Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for November 20, 2024

On November 21, 1620 (November 11 under the calendar used then), the first governing document of the English colony at Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Mayflower Compact, was signed by most of the male passengers of the Mayflower.

Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

The Georgia Trustees outlawed rum in the colony on November 21, 1733 after James Oglethorpe wrote them that it was responsible for sickness and death in Georgia. Two-hundred eighty-six years later, Richland Rum is being distilled with Georgia-grown sugar cane in Richland, Georgia.

North Carolina ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789, becoming the twelfth state to do so.

On November 21, 1860 Governor Joseph Brown called a Secession Convention following the election of Abraham Lincoln as President.

November 21, 1922 was the first day of Rebecca Latimer Fulton’s service in the United States Senate from Georgia as the first woman to serve in that chamber.

Duane Allman was born in Nashville, Tennessee on November 20, 1946.

President John F. Kennedy lifted the naval blockade of Cuba on November 20, 1962, ending the Cuban Missile Crisis.

On November 20, 1975, Ronald Reagan announced he would run for President of the United States against incumbent Republican Gerald Ford. On May 4, 1976, Reagan won Georgia’s Presidential Primary with 68% over Ford.

Newt Gingrich was reelected Speaker of the House on November 20, 1996.

The John Benning Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution dedicated an historical marker honoring Moultrie’s namesake, according to the Moultrie Observer.

A marker honoring the founding of Moultrie and its namesake, Major General William Moultrie, was dedicated on the courthouse square.

The Georgia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution presented the colors and NSDAR Chaplain Anita Jones led the audience in singing the National Anthem. Afterwards, Parks Sewell, president of the Thigpen Trail Society of the Children of the American Revolution, led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Then, Mayor Bill McIntosh gave a brief history of the City of Moultrie and its accomplishments and virtues. He told the attendees that the Town of Moultrie was incorporated on Dec. 27, 1890, and on Dec. 16, 1895, the Georgia General Assembly passed an act to reincorporate the town as the City of Moultrie.

“In May 1895, in an advertisement, Moultrie was described as ‘Situated way down in South Georgia in the midst of the wiregrass and pines, one of the most flourishing and prosperous towns of the South.’ And I still agree with that,” said McIntosh.

“Let me just say, it’s been my honor and privilege to serve as mayor of Moultrie. This is now going into my 42nd year. I was born here. I work here. Been mayor. This is some of the finest people you’ll ever find. I’m proud of our city. I know the grass may be greener other places but it’s mighty green here,” McIntosh said.

Next, County Commissioner Paul Nagy spoke on behalf of the Colquitt County government.

He said, that as a lieutenant colonel in the USMC, he had the opportunity to live and travel in different places throughout the country and Moultrie was a great place to live. He told the attendees that General Moultrie had conducted a fighting withdrawal in the defense of Charleston and that, tactically, it was a very difficult and dangerous maneuver.

Next, Jean Gay, America 250 co-chair, gave some biographical information on General Moultrie. She said he was born in Charleston and he won great recognition as both a statesman and a soldier.

“The City of Moultrie, Colquitt County, Georgia is quite symbolic of this American whose name it bears,” she said.

She said his name will be forever remembered for his part in the defense of a log fort, on Sullivan’s Island, at the entrance of Charleston Harbor, against the determined British naval attack in 1776.

Gay said that following the Land Lottery of 1827, hundreds of patriots who fought in the war or their descendants came to this area from the Carolinas. She said they brought with them memories of General Moultrie’s popularity. She also said that, at the time, it was customary that towns and communities to be named after a Revolutionary hero. “General Moultrie was one of those well-loved heroes, truly a man of principal, integrity and courage. What a privilege for our community to be named in honor of such a man,” she said.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

You can love or hate former President Carter’s politics, but I felt this story in my bones. From Atlanta News First via WTVM:

On the anniversary of Rosalynn Carter’s death, among those mourning her loss is her husband, former President Jimmy Carter.

“He misses her dearly but is doing well and remains engaged with all things happening around the world from Plains,” said Ryan Greenstein with The Carter Center.

Greenstein, the associate director of public policy for mental health at the Carter Center, said it was an emotional day for the immediate Carter family and the extended community at the Carter Center.

Greenstein said the Center has remained committed to Rosalynn Carter’s priorities, specifically expanding access to mental healthcare and continuing the Rosalynn Carter Journalism Fellowship Program.

On Tuesday, the Carter Center encouraged those looking to support the former first lady’s legacy to donate to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers.

