Macon Magazine

DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 | maconmagazine.com 89 What can you tell us about your background and career path? I grew up in East Macon and went to Jones County High School, and I have family here, so I have deep ties to Macon. I went away to college, did a master's at Alabama A&M University. At Alabama A&M, I was accepted as a Department of Housing and Urban Development Scholar. As a part of my scholarship, I did an internship with the city of Huntsville, Alabama, in their community development department. I worked my way up to a development specialist after the internship. And then eventually, I applied to a position that opened up here and moved back to Macon. It has really been an adventure to be back home. Tell us more about that adventure. I started off as an urban planner when they were just starting on the Beall's Hill project. That's another really good success story that we were on the ground floor of, as far as the purchase of a lot of the property through the Macon- Bibb Land Bank Authority. Then began the actual redevelopment, and I had an opportunity to meet a lot of different homeowners in that area or individuals who were renters that became homeowners, whether it be through downpayment assistance through our office, Mercer University, or Macon Housing Authority. It has really been a joy to be home and see the impacts of positive change through the years. Especially when you're from somewhere, and you know where we were versus where we went to and where we are now – because I remember back when it was a vibrant downtown. I remember a lot of the things, as far as the face of Macon, that have changed a little bit, and how we have progressed over the last five to 10 years. We are bringing back the jewel that Macon had once been. As a longtime department head, what can you tell us about leading a team? It's a lot to lead a team. I always tell them that as a part of the team effort, we're just like a recipe. It takes all of us to be successful and put those pieces together, like how even a pinch of one ingredient in a recipe or a teaspoon can change the whole flavor. You shared that you've been with the county since 2001. In your opinion, why should people put their faith and trust in local government? Well, I think that there are a lot of things that local government provides. Every day, citizens may not notice when things go right. If you go to a government office and the first three times the line is short, but the fourth time the line is long, we often only hear about the fourth time. One of the things where people get disenchanted is really understanding what the role of local government is versus what the role of citizens and individuals is to enact change. I always try to be upfront that this is what we have available. This is what we can do versus the things that we can't. Sometimes citizens have this image of what the government is supposed to be. It's supposed to do everything and be everything for all people. But most of the time, individuals don't want the government to be Big Brother and everything else. In order to preserve those rights, that's not the way it works. The government gives opportunities. They give different resources. And it's up to us as individuals and agencies to take advantage of those resources. What else should our readers know? We're here to be advocates for the community. So again, a lot of people don't know that it's the county, and federal funds, if it's Meals on Wheels or Big Brothers Big Sisters, or these different organizations that they're actually working with. Like the Boy Scouts, we provided funds for individuals that were kids that are low to moderate income that wanted to participate in scouting. People of all incomes participate in scouting, but this opened that door for some scouts who may not have had the opportunity. We've helped with infrastructure: playgrounds, home repairs, new rental home construction, and homeownership opportunities. We provide funding and other forms of support to many agencies and community partners. We're here to assist you, even if don't see the county's name on the support you receive. "The government gives opportunities. They give different resources. And it's up to us as individuals and agencies to take advantage of those resources." One recipient of ECD funds, Loy Young of Loy's Farmers Market, said of the office: "ECD has allowed me to put in the work for the growth of Greenwood Bottom, as far as properties that we are acquiring and food we're bringing people. We're trying to bring a butcher shop downtown, to make it a big first butcher shop, and base it in Greenwood Bottom, so I'm excited… The whole thing of the growth of the city, getting on board with positive change in Macon, and the finances that allowed us to do this, ECD is part of that."

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