CITY STAYING BUSY

April is set to be another busy month for the City of Bainbridge.  We kicked off the month by hosting nearly 200 young athletes for the Georgia-Florida Junior Tennis Championships.  We had a such a great turnout for the tournament and truly appreciate everyone who helped make the event a big success and all of our citizens who showed our visitors great hospitality while they were here.

Head to the new Bill Reynolds Sports Complex for Youth Baseball and Softball Opening Ceremonies on Monday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m.  League games will begin once the ceremonies are concluded.  Leisure Services will also be hosting the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Bill Reynolds II on Saturday, April 23 at 11:00 a.m.  There are three age categories, 3 and under, 4-6 and 7-10, and there will be a prizes awarded to first, second and third places for the prize eggs in each age category.   There will also be a drawing for extra prizes, so be sure to register!  The event is free and you can call Leisure Services at 229-248-2010 to pre-register for the event. 

City departments will be hosting over 30 juniors from Bainbridge High School during Student Government Days on April 19 and 20.  On Tuesday, April 19, students will tour different parts of the City, such as the Sewage Treatment Plant, Public Safety, Public Works, City Purchasing and the Firing Range.  The following day, they are each assigned to a City Division Leader or Department Head to shadow during the day.  They will also hold mock Planning Commission and City Council meetings.  Student Government Days are a great way to educate our youth on the functions of the City, as well as get them involved in the local government.

Thanks to everyone who attended and participated in the Spring Fashion Show and Brown Bag on Saturday, March 26.  We had a great turnout and the participating merchants did a great job putting their looks together.  The First Saturday Market held on Saturday, April 2 was also a great success and we truly appreciate everyone who was involved.  We had some great vendors offering things such as produce, handmade jewelry and soaps, cakes and pies and much more!  The next First Saturday Market will be held on Saturday, May 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon in Willis Park. 

ASK THE MAYOR - APRIL 2011

Mayor Reynolds,

Chief Funderburke is saying that the way the Public Safety Department is currently functioning is not working anymore.  Why are the Mayor and City Council insisting to keep things “as is?”

The Mayor and City Council spent a lot of time discussing the Public Safety model at their retreat on Saturday, March 19 after the department heads left.  Through that discussion, we determined to remain committed to the Public Safety model.

 The Public Safety model is a huge cost saving to our taxpayers.  Studies show that it would take a minimum of $1.5 million per year to split the police and fire departments.  That equals to three additional mills of property tax for each person in the City.  Secondly, the public safety model allows for more officers to be on patrol at any given time.  This helps Bainbridge keep the public safe.  While Bainbridge has a higher than desired incident of property crimes (larceny, theft, etc.), our violent crime rate is very low compared to other Georgia cities.  Finally, the public safety model increases efficiency and productivity among our employees.  With a majority of officers assigned to patrol, there is less down time with no need for officers to work overnight shifts.  Furthermore, the average response time of public safety is a little more than one minute, far below the nation’s average response time.  Because of our short response time, the City’s insurance rating is very low, which in turn, saves all of our citizens on their insurance premiums.

It is true that some cities in Georgia and the nation have abandoned the public safety model, but others have adopted it.  The city of Social Circle is one example.  In fact, they used Bainbridge as their model in implementing the public safety concept.  We feel the Public Safety model is a good fit for the City of Bainbridge and the City Council has reaffirmed their commitment to Public Safety. 

Sincerely,

Mayor Reynolds

Decatur County more ready than ever for film, TV productions

Often the best time to stoke the flames is when a fire is burning hot.

That’s exactly what the State of Georgia and Decatur County are doing with the state’s new Camera Ready program.  Decatur County joins 88 other communities across the Peach State in earning this special designation by the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office since October.  Being named Camera Ready means we have in place a program that provides film and television production companies with easier, faster and better access to local resources and location information. 

Why is that important?  2009 was a banner year for filming in Georgia, with more than 348 productions bringing an estimated $770 million to our state’s economy, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.  Georgia-lensed movies "Zombieland" and "The Blind Side" both opened at No. 1 at the box office. In 2009, productions were shot in 50 counties in Georgia, impacting local communities like ours throughout the state.

As many communities have also experienced, films and television programs can drive increased tourism inspired by the success of the local production.  For example, the church built as a set for the Disney project “The Last Song” is now an event facility in Tybee Island. And the Whistle Stop Café from “Fried Green Tomatoes” put Juliette on the map. 

Producers love Georgia for our diverse settings, talented workforce and tax incentives.  Since it was created in 2005, the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act has helped generate unprecedented direct investment in our state.  In fact, economic impact from productions in Georgia amounted to more than $1.4 billion – up from $240 million just three years earlier.  Today, we’re one of the top five production destinations in the country.

 More than 25,000 Georgians are now employed in the entertainment industry, and numbers are only expected to grow.  The local economic impact from productions can be significant, including hiring of local residents, hotel stays and purchases of goods and services.

But while Georgia has done an effective job selling itself to production companies, other states have also worked hard to lure films and television programs.  Camera Ready will help to ensure we can stay ahead of the competition by meeting the very specific local needs production companies have. 

