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 Camden 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 - February 2016
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Connect With Us!
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Keep up with what's going on in YOUR local government!
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UPCOMING
Board of County Commissioners Meetings & Public Hearings
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February 23rd Regular BOCC Meeting 6:00PM
March 8th Regular BOCC Meeting 6:00PM
March 22nd
Regular BOCC Meeting 6:00PM
County Offices are closed March 25th in observance of Good Friday
Government Services Complex
200 E. 4th St.
Woodbine, GA 31569
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"Great Customer Service is the Cornerstone of Every Successful Organization!"
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Please click
on the link below to complete Camden County's customer service survey.
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Free Prescription Discount Cards Available to Camden County Residents
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Click on the image above to view more information about this service.
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Camden County Fire Rescue Seeking Volunteers
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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.
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IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Main Switchboard
576-5601
Administrator's Office
510-0464
Animal Control
576-7395
Bryan Lang Historical Archives
576-5841
Camden Fire Rescue Main Office
729-3911
Camden Library
729-3741
Camden Sheriff's Office
510-5100
Clerk of Superior Court
576-5631
Code Enforcement
510-5865
County Clerk
576-5651
Curbside Collections
510-6881
Erosion & Sedimentation
510-4320
Juvenile Court
576-3226
Magistrate Court
576-5658
Mosquito Control
729-4823
Planning & Development
729-5603
Probate Court
576-3785
Public Works/Road Department
576-3028
Solid Waste
729-4099
Tax Commissioner/Tag Office
576-3248
Tax Assessors
576-3241
UGA Extension Office
576-3219
Voters Registrars
576-3245
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A Message from the County Administrator
I am pleased to share the release of a new Action Agenda for the County's 2016 Strategic Plan. The strategic framework for the future of Camden County is well documented in the Vision 2030, Goals for 2021and the new 2016 Action Agenda. The entire Strategic Plan looks at five-year outcome-based goals, all with measurable objectives, and specific issues and projects that need to be addressed by the County.
In the February issue of Georgia Trend Magazine, Camden County is featured for our look to the stars as a way of economic growth for Camden County. With the Federal government discontinuing its space shuttle program, it has created a catalyst opportunity with the Spaceport Camden project. By bringing in space-related companies to make their new homes in Camden, we have a much greater opportunity to keep the 200 aerospace engineers that graduate from Georgia Tech each year here in Georgia.
On February 8, 2016 I was honored to be the recipient of the National Defense Industrial Association's General James Oglethorpe Space Award. Space is a great opportunity for Georgia and this award recognizes our collective efforts with the Spaceport Camden Project over the last year. I would like to share this recognition with the Board of County Commissioners and all team members of this project.
Spaceport Camden is a once in a generation opportunity for Camden. Done right it will provide a new frontier of economic opportunity and promote a STEM workforce pipeline. Georgia is now part of the new space race. We can become the leader.
Yours for a better Camden,
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2016 Strategic Plan
The Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted the new Action Agenda for the County's Strategic Plan at the February 9, 2016 Commissioners meeting. The 2016 Strategic Plan establishes a blueprint for Camden County's future and consists of A Vision for 2030, Goals for 2020 and an Action Agenda for 2016.
The new plan looks at five-year outcome-based goals, with measurable objectives, and specific issues and projects that need to be addressed by the county. Having this detailed road map for the future is vital and its lasting effects will help Camden County control its future. A review of accomplishments was recently completed and future goals were revised to allow for maximum growth.
To view the 2016 Camden County Strategic Plan and Action Agenda click HERE. |
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Camden County Administrator
Receives Award
Camden County Administrator Steve L. Howard was recently honored in Atlanta with The General Oglethorpe Space Award from the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)- Georgia Chapter.
The GENERAL JAMES OGLETHORPE SPACE AWARD is named in honor of General James Oglethorpe, a forward-thinking visionary leader and the founder of Georgia. General Oglethorpe and his group saw great opportunity in the new world. Our great state is the result of their willingness to accept that opportunity. Space is also a great opportunity for Georgia, and this award recognizes the significant contributions made to the state's space program by Howard during 2015.
