GIVEAWAY WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS TO HEIDI CHAMBERS, WINNER OF OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY!!

Heidi, call or come by the CVB (101 Airport Rd.) to get your bag of goodies.  Thanks to everyone for playing.  Be on the lookout for our next giveaway. 

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!!

It's give away time!!  The Convention and Visitors Bureau is giving away a gift bag with some local goodies. To enter the giveaway you may do one of the following:

1.  Follow this blog and leave a comment below letting us know you're following us.

2.  Post on facebook about this giveaway and tag us in your post (by doing @Bainridge Georgia).  Leave us a message letting us know you tweeted about the giveaway. Be sure to include our blog link in your post!

3.  Tweet about this giveaway and include @BainbridgeCVB in your tweet. Leave us a message letting us know you tweeted about the giveaway.  Be sure to include our blog link in your tweet!

It's that simple!! The giveaway ends on Monday, January 17 at 8:00 p.m.  The winner will be randomly chosen by random.org.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR NAME!

Good luck!

CITY OFFICES CLOSED JANUARY 17

City of Bainbridge offices will be closed on Monday, January 17 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.  Offices will resume regular hours on Tuesday, January 18.

Due to the holiday, residential garbage pick up will be pushed back a day.  Those residences who normally have garbage picked up on Monday will have their trash collected on Tuesday, January 18.  Those regularly scheduled for Tuesday pick up will have their trash collected on Wednesday, January 19.

STAY CONNECTED:  Visit the City's website, http://www.bainbridgecity.com/ for information on City services and be sure to watch cable Channel 96 for updated information and community events!

CAWVEY EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER

Congratulations to Marty Cawvey, who was selected as Employee of the First Quarter.  Marty, a #3 operator at the STP Plant, has made it a personal goal to make advancements within the City's Utility Department and himself, including working  to earn his Wastewater Operation Certification.  He is never one to back away from an assignment and is always willing to help his fellow employees.  His dedication was evident on the morning of December 3, 2010 when he arrived to work before normal operating hours to assist R. W. McDowell in washing down final settling basins.  It was an icy, cold morning and Mr. McDowell slipped and fell into the basin.  If Marty had not been dedicated enough to be there early, or heroic enough to grab Mr. McDowell, the outcome would have been tragic.  Marty has been employed with the City for 4 years.  He enjoys hunting, fishing and the outdoors.  Congratulations Marty and thank you for your dedication and heroism.  You are truly deserving of this honor! 

WHAT CAN THE CITY'S WEBSITE DO FOR YOU?

Thanks to everyone who came out and enjoyed the City’s holiday activities.  There were great turnouts at all of the events.  It is because of the great community participation and support that the City continues to offer family friendly activities.

As many of you know, last year, the City of Bainbridge launched their new website, http://www.bainbridgecity.com/.  The website is a great resource for citizens to use for all types of things.  Did you know you can report a pot hole online?  Did you know City Council Agendas are posted before each meeting?  Did you know Holiday closings and trash pick up schedules are also posted online? 

On the City’s homepage, there is a section called “Site Tools.”  You can find this along the top navigational bar.  This section is where you can find the Action Center, Documents Center, Events Calendar, Image Gallery, Staff Directory, Frequently Asked Questions and more. 

The Action Center allows citizens to maintain an open dialogue with their community government.  Citizens can fill out and submit forms online to report incidents, provide feedback, request tours and more.  Here, you can request a PIN to allow you to make online payments.  You can also report things like potholes, street sign and traffic signal issues, report stray animals and even submit an anonymous crime tip.  You can also request utility service if you need to start new service or you can submit a transfer or cancellation request.  If you are starting a new business, you can also apply for your Occupational Tax License.

The Document Center is where the City posts any documents that the public may need to be aware of. The documents here range from City Council minutes to flyers for community events to permits and applications.  Under Agendas and Minutes, you can find City Council agendas and minutes, as well as Planning Commission agendas.  There is also a section for Job Postings.  When the City has an opening, it is always posted here.  The Ordinances and Resolutions page is where you can find ordinances passed by the City Council such as the new Alcohol Ordinance.  The Forms and Applications section is one that many citizens may find extremely useful.  Here, you can find sign up for Leisure Services activities such as baseball, softball, swimming lessons and more.  You can also find any permits you may need, like Well Drilling Permits, Land Disturbing Permits and Special Event Permits.  There are also numerous applications posted on the site, including Conditional Use Applications, Variance Request Applications and Zoning Change Applications. 

There is also a section for News and Notices.  Press releases sent out to the media regarding City activities, office closings and trash pick up changes can be found here.  This is also where flyers are posted about upcoming events.

Another spot you can find information about upcoming events is on the Events Calendar.  Here, meetings, activities, holiday closings and more are posted. 

There is so much that the City’s website can do for you.  Take some time to sit down at the computer and explore the site.  You may just find an answer to a question or concern that you’ve had for a while.  The City is always working to make their website more user friendly.  Be on the look out for some new changes to the site in the coming months. 

ASK THE MAYOR

Dear Mayor Reynolds,

What doesn’t the city get Applebee’s to come here?

I get this question so much from our citizens.  While most of our citizens would love for the city to bring in a great chain sit down restaurant, it is not the city’s place open private businesses.  While we can encourage businesses to locate here through things like good customer service at City Hall, Bainbridge operates under a free enterprise system and each investor must decide for himself whether or not Bainbridge would be a good place for business. 

We certainly encourage new business in our town.  If you’re interested in opening a business in the City of Bainbridge, there are a few steps that you must take.  First, and most importantly, you must find out if the location where you’d like to open your business is in the correct zone.  Then, you need to check set back requirements.  You can do both of these through the City’s Planning and Zoning Director.  After you’ve checked this, contact the Building Inspector to get any permits you may need.  Finally, you’ll need to apply for your Occupational Tax Certificate.   For more detailed information on how to open a business in Bainbridge, please contact the city’s Community Development Division at 248-2000.

Sincerely,

Mayor Reynolds