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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 - Spring 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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In Loving Memory
Rosemary Cuthbert
October 15, 1929
to
March 30, 2016
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Ms. Rose was always smiling and pleasant no matter what the situation. She was a ray of sunshine when surrounded by nothing but storm clouds.
She will be greatly missed
by us all.
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UPCOMING
Board of County Commissioners Meetings & Public Hearings
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April 19th Regular BOCC Meeting 6:00PM
May 3rd
Regular BOCC Meeting 6:00PM
May 17th Regular BOCC Meeting 6:00PM
County Offices are closed May 30th in observance of Memorial Day
June 7th Regular BOCC Meeting 6:00PM
June 21st Regular BOCC Meeting at 6:00PM
Government Services Complex
200 E. 4th St.
Woodbine, GA 31569
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Rustapalooza
is coming to
St. Marys, Georgia
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Rustapalooza Vintage Market will take place on the historic and stunning shores of the St. Marys River. Antiques and Vintage vendors from around the southeast are bringing with them fabulous furniture, decor and one of a kind finds for you to purchase. There will be Annie Sloan and Miss Mustard Seed furniture painting demonstrations, live music, food, and a photo booth to show off your finds. Children under 10 are free.
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WHEN:Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (EDT)
- WHERE: 100 Ready Street
- Saint Marys, GA 31558
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Sea Grant Celebrates its 50th Anniversary
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In March, Sea Grant celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed The National Sea Grant College Program Act, and today, that program reaches every coastal and Great Lakes state, as well as Puerto Rico and Guam.
Over the past 50 years, Sea Grant's research, education and outreach activities have encompassed diverse issues relevant to local, regional, and national priorities. Such issues have included healthy coastal ecosystems; resilient communities and economies; sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; environmental literacy; and, workforce development.
Georgia Sea Grant has assisted in making Georgia safer and more resilient to coastal hazards, such as flooding, storm surge and sea level rise. These preparations have translated into real economic impacts through FEMA's Community Rating System, which has saved Georgia property owners more than $7 million in annual flood insurance discounts.
For more information please click HERE.
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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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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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"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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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
In recent weeks, Spaceport Camden supporters have been in Atlanta to share their excitement about Camden's Spaceport project and the Georgia Space Flight Act. The Georgia Senate Science and Technology Committee members were recently met with a capacity crowd who wanted to share their tremendous interest and support for the Georgia Space Flight Act and Spaceport Camden. The meeting room at the Georgia Capitol was filled with supporters ready to testify before them. These supporters included residents of Camden County, professors, students and industry leaders. Many of them had even driven more than 5 hours to share their excitement with the Senate Committee Members.
So on March 22, 2016, it was no surprise that the Georgia Senate passed a resolution (SR1159) to establish a study committee to further examine the benefits of this exciting project, Spaceport Camden, to the state. The committee will be comprised of 9 legislative and non-legislative members who will spend the remainder of the year reviewing all aspects of the project. We are certainly most appreciative of the interest that the General Assembly has shown and thank the Senate for making this study committee a reality.
We are also grateful to the Georgia House of Representatives, who, for their efforts, have established a subcommittee on Commercial Space. Chaired by Representative Jason Spencer of Woodbine, this subcommittee is within the Science and Technology Committee, and will be comprised of seven members. They will meet during the summer and this fall to finalize the legal details needed to put in place the enabling legislation to spark the growth of the commercial space industry in Georgia.
I'd like to congratulate our Finance Director Mike Fender and his staff on being recognized recently with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its annual budget ending Fiscal Year 2015. The award represents a significant achievement by Camden County as it reflects the commitment of the Board of County Commissioners and staff meeting the highest principles of government budgeting. I again congratulate Mike and his team on a job well done.
I am very pleased to let you, our tax-paying citizens, know about a recent $80,000 cost savings to the county that was accomplished by refitting the chassis of a 2008 ambulance to a new 2016 Freightliner chassis. The original chassis, with over 180,000 miles on it, was removed from the patient compartment and sold to a Florida based company specializing in truck and bus bodies. This is a great example of searching for better ways of doing County business that results in cost savings to the tax payers. More details about this project can be found within the newsletter.
Camden County recently released updated, digital flood hazard maps for the public's review and comment prior to their final adoption. The maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), show the extent to which areas recently re-mapped in Camden are at risk for flooding. Used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements, the new maps replace maps that were based on studies up to 8 years old. We welcome you to join us at the public meetings that have been scheduled during the month of April so that residents can view the new maps, understand how their properties may be affected, review options that they have and learn more about financial and material steps that they may need to take to protect their investment.
