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 Camden CountyBoard of Commissioners
Community Outreach eNewsletter
"Working together to make a positive difference in the community."
A Publication from the Office of the County Administrator - July 2016
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Connect With Us!
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Keep up with what's going on in YOUR local government!
Look for Camden County's Free App at the Apple Store or click Here
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"Showcase Camden County"
Photo Contest
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Click HERE for Guidelines
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Camden County
Hurricane Guide
Provided by the Camden County Board of Commissioners
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With the Atlantic hurricane season starting on June 1st, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) urges residents to take the time now to prepare, plan and stay informed about hurricanes.
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TIP 'N TOSS to help
Control Mosquitoes
Summer is here and as more people make their way outside for activities, Coastal Health District officials want to remind residents to take precautions to avoid mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are annoying but can also carry diseases such as West Nile Virus, chikungunya, or Zika Virus.
The best way to protect ourselves from mosquitoes is to prevent them from breeding. One of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of mosquito-borne viruses is controlling the mosquito population by eliminating standing water around the home and in the yard. Mosquitoes lay eggs in water; just a bottle cap of water is all they need.
After every rainfall - or at least once a week - tip out water in flowerpots, planters, children's toys, wading pools, buckets and anything else around your yard that can hold water. If it holds water and you don't need it (old tires, bottles, cans), toss it out.
For more information on the zika virus, please click on the link below.
http://www.gachd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ZIKA.Fact-Sheet.TipNToss.FINAL_.1.jpg
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UPCOMING
Board of County Commissioners
Meetings & Public Hearings
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Regular BOCC
Meeting at 6:00PM
Regular BOCC
Meeting at 6:00PM
September 6th County
Offices will be closed in observance of Labor Day
September 7th
Regular BOCC
Meeting at 6:00PM
September 20th
Regular BOCC
Meeting at 6:00PM
Government
Services Complex
200 E. 4th St.
Woodbine, GA 31569
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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
510-0464
Animal Control
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
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 Registrar
576-3245
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Judge Sweatt to Speak at
Camden Roundtable
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The Camden County Roundtable will meet Monday, July 18, 2016 at Laurel Island Links. The speaker will be Camden County Probate Court Judge Robert "Beau" Sweatt, who will be discussing the responsibilities of his office and the overseeing of the election process in the County.
A coffee bar will be available beginning at 8:30 AM with the speaker at 9:00 AM. Since the Roundtable is on a summer schedule, this will be the only meeting in July.
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Sunset Boat Cruise
Offered by
Crooked River State Park
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Crooked River State Park will offer a sunset boat cruise for adults only from 7:30 Pm to 9:00 PM, Friday, July 22, 2016. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. The cost is $30 per person. To register, call the park office at 912-882-5256
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A Message from the
County Administrator
As we send out this issue, the Board of County Commissioners begin a new fiscal year and continue to focus on our Mission- delivering defined services with exceptional customer service in a financially sustainable and transparent manner. The Fiscal Year 2017 Budget links funding requests to the strategic plan and also attempts to carry out the Camden County adopted Policy Agenda top and high priority actions to be addressed during Fiscal Year 2017.
We are committed to creating openness in Government. Public engagement enhances our effectiveness and improves the quality of our decisions. One of the ways we do this is by hosting our annual eight-week Citizens' Academy. This program allows opportunity for public participation in county government. The Academy is free and offered to local residents. Participants will be introduced to various county departments and elected officials in a casual setting at several county facilities throughout Camden. The program focuses on educating residents and business owners about how daily County Government operations contribute to building a better community. Space is limited and the next session begins August 11, 2016. More details about Camden County's Citizens' Academy are below. I encourage you to sign up and engage in the work of your county government.
Wherever your summer travels may take you, please remember to be safe.
Yours for a better Camden,
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Did you know?