Steve L. Howard has served as the Camden County Administrator since 2007. He took over the project of developing a spaceport in Camden when the project was floundering. Howard recognized the impact a project of this magnitude could potentially provide for both the State of Georgia and Camden County and he wanted to be sure the county did not miss out on this unique opportunity. Howard has expertly guided the project through its early stages of obtaining an option agreement on the proposed site location and is currently working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the Environmental Impact Study (EIS). The EIS must be completed before a license to operate a spaceport can be issued by the FAA.
Numerous space company executives have said that this property is the finest in the country for a commercial spaceport. It provides Camden County and Georgia with an economic opportunity that may be the most significant in its history. Without Howard's vision and leadership, this opportunity would have been lost. His vision and leadership exemplify every qualification for this award.
"It is an honor for NDIA-GA to be able to hold this awards dinner and honor people like our awardees who were selected by our board this year," said Chuck Hunsaker, President of NDIA-GA. "All citizens of Georgia should be proud that we have people like this serving our state and our defense interests."
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Pictured left to right: Barry Page; Sheila McNeil; Lt. Gen(R) Lee McFann, VP Chapters and Membership for NDIA; Chuck Hunsaker, President, NDIA-GA; Steve Howard; and Dr. John Olds,CEO at SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc.
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Deep Water, Deep Space
Navy Base, Tourism and Spaceport
 In the February 2016 edition of the Georgia Trend Magazine is an article about Camden County, written by Randy Southerland. A brief excerpt is available below and the entire article is offered by clicking on the link at the end of this section. Camden County sits at the extreme southeast end of Georgia where the state ends and the Atlantic Ocean and Florida begin. While it may seem a long drive from anywhere, this coastal county is on the front line of America's national defense and may soon become a gateway to outer space as well. Most visitors (tourism is big business here) come for the quaint and historic Main Street town of St. Marys and the wild natural beauty of Cumberland Island National Seashore, one of Georgia's barrier islands. Few give any thought to the real economic engine here - Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. This is the east coast home of the nation's Trident nuclear-powered submarines. These massive boats - known as Ohio class - are armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles and form the nation's nuclear deterrent.
Folks in Camden County have long looked to Atlantic waters and the U.S. Navy for economic development, but recently they've turned their gaze skyward as well. The buzz these days is that rockets could be blasting off from the county carrying payloads into space from a new spaceport.
For the full article please click HERE. |
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Citizens' Academy Postponed
The Citizens' Academy has been a great success in the past. In 2015, thirty-seven residents graduated from the program. That number is much higher than it has been in the past.
This year, the County will not hold a winter Academy, but instead, will offer a revamped Citizens' Academy that will begin in August. The new format will allow for more presenters, additional activities, and different field trips. Staff hope to make the class more rich and exciting for you, the citizen.
If you have previously sent in an application for the winter session, please join us in August for an exciting New Citizens' Academy. If you would like to attend our next Academy, please click HERE to get an application.
Be on the look out for future announcements for the upcoming and revamped Fall Citizens' Academy. We hope to see you there!
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Auto Show in Downtown Kingsland
On Saturday, March 19th from 8 am - 2:30 pm, Kingsland will host the 2016 Runabout in the Royal District Auto Show.
This annual fundraising event is held on Lee Street (US 17) in downtown Kingsland. Early registration is going on now through March 11th.
You can register your vehicle to be in the show or you can register as a food, merchandise, business, or information vendor.
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Camden County Could Become
Commercial Georgia, 'Space Coast ' Site
90.1 FM WABE, Atlanta's NPR Station recently conducted an interview with Camden County Administrator Steve Howard and Georgia Tech Aerospace Professor Dr. Bobby Braun. Howard said he dreams of a highway sign, greeting people driving into Georgia that exclaims 'Welcome to Georgia's space coast?' "Wouldn't that be a great thing for Georgia?" "The Camden site fills a very unique niche," Braun says. "The site combines a number of favorable attributes. It's relatively close to the equator, which is good for rocket velocity. It's near the water, which is convenient for barging in rockets. It's set up for vertical launches, rather than horizontal. And it's intended for private use. There is no other site in existence today that meets those characteristics," Braun explains.