In closing, I'd like to share a quote from Newt Gingrich's recent letter of support to the Camden County Board of Commissioners for Spaceport Camden. Gingrich says, "I have always believed that Georgia should actively pursue today's $300+ billion commercial space industry, including by promoting a coastal-area site for launching satellites and humans on commercial missions." The entire letter from Mr. Gingrich is posted below.
I am confident that working together, we can make a positive difference for Camden County and Georgia.
Yours for a better Camden,
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Spaceport Camden Receives Letter of Support
from Newt Gingrich
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National County Government Month
 Camden County will celebrate National County Government (NCGM) during the month of April to showcase how the county is building a safe and secure community by managing justice systems, bolstering economic opportunities, responding to natural disasters and facilitating emergency management response. The theme for this year's celebration of NCGM is "Safe & Secure Counties." Several of the featured NCGM events to be held this month will include a Themed Coloring Contest for elementary school students; information tables being displayed at numerous county locations (Library, Government Services Building, Recreation Center (PSA), Hospital, McKinney Center, St. Marys Senior Center, and St. Marys Library); and, local Boy Scouts and 4-H groups will attend a Commissioners meeting. In addition, we will also be honoring and celebrating National Crime Victims and Telecommunications E-911 Week from April 10th - 16th. Be on the lookout for postings of events to come.
Since 1991, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has encouraged counties across the country to raise public awareness and understanding about the roles and responsibilities of counties. NACo works to improve the public's understanding of county government and assists member counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research. NACo provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org.
"Camden County is proud of the programs and services provided to our residents," said County Administrator Steve Howard. "Our efforts, combined with efforts across the country, do help keep American communities safe and secure. I encourage all county residents to take advantage of NCGM outreach events to learn how the county can assist you and your loved ones."
Camden County District Attorney Jackie Johnson will recognize crime victims with a Crime Victims' Rights Memorial Ceremony to be held on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 3:00PM on the Camden County Courthouse steps in Woodbine. A memorial wall will also be on display during the week of April 10 -16, 2016 in memory of all crime victims. Please make plans to join us.
Camden County would like to encourage residents to volunteer their time and talents to our community by visiting our elderly, disabled and ill residents; volunteering at our local hospital and nursing home; assisting with area non-profit organizations; or by offering support to our local veterans, seniors, juveniles, and foster children. For more information, please contact Renee' Crews at 912-510-0464 or Katie Bishop at 912-576-5651.
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Senate Establishes Study Committee
for Spaceport Camden
Group of Nine to Review the Project Throughout 2016
 On March 22, 2016, the Georgia Senate passed a resolution (SR1159) to establish a study committee to further examine the benefits of Spaceport Camden to the state. The committee will be comprised of four members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate and five non-legislative members that will include two Camden County officials, two business leaders familiar with the commercial space industry, and a professor from the Guggenheim School at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "This is a big step forward for Spaceport Camden and we are grateful for the interest of the General Assembly in the project moving ahead," said Steve Howard, Camden County Administrator and Spaceport Camden Project Leader. "We look forward to many fruitful meetings of the study committee, and we thank the Senate for providing resources to make this a reality." The Georgia House of Representatives also established a subcommittee on Commercial Space within the Science and Technology Committee, to be chaired by Representative Jason Spencer of Woodbine. "Georgia has a unique opportunity to position itself as an aerospace industry leader due to its education, key infrastructure, and strategic location," said Rep. Spencer. The subcommittee will make recommendations and issue a report of its findings to the full House Science and Technology Committee and the House of Representatives. |
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Board of Commissioners Receive Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada announced Wednesday, March 2, 2016 that Camden County Board of Commissioners were awarded the GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its annual budget ending Fiscal Year 2015.
The award represents a significant achievement by Camden County as it reflects the commitment of the Board of County Commissioners and staff meeting the highest principles of government budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, Camden County had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well Camden County's budget serves as a policy document; a financial plan; an operations guide; and a communications device. Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories, and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award.
When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to a government organization, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual or department designated as being primarily responsible for having achieved the award. The Camden County Board of Commissioners would like to thank the Department of Finance and Budget for all their efforts in making this recognition possible. County Administrator Steve Howard commented that he is "extremely proud of the accomplishments of the Finance and Budget Department under Mike Fender's leadership and guidance. His unrelenting attempt for excellence is to be applauded."
