Newspaper Page Text
The ADVANCE, October 6, 2021/Page 18A
She Aiiuancg
Commission Updated on Courthouse,
EMA/EMS and Ross Bowen Projects
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
MAKING PROGRESS — Construction on the new Toombs County Courthouse continues to move forward as construc
tion crews frame the structure in preparation for the pouring of the cement foundation. In their last regular session
on September 13, County Commissioners heard an update on the construction progress. The tentative date for
completion is December 2022.
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The Toombs County
Commission got an up
date on progress on the
EMA/EMS building, Ross
Bowen Complex, and new
courthouse construction
projects during its monthly
meeting on September 2E
Commissioners unan
imously approved the re
placement of the current
EMS/EMA Building radio
system for the Emergency
Medical Services (EMS).
The building on Maple
Drive was formerly the
administrative annex for
Meadows Hospital and was
owned by the Hospital Au
thority The previous sys
tem will be fully removed
from the structure since
the Emergency Manage
ment Agency (EMA) does
not need this device and
it is considered very anti
quated in comparison to
modern technology used
by many EMS agencies.
This new radio system
differs from the previous
system in that the alarm
will be sounded in each
room of the EMS portion
of the building, as well as
outside in the ambulance
bay, rather than being
one loud horn sounded
throughout the entire
premises; also, each loca
tion of the system will al
low personnel to adjust the
alarm volume.
HUB Electronics
will install the new sys
tem, which costs $16,987.
County Manager John
Jones said that the EMS/
EMAbuildingwillbe ready
for occupation around the
second week of October.
Ross Bowen Complex
Jones also informed
the Commission that the
Ross Bowen Complex
will be competed by the
second week of February
2022. The construction of
this Complex follows the
demolition of the Ross
Bowen Building, which
was located next to the
current Toombs County
Courthouse and which
housed the UGA Exten
sion Service, the Superior
Court Public Defenders
Office and the USDA Ser
vice.
USDA was able to se
cure a permanent location,
but the county purchased a
five-acre tract on Bulldog
Road to house the UGA
Extension Service and
the Public Defender’s Of
fice. Since the master plan
for this tract called for the
construction of a building
and two more future build
ings, the County decided
to name the entire area the
Ross Bowen Complex.
New Courthouse
The new Courthouse
construction is consistent
ly progressing, as shown
through the visible changes
in the structure, according
to Jones. Rain has delayed
the completion date of the
building by an extra two
days, but still leaves the
tentative completion date
in December 2022. Jones
said that currently builders
are preparing to pour the
concrete footers over the
next two weeks and begin
erecting the steel after that.
Jones praised the dili
gence of the construction
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The Greater Vida-
lia Chamber launched its
REACH initiative in a kick
off at Rocky Creek Lodge
on September 29. The
event featured presenta
tions and speeches by 2022
Greater Vidalia Chair
man John Koon, REACH
Campaign Chairman Brian
Bishop, and Vidalia Mayor
Doug Roper.
During the REACH
Campaign five teams of
volunteers who include
representatives of small
businesses and local com
panies, will recruit busi
nesses to invest in the
Chamber’s 2022 program
through sponsorships. In
exchange for this invest
ment, businesses will gain
marketing and advertising
opportunities. In return,
the volunteers will be en
hancing their own business
connections by network
ing with the new recruits.
Koon said that the pri
mary quality for selecting
REACH volunteers is their
devotion to the Chamber.
“Each of you were asked to
be a part of this because of
your commitment to the
Chamber. You desire to see
the Chamber succeed.”
He explained the im
portance of this endeavor.
“These sponsorships that
you’re selling are the foun
dation for what we do at
the Chamber. Without
crew. “They have done a
miraculous job on the new
Courthouse considering
how much rain we have
recently received,” he told
the Commission.
This new courthouse
construction is the third
stage of an ongoing proj
ect to address issues in the
current Toombs County
Courthouse and Deten
tion Center, which were
found during an internal
this, we wouldn’t be able
to help the community
and businesses like we do,”
Koon said.
He added, “The
REACH program is also
going to allow us to do
something we have never
done before. For those
of you who do not know,
we’re going to have a big
celebration in February;
we’re going to bring in
The Swinging Medallions,
we’re going to eat, we’re
going to celebrate what the
Chamber is.”
Mayor Roper followed
up during the kickoff, ex
pressing the same excite
ment for this program. “I
think we have a great story
to tell and a great brand. We
have more leverage with
marketing than any other
community may have.”
He continued to share
positivity about the com
munity. “We’re part of a
evaluation of county build
ings in 2015.
In 2016, the county
created a strategic plan to
fix these problems by pre
paring a feasibility study
for these structures, begin
ning to develop a design
and plan for the construc
tion delivery method of the
buildings, and completing
the design and manage
ment of the construction
project.
community that moves
its feet. Look at the last
nine months. We started a
Downtown Development
Authority to redefine our
Downtown and to bring
more growth. We’re going
to expand the recreation
department and enhance
what we offer our youth.
We’re going to spend $2 to
$6 million in infrastructure
and work on the brown wa
ter problem we have.”
According to Roper,
REACH volunteers are
able to “take the opportu
nity to give back and be a
partner with the commu
nity” to help accomplish
these improvements.
Bishop informed at
tendees of his gratitude
and excitement of the
unity throughout the com
munity. “It is amazing to
see how well the Chamber,
Downtown Development
Authority, and city and
Phase 1 was complet
ed by Hussey Gay Bell in
2019; Phase 2 was finished
by April 2020.
Construction be
gan on the new court
house in February 2021.
This construction costs
$35,890,000 and will be
funded through the Spe
cial Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax (SPLOST) col
lections.
Other Action Items
Commissioners ap
proved the official closure
to the public of County
Road 60, better known as
Wilson Cook Road. This
closure comes at the re
quest of Dexter Stanford,
whose family owns most
of the property along the
road. All precautions and
procedures of the road
closing process were com
pleted, and neither the
public service and safety
officials nor surround
ing residents had negative
comments regarding the
action. Thus, this roadway,
which stems off Gray’s
Landing Road, was closed
due to lack of public pur
pose.
An alcohol license was
granted to the Country
Pantry for the remainder
of 2021. This business has
existed several years and
has been awarded an al
cohol license in the past,
but because the owner
ship shifted from previous
owner Shobhana M. Patel
to current owner Radhika
Mautraye Amin, a new li
cense was required.
county governments work
together for the betterment
of the community.”
Bishop has been a
member of the Greater Vi
dalia Chamber for many
years, and has witnessed
firsthand the many at
tempts to gain funds and
investments. He empha
sized, “REACH makes
things happen.”
Bishop concluded the
ceremony by encouraging
volunteers. “This Cham
ber has the best staff in the
state of Georgia. Let’s get
committed to these next
five weeks, let’s blow these
numbers out of the roof,
and let’s reach out to the
community.”
REACH will contin
ue through November 4.
To learn more or to make
an investment, visit the
Greater Vidalia Chamber
website.
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Greater Vidalia Chamber
Hosts REACH Kickoff
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
REACH VOLUNTEERS — From left, 2022 REACH campaign volunteers Ashley Williams,
Mary Edmonds, Becky Palmer, Angela Lane and Melissa Hightower announce their
team names at a September 29 kickoff. The western theme of the event was reflected
in the team name choices.