County seeks grant to rehabilitate Agri-Center

The Grady County Board of Commissioners plan to apply for a grant to rehabilitate the Grady County Agri-Center to better serve the citizenry as an emergency shelter in the event of a catastrophic event.
Tuesday night Grady County Administrator Rusty Moye gave an overview of his general plans for the facility. The administrator has been discussing the project with Code Enforcement Officer Larry Ivy and Emergency Management Director Jim Ellis.
Generally, the plan is to enlarge bathroom facilities at the Agri-Center to include showers, and additional toilets and sinks. The present kitchen area would be expanded and necessary appliances installed.
Commissioner Al Ball asked if the scope of the project would be limited to that and Moye indicated he was interested in doing whatever possible with the grant funds available.
Commissioner T.D. David asked if the primary goal was to better accommodate an emergency shelter and Moye said that was correct.
With the board’s blessing, Moye will contact Brenda Wade with the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission to discuss the application process for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).
“Will we go for $500,000?” Chairman Charles Norton asked.
“I’m for going for whatever we can get,” Moye said, noting that the county could possibly be awarded up to $750,000.
The county administrator said that Thomasville architect Leon Lynn, who has worked for the county on previous CDBG funded projects, would be helpful in determining what all can be done with the facility.