Camden CountyCamden County
Board of Commissioners
Community Outreach eNewsletter
  "Working together to make a positive difference in the community."  

 

 A Publication from the Office of the County Administrator - April/May 2014

eNews

Connect With Us!

Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter View our videos on YouTube

 Keep up with what's going on in YOUR local government!

In This Issue
A Message from the County Administrator
Employee of the Quarter
Voter Registration
ACCG "County of the Year"
Coast2Coast Card
Hurricane Season
CCSO-Citizens Academy
1st Coast Guard Community
License Plate Reader
Are you OK?
Cast your Ballot
Elected Officials "Breakfast Roundtable"
Stroke Awareness
QUICK LINKS
  






COMMUNITY RELATIONS
  
  
  
  
  
  

      

 WorkReady Community
GA Camera Ready
 Storm Ready
 Code RED
 
  
UPCOMING Board of County Commissioners Meetings & Public Hearings

  

County Offices 

will be closed 

May 26th in Observance of Memorial Day

 

 

May 27th

Regular BOCC Meeting 

6:00PM

 

June 3rd Regular BOCC Meeting 

6;00PM

 

June 17th Regular BOCC

Meeting

6:00PM

 

County Offices will be closed July 4th in Observance of Independence Day

 

Government Services Complex
 200 East 4th Street
Woodbine, GA 31569
"Great Customer Service is the Cornerstone of Every Successful Organization!"
 
Your Opinion Counts
Please click on the link below to complete Camden County's customer service survey.

Free Prescription Discount Cards Available to Camden County Residents

Click on the image above to view more information about this service.

Camden County Fire Rescue Seeking Volunteers

Camden County Fire Rescue is recruiting volunteer firefighters to be a part of the department. The volunteer firefighter program will be used to augment existing peronnel to meet the needs of the community now and in the future.

 

Visit the program website for the most current information.

 

Contact Fire Rescue Headquarters at (912) 729-3911 for questions about this program.

A Message from the County Administrator
Steve L. Howard, County Administrator

I was honored to participate in the awards ceremony on April 11, 2014 in Savannah where Camden County was awarded the "County of the Year" by the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) "Public-Private Partnership" Program of the year.  There are more details concerning this innovative program found on page 4.

 

The county sponsored an elected officials breakfast roundtable gathering on April 8, 2014 with the goal of strengthening local government relations.  The event was well received by all participates and will continue in the future for building collaboration opportunities.

 

I am pleased to release the Camden County Board of Commissioners Strategic Priorities for Fiscal Year 2014-2015.  To view please Click here .

 

Through proper planning, innovation, and proactive decision making, I am optimistic that Camden County remains on the right course to a brighter future as we continue to reach new milestones.

 

Yours for a better Camden,

Steve L. Howard, ICMA-CM, CPM, CPPO
County Administrator

Tara Smith Named 
Employee of the 3rd Quarter
Camden County Government's Employee Recognition Committee is pleased to announce Tara Smith of the Camden County Sheriff's Office as Employee of the Quarter for the 3rd quarter of fiscal year 2014.
Sgt. Smith has been with the Sheriff's office for ten years and is an asset to the E-911 Center.  Providing exceptional leadership, organizational skills, and promptness; Tara works diligently on scheduling, training, and including team members during discussions.  She is always checking in with team members and displays genuine compassion, humor, and humility.

Recently Tara and another team member took time out of their personal schedule to assist an elderly member of the community by taking her grocery shopping and to the hair salon.  Sergeant Smith is an excellent multi-tasker and will step in to assist anyone on the team when needed.  She takes the time to answer questions and offers a patient hand with guidance.  She is a primary example of what an excellent employee should be.   

Two New Technology Advances to Improve VOTER REGISTRATION 
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has launched two new technology advances to improve the service that our office provides to our local voters.

The first is an Online Voter Registration website, "registertovote.sos.ga.gov", and the second is a mobile app, "GA VOTES" that can be used to do the following:

  • View the address information that our office has for them
  • View their polling place information
  • View a map of and retrieve driving directions to their polling place
  • View Sample Ballots for the current election
  • View the webpages of their currently elected state officials
  • View contact information for the local Voter Registration Office

 All Georgia citizens will need a valid Georgia driver's license or identification card to use the online voter registration systems. The county Voter Registration offices will be receiving and processing these online forms electronically.

 

This new electronic process will not REPLACE the traditional paper voter registration forms, but is another new way to register and update your information that will require less time, less paper use, less money spent on postage and a faster registration process for the voters.

 

Camden County Named ACCG "County of the Year"
Pictured left to right: CCFR, Admin, Division Officer Charles Lowther; Fire Chief, Mark Crews; Commissioner Chairman, Jimmy Starline; ACCG Exec. Dir. Ross King; Chad McIntyre, Manager Trauma & Flight Services UF Health Jacksonville; County Admin. Steve Howard; Wayne Marshall Admin. UF Health Jacksonville

On Friday, April 11, 2014, the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) formally recognized Camden County at the 2014 Annual Conference held at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center  as County of the Year for the submission of the ACCG Public-Private Partnership of the Year Award. "I'm proud of Camden County being recognized with this prestigious award and to share our accomplishment with other counties across the state," said County Administrator, Steve Howard.

