Traffic Lights

New mast arm traffic lights are currently being installed at the following intersections: Broad St. & Calhoun St., Sims St. & Shotwell St., Scott St. & Shotwell St. and off of Hwy. 27 N. at the Hwy. 84 exit.

Bainbridge Tennis Update

Adults

Our premier adult mixed tournament is coming up February 12-13. With so many people signed up already we look to have a tremendous turn out. Our player party will also be something that you will not want to miss. It will be hosted at the house of Pat and Shannon Angle from 7:00-9:00 Friday February 11. Please make sure that you register both you and your significant other so we have the proper amount of food and beverages prepared. If you need directions please contact us.  This event is free for tournament participants. If you are a member of the Bill Reynolds Tennis Facility the tournament and player party are of no extra cost.

tournament registration

player party registration 

League play is about to begin for the men's and women's season. If you or someone else is looking for a team please contact us so that we can give your contact information to the captains. Hopefully this year we can have a team win the state championships!

Juniors

Both the high school and middle school teams are under way. We look forward to seeing their progress this season and continuing the tradition of excellence that is so preeminent here. It is a good idea for returning players to make sure that their equipment is up to date. Strings can often break after not having been used in sometime. Also it is nice to have fresh grip to ensure good contact with the racquet and no slippage.

See you on the courts,

Tim Thompson

Bainbridge Tennis Director

www.bainbridgetennis.com

BAINBRIDGE FEATURED IN GEORGIA TREND MAGAZINE

Be sure to check out the February edition of Georgia Trend Magazine to see the article about Bainbridge!

ASK THE MAYOR - FEBRUARY 2011

Dear Mayor Reynolds,

Teenagers keep speeding through my neighborhood and I’m concerned for my child’s safety while she’s playing outside.  Is there anything the City can do to slow down speeders in my neighborhood?

Bainbridge Public Safety has been doing a great job at patrolling in neighborhoods where speeding is a problem and making them safer for everyone.  However, BPS cannot be in every neighborhood all the time.  Last year, the City Council passed an ordinance regarding traffic calming devices (speed humps) in residential neighborhoods.  Traffic calming devices are a great way to safely reduce vehicle speeds in neighborhoods.  Any citizen can request a traffic calming device in their neighborhood, as long as certain requirements are met.  First, the street must be used to adjoin residential properties.  The street should be only two lanes, service less than 300 vehicles per day, and have a posted speed limit lower than 30 mph.  The street must also be paved and at least 1000 feet long. 

If your neighborhood meets these requirements, you can then fill out an application.  You must also submit a petition signed by at least 67% of property owners on the street requesting the installation of the traffic calming devices.  Once your application and petition are received, the Public Safety, Public Works and Utilities departments will check to be sure the street is acceptable and the city staff will complete a design of the traffic calming device.  After all of that is completed, it must then be approved by the City Council. 

You can find more information about requesting a traffic calming device and the requirements for one on the City’s website, www.bainbridgecity.com.  Once there,  under “Quick Links” on the right side of the page, click “Forms and Applications.”   There, you will find the filed named “Traffic Calming Device Installation Policy.”  For more questions, you can contact Dustin Dowdy, Assistant to the City Manager at 229-248-2000 ext. 122.

Sincerely,

Mayor Reynolds

BILL REYNOLDS SPORTS PARK III NEARS COMPLETION

As the Bill Reynolds Sports Park III prepares to open, get ready for an influx of baseball and softball players from across the tri-state area!  Nearly 15 tournaments have been scheduled at the new complex within the next four months.  These tournaments mean Bainbridge will see another major economic impact thanks to recreation improvements made by the City. The tournaments will also allow Bainbridge to show off our new state of the art sports complex, which can compete with any in the area. The complex has eight multipurpose baseball and softball fields, five basketball courts and two multipurpose soccer and football fields. 

The baseball and softball fields are built in two quads, each with its own score room, equipment room, meeting room, storage room, ice machine and concession stands.  The concession stands are set up to sell candy and snacks like the other Bainbridge ball fields do, but they will also be able to provide hamburgers and fried foods such as french-fries, fried pickles and the like.  Next to the concession stand, patrons can sit at a covered pavilion with heated and air conditioned restrooms nearby.  There are also three other pavilions at each quad, covered with tables, fans and electrical outlets. 

The site has space for over 500 vehicles and spectators can enjoy covered bleachers to sit on while watching a game. Teams will enjoy a very spacious dugout, big enough to both store their equipment and allow room to walk around.  You can also find a three lane batting cage on site.  One neat feature some teams will enjoy is an electrical plug located by the pitching mound.  That’s right – no more extension cords stretched across the field for pitching machine games!  When the pitching machine is not being used, the outlet will be covered. 

The Bill Reynolds Sports Park isn’t the only recreation facility that will see action in the coming month.  The Mega Ramp site will also be bustling with excitement this month as we welcome back the American Bass Anglers for a Toyota Tundra Weekend Series tournament.  Two hundred anglers have been invited to compete here, a stop along the trail where one angler will win a spot in the Bassmaster Classic.  The weigh-in for the tournament will be held on Saturday, February 12 at 3:00 p.m. at Earle May Boat Basin Park.  Bainbridge is also set to host the Georgia-Florida Junior Tennis Championships April 2-5.  We will welcome nearly 200 young tennis players and their families to town during those four days. 

As we prepare to see these anglers and other athletes visit from around the Southeast, remember to welcome them! These visitors and their families are injecting new dollars into our community while they are eating, sleeping and playing here.

For more information on Bill Reynolds Sports Park III, the Mega Ramps and any upcoming events, visit the City’s website, www.bainbridgecity.com.  You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BainbridgeGA or visit our blog www.bainbridgecity.blogspot.com.

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.