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Left to Right: Finance & Budget Director Mike Fender;
Commissioner Chairman Jimmy Starline; and
Finance & Budget Assistant Director Nancy Gonzalez
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The Camden Expo
CALLING ALL VENDORS! The Camden Expo is right around the corner, be sure to register for your booth spot today. Don't miss this great opportunity to promote your business to the community and network with other business owners.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
10am-2pm
Downtown Kingsland
*In conjunction with Kingsland's Georgia Cities Week festivities*
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31st Annual Crawfish Festival
The 31st Annual Crawfish Festival is a family oriented event and offers something for all ages from children's amusements to arts & crafts, to cloggers, square dancers and live bands. This year's festival is scheduled for:
Friday Night, April 29, 2016 - 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Saturday, April 30, 2016 - 8:00 am to 6:30 pm
Entertainment is offered on Friday night from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Satilla Waterfront Park Stage. Saturday's entertainment begins at 9:00 am and continues throughout the day at the waterfront stage, as well as, the gazebo stage located in the Arts & Crafts Area. A children's amusement area provides activities and games on Friday night and all day Saturday.
The Crawfish Parade is one of the highlights of the festival and is enjoyed by young and old alike. It begins at 10:00 am at the corner of U.S. 17 and West 8th Street and features entries such as bands, clowns, floats and horses.
Food concessions offering such mouth watering treats as Crawfish Boil, Crawfish Woodbine (Etoufee), Homemade Desserts, Barbecue, Funnel Cakes, Ice Cream, Boiled Peanuts, and much more are available Friday night and all day Saturday. The Woodbine United Methodist Church restrooms will be open for public use.
Our Arts & Crafts show is highly acclaimed by vendors and patrons alike. We strive to produce a quality show with a variety of hand crafted items from wood working to quilts. These areas will be located along the winding path of our Riverwalk. This meandering walkway, combined with vintage benches and lampposts, adds an aura of charm from days gone by. This area will be open for your shopping pleasure on Friday night from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Saturday from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm.
Parking is available along Bedell Avenue (U.S. 17) and all side streets from 4th Street to the southern city limits. Any vehicles parked on private property or blocking private drives will be towed at the owner's expense.
For the health, safety and enjoyment of pets and festival goers, pet owners are encouraged to leave their pets at home.
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Super Saturday is a citywide yard-sale/market in the park that begins with a welcome and commemoration of Armed Forces Day by Mayor Parrott.
Walk the Rail-Trail to shop while you enjoy live music in the afternoon. Vendors of all kinds or anyone with items to sell are welcome. A standard space (6 foot) is $3.00 and a food space (10 foot) is $7.00. Members of the Military can get a standard space for $1.00 or a food space for $4.00. City of Woodbine will provide tables and chairs on a first come/first served basis for an additional $3 or food for $5.00.
For registration, please email [email protected] with subject line Super Saturday, or visit City Hall or call them at 912-576-3211.
All proceeds will benefit Camden Families Military Program.
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National Public Safety
Telecommunicators Week
 April 10-16, 2016 is a week long event, held annually during the second week of April to honor telecommunications personnel in the public safety community. It was first conceived by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (Calif.) Sheriff's Office in 1981 and was observed only at that agency for three years. Members of the Virginia and North Carolina chapters of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) became involved in the mid-1980s. By the early 1990s, the national APCO organization convinced Congress of the need for a formal proclamation. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) introduced what became H.J. Res. 284 to create "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week." According to Congressional procedure, it was introduced twice more in 1993 and 1994, and then became permanent, without the need for yearly introduction.
The official name of the week when originally introduced in Congress in 1991 was "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week." In the intervening years, it has become known by several other names, including "National Public-Safety Telecommunications Week" and "International Public Safety Telecommunicators Week."
As one dispatcher put it, "We take calls and provide a voice to the people in need on the other end. We offer guidance and assistance to the responding crews, give them a cheerful greeting when needed. We also deal with the politics and systemic frustrations of a growing role where we fight for our beliefs and values as communicators, trying to make a space for us all in the Emergency World."
Above all though, these personnel SHINE. No matter what, they are certain that the terrified 4 year old little girl in the bad accident will remember them, and so will the distraught mom on the other end of the phone, and too the panic-stricken elderly woman who awoke to find her husband passed away- they will all remember hearing the calm voices on the other end of the phone or radio.
The Board of Commissioners would like to thank those unsung heroes on the other end of the line. Thank you for all the sacrifices you make to create a better and safer world for the public. Your commitment to your profession is appreciated by all the citizens you serve.
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National Crime Victims Week
National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) will be observed during the week of April 10-16, 2016. This year's theme is Serving Victims. Building Trust. Restoring Hope. This
underscores the importance of early intervention and victim services in establishing trust with victims, which in turn begins to restore their hope for healing and recovery.
National Crime Victims' Rights Week honors and celebrates the achievements of the past thirty years in securing rights, protections, and services for victims.
