August 26, 2022 * Issue 291 |
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On Friday, August 19, the Fire Department proudly appointed thirteen firefighters to new roles. Their families - along with Mayor Lester Miller, County Manager Dr. Keith Moffett, and Fire Chief Shane Edwards - were all in attendance and cheered them on as they stepped into this next chapter of their careers. You can view the full ceremony here.
“Each and every one of you are an integral part of this command staff. You play a major role in the daily operations in our department. At any given time you may find yourselves as the primary instant commander in an emergency. Your initial decisions will have an outcome in any situation we encounter,” Fire Chief Edwards told his team during the ceremony. “Thank you to all of you, for your efforts, for going above and beyond, and overcoming those challenges.”
Five officers were appointed to Battalion Chief. These Chiefs respond to all hazard emergency scenes and structure fires, and are responsible for battalions, stations, equipment, and managing major response emergencies.
One Fire Officer was appointed to Training Chief. This chief will be responsible for all training curriculums throughout the county, and will oversee the completion of the training tower project.
Another Fire Officer was appointed to the position of Special Operations/Safety Officer who will respond to all hazards and emergencies in Macon-Bibb. This person will also be attached to the Fire Training Division who will assist with all live burns. They’ll be the safety officer for the new training tower.
And finally, four Fire Lieutenants were promoted to the rank Captain. These Captains will be responsible for their own fire company personnel, respond to all structure fires and major event accidents in their respective territories, and will ride in the position of reserve Commander in the absence of a Battalion Chief.
The majority of these promotions are a result of the new shift schedule created in January, 2022.
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On Thursday, August 25 Unity-N-Community will held its final Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) event of the summer at Filmore Thomas Park.
“We want children and families to fully understand we care about them, their success, and their future,” said Al Tillman with Unity-N-Community.
The Fun Without Guns series has been held eight times this summer at several parks with approximately 120 people coming out to enjoy music, face painting, bouncers, food, and giveaways.
“We’ve spent the summer trying to reach as many people as we could and help them see that our neighborhoods they can come together and have a good time, and to learn there are resources available to them should they need assistance,” adds Tillman.
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Athletes from our Macon-Bibb United Boxing Gym at Freedom Park continued their tradition of winning at the Chris Young Free Global Boxing Tournament in Plant City, Florida from August 5-7. Nine of our local competitors entered the ring, and our crew came home with FIVE champions! The winners in their respective weight divisions are Victoria Dumas, Brandon Tirado, Jermaine Randall, Camare Bailes, and Gamarion Bailes.
This is the second time we’ve had athletes win at this event. The first being in Dothan, Alabama in 2021 where one of our athletes came out on top. Athletes from all over North America came to this recent competition.
Boxing Center Director James Hand says he’s not surprised his team came home with five belts. “That lets me know we’re doing something right. I can’t take credit for all of it, though. We’ve got some great coaches and we are the true definition of a team. Our athletes work hard and work well together. We don’t go to these tournaments to compete - we go to win - and that’s what we did.”
Congratulations to all the competitors who represented #teammaconbibb! We’re proud of you.
Next up for the Macon-Bibb United crew: The 8th Annual Anniversary Boxing Show at the Boxing Gym (3301 Roff Avenue.) It starts at noon on Saturday, September 24. The cost is $25 per person.
Follow the Macon-Bibb United Facebook page for continued updates.
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Lifting people up and bringing positivity to people is something that comes naturally to Katrina Cohens. So, a little over a year ago, she decided to take that superpower and turn it into a business. Cohens became a Master Life/Leadership Coach and launched Cohens Consulting Services, LLC.
Cohens is a Florida girl at heart, but now calls Macon her home after moving here from Gainesville in 2018. Her full-time job as a Regional Experience Manager for a bank brought her here. She still works that job, while also running her own business to improve the lives of others.
“I want to make a positive impact on the lives of my clients by providing the skills, support, and motivation to unleash their fullest potential,” said Cohens. “I teach the art of focusing on positive thoughts and mindsets.”
Cohens has a Masters of Business Administration Degree and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Administration. She also has certificates in strategic management, nonprofit management, human resource management, and diversity-equity and inclusion in the workplace. She also has 20 years of leadership experience, the skills, and patience needed to coach, and a sincere heart for supporting clients. The road to her business has not always been easy, but it has been rewarding.
“It’s important to be patient and be resilient,” said Cohens. “It’s also important to collaborate and support, but also need the support and request it.”
When Cohens isn’t working her full-time job and running her consulting business, she’s in the community getting involved with events like the Women’s Empowerment Luncheon, Business Mixers, nonprofit agencies, and Leadership workshops focusing on challenges, confidence, and communication. She currently serves on the Volunteer Committee for Joshua’s Wish. She’s also a member of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce.
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Government office hours, trash collection schedule change for Labor Day |
Macon-Bibb County Government Offices and Courts will be closed on Monday, September 5, 2022 in observance of the Labor Day Holiday. Emergency services such as the Sheriff’s Office, E-911, and Fire Department will remain operational.
The Convenience Center at 1010 11th Street will be closed on Sunday, September 4, 2022 and Monday, September 5, 2022. The Center will resume to its regular business hours on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
All trash and recycling pickup services will shift one day that week. If your normal pickup day is Monday, it will move to Tuesday and so on.
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The United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced that the Randy Stephens Tennis Center is one of 33 winners in the USTA’s annual Outstanding Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country.
“It’s a huge honor to be recognized on the national level with such a significant award from the USTA,” said Robin Bateman, Facilities Coordinator II for the Randy Stephens Tennis Center. “We have a great team here at RSTC, from our Macon-Bibb recreation staff to tennis coaches to volunteers to strong leadership personnel. We all work together with community partners like Macon Area Tennis Association, to provide strong tennis programing. It’s always wonderful to be recognized for a job well done."
