Wedding venue in Blue Ridge, GA for couples in Macon-Bibb County, GA

In the late hours of Thursday night, and early hours of Friday morning, September 27, Hurricane Helene made its way through Macon-Bibb County, causing trees and power lines to fall, knocking out power for more than 6,000 families. Our crews worked before, throughout, and after the storm to make sure our community stayed safe.

Our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated with our Emergency Management Agency, representation from our Fire Department, Sheriff’s Office, School District, Public Works, Parks & Beautification, and many more read to work. We maintained communication with our community ahead of the Hurricane with texts, tweets, email, phone calls, social media posts, and live updates. We also stayed in communication with them after the storm, as many reached out to report storm damage.

“We got very lucky in the fact that we only had minor damage compared to our neighbors around the state,” said EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “I am proud of this diverse emergency management team that prepares for and responds to disasters affecting our community.”

Our crews worked with Georgia Power to get power lines removed and reopen closed roads.

“We were fortunate with this storm, while so many other communities were not. Please continue to pray for them and find ways to send support to their communities,” said Mayor Lester Miller. “Thank you to everyone locally that stepped up in the aftermath to help friends and neighbors, and to our own crews for riding out the storm through the night and away from their families. They have been working throughout the weekend to get us all back to normal.”

Amerson River Park

Amerson River Park is partially reopening on Thursday, October 3 after being closed due to flooding from the Ocmulgee River because of Hurricane Helene. Some sections of trail and the boat launch and takeout are still closed due to a layer of slick mud and sand. Those will be cleaned the next several days. Please do NOT go past any barriers.

The Ocmulgee Heritage Trail remains closed due to the mud left behind from the flooding and so crews can begin the cleanup.

Reporting Damages

To report downed trees and other damage, call 478-751-7500 or use the MBCAlert Mobile app, which can be downloaded from Apple or GooglePlay.

Stay Informed

To stay informed, sign up for automatic calls, texts, and emails from MBCAlert at www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert, download the MBCAlert on Apple or GooglePlay, and follow the Emergency Management Agency on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

The Historic Pleasant Hill Neighborhood is seeking public input for the new name of the park which stretches from 1st Avenue behind the Booker T. Washington Center to 5th Avenue Northwest. It’s been called Linear Park since it was created several years ago by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

“Renaming the park is an important task because it helps increase communal ownership, leading to improved public health and safety in the area. We really want to make the park more family friendly, safe, and accessible for all,” says Community Planner, Tonja Khabir.

The deadline to submit a name is November 1, and it will be selected near the completion of the park renovations. Suggestions can be made through an online survey by clicking here.

The park has already been used for community activities like Festivals in the Hills and vendor fairs. Now, it is set to undergo a major renovation project following a neighborhood-led design process that could add new trees, more seating, activity areas, and more. The improvements to the park are part of a state-funded effort from the Improving Neighborhood Outcomes in Disproportionately Impacted Communities. This national effort funds investments in neighborhood features (including parks, recreation facilities, sidewalks, and healthy food access) which work to improve physical and mental health outcomes.

We began this process with rich community engagement with more than 125 residents sharing their ideas for how they would like to use the park. With five sessions of community feedback with Interface Studio at both the park and the Booker T. Washington Community Center, the group was able to draft a design that encompassed:

Following the improvements and renaming, the neighborhood is hoping to activate it even further. By adding more shading, opportunities to play, and active sites like pavilions and staging, it can make the park both more a safe and desirable place to be. Parks provide safe spaces for the physical and mental health of all people by increasing social interaction, enhancing public safety, and boosting environmental health by improving air quality and mitigating urban heat.

The goal of the project in Macon-Bibb County is to develop a framework for the commercial and job creation strategy for Walnut Street, including engagement of residents and property owners to define anti-displacement strategies, further define housing strategies, and more. According to Khabir, this work will help supplement other projects in Pleasant Hill.

This project to improve Linear Park is a direct result of the Pleasant Hill Strategic Plan; a resident-driven plan which has engaged over 400 residents and community members to identify several strategic priorities for neighborhood improvement, including enhancing neighborhood infrastructure, increasing commercial opportunities, and preserving the history and culture of the area.

This strategic plan is also connected to broader initiatives to enhance government collaboration and accountability through:

“With a new name chosen by the people, combined with the resources and organizations at the Booker T. Washington Center, and physical improvements to the park itself, we will create a community-centric park that will help us continue reconnecting our historic neighborhood,” says Khabir. “We hope to increase how residents use this space and really look forward to seeing it as part of a larger effort to increase walkability, public health, and safety throughout the entire neighborhood.”

Invitation

Macon-Bibb County, Georgia (the “County”), is issuing this request for proposals (“RFP” original along with 5 copies and a flash drive) for the demolition and removal of a 16-story building and related improvements located at 108 First Street, Macon, Georgia 31201, formerly known as the downtown Macon Hilton Hotel, as more particularly depicted on Attachment C (the “Demolition Area”). The Contractor will be responsible for supplying all labor, equipment and supervision to complete the Scope of Work and satisfy the Specifications described on Attachment B (the “Work”). The razing of the improvements located within the Demolition Area is planned to occur on December 31, 2024, preferably at or about 11:59 PM.

The Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners will receive sealed bids from contractors in the Procurement Department, Macon-Bibb Government Center, 700 Poplar Street, Suite 308, Macon, Georgia 31201, until 12:00 p.m., EDT on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

NO BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DESIGNATED TIME.

Bids will be publicly opened in the Macon-Bibb County Procurement Department Conference Room on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 2:00 pm.

