"Landscape" category and "Overall" Winner Teresa Readdick - "Farm House"

On Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at the regular scheduled meeting, the Board of County Commissioners was pleased to announce the winners of the 2013 "Showcase Camden County" Photo Contest.  The photo contest is open to all amateur and professional photographers who submit their best photos of Camden County, Georgia. 

The judges for this year's contest were Capt. William Terrell, Camden County Sheriff's Office, Jennifer Butler, Intern with the Camden County Sheriff's Office, and Tribune & Georgian reporter, Jocelyn Brumbaugh. Contest prizes were generously donated by Moreland Altobelli Associates, Incorporated.

The winning photos are on display at Camden County's Government Services Complex, these along with all the other photos submitted will be used by the Board of County Commissioners in various promotions and publications, appropriate credit will be given to the photographers when used.  

On behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, congratulations to the winners and to all the contestants who entered the contest.         

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded funding to Georgia Sea Grant, the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, UGA Marine Extension Service and North Carolina Sea Grant for the regional project, Implementing Comprehensive Community Planning in St. Marys and Hyde County, N.C.

The southeastern (SE) Atlantic coast is highly vulnerable to climate stressors such as hurricanes, extreme rainfall, extreme drought, and sea level rise. This region has also experienced exceptional growth in both population and the built environment over the past several decades, and is expected to continue growing well above the pace of other U.S. regions for the foreseeable future. Without appropriate planning that takes climate stressors and geophysical hazards into account, an unfortunate consequence of these growth trends is that increasing numbers of people, property, infrastructure, and natural systems along the SE Atlantic coast are likely to become vulnerable to severe climate-related risks.

St. Marys has sought out Sea Grant support due to existing climate stressors, particularly coastal flooding, that are expected to become exacerbated significantly by future sea level rise and increased occurrences of extreme rainfall events. The innovative integration of VCAPS (Vulnerability Consequences Adaptation Planning Scenarios) facilitation, benefit/cost modeling, and explicit linkage of adaptation action to CRS (Community Rating System) criteria action is expected to serve as an influential and replicable template for developing effective climate adaptation planning in coastal communities throughout the country.

The Grant will serve to identify how people, businesses, infrastructure and natural resources might be increasingly vulnerable to coastal flooding due to storms and sea level rise. The project will provide city officials with objective information so that they can make wise long-term investments and plan ahead for future risks, such as more frequent flooding, more intense storm surges and increased saltwater intrusion into low-lying infrastructure. Using sound data to analyze the costs and benefits of potential adaptation measures, researchers, local government leaders and residents will work together toward making St. Marys an even safer, stronger city.

Georgia Sea Grant and UGA Marine Extension Service are assisting local governments in their participation in the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System in partnership with the GA Environmental Protection Division's Floodplain Management Program.  They are also working to help lower their rating in order to qualify citizens to receive lower insurance premiums and be better prepared for flooding events.

Camden County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) 911 Director Capt. Holly Douglas has the distinct honor of being one of only 500 public safety professionals with 911 Center Manager Certification through the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). NENA is on the forefront of all emergency communication issues. Capt. Douglas said that the certification has been beneficial to Camden County because it has enabled her to revamp the office policies and procedures to help protect the county from liability. The courses for CMCP focus on business writing, financial management, human resources, legal issues and communication skills.  Capt. Douglas attended the training seminar December 2013 in Gainesville, Fla., at NENA. 

Capt. Douglas started with the CCSO  in 2001 as a Communications Officer.  She then attended the Police Academy in 2004 where she became a certified Peace Officer. Capt. Douglas also worked in the Court  Security division at the Camden County Court House.  She served as the  911 Dispatch Center Assistant Director from 2005 - 2008. Capt. Douglas returned in 2011 as the 911 Director.  During the change in administration at the Sheriff's Office, she utilized her time to go back to school and work on her bachelor's degree. In 2013 Capt. Douglas graduated from Valdosta State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. She would like the opportunity to continue training and will do so as funding allows.

Capt. Douglas says her inspiration has been her mentor, Harritte Sirmon, the previous 911 Director.  Douglas described Sirmon as, "an encouraging woman in law enforcement, who can hold her own."  

Sheriff Jim Proctor said he is pleased with the efforts Capt. Douglas is making to improve herself and to protect the Sheriff's Office. "First, I want to congratulate Capt. Douglas on finishing her college degree. It was a lot of hard work that is already reaping rich dividends. Having this additional NENA certification allow us to more effectively utilize our resources and plot our course into the always rapidly changing future. Her success is our success."

History was made this week when a Mutual and  Automatic Aid Agreement was signed that joined together Camden County Fire Rescue (CCFR), the Kingsland Fire Department (KFD) and the St. Marys Fire Department in a manner designed to improve efficiency, reduce response times and improve the level of service for the citizens of Camden County. Under the agreement the three departments will begin training together and the unit that is geographically closest to a call location will respond. The first joint training sessions were held on February 5.

The agreement is the result of unprecedented cooperation between the Camden County Board of Commissioners (BOCC), the Kingsland City Council and the St. Marys City Council. The agreement was one of the options proposed by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Center for Public Safety Management who had been hired in 2013 to study the feasibility of consolidation of fire services within the county. Following the study a committee comprised of elected members of the two city councils, the BOCC as well as the County Administrator and the two City Managers.

All the City and County Elected Officials as well as the City and County Fire Chiefs involved in drafting and implementing the new mutual aid agreed that this is a positive step forward in providing all the citizens of Camden County the best possible fire and EMS service.

County Administrator Steve Howard said the agreement is testament to the power of committed cooperation. "This is an important milestone and clearly demonstrates to the people of Camden County that their elected officials and their local governments will work together for the common good. This is a proud moment in the history of Camden County."

The ICMA final report stressed the need to increase safety for the citizens of Camden County by improving response times to emergency calls.  According to the ICMA study, "When implemented properly, consolidation works to overcome jurisdictional boundaries, ensures that the closest unit responds after receipt of a 911 call, and potentially improves response times and mitigation efforts."