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Douglas County chair Ramona Jackson Jones touts infrastructure, public safety and business growth in State of the County address
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Summary
At the State of the County address in Douglasville, Chair Dr. Ramona Jackson Jones highlighted a $100 million reinvestment plan, major water projects (including the Dog River Reservoir expansion), public-safety upgrades and grants to support transit and small businesses.
Dr. Ramona Jackson Jones, chair of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, used her State of the County address to lay out a multi-year investment plan and a string of recent infrastructure and public-safety achievements as the county prepares for accelerated growth.
"Service elevated gives a signature of sophistication," Jackson Jones said, opening the address and framing the county's priorities around a new strategic plan she called Douglas Upward 2030, built on seven pillars: safety, mobility, prosperity, vitality, participation, trust and engagement. The board has begun a 36-month, $100,000,000 reinvestment effort, Jackson Jones said, intended to strengthen county infrastructure, expand services and leverage grant funding.
Jackson Jones highlighted water and wastewater projects as central to the county's growth strategy. She credited the Douglasville Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority with a major Dog River Reservoir expansion described during the event: a $390,000,000 project that county speakers said will increase storage and help secure the county's water supply for decades. In the address Jackson Jones said the expansion will "raise the reservoir water level by 35 feet" and increase storage from "1,900,000,000 to 6,500,000,000 gallons." Those figures were presented as stated in the speech.
Public safety, Jackson Jones said, remains a priority: the county has invested in new equipment and personnel, added a dedicated gang-investigation team, introduced a new patrol K-9 unit and expanded Flock Safety cameras. The address credited these efforts with contributing to a 17.58% reduction in major crime in 2025.
On emergency communications, Jackson Jones said the board invested "over half a million dollars" to begin next-generation 9-1-1 upgrades to improve accuracy and response times. The county also expanded fire and EMS capacity and opened a new station to serve the eastern corridor along Interstate 20.
Transportation and active mobility were also emphasized. The county noted a $400,000 grant awarded to Connect Douglas to support a fare-elasticity and alternative funding study and reported plans to open 4.5 miles of side paths along Lee Road in 2026. Jackson Jones also announced continued partnership with the PATH Foundation to design two major trail segments linking Lithia Springs with Winston and nearby parks.
Economic development and small-business support featured in the address. Jackson Jones said employment grew by 8.85% between 2020 and 2025 and targeted industry sectors grew by 21.2%, while personal income rose nearly 28.87% over the same period. The board allocated $500,000 in congressional grant funds for Elevate Douglass to support small-business growth, and the county reported approval of 113 commercial and industrial plans and 365 new business ventures in 2025.
Jackson Jones also highlighted quality-of-life investments: the county opened its first recycling and transfer station, renovated the Boundary Waters Aquatic Center, expanded library services that include free eye exams for students, and supported youth and juvenile programs, including family treatment court services.
The address included institutional and policy actions: the board adopted an AI implementation policy to govern county use of emerging technologies and advanced ADA digital-accessibility improvements for county web services. Jackson Jones said the county added a fourth superior court judge and a third state court judge to reduce caseloads and that courthouse renovations are nearly complete.
Speakers at the event included Terita Rogers of Amazon, who described Amazon's local volunteer and grant programs; Pam Burnett of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals, who discussed the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District's plan revision and noted the Dog River Reservoir expansion; and Sarah Ray of the Douglas County Chamber of Commerce, who welcomed attendees and thanked sponsors.
Jackson Jones closed the address by calling for continued collaboration across local government, business and nonprofit partners as the county implements its Douglas Upward 2030 plan. The program concluded with applause and recognition of county staff and partners.
The event was hosted by the Council for Quality Growth and the Douglas County Chamber of Commerce; the featured speakers and program remarks were delivered in person in Douglasville.