 

Camden County partnered with the University of Florida Health at Jacksonville for an innovative life-or-death public-private partnership providing advanced cardiac services on county ambulances. The St-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) program leverages the prompt response of rescue personnel and the expertise of an advanced cardiac facility.  The implementation of this partnership provided additional protection for 50,513 citizens and 40,000+ travelers on Interstate 95. 

 

Prior to having this program, when a paramedic responded to a call for chest pains, they transported the patient to a local hospital, which would treat with medications in an attempt to dissolve the blockage while running additional tests. The medications were only successful approximately 50% of the time on this type of heart attack, which lead to loss of heart muscle and oftentimes the inability to go back to work or lead an active life. If the patient was diagnosed with STEMI, the patient would be transported to a different hospital. This process, from the time paramedics arrived on scene until the patient was admitted to the advanced cardiac unit, could take over four hours. Camden County now transports the patient to the proper facility within 90 minutes.

 

This program allows the patient to go back to a normal, active lifestyle within a matter of days. The STEMI program ultimately gives patients a significantly higher probability of recovery by early identification and prompt treatment. The equipment allows the responder to recognize the heart attack quickly and to transmit the EKG directly to UF Health at Jacksonville. A notification is sent immediately to a team of doctors who are in place at the hospital within 30 minutes of the alert. The STEMI program is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Camden County Fire Rescue (CCFR) averages 13 documented STEMI transports per year since the implementation of this program with all the patients having a positive outcome.  This public-private partnership provides a valuable public service that impacts residents and visitors. It is the result of collaboration and creative solutions to high impact problems thanks to UF Health at Jacksonville. The quality of life has been increased for the patients who have benefited from the program, and is ready to protect the next victim.

 

 

Are you or a family member struggling to pay for monthly Prescriptions? You don't have to. Camden County has made available a FREE prescription drug discount card that will save you up to 75% on Prescriptions. You can save up to:

  • 60% on Lab work
  • 50% on Dental and Vision
  • 80% savings on Imaging
  • 35% savings on Hearing 
  • 25% on Veterinary Services.

Visit the Government Services Building in Woodbine, the Camden County Public Library on the corner of Gross Road and HWY 40 in Kingsland to get your card today. Or visit www.coast2coastrx.com Any questions please feel free to call Renee' Crews at 912-510-0464

Quiet 2014 Hurricane Season predicted

Top forecasters from Colorado State University predict a quiet 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, suggesting that nine tropical storms will form, but only three will become hurricanes.

The forecast published Thursday follows two consecutive poor forecasts: In 2012, when more than twice as many hurricanes formed as had been predicted, and in 2013, when only two hurricanes formed after a spring prediction of nine.

 

A typical year, based on weather records dating to 1950, has 12 tropical storms, of which seven become hurricanes. A tropical storm has sustained winds of 39 mph; it becomes a hurricane when its winds reach 74 mph.

 

The forecast was released by meteorologists Philip Klotzbach and William Gray of Colorado State University's Tropical Meteorology Project. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

 

Klotzbach said a predicted El Ni�o is one factor that led to their quiet forecast. El Ni�o, a climate pattern defined by warmer-than-normal water in the tropical Pacific Ocean, tends to suppress Atlantic hurricanes.

 

"The tropical Atlantic has ... cooled over the past several months, and the chances of a moderate to strong El Ni�o event this summer and fall appear to be quite high," Klotzbach said. "Historical data indicate fewer storms form in these conditions."

 

In 1997, during a very strong El Ni�o, only seven named storms formed, and only three were hurricanes.

 

Citizen's Academy Graduation
Front row left to right: Stephanie Sturgeon, Karen Williams, Andrew Cooper, Amanda Peters, Jennifer Butler, Jessica Pounds, Jeanie Pierce, Lisa Silveous.  Back row left to right: Dale Williams, Moe Morris, Clay Ensley, Thomas Owens, Blaine Boggs, Robert Phillips and Eugene Barnett

Class 2014-01 of the Camden County Sheriff's Office Citizen's Academy graduated on the evening on Thursday, April 24, 2014. The guest speaker for the evening was District Attorney Jackie Johnson. 

 

During the 9-session class the students learned about and experienced first hand the function and duties of the different divisions within the Office of the Sheriff including Administration, Court Security, E-911, Corrections, Patrol, Investigations, Interdiction, Training, Warrants, Drug Enforcement and Community Outreach.

 

As part of the class students toured the Camden County Jail and the 911 Dispatch Center, performed mock traffic stops, interacted with the K-9s and their handlers, fired simulated and real ammunition, investigated a crime scene and conducted a mock trial with members of the District Attorney's office. Rides with on-duty patrol deputies were also available. Students were introduced to just how much the Sheriff's Office is a part of, and works cooperatively with, a larger network of local, regional and state public safety and public service agencies.

