this month started the ball rolling on several items of public interest.
Agenda items included
• Recreation department: The commissioners voted to accept sealed bids for work to be done on the expansion of the current recreation area in Ludowici. According to Recreation Department Director Shawn Mills, the long-term plans for the area included adding an additional four baseball fields, soccer field, football field, additional parking, and a center complex building that would include concessions, score-keepers box, rest rooms and storage space. Chairman Randy Wilson asked Mills about the most immediate need of the center and Mills said, “Baseball fields and parking.” With this information, the commissioners accepted two bids. The first bid would be for completion of the park it its entirety and the second bid would be in two phases. Phase one includes two more baseball fields, the center complex and additional parking. Phase two would be two more baseball fields, a soccer field and a football field. According to the commissioners, the additional parking would probably be able to be completed with a county contract that would then make the county eligible to receive some state funding for this portion of project. The money for the project would have to be obtained from the Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax fund, as it’s available. The SPLOST fund is sales-tax revenue the county acquires for the purpose of paying for solid waste management, road construction, education and different types of recreation throughout the county.
• New construction: Developer Joe Raymer, along with engineer Trent Long, made a presentation to the commissioners about building a town center plaza across from Smiley Elementary School, off Baggs Cemetery Road. According to Raymer, he purchased 50 acres and hoped to begin construction on the project before the end of November. Raymer said that the project would be built in stages, with the first stage being a convenience/gas station, followed by a commercial plaza, a McDonald’s restaurant and a grocery story. Raymer said if the project went as he planned, it could bring in as many as 300 jobs to the area. Commissioners informed Raymer he would have to present a more detailed drawing for the project and, once it was approved, he could begin construction.
• New chief ranger for Long County: Long County Forestry Board Chairman Cecil Stafford introduced Derek Duncan. The Georgia Forestry Commission recently promoted Duncan as the new chief ranger for the county. In related news, the commissioners appointed C.W. Howard to the county Forestry Board.
• Refunds to the county: Several refunds were given to the county, including $2,500 from the Public Defender’s Fund and $22,000 from a bond reimbursed from the Smith Barry Road Project.
• Code Enforcement Office report: Code Enforcement Officer John Bradley reported the office had received its Local Initial Authority and, with this license, the county would now be able to receive money that had previously been sent to the Environmental Protection Division. In the past, when land disturbance inspections were performed, the entire fee for the service was sent to the EPD; now the county will keep half of the money. For the month of October, the funds received by the county amounted to $1,122. Bradley also reported the office was now certified in mosquito control, had participated in the Rivers Alive Clean-Up Project and was sponsoring a rabies clinic on Nov. 17.
• Christmas holidays: The commissioners approved all county employees to be off Dec. 24-26 in recognition of the Christmas holiday.
• Honoring retired teachers: The commissioners recognized all retired educators in the county, and honored them Nov. 4 — Retired Educators Day in Georgia.
Agenda items included
• Recreation department: The commissioners voted to accept sealed bids for work to be done on the expansion of the current recreation area in Ludowici. According to Recreation Department Director Shawn Mills, the long-term plans for the area included adding an additional four baseball fields, soccer field, football field, additional parking, and a center complex building that would include concessions, score-keepers box, rest rooms and storage space. Chairman Randy Wilson asked Mills about the most immediate need of the center and Mills said, “Baseball fields and parking.” With this information, the commissioners accepted two bids. The first bid would be for completion of the park it its entirety and the second bid would be in two phases. Phase one includes two more baseball fields, the center complex and additional parking. Phase two would be two more baseball fields, a soccer field and a football field. According to the commissioners, the additional parking would probably be able to be completed with a county contract that would then make the county eligible to receive some state funding for this portion of project. The money for the project would have to be obtained from the Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax fund, as it’s available. The SPLOST fund is sales-tax revenue the county acquires for the purpose of paying for solid waste management, road construction, education and different types of recreation throughout the county.
• New construction: Developer Joe Raymer, along with engineer Trent Long, made a presentation to the commissioners about building a town center plaza across from Smiley Elementary School, off Baggs Cemetery Road. According to Raymer, he purchased 50 acres and hoped to begin construction on the project before the end of November. Raymer said that the project would be built in stages, with the first stage being a convenience/gas station, followed by a commercial plaza, a McDonald’s restaurant and a grocery story. Raymer said if the project went as he planned, it could bring in as many as 300 jobs to the area. Commissioners informed Raymer he would have to present a more detailed drawing for the project and, once it was approved, he could begin construction.
• New chief ranger for Long County: Long County Forestry Board Chairman Cecil Stafford introduced Derek Duncan. The Georgia Forestry Commission recently promoted Duncan as the new chief ranger for the county. In related news, the commissioners appointed C.W. Howard to the county Forestry Board.
• Refunds to the county: Several refunds were given to the county, including $2,500 from the Public Defender’s Fund and $22,000 from a bond reimbursed from the Smith Barry Road Project.
• Code Enforcement Office report: Code Enforcement Officer John Bradley reported the office had received its Local Initial Authority and, with this license, the county would now be able to receive money that had previously been sent to the Environmental Protection Division. In the past, when land disturbance inspections were performed, the entire fee for the service was sent to the EPD; now the county will keep half of the money. For the month of October, the funds received by the county amounted to $1,122. Bradley also reported the office was now certified in mosquito control, had participated in the Rivers Alive Clean-Up Project and was sponsoring a rabies clinic on Nov. 17.
• Christmas holidays: The commissioners approved all county employees to be off Dec. 24-26 in recognition of the Christmas holiday.
• Honoring retired teachers: The commissioners recognized all retired educators in the county, and honored them Nov. 4 — Retired Educators Day in Georgia.