All donations up to $10,000 will be matched by an unidentified donor, according to the Carter Center.

Greenstein said they plan to hold the second Annual Parity Day at the State Capitol in February as the Carter Center continues its effort to have insurance providers treat mental healthcare on par to physical healthcare.

“It’s within our reach to overcome mental health challenges so I think we’re continuing that legacy, getting closer and closer,” said Greenstein, referencing Carter’s own words.

Georgia, are you okay? Sexually-transmitted infection rates rose in Georgia while dropping nationally, according to 13WMAZ.

New data from the CDC shows that STI rates across the country are going down.

It shows a nearly 2% drop in infections in 2023 compared to 2022. While that decrease may not seem like much, some of these diseases saw a decline in cases for the first time in decades.

“STD rates were going up, up, up, and we’ve finally not only plateaued, but started to actually come down a little bit,” said Dr. Bonzo Reddick, the Health Director for the Coastal Health District.

Across the country, rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary syphilis declined, while congenital syphilis rose.

In Georgia, the state saw rises in congenital syphilis and saw the rates stay they same for primary and secondary syphilis. This lack of improvement is what experts say is in part because of lack of education.

Georgia historically ranks in the top five states with the highest rates of STI’s in the country. On top of lack of education, Dr. Reddick also says a contributing factor is lack of healthcare in rural communities.

“Where there’s often not healthcare providers or places where people can go,” said Dr. Reddick.

To supplement the needs of the community, Dr. Reddick says the Coastal Health District aims to provide testing and healthcare specialists to the eight counties it serves.

“A lot of people don’t know about those services. Health departments and federally qualified health centers fill those needs, especially for people who are uninsured, or have Medicaid, or who are underinsured,” said Dr. Reddick.

The Coastal Health District also provides free condoms and STI testing kits, either in-person or online, making it easier for you to both prevent and test yourself which is something Dr. Bonzo Reddick says is extremely important.

“So many of these infections have long-term side effects and the longer you go untreated the more damage it does to your body,” said Dr. Reddick.

Governor Brian Kemp is asking for $12.2 billion dollars in federal aid for continued Hurricane Helene relief, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Augusta Chronicle.

Gov. Brian Kemp is asking for $12.2 billion in federal assistance to help Georgia recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene.

The storm killed 34 Georgians when it cut a swath across South Georgia north into the August area in late September, causing heavy rainfall and flooding as well as widespread power outages. Ninety-six of the state’s 159 counties are still under a major disaster declaration.

“Hurricane Helene wrought unparalleled damage across our state, leaving thousands of families displaced, businesses shuttered, and our farmers facing catastrophic losses,” Kemp wrote Tuesday in a letter to the four chairs and ranking members of the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations committees.

“Georgia’s agricultural sector, a cornerstone of our economy and cultural identity, was hit particularly hard. Specialty crops, livestock operations, and small farms have suffered widespread devastation, many without sufficient insurance coverage to recover independently.”

The Georgia State Financing and Reinvestment Commission voted early this month to redirect $100 million from a state capital projects fund to provide financial support for farmers and timber producers affected by Helene.

But Kemp wrote that the scale of the damage necessitates federal assistance. He asked that the federal relief package include an agricultural block grant component.

The governor’s request to Congress includes $200 million to $300 million for debris removal and emergency protective measures, $40 million to $50 million in emergency hospital funding, $35 million for an emergency housing voucher program, and $32 million to repair damages to University System of Georgia campuses.

South Georgia farmworkers continue to suffer in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, according to the AJC.

These residents are increasingly desperate farmworkers. Helene not only battered the neighborhood’s frail housing stock, but also devastated the fields that farmworkers rely on for income. Weeks in the fall that are typically spent picking pepper, chili, cucumber, eggplant and cauliflower came and went without work, and without paychecks.

“We were left without work, without anything,” Gloria, 44, from Guatemala, said. “The fields are ruined.”

Gloria and Ramón are undocumented immigrants who lack legal status and work permits. They, like others in the Lake Park community, spoke to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for this story on condition that their last names not be used because they fear deportation.

Hurricane Helene caused roughly $6.5 billion in damage to the state’s agriculture and forestry industries, according to preliminary assessments by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and the University of Georgia.

To put food on the table in the wake of Hurricane Helene, unemployed farmworkers like Victoria have relied on charity and on the food stamp benefits, for which their U.S.-born children are eligible.