 

Another class will be offered in the fall, for more information please contact Larry Bruce at the Camden County Sheriff's Office at 912-510-5100.
Camden County designated as a 
Coast Guard Community 
Camden County along with the cities of Kingsland, St. Marys, and Woodbine were named the nations ONLY "Coast Guard Community", Friday, April 25, 2014 at a celebratory luncheon at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base.  

The Coast Guard plays a critical role in the safety and well being of Camden County's residents with almost 300 Coast Guard personnel located throughout the community.  

On Saturday, May 17, 2014 the Camden County community is invited to celebrate this honor with a picnic.  The community picnic will be held in the Howard Gilman Waterfront Park from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.   

License Plate Reader 
The Board of County Commissioners purchased the License Plate Reader and vehicle to add to the Camden County Sheriff's Office (CCSO). 
The new addition will supplement traffic enforcement efforts in the county and enhance our ability to catch motorists who do not have valid registration or insurance. 
This will help ensure that our citizens are protected, which the Camden County Sheriff's Office foremost priority. 
From left: Deputy James Thames; Sheriff Jim Proctor; Chairman Jimmy Starline; CCSO Fleet Supervisor, April Palmer
Are you OK?  Program Assistance for Local Citizens

A daily telephone call safety check is available to the citizens of Camden County. This free service is for the homebound, the unassisted, the elderly, or any other citizen who would benefit from a daily check. Under the program, dispatchers call citizens at a daily designated time and speak to the person being called to make sure they are ok. If no answer is received after the first call a second call is made shortly thereafter. If the second call elicits no response appropriate measures are taken to make contact with the person and determine their status. The flexible program is available countywide.

 

For anyone interested in registering for the Are You OK? program a short application is available at the Sheriff's Office in Woodbine or by calling the office at (912) 510-5100.


Cast your Ballot
May 20, 2014 is the primary election.  Residents can vote early from 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, until May 16, 2014 at the Camden County registrar's office, located in the government services building on East 4th Street in Woodbine.

On the ballot for Camden are local and state offices:
  • Nancy Stasinis is running against incumbent Jason Spencer for District 180 State Representative seat
  • John Corbett and Jessie Smith are running for District 174 House seat
  • Judge Roger Lane and Mary Moses for Superior Court Judge in the Brunswick Judicial Court
  • William Ligon is unopposed for District 3 State Senate seat
  • County Commissioners Gary Blount and Chuck Clark are both unopposed to keep their seats
  • School board members Herbert Rowland and Jane Brown are both unopposed as well
Be sure to get out there and vote!!
Elected Officials "Breakfast Roundtable" Held
Left to Right: Kingsland Mayor, Kenneth Smith; Commissioner Jimmy Starline: Woodbine Mayor Steve Parrott; St. Marys Mayor John Morrissey

The Board of County Commissioners invited other elected officials to the first-ever "Breakfast Roundtable" held Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at the Laurel Island Links Country Club in Kingsland.  Over 30 officials were in attendance to help strengthen relationships and forge effective partnerships in an effort to make a positive difference for the citizens of Camden County. 

 

With no set agenda or no primary topics to discuss, the officials enjoyed getting to know each other in an informal setting with a chance to have honest discussions of shared concerns.  


American Stroke Awareness Month
Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S. 795,000 people have a stroke each year, that's one every 40 seconds! The challenge is that more than 9 in 10 (93%) Americans do not think of stroke as a major health concern. The potential exists to reduce the overall impact of the disease in the U.S. 
To increase stroke awareness across the nation, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (ASA) has designated May as American Stroke Month. This is a great opportunity to increase stroke awareness across the stroke continuum - prevention, treatment and recovery - to reduce the overall impact of the disease nationwide. 
For more information go to StrokeAssociation.org/strokemonth. 
 
One of our goals is to ensure we are providing the citizens of Camden County information and a better understanding of current issues involving Camden County Government. We hope you enjoyed reading the monthly Community Outreach newsletter and found it informative. We encourage and value your feedback and any input you may have to help us improve it in the future.  

 
By working together Camden County can continue to be "Georgia's Coastal Community of Choice."

Meet Your Commissioners

Commissioner Chip Keene, District 1
Chip Keene
District 1
Chuck Clark 2013
Chuck Clark
District 2
Commissioner Jimmy Starline, District 3
Jimmy Starline
District 3
Commissioner Gary Blount, District 4
Gary Blount
District 4
Tony Sheppard 
Tony Sheppard
District 5
Our Commitment to You!
 
VISION 
Helping to make Camden County the best place to be by preserving and enhancing the history and quality of life while promoting smart growth and providing an efficient, effective and responsive government.
 
MISSION
It is the mission of Camden County Government to provide responsive, innovative, and cost effective services, promote smart growth, effectively communicate with the community, improve infrastructure and technology, preserve the health, welfare, safety, and environment while maintaining the outstanding quality of life that makes our county a desirable place to live and work. 
 
VALUES 
The Board of County Commissioners and employees of Camden County are committed to the following values: Integrity, Respect, Service, Accountability, Teamwork, and Balance