Newspaper Page Text
theislanderonline.com
Published by
Permar Publications
ssislander@bellsouth.net
September 2, 2024
Established in 1972
Vol 52 Issue 36
St. Simons Elementary's new look
Top: The new
entrance to SSI
Elementary school off
Demere Rd. is a one
way drive that leads
to the administration
office and exits onto
Ocean Blvd. The new
gym is on the right.
Behind the.
Bottom: The new
administration office.
Islander Staff Photos -
Permar
St. Simons Elementary construction finished
Saved by Grace
still requesting
Blythe Island
Hwy. location
By Matthew J. Permar
In what has become a con
troversial rezoning issue, the
local non-profit organization
Saved by Grace (SBG) is still
seeking to house their resi
dential work program for men
in an unused church at 5140
Blythe Island Highway / Hwy.
303.
Needing a Planned Devel
opment (PD) text amendment
to allow homeless services on
the property, SBG made their
rezoning request at the coun
ty’s Mainland Planning Com
mission on Tuesday, June 4.
After much discussion and
opposition from area resi
dents, it was approved on a
split 4-2-1 vote.
It was slated to be on the
Glynn County Board of Com
missioners’ (BOC) agenda on
Thursday, July 20, but meet
ing in a called work session
on Tuesday, July 18 the BOC
voted to remove it from the
Thursday agenda.
Then on Thursday, August
20, the BOC scheduled a pre
sentation for an introduction
to the ‘Under One Roof Ini
tiative’ (UOR) by Sea Island
Company president and CEO
Scott Steilen, which included
the new organization’s con
nection to Saved by Grace.
According to Steilen, UOR
is a initiative started by the
Communities of Coastal Geor
gia Foundation as a $10 mil
lion community-led initiative
aimed at addressing housing
insecurity in Glynn County.
The initiative focuses on
supporting individuals and
families who have lost their
homes due to unexpected
life changes or catastrophic
events, with particular em
phasis on underserved popu
lations such as women and
children.
Turn to Page 3
Saved by Grace
When St. Simons Elemen
tary students return to school
on Tuesday after Labor Day,
they will find renovations to
their school complete.
The project is an ESPLOST
4 project and includes a com
plete renovation to the 1943
building, construction of a new
two story classroom building,
a new gym, new kitchen and
renovated cafeteria.
The most recent hold up
were the roof trusses in the
cafeteria had to be removed
and replaced. During the first
two weeks of school, while the
kitchen was fully operable,
By Pamela Permar-Shierling
students had to eat meals
in locations other than the
cafeteria.
But the cafeteria is finished
now and ready for business af
ter Labor Day.
According to Mike Blacker-
by Deputy Superintendent of
Operations, a bit more paving
needs to be done and construc
tion materials and equipment
removed from the site. All that
should happen shortly.
The school’s new ‘front’ en
trance is off Demere Road. It
is a one-way driveway onto
the school grounds which exits
on to Ocean Blvd.
There is new parking off
Demere Rd. and it is shared
with St. Simons First Baptist
Church.
All the parking spaces will
remain on Ocean Blvd. in
front of the school and are for
staff parking.
Once the construction ma
terials and equipment are
removed, the plan is for the
buses to load on Ocean Blvd.
The 1943 building has been
renovated completely and all
the old classrooms were pre
served and are in use. The
Turn to Page 2
SS Elementary
BOC expected
to approve
millage rate
at upcoming
meeting
By Pamela Permar-
Shierling
The Glynn County Board
of Commissioners is expected
to approved the 2024 millage
rate during their meeting on
Thursday, Sept. 5.
The final public hearing on
the millage rate will be held at
6 p.m. at that meeting.
During a media roundta
ble meeting last Wednesday,
when asked why the millage
rate was not lowered consid
ering the increase in property
tax values, County Commis
sion Chairman Wayne Neal
said, “Inflationary pressures.
It simply costs more to oper
ate the county. Government
Turn to Page 8
County millage
City finance
approves grant
application
By Pamela Permar-
Shierling
Last week (Monday, Au
gust 26) the City of Bruns
wick’s Finance Committee ap
proved an application for the
Georgia Outdoor Stewardship
Program Grant. The applica
tion moves forward to the full
City Commission for approval.
The grant request is for $3
million to complete the resto
ration of the city’s remaining
historic squares.
In 2005 Signature Squares
of Brunswick was incorpo
rated as a grassroots 501(c)3
non-profit with no paid staff
to raise private funding for
the renovation of all Squares,
based on an historic landscape
design and have completed
the renovation of ten projects
Turn to Page 5
City finance
Surfin
the
News
County-Wide News - Read County-Wide
Page 5 - New executive director
Page 9 - Health Matters
or Coastal Symphony
Page 10 - Pew News
Page 5 - New CEO / President MAP Inti
Page 11 - SGHS Wound Care Ctr receives award
Page 8 - C.J. Lee honored by Jax TV station
Page 12 - Back Talk
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