Chairman Taylor outlines COVID response, grants and infrastructure in State of the County

Chairman Steve Taylor delivered the State of the County to the Ben Hill County commissioners on Jan. 5, 2021. He recounted the county’s COVID-19 response, saying a local coronavirus task force — including county and city government, public safety, the hospital, the health department, utilities, and social supports — met regularly to coordinate needs for supplies, food and public information. Taylor thanked Brandon Fletcher and Scott Spivey for extra hours organizing and disseminating information.

Taylor listed year-end accomplishments: reserves reached a targeted goal of approximately $500,000; the county purchased and paved the Elections property parking lot; the county leveraged roughly $450,000 in grant funds to acquire road equipment, graders, trucks and sheriff patrol cars and to install a courtroom camera system; IT upgrades and wiring continued; a TSPLOST project re-engineered and paved Appomattox Road; a special event ordinance for unincorporated areas was passed; surplus property was sold; and the county passed a balanced budget.

Taylor also highlighted ongoing and pending private-sector developments: Polar Beverage’s distribution expansion, an ongoing Mana Nutrition project that will add about 30,000 square feet, two companies moving into renovated Shaw buildings (Millex and Sun Crest Stone), and MDI’s redevelopment of the former Delphi site. He closed by emphasizing the county’s focus on health, safety and maintaining services for residents.

Taylor concluded the presentation with a closing remark recorded in the minutes: "May God bless our country, and our community." The minutes show the meeting closed soon afterward.