Conservation groups ask Rockdale County to expand pollinator gardens, composting and school gardens; commissioners highlight warming shelter and volunteer drive

At the Jan. 27 Rockdale County Board meeting, community and conservation leaders urged the county to expand environmental and food‑access programs, and commissioners used the board‑comments period to highlight recent community responses to winter weather and announce volunteer and training opportunities.

Leslie Lambert (speaker 5), representing the Rockdale Soil and Water Conservation District, outlined several initiatives: a 1‑acre pollinator garden in partnership with GDOT at a major gateway (seeded and scheduled for spring planting), median tree plantings on a corridor from Target to Huntington (awaiting final confirmation), a mobile farmers market to increase access to fresh food in collaboration with schools, faith groups and nonprofits, and low‑maintenance 'lazy garden' kits for elementary classrooms to teach children to grow vegetables. Lambert said these projects aim to support native pollinators, reduce stormwater and provide environmental learning opportunities for students.

George Kellecek (speaker 9), a local conservation board member and basin council chair, described composting pilot plans modeled on DeKalb County’s program (citing a prior program that recovered 136,000 pounds of compostables), a proposed pollinator pilot at Honey Creek Elementary (GDOT to provide seed; local conservation district to provide labor), and a longer‑term vision for South River cleanup and multi‑agency collaboration. Kellecek said the plan could create an environmental and economic engine stretching toward Lake Jackson, but he cautioned cleanup and coordination will require many partners and political work.

During board comments, commissioners and staff thanked volunteers and partner agencies for support of a county warming shelter during recent cold weather, noted constituent services and outreach via Congressman David Scott’s office, and urged residents to support local small businesses. Commissioner Smith (speaker 10) and others highlighted upcoming community events: a job fair at Rockdale Career Academy (address given as 1064 Culpepper Drive) with an on‑site town hall, opioid settlement listening sessions and an informational CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) meeting and hybrid class with an information session Feb. 5 at JP Carr. Director Webb (speaker 13) described CERT training topics, background checks through the sheriff’s office for sensitive volunteer roles, and the value of a trained volunteer corps during warming‑center operations and other emergencies.

The public comments and board responses reflected an emphasis on conservation, food access and community resilience, with the board encouraging partnerships and volunteer engagement to implement the proposed programs.