Adrienne Harrison is serving as Decatur County’s Camera Ready Liaison, which means she serves as the primary local contact for production companies. She helps to identify local resources, from locations and hotels to associated businesses, such as caterers and dry cleaners. 

There are a wealth of locations, talent and assets in our community and in our state that production companies can use to everyone’s advantage.  Camera Ready is one more way we’re making sure they do

STAFF CHANGES WITHIN THE CITY OF BAINBRIDGE

March 22, 2011, BAINBRIDGE, GA - The City of Bainbridge saw staff changes early in the week.  Jason Strickland has been named interim Leisure Services Director for the City of Bainbridge.  Former Leisure Services Director Al Kelley has taken over management of the City Shop and Sanitation Departments, which is part of the city’s Public Work Division.

City Manager Chris Hobby said the staff changes are not disciplinary in nature, but rather an effort to streamline management and improve productivity within the city.  In recent months, the City’s sanitation department has fallen behind on things such as picking up yard trash, due in large part to broken equipment.  With Kelley heading the two departments, Hobby feels confident they will become more effective and efficient.  

CITY OF BAINBRIDGE KICKS OFF SPRING EVENTS

The weather is perfect for a great time outside, and the City of Bainbridge has three upcoming events to get you outdoors and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.

Head to Willis Park on Saturday, March 26 at 11:00 a.m. for the Spring Fashion Show and Brown Bag.  Downtown merchants will be showing off spring’s hottest looks as models parade through Willis Park.  Participating merchants include:  Allen Sports, Bella’s Boutique, Isabee’s, Polka Dots, Reeve’s Linens and Gift and Special Occasions.   The Bean and Isaac’s Bakery will also be selling brown bag lunches at their stores.  There will be a drawing held at the end of the fashion show for prizes donated by each of the participating merchants, so be sure to stick around until the end!

Saturday, April 2 marks the first First Saturday Market.  This event, formally known as Downtown Farmer’s Market, will be full of new vendors and new items!  While there will still be plenty of locally made and grown products, the market is expanding to include sales from downtown stores, yard sale items and much more.  And the best part?  It’s free to have a booth!  The First Saturday Market will be held on the first Saturday of each month until November.  Contact Dit Albritton at 229-248-2000 ext. 119 for more information on the event. 

The annual Easter Egg Hunt will be back on April 23 at Bill Reynolds Sports Complex II.  The fun begins at 11:00 a.m. with kids from three different age groups hoping to find the prize egg for their groups.  The age groups are 3 years old and under, 4-6 years old and 7-10 years old.  This event, brought to you by Bainbridge Leisure Services, is also free, but participants are encouraged to call 229-248-2010 to pre-register for the event.   

CITY REPAIRS GAS LEAK

The City of Bainbridge worked diligently to fix a gas leak on the Southeast corner of Scott Street and College Street, in front of Family Bank.  Earlier today, Georgia Power was digging a hole to place a new power pole at the intersection when their auger hit a two-inch plastic line. 

There were no injuries in the accident, but Bainbridge Public Safety evacuated the nearby building and shut down the intersection as a safety precaution.  The City’s Gas Department clamped the leaking line before shutting off gas flow to replace the busted line.

Natural gas is a safe gas, which is lighter than air.  Because it is so light, when a leak develops, the gas rises and disperses through the atmosphere giving little chance for ignition. 

COMING SOON...

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

Congratulations to Jacquie Wingate, winner of the CVB's 2011 Photo Contest!! Jaqcuie's photo, "Southern Comfort" will be feaured on the front of the new Bainbridge brochure. Click here to see Jacquie's winning photo and all of the other great photos that were entered in the contest. Thanks to everyone who sent us photos. We had some great ones and you'll definitely be seeing your work in some of our upcoming publications.

BAINBRIDGE VYING FOR TITLE OF ULTIMATE FISHING TOWN USA

The Bainbridge CVB has nominated Bainbridge to become Ultimate Fishing Town USA. The contest, held by World Fishing Network (WFN) is now underway and communities from across the nation have entered, all hoping to be named the Ultimate Fishing Town. The winning town will receive $25,000 to use towards fishing-related causes and a 30 minute television show about their town on World Fishing Network, along with other prizes.

Bainbridge needs YOUR help to win the title. Let's all join together so Bainbridge can be recognized as the premiere fishing spot in the United States. The contest is in three stages. First, community members can add supporting nominations to the original nomination. Then, there will be one round of regional voting followed by a final round.

From now until April 8, you can visit www.wfnfishingtown.com to upload photos, videos and to give your take on why we are the Ultimate Fishing Town. These supporting nominations are very important to have because the more supporting entries we have, the better our chances of being selected to the final round. After all of the supporting materials have been submitted, public voting will begin on April 12.

There will be two rounds of voting. First, we will compete regionally against North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. The top two vote getters from our region will move on to the final round, which begins on May 10. If we are not one of the top two vote getters, we still have a chance to make it to the final round. WFN will choose six wild card communities based on originality, persuasiveness, energy, and the nature of the community organization. Bainbridge is THE Ultimate Fishing Town and it's time to prove it to the nation!

Click here to view Bainbridge's nomination and to add your own supporting entry.

Allen Sports Holds Ribbon Cutting