Multi-Purpose Pavilion Planned at TCHS

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Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Tifton, Georgia

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The site of the planned Multi-Purpose Pavilion over the existing practice field on the Tift County High School campus.

MULTI-PURPOSE PAVILION BEING PLANNED AT TCHS

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Tift County school system has begun designing a Multi-Purpose Pavilion over the current artificial-turf practice field on the Tift County High School campus.

The covered structure will provide year-round access for academic, athletic, and extracurricular programs. Last month, the Tift County Board of Education decided to move forward with the design phase.

"While early discussions considered a 91,200-square-foot footprint, we opted to move forward with a smaller design to better meet the district's needs. The exact square footage is still being finalized as part of the current design phase, but we will have a fully covered football and soccer field still with this smaller plan," said Dana R. Spurlin, Tift County Schools' communications and community engagement chief.

"The facility will continue to support athletic programs and will remain a space where teams can hold practices and training sessions. In addition, the pavilion will be available for a variety of instructional and extracurricular uses, including physical education, marching band, ROTC, and other large-group activities," Spurlin said. "All usage will take place on the existing turf field, however all the turf will not be fully covered by the pavilion structure."

Spurlin said the space will be managed through a scheduling calendar so that coaches, teams, and school groups can sign up in advance to use the facility. Construction on the project is expected to begin after the upcoming football season.

"We’re excited about how this project will enhance opportunities for students and provide a versatile space to support a wide range of programs," Spurlin said.

Along with the planned Multi-Purpose Pavilion, the school system is also currently designing an adjacent fieldhouse at the high school.

CITY OF TIFTON ENDS BUDGET YEAR WITH DEFICIT AS PROPERTY TAX APPEALS CONTINUE

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The City of Tifton ended the fiscal year with a slight deficit, primarily because property-tax collections were less than budgeted, but the city still is in good financial shape, Interim City Manager Larry Lawrence says.

Lawrence told council Monday that Tifton ended the budget year June 30 with revenues of $17,988,085 and expenses of $18,330,513, resulting in a $342,428 deficit. He said revenue from property taxes was budgeted at $3,986,000 but came in at $3,669,000, with $317,000 outstanding.

The county is still going through approximately 1,800 property-tax appeals with property billed at 85%, Lawrence said, adding that the city still could see some of the outstanding funds come in.

"I don't know if we'll receive it or not but if we do, it will be in this fiscal year," Lawrence said. "So, hopefully, as they work through these appeals, we will see some of that $300,000."

He said there also may be a month's delay in getting out this year's property tax bills but the hope is that they all will be out in December.

During the fiscal year, local-option sales tax revenue was $4,296,000, or 1.3% over the previous year, "which shows the economy is holding its own," the interim city manager said. However, city building permits were down during the budget year by about 43%. "Part of that is because interest rates are still a little high," Lawrence said.

He noted that the city has "pretty much maintained" its fund balance of $15 million, so "everything's looking good."

COLONY BANK RINGS OPENING BELL AT NYSE

Tifton Grapevine Staff Report

Fitzgerald-based Colony Bank rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on July 15, marking the bank’s 50th anniversary and its successful listing transfer to the NYSE, which became official in November.

The celebration took place on the NYSE trading floor in New York City, where Colony Bank’s Board of Directors and executive leadership team gathered to ring the bell. Also in attendance were members of the bank’s senior management team and Colony’s top producers from across its markets.

“Ringing the bell at the NYSE was a special moment for our company,” said Heath Fountain, Colony Bank CEO. “Fifty years of progress doesn’t happen by accident; it’s the result of hard work, sound decisions, and a team that shows up every day committed to our customers, our communities, and each other. It was a proud moment to stand on that global stage and represent Colony and all of the people who have made it possible.”

Colony’s listing transfer to the NYSE aligns with the bank’s long-term strategy to increase visibility, deliver greater value to shareholders and customers, and continue evolving to meet the needs of its communities.

“Fifty years ago, we were founded with a belief in local relationships and the power of community,” said Mark Massee, board chairman. “That belief hasn’t changed. What has changed is the scale at which we can deliver on it. We’ve grown steadily, stayed grounded in our values, and embraced the opportunity to evolve thoughtfully over time. My father helped lay the foundation for this bank, and it was a deeply proud moment to stand on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and see just how far we’ve come.”

Founded in Fitzgerald in 1975, Colony has locations throughout Georgia, Birmingham, Ala.; Tallahassee, Fla.; and the Florida Panhandle.

