October 18, 2016 Macon-Bibb County Commission Meeting
New paving coming to Wimbish Road
Voter-approved penny tax funds, and a state issued grant are paying for paving on Wimbish Road. Womack Paving, Inc. is handing the work. The project overall will cost $169,516. You can see additional details about what changes you’ll see on Wimbish Road here.
New electric vehicle charging station coming Downtown
Georgia Power is installing a new electric vehicle charging station on Poplar Street near First Street. Georgia Power will pay for installation and maintenance of the station, but drivers who utilize it will pay for power through their Georgia Power bill. The station will take up three parking spots. To see a picture identifying the location, and to read more about the station, click here.
Two organizations receive housing help grants
The Macon-Bibb Economic and Community Development Department has awarded $124,635 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to Rebuilding Macon, Inc. The company will provide home repairs to 65 elderly, disabled, or low-income homeowners. You can read more about this agreement, by clicking here. Rebuilding Macon is also receiving $52,000 for the Volunteer Youth Program. That money will go toward helping 24 elderly or disabled homeowners in many of our neighborhoods including Lynmore Estates, Pleasant Hill, Tindall Heights, and Village Green. Other locations and more details on those funds can be read here. Also receiving CDBG funds, is Homefirst Housing Resource Services, Inc. They’ll get $58,700 to provide housing counseling services to Macon-Bibb residents. More on that agreement can be found here.
Macon-Bibb Small Business Affairs Office forms national partnership
Macon-Bibb Commissioners have taken steps to strengthen our local small business community. A resolution was passed to form a partnership between our Small Business Affairs Office, and the United States Small Business Administration. Dr. James Bumpus, the Director of the Office of Small Business Affairs has said this pairing would benefit our community in many ways. The U.S. Small Business Administration will help by providing financial, contractual, and other help for our local office. You can read more about this agreement, and how it will help our businesses, by clicking here.
Fire stations named to honor Commissioners
The brand new Fire Station #111, under construction now on Jeffersonville Road, will be named in honor of the late County Commission, Dr. Lonzy F. Edwards. Macon-Bibb Commissioners voted to approve that name change, and another, at the October 18 County Commission Meeting. The second fire station is #3 on Napier Avenue. That one will be named after Mayor Pro-tem Bert Bivins. You can read details on those changes, here and here. To see a video about the start of construction on the new Jeffersonville Road fire station, click here.
Five people appointed to pedestrian fatality board
The Pedestrian Fatality Review Board works actively to understand why and where pedestrian deaths happen, and what can be done to prevent them. Now five additional people are part of that mission. Appointed to the board for five-year terms are:
- Brad Belo (Citizen at Large, Planning & Zoning)
- Bessie Brown (Citizen at Large, AARP)
- David Gowan (Bibb County School Board)
- Myrtle Habersham (Citizen at Large, Pilot International)
- Coroner Leon Jones
You can learn more about the Pedestrian Fatality Review Board, their mission, and their work, on their website.
Custom-built ice rink cover coming to the Centreplex
The Macon Centreplex is getting a custom-made ice rink cover for the off seasons. Ice Builders Supply, Inc. will construct the cover for $91,000. You can read about how the flooring works by clicking here.
Brighter days ahead for Macon-Bibb streets
Commissioners voted to approve an agreement for a slew of new street lights. The $1,558,700 project is being done by the Philips Lighting North America Corporation. LED lights will be installed all over the County. Philips will remove more than 1,500 existing lights to upgrade them. Details on the lights, how they’ll work and where they’ll go, can be found here.
October 4, 2016 Macon-Bibb County Commission Meeting
New court case management system unveiled
A penny-tax project that will help our court systems run more smoothly is rolled out. The new court case management software replaces an archaic system that’s been in operation for 30 years. Many who work with the system, including our Solicitor Rebecca Grist, say this upgrade is long overdue.
“It impacts our operations in several different ways. It lets us know our data is secure, and it can easily interface with other software systems to streamline services, and more easily allow different courts and offices to work together,” said Grist.
At the October 4 commission meeting, board members voted to approve using $237,600 in voter-approved SPLOST funds to pay Owen Lewis Consulting, Inc. fees for implementation and advising services. You can read more about their agreement, here.
Bibb Sheriff’s Office gets $53k to combat bad driving
The Macon-Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is getting $53,753.09 to combat bad drivers. The HEAT (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic) grant comes from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, and is designed to help law enforcement agencies educate the public, provide training, and to help officers reduce the number of crashes by impaired and aggressive drivers. You can read more about the money and how it will be used, here.
Macon-Bibb receives grant to keep employees healthy
The Association County Commissioners of Georgia has awarded Macon-Bibb County $15,000 to help its workers stay fit. Ours was one of 44 counties chosen to receive the funds, which are meant to promote a healthy lifestyle, and increase quality of life for those working for Macon-Bibb County. You can read more about the grant, and ACCG, by clicking here.
Oak Ridge slave cemetery getting panels, historic marker
Commissioners approved plans for The Historic Macon Foundation to install three interpretive panels, and a state historic marker inside Oak Ridge Cemetery. The burial ground, which is a separate portion of Rose Hill Cemetery, was set aside in 1851 for slave owners to bury their slaves. Historic Macon received $30,000 from a Downtown Challenge Grant awarded by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia to install the three panels telling the stories of those buried there. Historic Macon also plans to install a state historical marker at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The county will pay $2,500, to match a $2,500 from the Georgia Historical Society. You can read more about the panel plan here, and get more details on the historical marker here.
County receives grant money to celebrate ‘Christmas on First Street’
The Community Foundation of Central Georgia has awarded Main Street Macon $5,000 to expand the ‘Christmas on First Street’ celebration in December. You can read more about it here.
September 20, 2016 Macon-Bibb County Commission Meeting
Blight funds used for neighborhood park improvements
The Macon-Bibb County Commission has approved using blight money for several park enhancement projects:
- $500,000 for the Henry Burns Park Master Plan
- $120,000 for the Hillcrest Park Enhancement Project
- $300,000 for a new Community Center at Kings Park
- $225,000 for the Mattie Hubbard Jones Park Enhancement
Increasing quality of life for Macon-Bibb residents is part of our award-winning Strategic Plan. You can click each park to learn more about the proposed upgrades.
Plan to widen East Macon Park entrance, clean buildings
Macon-Bibb Commissioners voted in support of a plan to spruce up a few things at the newly-renovated East Macon Park. The entrance will be widened to accommodate more visitors, and the buildings will receive pressure washing and fresh paint. You can read more about the plans here. East Macon Park recently received $300,000 worth of upgrades paid for with voter-approved SPLOST funds. Click here to see a video about the changes at the park.
New Fire Station coming to Napier Avenue
Commissioners approved using $160,335 in blight funds to tear down six structures. The demolitions will make room for a new fire station to be built at Napier Avenue, Grand Avenue, and Mercer Street. You can read more about the plan, here. Recently, work began on Fire Station #111 on Jeffersonville Road. You can watch a MaconBibbTV feature on the groundbreaking, and why more fire stations mean a safer community, by clicking here.
Grant for new signs in Downtown Macon-Bibb
The Community Foundation of Central Georgia has awarded Main Street Macon a $25,000 grant for new signage Downtown. The plan includes directional and pedestrian signs, destination markers, banners, and information kiosks. You can read more about the plan for the unified displays by clicking here.