When a grower’s crop or livestock is wiped out, government aid and insurance are important sources of assistance. Earlier this month, Gov. Brian Kemp’s office announced $100 million in disaster relief for farmers. Indemnities to Georgia growers from the federal government have exceeded $200 million.

But farmworkers say none of that money trickles down to help them.

“The farmers are insured. But not us. If we don’t work, we don’t get paid. We have to work to earn any money,” said Adelina, a mother of three, also from Mexico.

Sparse drama has appeared after the November 5, 2024 General Election, according to the AJC.

Partisans, county election boards and advocacy groups filed more than 35 lawsuits challenging Georgia laws, last-minute rule changes and other election-related matters from May to before vote tabulation. But soon after Trump secured another four years in the White House, chatter of election security began to fade.

“What happened postelection in 2024 lays bare that the entire last four years of election disinformation has been about one thing and one thing only,” said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, an organization that works with election officials to build voter confidence. “That was Donald Trump losing, because it all went away when Donald Trump won.”

For months leading up to the November election, a Trump-aligned trio on the State Election Board approved a series of rules, including requirements to hand count ballots on election night and allowing for a “reasonable inquiry” before certification. Those changes and several others were tossed out by Fulton Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox. Jr. for this year’s election after Eternal Vigilance Action, a conservative nonprofit led by former Republican state Rep. Scot Turner, filed a suit to stop them.

Cox said the board overstepped its authority as a rulemaking body, but the Republican National Committee and Georgia Republican Party appealed his decision and the Georgia Supreme Court has yet to rule.

Other pending legal battles focus on processes for purging suspected ineligible people from voter rolls.

Conservative activists have filed lawsuits accusing the secretary of state and two metro Atlanta counties — DeKalb and Gwinnett — of failing to police voter rolls. Activists in a similar Fulton case withdrew their lawsuit after a judge said the county was following state law.

Some board members pointed to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney’s ruling last month that certification is a mandatory step. In his ruling, McBurney rejected claims from Fulton County election board member Julie Adams, who refused to certify May’s primary election. He said concerns over election fraud or abuse should be handled through formal election challenges in court.

Adams appealed that ruling and filed an additional lawsuit seeking access to more election documents than the Fulton election board agreed to.

She is not the lone skeptic. At least 19 election officials have voted not to certify results in recent years, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation.

Georgia’s Secretary of State went to Washington to advocate for election reforms, according to WRDW.

At the American Enterprise Institute in the nation’s capital on Monday, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said his state should is a model for how elections should be run.

“Georgia leads the nation in election management. Our elections are accurate, secure, free, fair and fast. We think that’s all come together, people just saw that nationwide.”

The Republican state official has overseen Georgia elections for over five years now. He underwent national scrutiny for election security following the 2020 presidential election when then-President Donald Trump made a call to ask Raffensperger to change the results in Trump’s favor, but he refused.

Now, after a series of election reforms and record turnout in Georgia, Raffensperger believes now is the time for congressional lawmakers to implement Georgia’s reforms all across the country.

“You think about where we are right now with the new Congress. Now it’s just a great opportunity. How can we improve the election process, not just for 1 or 2 states, but for all 50 states.”

His key proposals include expanding tools to verify voters U.S. citizenship, requiring photo ID, banning ballot harvesting, cleaning voter lists and quick and accurate reporting of results.

Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones (R-Butts County) spoke about state efforts to reduce fentanyl deaths, according to WJBF.

Earlier this year, state lawmakers passed Austin’s Law which addressed the sale and distribution of illicit substances. It would make it a felony to distribute drugs laced with fentanyl.

It requires a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of either 30 years or life in prison.

Jones says lawmakers should fund law enforcement agencies so that officers have more resources to go for after drug traffickers and street gangs to get fentanyl off the streets.

“It’s a serious issue right now. So, I would think that it is not an issue where drugs are just necessarily sitting in people’s cabinets but drugs that are being imported whether from the border or other states or whatever it may be,” said Lt Gov. Jones.

Lawmakers hope imposing stricter penalties will hopefully reduce those trying to distribute drugs like fentanyl, meth and heroin.

State lawmakers will reconvene under the gold dome for 40 legislative days in January at the Georgia state capitol and will tackle several issues including healthcare, mental health and public safety.

Georgia State House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley (D-Albany) criticized U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s (D-Atlanta) challenge to DPG Chair Nikema Williams, according to the AJC.

House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, who was elected to the post last week, told the “Politically Georgia” podcast that she’s “very disappointed” that Ossoff maneuvered behind the scenes to pressure Williams to relinquish her role after the November election.

