Georgia County Government-August 2008

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES continued from page 14 frame for project delivery and a fiscally balanced, five-year construction plan. The department only has the capacity to build approximately 270 projects per year. Despite that fact, when the commissioner took the helm of GDOT, there were more than 1,300 active projects and more than 7,100 planned. Several other changes are also under way, including the transformation of the State Aid program into a transparent, merit-based grant program for local governments. The State Transportation Board approved changes to State Aid during its May meeting and the department will begin rolling out the updated program, including hosting informational workshops, throughout late summer and early fall. The shift to a more objective process is intended to reduce the need for county commissioners to come to Atlanta to “kiss the ring” of the commissioner and to help local governments that do not have matching funds available. The State Transportation Board is actively supporting the new commissioner and reforms at the department. Some of the recent accomplishments of the Board include approving a significant reorganization of the agency, conducting a management study, developing financial strategies and a debt management plan, passing a resolution to move forward on implementing commuter rail, reviewing options for public-private initiatives, investigating converting HOV lanes to congestionpricing toll lanes, and participating in Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin (chair, GMA Transportation Committee), Chatham County Chairman Pete Liakakis (chair, ACCG Economic Development & Transportation Committee) and State Sen. Doug Stoner discuss transportation funding options at a recent joint ACCG/GMA meeting on transportation policy. the governor’s statewide freight and logistics study. The Get Georgia Moving Coalition The Get Georgia Moving Coalition (GGM) was founded in 2007 to support the state’s leadership in creating transportation funding solutions. The coalition represents more than 50 groups of Georgia business leaders, government leaders, transit advocates, road builders and environmentalists. The coalition offers an historic forum for stakeholders to hold transportation policy debates and discussions in an open, inclusive and non-threatening setting. After uniting around a common set of transportation investment principles and funding recommendations last year, coalition members partnered with the General Assembly during the Joint Study Committee on Transportation Funding and advocated for SR 845 in the 2008 session. The coalition plans to continue partnering with the governor, General Assembly and GDOT throughout this year and next to implement funding solutions aimed at relieving traffic congestion, ensuring air quality and promoting economic development. Additional information about the work of the coalition can be found at www.getgeorgiamoving.com. GDOT Board Members 1st Congressional District – Roy Herrington 2nd Congressional District – Johnny Floyd (former legislator) 3rd Congressional District – Sam M. Wellborn 4th Congressional District – Robert L. Brown, Jr. 5th Congressional District – Emory C. McClinton 6th Congressional District – Brandon Beach 7th Congressional District – Rudy Bowen 8th Congressional District - Larry Walker (former legislator) 9th Congressional District – Steve Farrow (former legislator) 10th Congressional District – Bill Kuhlke, Jr., Chair (former county commissioner) 11th Congressional District – David Doss (former county commissioner) 12th Congressional District – Raybon Anderson (former county commissioner) 13th Congressional District – Dana Lemon Conclusion Just as in 1914, when county commissioners and the state’s leadership was focused intently on investing in transportation for the 20th century, Georgia’s present leaders are poised to enhance transportation for the 21st. Whether the solution will include a regional transportation sales tax like that found in SR 845, a statewide sales tax, toll roads or another solution we have not yet contemplated, there is likely to be no single, silver bullet. The challenge will be for all these players to work together as a team to manage and enhance the transportation system that has allowed Georgia to grow and prosper the last 100 years. ■ 16 GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT http://www.getgeorgiamoving.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government-August 2008

Georgia County Government- August 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters Georgia’s Transportation Issues More Critical to Counties than Ever Expanding Rural Airports: Partnering for Economic Development in Upson County Meet DOT Commissioner Gena Abraham Bridge Infrastructure and Risk Counties and the Law: Georgia’s Fair Employment Practices Act Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Coffee County Extension News: Infrastructure Investments Save County Funds Research Corner: Getting the Most Out of Your Research Discover the New Georgia Encyclopedia NACo News Staff News County Parade Index of Advertisers

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.