On Tuesday, January 19, elected officials representing Lowndes County and the cities of Hahira, Valdosta, Lake Park, Remerton and Dasher, have been invited to come together to discuss issues faced by local governments across the community.  Quality of life, job creation, economic development, service delivery, resource allocation and cooperation between local governments have all been expressed as concerns from citizens.  While local governments individually discuss these matters regularly, January 19 will provide a platform for a higher level of collaboration.  The purpose of the meeting is to determine if there are solutions to some challenges/concerns that can be collectively addressed in an effort to improve the entire community.

For example, litter is a problem throughout Lowndes County.  Currently, each local government has a program or service in place to combat litter.  A collaborative effort to include a plan of action with measurable goals, that could be supported by all local governments, might be more effective than each government’s individual plan.  “Bottom line, it’s all about the citizens of our community and ensuring that we are all working together to provide efficient and effective services.  This is an opportunity for everyone to share ideas and discuss the big picture in a format that allows citizens access to the process. The success of our community depends heavily upon our ability to work together,” stated Chairman Bill Slaughter.  “The Mayors and I began discussing this concept at the end of the year, it is exciting to see everyone’s willingness to come together.”

Open to the public, the meeting will be held at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center and is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m.  Citizens are encouraged to attend.  For more information, please contact Lowndes County Public Information Officer, Paige Dukes, 229-671-2400 or [email protected].