“I think this could have been handled professionally, but there’s no excuse in my opinion for a U.S. senator to behave in this way and to challenge her in the way that she has been challenged,” said Hugley, a Columbus Democrat and close ally of Williams.

She is the most vocal high-ranking Georgia Democrat to publicly support Williams amid an intraparty battle to remove her from the post. And Hugley’s remarks sharpen internal rifts over the party’s approach as Ossoff prepares for a tough 2026 reelection bid.

“To try and demean and harass and embarrass someone who’s done a good job in the capacity as chair of the party is very distasteful to me, and it’s very disappointing to me,” Hugley said.

Williams on Friday endorsed making the party’s chair a full-time, paid job, which could set the stage for her to bow out within months rather than heed the more immediate demands to quit.

But she noted in a memo to party activists that Vice President Kamala Harris outdid Joe Biden’s 2020 vote totals in Georgia by more than 70,000 ballots, performing better here than other competitive states.

“This year is a setback, but it is not a defeat,” she wrote. “We entered the 2024 cycle as an undeniable battleground state, and we cemented our status as one for cycles to come.”

Hugley said she also backs making the chair position a full-time job, but she said Williams “has earned the respect and the right to come to her decision at her own time.”

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson spoke about teens wearing ski masks in public, according to WTOC.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said Savannah Police are seeing a rise in teens wearing ski masks in public.

The mayor said this is a very dangerous trend and it’s raising safety concerns among residents and visitors.

According to Georgia state law, it is illegal to wear masks in public to conceal your identity. This trend has led to officers having to chase these people on foot and arrest them.

The mayor said police have found stolen items, firearms or drugs on those who have been detained. As well as, evidence of the intent to commit crimes.

In response to this, the mayor said police have stepped up patrols.

Mayor Van Johnson also said those who violate this state law will be stopped and will be identified.

Sumter County Middle School in Americus went on mandatory lockdown after a social media threat, according to WALB.

“We had an incident where there was a social media post relative to a potential threat happening in our schools. Our administration contacted our SRO officers as well as law enforcement. They went through the process of investigating that threat and nothing was found there,” [Sumter County Superintendent Walter] Knighton said.

Sumter County Schools say they take all threats made seriously and they have security procedures in place to ensure safety on campus.

“We have multiple layers of security. Weapon identification and we also have mechanisms for the searching of those areas. We definitely want to make sure that we are providing those safe environments, and we have a closed campus,” Knighton continued.

Lake Park City Council Member Oscar Griffith called for Mayor Jena Sandlin to resign, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

In a contentious Lake Park City Council meeting Nov. 5, Mayor Jena Sandlin faced intense criticism for waiving a ticket in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

The decision, which Sandlin described as a compassionate response to the disaster’s impact on residents, provoked a reaction among residents. Many argued that the mayor had overstepped her authority, with City Council Member Oscar Griffith leading a public call for her resignation.

The evening began with Sandlin reading a prepared statement to address the public outcry. “I want to apologize if my actions have offended you,” she stated. “It has never been my intent to take the law into my hands… Our public safety officers are here to serve. This was a time, I think, to warn the citizens of danger, not to immediately punish them with a fine on top of their losses.”

The meeting took a dramatic turn when Griffith stood to address the mayor, not as a council member but “as a citizen.” Griffith criticized the mayor’s apology as insincere. He went on to call for her resignation, citing prior instances where he alleges the mayor had similarly intervened in ticketing matters.

Griffith’s comments grew pointed as he referenced a private meeting with Sandlin, during which he claims she indicated a willingness to waive tickets in the future under similar circumstances. He asserted that the mayor’s actions had violated her oath of office, accusing her of misconduct in her position.

Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump told Commissioners his department is $672,000 over budget, according to The Brunswick News.

Sheriff Neal Jump explained the issue at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, saying court system delays, inmate hospital stays, prisoner transports and mental health issues are all contributing to the problem.

Jump said there are 63 inmates incarcerated that are still awaiting a trial after more than 400 days behind bars. One has been in jail for more than 2,900 days because he is not qualified to stand trial.

Before the pandemic, it seldom took more than 90 days before an inmate went to trial, he said.

Other inmates cannot afford to post a bond and nobody is willing to pay to get them out of jail, Jump said.

There are about 520 inmates housed in the jail on a given day, with a skeleton crew of corrections officers on the job to maintain order.

The 216 inmates who have been on suicide watch this year have only added to the burden of jailers.

