AMERICUS – At the Sumter County Board of Commissioners’ March work session on Tuesday, March 14, Rusty Warner of the Sumter County Development Authority (SCDA) took a few minutes to address the BOC concerning his vision for the county’s economic growth and how that might be achieved.

Warner began his remarks by saying that everyone has to work together as a community for the community and the county to move forward. He also stated that success is measured in many different ways, but one of those ways is companies coming into the county to do business and for companies who are already here to expand and grow. “The level of distribution of income primarily determines economic health,” Warner told the BOC. He went on to say that there are three factors in growing the economy of the county and that one of those factors is investment flowing in from outside the county and stated that with all of the new retail coming into the county, citizens can expect a jump in the SPLOST. Warner added that the goal is to keep all of the profits, wages and spending inside the county and that the county needs to attract those types of industries.

Warner went on to say that though he is not a retail expert, one of the problems he is having is that all of the buildings are leased out and that he has been working on the retail and redevelopment, especially in the area of Downtown Americus.

Warner added that he didn’t come to the BOC to ask for money for the SCDA, but instead told the BOC that the county has an option that it can exercise as far as investing up to one mill towards the local Payroll Development Authority (PDA). By mill, he meant that he would like to see the county invest up to around $650 to $700.00. “That development authority can use those dollars to invest back into the community,” Warner said. “It could be building buildings, providing investment from your companies to come in and be able to keep us from having to come to you guys (BOC) and asking for this.” Warner went on to say that the SCDA has been using all of its own funds and has been spending those funds frugally and wisely. “We use our own dollars to be able to do it. That’s the reason why I have not had to come and ask for any money,” Warner said. “All I’m asking for now is for you to consider and really think about doing up to $1 million to invest back into the development authority.”

Warner went on to say that he is grateful that the county invests $20,000 a year to the SCDA and that the SCDA gets another $40,000 annually from the city of Americus, but he added that $60,000 doesn’t do a whole lot for the SCDA’s budget, which is upwards to about $600,000 a year.

Warner continued by stating that what the SCDA would like to do is to build a couple of buildings so that it can sell those buildings to new companies that come into the county. He added that the buildings the SCDA currently owns are starting to age and that expensive repairs have to be done to maintain those buildings.

Another big thing that Warner wanted to talk with the BOC about was the issue with local solar farms. He stated that the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have not been issued by Georgia Power yet and that PPAs usually come in the spring and in the fall. However, no PPA has come in yet due to the Pandemic. However, Warner went on to say that Invenergy, the company involved in building a solar farm along Bumphead Road, is expected to start its PPA and once that happens, they will bring their crews in, Phase 1 will be done and the SCDA will be able to work its negotiated amounts. Warner also said that another solar company called Recurrent, which is operating the solar farm on Lamar Rd., is ready to go with its PPA. “As soon as that project comes out there, the panels are in there, they pull the switch down, then that will start that abatement process,” Warner said. No motion for any type of approval of Warner’s request to the BOC was made.

In other news from the BOC’s work session, the BOC approved a request from Sumter County Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Manager Daryl Dowdell to have a 2006 Ford F-150 truck put into surplus and placed on govdeals.com for sale. Commissioner Jesse Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Clay Jones seconded the motion. The BOC voted and the approval passed unanimously.

Sumter County Department of Public Works Director Jim Littlefield also wanted to have a county vehicle put into surplus. He requested that a 2002 Chevy Silverado be placed in surplus and on govdeals.com for sale. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion. The BOC voted and the motion for approval passed unanimously.

The BOC also approved unanimously to accept $333,000 from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for the FY 2025 Federal Off System Safety Program. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion. The BOC voted and the approval passed unanimously.

Other approvals unanimously approved by the BOC at its work session are as follows:

 

• Approval to advertise a Request for Proposal (RFP) for inmate medical services. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion.

 

• Approval to ratify a donation of a 2007 Crown Victoria (VIN#2FAFP71W57X101263) from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office to Sumter County Fire and Rescue (SCFR) for training purposes. Commissioner Smith made a motion for approval and Commissioner Jones seconded the motion. The BOC voted and the motion for approval passed unanimously.