Heat-related illnesses are among
the top weather-related killers
 Keeping cool will help to avoid heat-related illness! Although exposure to extreme heat can be dangerous for any one, some people are at greater risk than others. Seniors are at greater risk. The body's natural ability to cool itself declines with age. Some seniors have poor circulation and less effective sweat glands. Seniors are less likely to feel thirsty or hot, even when they are dangerously overheated or dehydrated. Also, most seniors are on combinations of medications that further slow the body's ability to deal with heat. Some general guidelines to provide basic information about maintaining well-being when the weather is too hot include:
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine
- Stay in a well-ventilated area
- Dress cool
- Avoid unnecessary activity
- Know your medications
- Have a friend check on you
- Plan ahead
- Take your time
- Eat light meals
For these and other tips please click HERE. |
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BACK TO SCHOOL
Yes, the first day of school for Camden County students will be August 3, 2016. Can you believe it? We can't- seems like just yesterday the bell was ringing for summer break. Summer time sure does go by fast.
As the new school year begins so does the congestion on the highways. Please be sure to look out for those yellow buses picking up and letting off children. Have a watchful eye out for kids that ride bikes and are in a hurry to arrive at school. It is very important for drivers to slow down and pay close attention, especially before and after school.
Schools have a very specific drop-off procedure and it is important as parents that we are aware of school arrival and dismissal procedures. According to the National Safe Rules to School Program, more children are hit by cars near a school than at any other location. For most school zones, remember these tips for a safer environment for our children:
- Don't double park because it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles.
- Don't load and unload children across the street.
- Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school.
For more tips on school zone safety and sharing the road with young pedestrians, click HERE.
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Camden County High School
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Camden County Board of Commissioners Citizens' Academy
It's not too late to sign up!
The Board of County Commissioners, along with staff, are preparing for another Citizens' Academy that will begin at 6:00 PM on August 11, 2016. By offering this FREE Academy to local area citizens, we continue to carry out our goal of being an open and accessible, transparent government to our citizens.
The Camden County Citizens' Academy is a classroom style program offered to local residents interested in learning more about the services provided by their county government agency. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from various staff, employees, department heads, and elected officials throughout the county as they host sessions detailing what happens in their respective departments.
Classes are limited to the first 25 applicants. Participants must be willing to commit to 2.5 hours every Thursday evening for 8 weeks. In addition, one Tuesday evening Commissioner's Meeting and one Saturday morning field trip will take place during the course of the sessions. All sessions are held throughout Camden County in various County facilities.
Interested individuals can find an application and additional details about the class HERE. Completed applications can either be mailed to the Office of County Administrator, ATTN: Citizens' Academy, P.O. Box 99, Woodbine, Georgia 31569, faxed to 912-576-5647 or sent via email to citizensacademy@co.camden.ga.us.
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GET OUT AND VOTE
YOUR VOTE COUNTS!
 It seems there are too many excuses people give for not voting.- I don't know where to vote.
- The process is not convenient.
- I'm too busy.
- I don't think my vote counts.
- I don't understand how the issues affect me personally.
Vote because every election matters. Vote because the choices you will make matter. Vote because elections aren't simply 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. When voters don't turn out to choose their local and state governments, they receive a government that doesn't represent them.
"The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men." - Lyndon Johnson
If you don't know where to go for voting, Click HERE. Voters can also go during early voting to the Historic Courthouse in Woodbine. Lines are shorter and more people are able to help with questions. Voting is too important to not make time for.
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General Primary Runoff is July 26, 2016
District 5 School Board
Early voting for the July 26, 2016 General Primary Runoff for District 5 School Board will begin at 8:30 AM, Tuesday, July 5, 2016 in the Board of Registrars' Office located on the 1st floor of the Historic Courthouse building. The address is 200 E. 4th Street, Woodbine.
This is the only early voting location for the runoff election.
Early voting hours will be from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday July 5, 2016 through July 22, 2016. There will be no Saturday voting.
This runoff election is for the District 5 School Board position between Mark Giddens and Ronnie Wise. District 5 includes most voters in Precincts 4-Browntown, 6-West Kingsland, 7-Kingsland and 8-North Kingsland (Click HERE to view).
The deadline to register to vote in the General Primary was Tuesday, April 26, 2016. You must also have been registered by this date in order to be eligible to vote in the runoff election.
Voters can now register to vote and/or make changes to voting registration by going to http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov. There is also a free downloadable app for mobile devices- GA VOTES. An absentee ballot request and sample ballot may also be obtained on this website.