“There’s got to be a place for them,” Jump said. “Jail is not the place. Not everyone with mental health issues deserves jail.”

Jump said he plans to address the budget problems by not paying command staff overtime, removing a request for a $250,000 trailer for deputies, caps on overtime for jailers and not allowing veteran road patrol deputies to work shifts in the jail anymore.

Tamara Munson, the county finance director, said a budget shortfall can be made up through the general fund balance or by the county collecting more revenue than projected coming into the coffers.

“I hate to tell you this, but the overtime won’t stop,” Jump said.

Brunswick City Commissioners will consider spending more than $24,ooo on employee bonuses, according to The Brunswick News.

City commissioners are expected to consider spending $24,114 on Christmas bonuses for employees when they meet today.

The amount covers $100 for 212 full-time employees and $50 for 15 part-time employees.

“The city has a long history of providing an award during the holiday season to show our appreciation for their hard work throughout the year and their contribution to the well-being of our city and its citizens,” City Manager Regina McDuffie said.

Commissioners will also consider renewing its health care plan for city employees which will cost 30.2% more in premiums.

Tifton City Council members voted to approve pay incentive to address cost-of-living increases, according to the Tifton Gazette.

The Tifton city council approved a pay incentive to support city employees struggling with inflation and rising costs during their Nov. 18 meeting.

This is the second such incentive the city has provided to support city employees negatively impacted financially by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the rising inflation that occurred following the event.

A similar program was instated last year, providing those employees with stipends of amounts based on the number of years they had worked for the City of Tifton.

Larry Lawrence, acting city manager and chief financial officer, explained at their previous meeting that the incentive would be the last such provided by the city, as the ARPA funds used to provide for the program would need to be expended by the end of the year.

Tybee Island will host public meetings to discuss Short Term Vacation Rental (STVR) permits, according to WTOC.

On Wednesday, the city is hosting a meeting to make sure all rental owners are on the same page with the new ordinance.

This issue has been a flashpoint in the community in the past, becoming the subject of a lot of debate and tension, but Tybee Island’s city manager says these meetings aren’t to argue about the ordinance, rather to make sure rental owners are all on the same page with this ordinance.

Something new for 2025 will be that when property owners renew their STVR permits, they’ll be starting from scratch.

If you have an STVR permit right now and meet all ordinance requirements, like being an active short-term rental that can show proof the property has been rented for 60 or more days in the previous calendar year – you’ll still have one in 2025.

The island is hoping this will help property owners have better clarity on this new process.

“We’re not looking to debate the ordinance over the next few days. It’s simply describing a new application process that’s hopefully going to benefit everyone involved and provide protection for everyone really,” said City Manager Bret Bell

Tybee Island’s Mayor Brian West says the most recent ordinances have been designed to reduce the number of STVR permits in neighborhoods, which means it could be harder to renew those permits at the beginning of next year.

Tybee Island is also hosting an Open House for their newly-renovated City Hall, according to WTOC.

Leaders on Tybee Island will unveil the multi-million-dollar renovation of City Hall to residents on Wednesday.

Residents on Tybee have had to conduct business with city staff in trailers since July 2022 when renovations first began.

City leaders say they are proud the renovation stayed within it’s original budget of $1.5 million.

Savannah Council members and staff will hold a budget retreat, according to WTOC.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson explained in his weekly press conference that that city staff will present the 420-page budget. The mayor is making every resource available for you to listen in and weigh in on the budget for 2025.

City leaders will hold their annual budget retreat from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the ballroom of the Savannah Civic Center on West Oglethorpe Avenue.

City staff will present next year’s budget and answer questions from City Council. Everyone’s welcomed to attend and observe the meeting.

The mayor says while city staff makes the proposal, ultimately city leaders will make the final approval.

“The budget proposal is the start of a conversation between staff and city council. The city council approves the budget. The staff does not. They propose a budget your council which is elected by the people actually approve the budget,” said Savannah Mayor Van Johnson.

There will be two public hearings for you to give feedback on the city’s budget after Wednesday’s retreat.

Augusta Commissioners are also working on their next budget, according to WRDW.

The city is facing what it considers a roughly $8 million “shortfall” due to the conclusion of American Rescue Fund money that the city has come to count on in recent years.

That may be why City Administrator Tameka Allen said there will be “tough conversations to come.” She called the budget a “living document” subject to change.

The administrator opened the floor to commissioners for questions.

Bobby Williams suggested a tax increase.

“We always say that we’re the second largest city in Georgia, but we act like we’re a much smaller entity,” he said.