Minority, Women Owned and other Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are encouraged to participate in the solicitation process. Additionally, respondents are encouraged to use Minority, Women Owned and other Disadvantaged Business Enterprises subcontractors where possible. Small and other disadvantaged businesses requiring assistance with the competitive process can contact Charise Stephens, Director of Small Business Affairs at (478) 300-2297 or cstephens2@maconbibb.us.

25-014-LH, Demolition and Removal High Rise Hotel-RFP

25-014-LH, Attachment A

25-014-LH, Scope of Work Attachment B

25-014-LH, Demoliton Area Attachment C

Bid Documents Bid documents may be examined and obtained at the Macon-Bibb County Procurement Department, Macon-Bibb Government Center, 700 Poplar Street, Suite 308, Macon, Georgia 31201, by calling (478) 803-0550, or may be viewed and downloaded from the Macon-Bibb County Procurement website at the following link: https://www.maconbibb.us/category/bids/

Pre-Bid Pre-Bid Walk-Through. A mandatory Pre-Bid walk-through of the Demolition Area @ 108 First Street, Macon Ga will occur on October 16, 2024, 10:00 AM. Attendance at the Pre-Bid Walk-Through is mandatory for a contractor to bid on the Work. Deadline to submit questions will be Friday, October 18, 2024, by 3:00 P.M. All questions must be submitted by email only to lhardwick@maconbibb.us

Bid Bond. For a contractor’s bid to be considered, it must be accompanied by a bid bond, payable to the County, in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the total base bid. This bid security shall become payable to the County if the contractor to whom award is made fails to execute a contract with the County and furnish bond and insurance in accordance with terms of the contract within ten (10) days after notification of award.

Sealed Bids Envelopes shall be identified on the outside as “25-014-LH” Macon High-Rise Hotel Demolition and Removal”, and shall be delivered by hand or mailed to:

Macon-Bibb County Procurement Department 700 Poplar Street, Suite 308 Macon, Georgia 31201

Days after Hurricane Helene ripped its way through Georgia, communities across the state are still reeling from tree damage, lost power, flooding and damaged homes and buildings.

As of Monday, the death toll in Georgia was at least 25, Gov. Brian Kemp said. Utility companies were also reporting more than 500,000 power outages still.

Most of middle Georgia was spared the worst of the damage. While initial reports had the storm striking the area head on, Helene took a last minute jog east and sent most of its destruction towards south and east Georgia.

County crews Georgia Power spent the weekend clearing tree debris and restoring power, according to Macon-Bibb County officials.

Crews cleared about 40 roads in the days following the storm, and as of Sunday only Nottingham Drive and Ayers Circle remained closed, according to the county.

Officials still urge citizens to report downed trees or other damage on the MBCAlert app or by calling 478-751-7500.

Bibb County has also allowed residents to dump tree and yard debris free of charge at two locations, 4214 Fulton Mill Road and 1010 11th St. Both centers will be open every day this week.

While power has been restored and much of the tree damage cleared, the Ocmulgee River remained high Monday. Amerson River Park and the Spring Street Boat Ramp were still closed Monday.

“While the storm has passed, we are expecting the Ocmulgee River to rise to a dangerous level, therefore we are closing the entire park and the boat ramp near Downtown,” said Parks & Beautification Director Michael Glisson in an email from the county. “We will reassess as soon as we are able and open the park when we determine it is safe for everyone to enjoy.”

Houston County also dodged the storm.

As of Monday morning, Georgia Power was reporting that power was almost fully restored to the area, with only four customers without power.

Many businesses in Houston County have also re-opened at normal hours, and sustained minimal damage.

According to the Houston County government’s website, there were no road closures remaining due to the storm.

Due to the immense damage in areas south and east of Houston County, the Houston County Fire Department announced on Facebook that four of its firefighters had been deployed to Lanier and Lowndes counties over the weekend to assist with search and rescue efforts.

This story was originally published September 30, 2024, 2:02 PM.

Macon, Ga. (WGXA) – Tropical Storm Helene is set to make landfall on Thursday, Sept. 26, and counties across Middle Georgia may see some of the rainfall, winds, and flooding associated with its path.

The Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency is beginning to make its plan of action for what could become a hurricane later in the week.

"What we do is we look at the storm in front of us and we make sure that we are understanding 'what are we seeing?'" Spencer Hawkins, Macon-Bibb's EMA director told WGXA Tuesday. "What's the best science we're getting from the National Hurricane Center, and then we plan accordingly."

Hawkins has been working in emergency management for almost 25 years and Helene would be the twelfth hurricane he's covered, if it carries that designation.

He said that even after all this time, no storm is the same:

"Whether or not they're coming from the Atlantic side or the Gulf side, they're all unique in their characteristics and in their impacts that they put down on a community," Hawkins said.

The EMA will work closely with community partners to ensure there are actionable items in place for neighborhoods to stay safe and provide the most up to date information about the impending storm.

He recommended that citizens download the "MBC Alerts" app to their smartphone, in which the county will provide updates for the storm as it progresses through the area.

He also advised citizens to make their own plan in the meantime by designating a shelter-in-place space within their residence and remaining indoors during the storm's path.

"Even though you may see flood waters or elevated waters across the road, you may think, that's only a couple of inches deep... The water's very powerful," Hawkins said. "And it may have knocked out that road and it may be 6 inches deep, it may be 12 inches deep. And that can cause some real problems. So just be careful and be safe."

Hawkins projects that the areas most likely to be impacted are paved streets within downtown Macon; neighborhoods that have been prone to flooding during regular rain and storms may be subject to flooding as well.

WGXA will continue to keep you updated on the storm on our website, newscasts, and our Skywatch Weather App.