To listen to more on how Camden County has the opportunity to make history again, the growing space industry, Georgia's space strategy and studying the impact of a spaceport, click here.
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The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, June 28, 2015. Camden County could become the site of a commercial spaceport.
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Why Vote?
 Vote because every election matters. Vote because the choices you will make matter. Vote because elections are not about your representatives in Washington or who is president. Who you choose this November to lead your local and state governments -- whether as your governor, mayor, city council member, or your state senator -- will have a serious impact on the life of your community. When we vote for our state and local officials, we make choices that will have very direct and concrete effects on our daily lives. Voting matters. When voters don't turn out to choose their local and state governments, they receive a government that doesn't represent them. It is your government and your politics and your responsibility. Your vote is your voice. Voting is one of the most valuable, powerful things you own. Use it. Let's grow our representative government for good. GO VOTE!
Early Voting for the March 1, 2016 Presidential Preference Primary is underway and will continue until February 26, 2016 at the Board of Registrars' Office in Woodbine. Early Voting hours will be from 8:30AM - 5PM, Monday thru Friday. Saturday voting will be held on February 20, 2016 at the Board of Registrars' Office in Woodbine. The voting hours will be 9AM - 4PM.
Additional early voting sites will be available the week of February 22 - 26, 2016 in both St. Mary's and Kingsland. The St. Marys location will be at the Salvation Army Resource Center. The Kingsland location will be at the Driver's License Office located at 333 S Ashley St. The voting hours are 8:30AM-5PM.
For more information about voting in Camden County please click HERE or call the Voter Registrar's Office at 912-576-3245. |
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Spaceport Camden and Georgia Spaceflight Act are on GPB Lawmakers
Georgia Public Broadcasting reports on State Rep. Jason Spencer's "Georgia Spaceflight Act", which is now in the House Science Technology Committee. To watch video click HERE. Be sure to watch Day 15 -Wednesday, February 3, 2016.  |
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Make a Grand Entrance!
 Join the Friends of Crooked River State Park as they spruce up the entrance to Crooked River State Park on Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. They will be cleaning up the area and replanting the flower beds. Refreshments and Volunteer T-Shirts will be available.
If you are an avid gardener, landscaper or just someone who likes to play in the dirt, the Park hopes you will join them for this fun volunteer event!
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Chick -Fil-A Host Family Campout
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One of our goals for the County is to ensure that we are providing our citizens with the right information and a better understanding of current local issues as related to Camden County Government. It is our hope that you have enjoyed reading the monthly Community Outreach Newsletter and have found it to be informative and helpful. We encourage your feedback and value any input you may be able to offer as we strive to improve our services for the future good of Camden County.
By working together, Camden County can continue to be "Georgia's Coastal Community of Choice."
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Chip Keene
District 1
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 Chuck ClarkDistrict 2
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Jimmy Starline
District 3
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Gary Blount
District 4
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 Tony Sheppard District 5 |
Our Commitment to You!
MISSION
Our mission is to deliver defined county services with exceptional customer service and to do so in a financially sustainable and transparent manner.
VISION
Camden County 2030 is the premier coastal community of Georgia- beautiful and safe.
Camden County 2030 has a strong regional economy and diverse job opportunities with four major pillars:
- An active Naval Submarine Base;
- A successful World Class Spaceport;
- Space tourism; and,
- a Technology Corridor.
Camden County 2030 has relaxed living with quality residential developments, and abundant leisure choices for all.
VALUES
The Board of County Commissioners and employees of Camden County are committed to the following values: Integrity, Respect, Service, Accountability, Teamwork and Balance.
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