JDA Looking To Expand Property

The Jeff Davis County Commission is considering turning over the environmental building off the Douglas Highway, formerly used for statewide community health training, to the Joint Development Authority of Jeff Davis County, Hazlehurst and Denton (JDA).
JDA Executive Director Andrea Taylor went to last week’s commission meeting to inquire about the matter, saying she has an existing Jeff Davis County industry interested in leasing the property for office space and the JDA could perhaps use the property for new industries. For the JDA to lease the property, the property would have to be deeded to the JDA by the county.
County attorney Carla Powell had researched the matter and said the county had a lease with the Georgia Department of Community Health which expired in 2011 and the facility is no longer being used.
Taylor said the JDA had a contract with Ragland Timber to clear JDA-owned land near the facility and she would like Ragland to also remove some trees that are on the environmental building site at the same time.
The commissioners asked Taylor to have Ragland give her a bid on removing the trees and they will consider deeding the property to the JDA.
In other action at last Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners ….
…. heard from citizens about work needed on Percy Miller Road and about high taxes.
…. discussed two bids submitted for courthouse cleaning services. The commissioners agreed to accept a bid from All Clean of Vidalia to send one person five days a week for $600 on a 90-day trial basis.
…. voted to remove Greer Smith from the JDA Board at his request because he did not have sufficient time to serve.
…. approved a request from renewable energy company Silicon Ranch for a 25-ft. easement under Archie Miller Road with the condition that the road be repaired to Georgia Department of Transportation standards.
…. met in closed session to discuss personnel. No action was taken when the meeting was reopened to the public.