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Help Us Find You When an
 In an attempt to better serve the citizens of Camden County, E-911 is requesting all residents in the unincorporated areas of Camden County post their Property Address (physical address). All property addresses should be visible from the Street/Road. If your dwelling can not be seen from the Street/Road, you are asked to post reflective numbers at the driveway/property entrance so that Emergency Services are able to locate you in an emergency.  If you are unsure of the physical address of your property, please complete the form below and mail it to P.O. Box 99, Woodbine, GA 31569, Attn: Angie Eaton, fax it to 912-576-5647 or email aeaton@co.camden.ga.us. If you have any questions, please call Angie Eaton at 912-510-4314. To print the form, please click HERE. |
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University of Georgia Offers
Small Business Consulting and Training
 The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers individual consulting on small business issues to existing and potential business owners free of charge. One-on-one consulting on business issues such as: strategic planning, record keeping, marketing, loans, business plans, cash flow projections, payroll, advertising, employee handbooks, new business feasibility and other questions are offered as well. Individual sessions are confidential and designed to assist business people with information and resources to solve existing business problems, plan for growth or launch a new venture.
Jordan Tippett, an experienced & knowledgeable business advisor, will be providing FREE consultation services on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at the Chamber of Commerce office, Center of Industry & Commerce, 531 North Lee Street, Kingsland.
Please call to schedule an appointment for Tuesday, July 12th or Tuesday, July 26th. For more information, please visit www.GeorgiaSBDC.org.
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The Art of Georgia II:
Portraits of a Community
About the Program:
The Office of the Governor in partnership with Georgia Council for the Arts is pleased to announce a call for entries for the Art of Georgia II: Portraits of a Community. This second iteration of the exhibit follows the inaugural
Art of Georgia: Celebrating Georgia's Landscapes and People which exhibited 133 works by 95 Georgia artists over a two-year period from 2012-2014.
The Art of Georgia II: Portraits of a Community seeks to capture the uniqueness of communities throughout Georgia as seen, explored and depicted through the artist's eye. Two-dimensional visual art, in a variety of media exploring this theme, will hang in the executive offices of the State Capitol and showcase current work of contemporary Georgia visual artists. Artwork will be sought and selected by region over a two-year time frame, with work from each region on display for approximately six-months. This is not a professional, juried competition. Pieces will be selected by Georgia Council for the Arts and the Office of the Governor. All decisions are final.
Eligibility Guidelines: Work is being sought from contemporary Georgia artists, ages 18 and up, currently residing in Georgia. The initial call is for work from artists residing in Northeast Georgia. The call for entries will subsequently be issued in Southwest Georgia, Metro-Atlanta, Southeast Georgia, and finally Northwest Georgia, over a two-year period. Each region has its own deadline. Entries must explore the theme of the rich diversity and uniqueness of Georgia's communities. Interpretations of the theme (geography, people, landmark, landscape, etc.) are encouraged. Painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, and mixed media are all eligible. Three-dimensional work, film and video are not eligible and will not be considered.
Submission Guidelines include:
- No more than three entries per artist;
- All entries must be emailed to gaarts@gaarts.org with "The Art of Georgia" as the subject;
- Images must be submitted as a jpeg attachment and cannot exceed 72 dpi;
- Each image must be titled with the artists name followed by the name of the piece; and,
- In the body of the email be sure to include the artists name and complete contact information (address, county of residence, phone and email) as well as the following information about each piece of work: title, medium, dimensions, and year completed.
Deadline for Southeast Georgia is August 1, 2016
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Third Annual Cops & Bobbers Event
Free event for Children ages 15 and under. Parent or Guardian must be present for the entire event. No fishing license needed!
Join the St. Marys Police Department
July 30th from 9:00 AM til 1:00 PM
Notters Pond located on
North RIver Causeway in St. Marys, GA.
Stop by the St. Marys Police Department at 563 Point Peter Road and ask for a registration form (one per person) or download the application from their Facebook page. DOWNLOAD THE REGISTRATION PAGE TODAY and get it to us. WE WANT TO #getourfishon #SMPDCopsNBobbers2016 #2016hookitwithacop
 Here's a list of Do's and Don'ts
- DON'T need fishing license to fish with your child.
- DON'T need fishing license for the child.
- DON'T need a fishing pole for your child (but you're certainly welcomed and encouraged to bring your own).
- DO NEED a child 15 and under (no sneaking in BIG PERSONS).
- DO NEED to participate with your child during event.