GEORGIA AG LABOR RELATIONS FORUM RETURNS TO TIFTON SEPT. 16-17

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

A two-day program of updates and discussions tailored for agricultural employers is scheduled Sept. 16-17 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

The 2025 Georgia Agricultural Labor Relations Forum will address regulatory changes and rule reversals, what is going on with ICE raids and how to be prepared, insights on technology to help streamline labor processes, all the while keeping an eye on the future.

Hosted by the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, the event brings together regulators and renowned experts from the ag labor industry. Attendees may include owners, operators, office managers, personnel managers, service providers for produce, nursery, landscape, dairy, cotton, and all other agricultural professionals dealing with agricultural labor relations.

For information, Click Here!

Reese Mahoney, left, and Stone Nicholson with Tifton's Urban Forestry Department water and inspect the new magnolia tree opposite the dog park at Fulwood Park.

CITY'S URBAN FORESTRY DEPT. HOSTING 'WALK IN PARK' THURSDAY

By BONNIE SAYLES

Tifton Grapevine

The new Urban Forestry Department of the City of Tifton is hosting a "Walk in the Park," a free public event at 9 a.m. Thursday in Fulwood Park, identifying more than 20 trees and discussing the park’s part in Tifton’s history.

The walk begins in the parking lot of the park's inner circle and continues around the concrete outer trail, circling around the playgrounds, skirting the disc golf course, and returning to the asphalt circle and the starting point.

Stone Nicholson, the Tifton urban forestry professional, and Reese Mahoney, urban forestry technician, will lead participants around and through the park, identifying trees such as the American holly, longleaf pine, saucer magnolia, willow oak, and yaupon holly.

Twenty varieties of trees and a muscadine vine will be pointed out to walkers.

Besides the educational aspect, the purpose of the walk is to utilize the park, Nicholson said, bringing the community out to experience nature.

Nicholson, originally from Plainville near Rome, graduated with a degree in forestry from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. He is in his fourth week of employment with the city, having worked previously consulting utility companies on tree trimming around electric wires.

“I didn’t like that,” he said, since most of his interaction with the public was explaining why trees had to be pruned or removed. Now he works in tree planting, not just in the park, but also around the city, and interacting more positively with the community.

The Urban Forestry Department and a grant are responsible for all the new longleaf pines planted throughout the park, replacing the many trees lost during hurricanes and other storms. More than 30 trees went down in Fulwood Park last September from Hurricane Helene.

Mahoney said 27 young longleaf pines were planted in Fulwood Park this past spring and about the same number in 2024. Magnolias, including one inside the triangle by the dog park, were also added. He said 50 more trees will be coming this fall. More than 300 trees were planted around the city, and 400 more will be coming to be given away during the Arts Affair in November.

Mahoney said a few oaks were planted around the new playground to provide shade, and trees have been planted at E.B. Hamilton Park in a partnership with Tift County. Originally from Folkston, Mahoney is a current ABAC student in addition to his city employment.

The plantings and the Urban Forestry Department are funded through a Trees Across Georgia (TAG) grant, applied for by the Tifton Tree Board, headed by Dr. George Vellidis. Nicholson and Mahoney water the trees consistently throughout the park and the city.

They mapped all the trees in preparation to discuss them with the public. The pair plan to offer the park tour to school groups and others in the future.

During Thursday’s walk, “we’ll get to see all the growth stages of the longleaf pine – the grass stage, brush stage, into its sapling and mature stage,” Nicholson said. “It will be as easy as it can get,” with most of the walk on the paved trail around the park, making sure it is accessible to all.

“It’s right under a mile,” Mahoney said. “We’re going to be going slow.”

They recommend that participants bring a bottle of water and wear comfortable shoes.

The pair did research on the history of Fulwood Park, set aside by Tifton’s founder, Capt. Henry Harding Tift. “It was part of the industrial revolution,” Nicholson said, “Tifton was built on the timber industry. We have to pay homage.”

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

Meet "Tommy," an inquisitive kitty wondering if you will be part of his new family. Tommy is ready to leave his cage and fill your home with love and purrs. Visit him and see other pets available for adoption between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

TIFTON PROPERTY VALUES RISE BY $400,000

~ JULY 22, 1919

Tifton Tax Assessors Briggs Carson and G.W. Coleman on July 22, 1919, reported to Tifton City Council that new property assessments showed an increase in values of more than $400,000, and that all property was assessed at two-thirds its market value. The new assessments were expected to translate into $6,800 in additional revenue for the city. "We hope that within a short time, the tax rates may be reduced," the assessors said, "but we realize that the high cost of living has affected the city just as it has the individual."

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