The bipartisan Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), passed by Congress in 1984, created a national fund to ease victims' suffering. Financed by fines and penalties paid by offenders, the Crime Victims Fund supports services for victims of all types of crime, including assistance for homicide survivors, survivors of child sexual abuse and victims of human trafficking as well as rape crisis centers and domestic violence programs.
The Board of Commissioners would like to encourage all citizens to observe National Crime Victims' Rights Week. We can all help victims rebuild their lives one day at a time.
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Bryan-Lang Historical Archives Seeking
5 New Board Members
The Bryan-Lang Historical Archives Board of Directors is seeking 5 qualified applicants to serve on their Board. The Bryan-Lang Historical Archives is a research-only facility that provides basic and advanced searches for information pertaining to Camden County. The Board of Directors has the responsibility and authority to decide general policies of the Bryan-Lang Historical Archives with the approval of the Camden County Board of Commissioners, and establish the necessary rules and regulations governing the Archives. The Board of Directors establish committees necessary for the function of the Bryan-Lang Historical Archives.
Qualifications for applicants include the following:
*Interested persons shall have knowledge and understanding of the particular mission and role of the Bryan-Lang Historical Archives in the community.
*Interested persons shall describe their reasons for offering service to the Board of Directors of the Bryan-Lang Historical Archives and the skills and experience they could bring to the position.
*Interested persons shall be able to attend scheduled bi-monthly (Jan., March, May, July, Sept., & Nov.) meetings held the third Tuesday at 4:30 pm in the Bryan-Lang Historical Archives in Woodbine.
- Ability to serve a three (3) year term.
- Reside in Camden County.
- Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
- Shall not hold any state, county, or municipal office.
Qualified applicants should submit their intent to serve via the County Website, featured on the homepage under Services, Online Forms, and then choose Citizen Board.
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Preliminary New Flood Maps
Released for Review
Newly revised preliminary digital flood insurance rate maps for coastal areas of Camden County, Georgia will be available for residents to review at a public open house at the Camden County Public Service Authority (PSA) on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding, and when they become effective, updated maps will be used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements.
The open house provides residents of Camden County and its municipalities the opportunity to see the preliminary maps, learn about their risk of flooding, and ask questions about what the new maps will mean for their property. Residents can meet one-on-one with a variety of specialists who will be available to talk about flood insurance, engineering, building permits and more. The open house will be held at:
Camden County Public Service Authority (PSA)
1050 Wildcat Drive, Kingsland, GA 31548
5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
The new preliminary maps were released through a partnership among Camden County, its municipalities, Department of National Resources (DNR) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They are more precise than older maps because better flood hazard and risk data make the maps more accurate.
The ultimate goal is protecting property owners and the community from the risks associated with flooding. Over time, flood risks change due to construction and development, environmental changes, floodplains widen or shift, and other factors. Flood maps are updated periodically to reflect these changes.
Home and business owners, renters, realtors, mortgage lenders, surveyors and insurance agents are encouraged to attend the open house. All who attend can meet with specialists to ask questions and learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within their communities.
By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on buildings that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Standard homeowners', business owners', and renters' insurance policies typically don't cover flood damage, so flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone. Flood insurance policies can be purchased from any state licensed property and casualty insurance agent. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 888-379-9531 for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local agent.
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Ambulance Refit Saves County $80,000
Camden County Fire Rescue (CCFR) recently welcomed home an old friend. That old friend left in the form of a 2008 ambulance and came home refitted to a new 2016 Freightliner chassis. The original chassis, with over 180,000 miles on it, was removed from the patient compartment and sold to ETR (Emergency, Tactical, Rescue) Vehicles, L.L.C., a Florida based company specializing in truck and bus bodies. "This is a great example of searching for better ways of doing County business that results in cost savings to the tax payers," said County Administrator Steve Howard.
 ETR controlled the refurbishment process of the ambulance. The patient compartment was removed and completely stripped down, repainted, and tailor-made for the new ride with low energy lighting and new air conditioning systems. All major structures were inspected for any necessary repairs and the interior was restored to like new condition. By utilizing the existing patient compartment and only replacing the chassis, Camden County was able to save nearly $80,000 over the cost of purchasing a new ambulance. Camden County used ETR Vehicles because they had all the necessary equipment to unmount and remount the body from the old chassis, perform any necessary repairs, and maintain the structural body warranty. ETR was able to return the existing ambulance back to CCFR in like new condition and meet turnaround times with their remounting program. Working with a reputable and highly qualified company allowed for the ambulance to be back in service in a timely and efficient manner. |
Spring is in the air so dust off those winter blues and get outside with your family. |
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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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