Macon Magazine

Brookdale Resource Center: Launched the Brookdale Resource Center, which has helped hundreds of people, not just providing them a warm place to stay but getting them mental health services, identification, benefits, jobs, housing and more. Macon Violence Prevention: Launched a multi-organization strategy to reduce and prevent violence in the community through a variety of strategies. Began by asking the community what was needed, what the issues were and how they could help. More than 1,100 people attended 14 forums, and more than 700 surveys were submitted. $2.5 million has been allocated to the CFCGA to provide grants to organizations, departments and neighborhoods to prevent violence. Clean Streets Matter: Started a coordinated approach among departments and organizations to clean up litter, removed illegal dumps, provide better places for people to bring debris and waste, and engage the community. Millions of pounds of debris have been cleaned up from hundreds of illegal dumps, hundreds of neighborhood cleanups have been hosted, thousands of SeeClickFix requests have been made and closed, and more. LOCAL BUZZ 2021 MACON-BIBB YEAR IN REVIEW IN 2021, 100 BLIGHTED STRUCTURES WERE REMOVED IN MACON-BIBB, DUE TO STREAMLINED DEMOLITION PROCESS AMONG PARTNERS. L ast year, we spoke with Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller about his goals, including increasing public safety, passing the OLOST tax and eradicating blight. Since then, he's completed his first year in office, and he's accomplished not only his primary projects but also his dream of building an amphitheater. "We have a community-led approach, as well as a share-led approach and faith- based approach," Miller said about his success. "I think going into each and every part of the community, every zip code in Macon, every district in Macon, to listen to what folks had, listen to their recommendations, and not only that, putting money behind it, is going to make us stronger and be able to handle those things." Miller has not only made great strides in his agenda, but has been on the ground to see how Maconites are directly affected, from the "hope for children who walk by blighted structures every day to school, and now they see it's gone and something else will be built there," to the mothers he's met at the Brookdale Warming Resource who tell him they've been able to "get back on their feet and have a real prospect to get some housing they so desperately need" and educate their children. "I want to see it to the end. I think our work is never complete, and we can continue to build on the things that we know," Miller said, looking forward to continuing his term in office. Read on for some of the highlights from Miller's first year in office. Blight Fight: Strengthened the Code Enforcement Department and streamlined the blighted house demolition process among partners, leading to 100 blighted structures to be removed from neighborhoods in just eight months. Passed the OLOST: After multiple attempts over the years, Mayor Miller got the state delegation to pass legislation allowing people to vote for the OLOST, which is an additional penny sales tax that will lead to the single largest property tax decrease. Fighting food deserts: Macon-Bibb is now using ARP funds to make healthy food more accessible in our neighborhoods. Supporting employees: Raised the minimum wage for government employees to $14 beginning in January 2022 and to $15 in January 2023. Expanding affordable housing: Used ARPA funds for NewTown Macon and Historic Macon to build and improve affordable housing, and to help residents become entrepreneurs. The funding led to a matching grant from the Knight Foundation. Supporting veterans: Working with the Cherry Blossom Festival and Macon Bacon, Macon-Bibb hosted the city's first Veterans Day Parade and Concert Festival. Macon Mental Health Matters: Launched free mental health services in neighborhoods where people needed us. American Rescue Plan: Used American Rescue Plan dollars to support community. $3 million was allocated for the local tourism industry. Economic and community development: Accepted the donation of the Macon Mall and begun revitalization of the facility to include restaurants, shopping, government services, space for the arts and colleges, and a new outdoor amphitheater. Public Safety support: Implemented the first phase of the new pay scale, which raised people's pay and funded an annual incentive for public safety employees based on their years of service. Entered a new agreement to install equipment around the community to reduce speeding and better identify the location of gunshots. 24 maconmagazine.com | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

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