Williams says commissioners always talk about what Columbia and Aiken counties are doing, but “never consider the fact that in many of those areas when they do a tax increase, people just pay up.. We sit up and all we do is complain.”

The Augusta Commission missed their deadline to adopt a new budget, according to WJBF.

It was supposed to be done at this meeting, approval of the 2025 city budget, but some commissioners had safety concerns over what the city administrator presented.

“One of my main concerns is public safety I’m a public safety advocate because our citizens deserve the best when it comes down to public safety,” said Commissioner Tony Lewis.

The proposed budget presented by the administrator holds spending at this year’s level, despite the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office asking for $3 million more and the district attorney asking for $2 million more.

Some commissioners want to find the funding, putting off approval until that can get done.

“What we will be doing is figuring out how we can best reallocate dollars and that’s going to take a few additional weeks to do so, but we’re going to pass a balance budget before the beginning of the year,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.

At a last-minute budget work session, some city leaders put a property tax increase on the table.

“They got to have the resources. Sometimes you have to draw the line if it means a tax increase, we’re rolled back for the last three or four years, George, we have not had a tax increase,” said Commissioner Lewis.

“Tax increase is being discussed do you favor it?”

“No, I don’t support a tax increase, and I don’t think that I will,” said Commissioner Johnson.

Under state law, commissioners have until the end of the year to approve a balanced budget, but they are scheduled to try again next week.

Columbus City Council is working to address backlogs in business licensing, according to WTVM.

Councilors began with an executive session to discuss personnel matters, followed by a lengthy discussion on the current status of the backlog of business licenses. Leaders expressed concerns about the ongoing cycle of delays.

Worries are mounting over a backlog of late and delinquent business and alcoholic beverage licenses from 2017 to 2023. A national law firm representing Columbus engaged Acuitas Inc. to conduct an internal audit. This forensic accounting and litigation consulting firm reported identifying nearly 25,000 business licenses and over 500 delinquent alcoholic beverage licenses during that six-year period.

As of October this year, there are still 18,223 delinquent business licenses, 320 delinquent alcoholic beverage licenses, and 4,659 delinquent businesses.

Dougherty County Commissioner Russell Gray objected to the process for hiring a new lobbying firm for the County, according to the Albany Herald.

The decision on whether to contract with GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group could be voted on later this month.

The contract is for a one-year term at a cost of $300,000, or $25,000 per month over the 12 months. Under the contract, the company would provide government relations services at the state level and through a second company at the federal level.

“Some decision has been made by a person or persons,” he said. “That has not been done in an open meeting. We should all want collaboration.”

“I, for one, and I’m certain Commissioner (Ed) Newsome and Commissioner (Anthony) Jones would agree they haven’t had a chance to speak with anybody about this firm. We haven’t done this as a board. I have an issue where we don’t do this transparently as a board.”

The proposed contract is $10,000 more per month than that with current lobbyist Cornerstone Public Affairs, Gray said. The two firms appear to be equally qualified, as determined by their rankings.

Commission Chairman Lorenzo Heard disputed Gray’s statement that commissioners were in the dark and that he had shared his concern in October 2023 about the current firm.

“I said let’s consider,” he said. “Nothing is final until Monday. They’ve got a date set (for a vote), but nothing is set.”

The chairman also discussed what he likes about GeorgiaLink.

“This group is talking about coming down,” he said. “They’re talking about giving a presentation like Mrs. (Jana) Dyke (the Albany Dougherty Economic Development Commission president/CEO) has done. They’re talking about quarterly reports in writing. I think they will work harder to get some real money.”

The Macon Transit Authority and Bibb County school system are electrifying their bus fleet with federal grant funding, according to the Macon Telegraph.

Both the Bibb County School District and Macon Transit Authority are electrifying their bus fleets with millions of dollars from federal agencies. The Bibb County School District received over $6 million in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program for 15 electric school buses and 10 propane buses at the beginning of 2024, according to the EPA and Mothers and Others for Clean Air, a nonprofit that educates about climate change and advocates for children’s health through better air quality.

But almost a year later, these school buses still haven’t arrived in Macon. The timeline is still in “flux,” according to Stephanie Hartley, the Bibb County School District’s chief communications officer.

“The District is in the process of following the proper protocols and procedures for purchasing electric buses and ensuring they can be properly maintained upon purchase,” Hartley said.

Replacing one diesel school bus with an electric bus is estimated to rid 54,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air annually, according to a recent post from Drawdown Georgia, a statewide initiative aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.