For most people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and a chance to say goodbye to the summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union.

 In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

In the USA, governmental recognition first came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

Sources: US Department of Labor, PBS, US Census

An award for Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the individual(s) department or agency designated by the government as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR, and this award has been presented to Michael J. Fender, Director of Finance and Budget.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.  The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, IL and Washington, D.C.

The Board of County Commissioners is remarkably proud of this achievement.  As well as County Administrator, Steve Howard, who said "I am proud of the accomplishments of the Finance Department under Mike Fender's leadership".  Mr. Fender has been the Director of Finance and Budget since August 1997.  His unrelenting attempt for excellence is to be applauded.  

 The JDA was established in 1981 by joint resolution of Camden County and the Cities of Woodbine, Kingsland and St. Marys and empowered with unique tools to promote business, industry, and agriculture within the County.

The BOCC will hold three public hearings before the final vote to approve the increase. All three hearings will be held at the Camden County Government Services Building, 200 East 4th Street, Woodbine, GA. The hearings will be held on Thursday, September 4, 2014 at 6:00p.m.; Friday, September 5, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.; Wednesday, September 24 at 5:30p.m. The final vote will be held on September 24.

The one mill increase will increase the millage rate approximately 7.8% and generate an estimated $1.3 million. While the overall millage rate has remained unchanged since 2008, the amount of revenues collected dropped 26.3% over the same period. This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 12.945 mils. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $147,766 is approximately $55.11.