The Center, located at the South Bibb Recreation Complex (7035 Houston Avenue), has 22 full-sized tennis courts (all of which are wheelchair accessible) and features a Musco LED Lighting System. Your Serve Tennis Pro Shop stocks the Center with a large selection of tennis apparel and accessories.
“Great tennis facilities like the Randy Stephens Tennis Center help us to grow the game at the grassroots level, and we are proud to recognize them for their ongoing impact on the sport of tennis,” said Craig Morris, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “Randy Stephens Tennis Center has embraced many of our tennis initiatives and kept the sport at the forefront of its community each year.”
Facilities were judged on the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; graphics (including the use of signs and landscaping); amenities such as casual seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities’ participation in USTA programs.
We are so proud of our team over at Randy Stephen’s Tennis Center for their work and dedication to making the courts some of the best in the country!
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Mayor Lester Miller paid a special visit to St. Joseph’s Catholic School on Tuesday, August 23, for an important celebration.
The preschool and elementary school is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary with its students, staff, and families. Mayor Miller shook dozens of tiny hands before presenting a proclamation declaring August 23, 2022 as St. Joseph’s Catholic School Day.
You can read the full proclamation here.
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On Saturday, September 17, 2022, the Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is holding its first-ever Emergency Preparedness Fair. The Fair is happening from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Frank Johnson Recreation Center (2227 Mercer University Drive).
This family-friendly and free event is a wonderful opportunity for citizens to learn the proper practices to prepare for and take action in times of a disaster. Partnering agencies such as the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, Animal Welfare, American Red Cross, Community Ambulance, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), and the Health Department will all be in attendance.
“Preparedness is crucial when your home or community are struck by a disaster,” says EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “Knowing how to be prepared and how to properly respond to a disaster can be the matter of life or death. We want everyone to take advantage of this opportunity, especially as we enter hurricane season.”
People will learn preparedness tactics such as writing emergency plans and mapping their evacuation routes, preparing disaster kits useful when evacuating quickly, basic CPR training, basic fire safety, etc. They will also get the opportunity to take home educational material and items that contribute to a disaster kit.
“We chose an event as large as this because we have so many wonderful partners in the community we wanted to utilize, as well as allow them a chance to connect to the Macon-Bibb community,” says Hawkins. “We’re hoping this is the first of many more fairs in the future.”
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Open Streets Macon invites Maconites to reclaim public streets once again this fall. The movement will close the streets to cars and open them to people as part of a greater initiative to create safer, healthier, and more welcoming streets for pedestrians and bicyclists. Open Streets Macon will take place on two dates this fall along residential streets in the historic Pleasant Hill and Vineville neighborhoods. A map of both routes can be found on the Open Streets Macon website. The event details are as follows:
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2022 | 2 - 5 PM
PLEASANT HILL
(PURSLEY ST. + 3RD AVE. + WARD ST.)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2022 | 2 - 5 PM
WALNUT/CLAYTON STREET
(WALNUT ST. + CLAYTON ST. + BUFORD PL. + OAK HAVEN AVE.)
In its 7th consecutive year, local non-profit Bike Walk Macon will host Open Streets Macon. Stretches of streets will be closed to motorized traffic, except for intersections where cars will be free to cross with guidance from crosswalk volunteers to ensure the safety of attendees. There is no registration, and Open Streets Macon is free and open to the public.
From Bike Walk Macon
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Macon-Bibb County is asking relatives of 166 people who have been cremated and unclaimed to come forward. People who wish to claim their loved one’s ashes will need do so before September 19, 2022.
Any cremains unclaimed after that time will be memorialized in Historic Rose Hill Cemetery by having the ashes spread in a dedicated memorial garden. A ceremony is planned for the spreading of the ashes in a reverent and respectful manner. The date and time for the ceremony has yet to be determined.
“To quote John Galsworthy poem ‘Scatter my ashes! Let them be free to the air, soaked in the sunlight and rain,’” says Clerk of Commission Janice Ross.
“This is the first Scatter Garden at Rose Hill Cemetery, and we wanted to make sure it was a beautiful resting place for these remains,” says Director of Parks and Beautification Michael Glisson. “This is a way for us for us to disperse ashes with dignity and give them the proper ceremony they deserve.”
People who want to claim their loved ones’ ashes need to file with the Superior Court Clerk’s Office by e-file online through www.odysseyefilega.com, which has information to help individuals file documents without lawyers. They can also bring the documents in to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office and file through the office’s computer with assistance. Then either mail, email, or hand deliver a copy of their answer to Sr. Assistant County Attorney Michael McNeill. The claim “answer” should include, at a minimum, the case number (22-CV-77080), the person claiming the ashes’ name and contact information, identify the person’s cremains they are claiming, and say what their relation to the deceased or interest in the cremains is. No cremains will be released until after the full 60 days has run and the Court has entered a final order in the case.
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The Hub is Macon-Bibb County's source of information for employees, residents, businesses, and partners. With this regular e-blast, the Office of Communications provides a consistent flow of information about the efforts and successes of the consolidated government and partners to strengthen Macon-Bibb as the Hub City of Middle Georgia.
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and to give them the chance to provide feedback, ask questions,
and request services.
The Office has earned multiple
recognitions for its efforts.
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Macon-Bibb County is the fourth largest city in Georgia. Created on January 1, 2014 after being approved by the voters, it is Georgia's newest consolidated government and serves about 155,000 residents and thousands more visitors.
Its governing body consists of 10 Commissioners, with the Mayor serving as its Chair and the Chief Executive Office of the administration.
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