around the state and the ACCG team at work. Email your photos to bbrown@accg.org.

Habersham County was one of the first of four state mass vaccination sites to open on February 22. Since that time, this site (pictured left) it has provided approximately 1,000 vaccinations per day. This week, Governor Brian Kemp announced five new state mass vaccination sites will open on March 17 in Bartow, Chatham, Muscogee, Ware and Washington counties. In all, these state sites will can administer 45,000 doses weekly.

In addition, the White House and the State of Georgia announced a partnership to open a Community Vaccination Center at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta that will be able to administer 6,000 shots a day, seven days a week for an eight-week period starting within the next two weeks.

As COVID-19 vaccine availability increases and those eligible to receive it expands, county officials can help to mitigate vaccine hesitancy in their communities by showing themselves getting vaccinated. Liberty County Chairman Donald Lovette (pictured left) and Hancock County Commissioner Terrell "Ted" Reid (pictured right) both posted themselves getting vaccinated on Facebook this week. Chairman Lovette was vaccinated at Liberty Regional Medical Center and Commissioner Reid received his vaccination through the Veterans Administration in Decatur.

Governor Brian Kemp and Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols announced the formation of a new broadband provider in Middle Georgia, Tri-CoGo, which will provide high speed internet service to 22,000 homes and businesses in eight counties: Jones, Baldwin, Putnam, Jasper, Twiggs, Wilkinson, Morgan and Bibb. The project includes a capital investment of more than $47 million by Tri-County EMC to build a fiber network that will provide enhanced reliability and operational services for TCEME electric customers.

Monroe County Commissioners recently held a ceremony to commemorate county water being turned on for the first time as part of the ongoing Juliette / Rum Creek water project. The county dedicated more than $16 million last year to run county water lines to an area affected by contamination in private wells. Less than a year after learning about the contamination issues, the county has already supplied more than 200 homes with clean, safe drinking water (out of the more than 800 homes potentially affected). Monroe County Water Department staffer John Smith (pictured right) turned on the water meter valve at the first home to receive county water.

Name: Bill Twomey

Program: ACCG County Consulting

Position: County Consulting Services Manager

Joined ACCG: 2018

About Bill: While Bill has worked in several parts of Georgia, as well as in a couple of other states, he currently represents the fifth generation living on his family's farm. He enjoys gardening, cooking, snow skiing, salt water fishing and traveling. Bill is married to a registered nurse and they have three girls - all of whom are in school.

ACCG wants to share positive news about events and projects from your county with your peers from across the state. Photos and story ideas submitted to ACCG for Georgia's Local Lens or the Georgia County Spotlight may be used in this e-newsletter or on ACCG's website or social media. Photos and other information used are provided courtesy of our county constituents and ACCG staff. For questions or information, please contact Beth Brown at bbrown@accg.org.