Chair Steve Taylor says Ben Hill County ended 2018 in the black, highlights T‑SPLOST and federal grants

Chairman Steve Taylor delivered the Ben Hill County 2018 State of the County at the Feb. 5 meeting, describing fiscal gains, intergovernmental cooperation and economic development progress.

"I speak on behalf of the Ben Hill County Board of Commissioners when I say we are honored to have the opportunity to serve the Ben Hill Community, and we look forward to a vastly improved government through operations, fiscal management, and relationships in 2018," Taylor told the meeting. He reported the county’s preliminary 2018 year-end fund balance of about $1 million and said that, together with other reserves, the county’s reserve position is approximately $1.4 million.

Taylor highlighted several 2018 grant and program achievements: federal COPS grants totaling about $372,986 over two years to improve school security and training; approximately $17,500 in bulletproof vests purchased for jailers; a USDA grant of $21,000 to assist in purchasing 16 in-car camera systems; and passage of a regional Transportation SPLOST (T‑SPLOST) estimated to deliver about $21.8 million for Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County over the next 10 years for paving and related projects.

He also noted local economic indicators for 2018 including about $25 million in private capital projects and roughly 180,000 square feet of new industrial construction, and he praised the county’s Constitutional Officers, department heads and staff for what he described as improved relationships and stronger operations.

The commission closed the meeting after the address; the minutes list the State of the County text and record the meeting adjournment.