- DO NEED to PRE-REGISTER for the event (see the registration form).
- DO NEED to attend and have a great time and win great prizes and eat plenty of food.
- DO NEED to LIKE AND SHARE THIS EVENT!
Willie Jewels will be out serving bar-b-que. Camden County PSA will be serving hot-dogs, sodas, chips. Electric Avenue DJ & Sound will be providing some musical entertainment.
There will be lots of things to do, but most of all FISHING! We are working hard on some really AWESOME PRIZE packages. If you haven't signed your LITTLE PERSON up for the event, get it done today.
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Free Prescription Discount Card Program
Whether you are uninsured, under-insured, or even if you have health insurance you need this card! The Coast2Coast Rx Card is a free prescription discount card provided by township, city and county governments. Endorsed by the ACCG (Association County Commissioners of Georgia), the program includes participation by U.S. pharmacies to provide annual savings up to 55%. Savings on a single prescription range from just a few percent up to 75% (sometimes more) off the retail price of the drug.
Cardholders save on both brand name and generic drugs. All members of a family can use the card. It is always FREE and the card can be used immediately. There are no age, income or other exclusions. There are no forms to fill out. Simply take the card to one of the 59,000+ participating pharmacies to start saving today. Cardholders and their entire family can use the same card for savings on Dental, Vision, Hearing, Veterinary Services for your pets, Diabetic supplies, Lab work, and imaging.
The program is designed to assist uninsured and the under-insured and those whose prescriptions may not be covered under their existing insurance policy. It may also assist those with high deductibles or Healthcare Savings Accounts. Medicare Part D participants without supplemental coverage, when they reach their "donut hole," should save money using the card.
For your free card click HERE and start saving today! No enrollment form, no membership fee, just present your card at the pharmacy.
Cards can be used at the following pharmacies:
- CVS
- KINGSBAY
- KMART
- PUBLIX
- SOUTHEAST SPINE
- WALGREENS
- WAL-MART
- WINN DIXIE
- WOODBINE
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Back to School TAX FREE Weekend
 The Georgia Department of Revenue announces the Georgia Sales Tax Holiday 2016 for July 30, 2016 through July 31, 2016. During Georgia's back to school sales tax holiday, the exemption will apply to:
- Clothing and footwear with a sales price of $100.00 or less per item.
- Computers, computer components, and pre-written computer software purchased for noncommercial home or personal use with a sales price of $1,000.00 or less per item.
- School supplies, school art supplies, school computer supplies, and school instructional materials purchased for noncommercial use with a sales price of $20.00 or less per item.
The exemption does not apply to: Belt buckles sold separately; costume masks sold separately; patches and emblems sold separately; sewing equipment and supplies, including but not limited to knitting needles, patterns, pins, scissors, sewing machines, sewing needles, tape measures, and thimbles; sewing materials that become part of clothing, including but not limited to buttons, fabric, lace, thread, yarn, and zippers; clothing accessories or equipment; or cellular telephones.
For a list of Exempt Items please click HERE
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TDS Announces New Collaboration
TDS Telecom has announced that new collaboration tools are available for local businesses. The TDS cloud-based Voice over IP (VoIP) service, called managedIP Hosted, now enables colleagues to connect via live chat, video call or HD phone call. A popular desktop sharing tool allows teams to share a computer screen and collaborate by viewing documents, websites and applications. TDS has also enhanced the service by adding a suite of mobile applications that allow managedIP Hosted customers to easily move their voice or video calls between a desk phone, computer, tablet or smart phone.
The demand for VoIP and collaboration tools has accelerated due to the increased pace of modern business. Users can easily change personal settings on a web portal to receive calls when, and on which devices, they choose. Employees who travel or work remotely have access to the same communication tools as they do in the office. Organizations can customize service by choosing from a combination of packages that fit users' needs, from simple to feature-rich.
TDS is a local telephone and Internet provider with local installation and support, backed by national expertise. The company serves more than 100,000 TDS managedIP Hosted users across the country, and is proud to have local staff in Camden County.
For information about VoIP and new collaboration tools, call Matt at 912-882-1467 or visit TDSvoip.com.
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 Chuck ClarkDistrict 2
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Jimmy Starline
District 3
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 Tony Sheppard
District 5
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Our Commitment to You!
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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