County’s tax digest drops more than $10 million
Grady County’s tax digest decreased by over $10 million from 2014, which means a mill of tax will bring less tax revenue than in the past. However, Grady County Board of Education members expressed a consensus to maintain the current school tax rate at 14.20 mills and dip into the school system’s cash reserves to…
Read MoreContract for Southside auditorium renovation is approved
The cost to renovate and restore the historic auditorium on the Southside Elementary School campus has been reduced and on Tuesday night the Grady County Board of Education authorized the board chairman and superintendent to execute a construction contract. Board members met this week during a called meeting with Thomasville architect Raymond Finger to discuss…
Read MoreGrady’s unemployment remains among the lowest in the region
Jobless numbers released last week by the Georgia Department of Labor indicate a slight uptick in the unemployment numbers for Grady County in May. Labor Department figures show the county’s unemployment rate stood at 6.4 percent, up from 5.9 percent in April but down from 7.5 percent in May 2014. Rates for neighboring counties also…
Read MoreBaker and White are only two to apply for school board seat
The deadline for applications from candidates interested in filling the vacancy created by the recent resignation of Grady County District 5 School Board member Dave Dumas was at 4 p.m. last Friday, and only two candidates made application for the post. As The Messenger reported last week, John White, an Office of Family Independence administrator…
Read MoreDrinking and driving could prove to be a toxic holiday cocktail
The July Fourth holiday is typically the busiest travel period of the year. The 78-hour holiday period begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, and ends at midnight on Sunday, July 5. During this period, the Georgia State Patrol will be conducting concentrated patrols and road checks throughout the state. “Troopers will be out…
Read MoreCrews begin work on Azalea Park improvement project
Work is underway at Cairo’s Azalea Park in the northwest section. Crews from Cal-Mart, Inc. began work late last week and the work is continuing this week as part of an initial phase of improvements to the city park. Cal-Mart was the low bidder with a bid of $119,655.25. The park work includes clearing, grubbing,…
Read MoreJohn White seeks Dist. 5 school board appointment
One candidate has come forward to seek appointment to the Grady County Board of Education. With a Friday deadline looming, John White, 49, submitted his application to school system officials on Monday. This is not the first time White has shown interest in serving on the board of education. He was among eight candidates who…
Read MoreCouncil votes to replace Lullwater sewer lift station
The Cairo City Council is moving forward with a major utilities infrastructure project to preserve adequate sewer service to a large part of south Cairo. On Monday night, the council accepted the low bid of $454,602 from Hancock & Sons Construction of Doerun, Ga. to replace the Lullwater sewer lift station. The current lift station…
Read MoreMathis working to recruit new retail business to Grady County
A new retail establishment could be coming to Grady County, according to Grady County Joint Development Authority Executive Director Chadd Mathis. Mathis updated members of the JDA on “Project Gold,” which he says is a retail business looking to locate in the unincorporated area of Grady County. “We’ve been working on this retail project in…
Read MoreCounty ended ‘14 with smaller suplus than commissioners budgeted
Grady County ended 2014 with a surplus of $398,000, which was less than the $478,000 surplus county commissioners had budgeted for last year and nowhere near the million-dollar surplus Grady County Administrator Carlos Tobar had projected for last fall. Grady County commissioners met with the county’s auditor, Tom Carmichael of Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC,…
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