Waycross Georgia City Manager

08/31/2026

Good evening, Waycross!

Tonight’s Work Session covered several important issues focused on one overall goal: catching up where we are behind, modernizing how we operate, and building systems that are sustainable for the future.

A few highlights:

• Water Infrastructure — We discussed the need to catch up on water-tank maintenance. Beyond annual inspections, significant maintenance has not been completed in at least five years. Our goal is to develop a prioritized, multi-year maintenance schedule rather than allowing deferred maintenance to continue.

• Light the Night — The Georgia Power audit identified 1,875 streetlights in the primary inventory, including 1,396 5,000-lumen fixtures. We now have a citywide baseline that allows us to evaluate missing lights, lighting levels, older equipment, public-safety priorities and the potential phased transition to LED technology.

• Telecommunications & Rights-of-Way — We discussed partnering with GMA for specialized assistance with franchise compliance, telecommunications activity and protection of City rights-of-way.

• Main Street — We discussed restarting Waycross’s Main Street Program, including an advisory board and dedicated focus on downtown business recruitment, investment, available incentives and continued revitalization.

• Code Enforcement Modernization — This was a major portion of our discussion. Our current case logs demonstrate substantial activity but also show cases that can remain unresolved for months. The proposed direction is focused on correction—not revenue—with clearer timelines, stronger accountability and four priorities: Life/Safety/Health, City Rights-of-Way, City Infrastructure, and City Water & Sewer.

This also means shared responsibility. The City must maintain public property and infrastructure and fairly enforce our ordinances. Property owners must maintain their private property. Every issue voluntarily corrected allows our Code Officers to spend more time addressing dangerous structures, drainage, public safety, infrastructure, and other higher-priority concerns.

There is still work ahead. These discussions are about establishing direction, evaluating costs, making necessary ordinance changes, and bringing recommendations back to the Commission before implementation.

The message remains simple:

Catch Up. Modernize. Sustain.

My Property. My Block. Our Waycross.

K – Keep Moving Forward
I – Invest in Our Community
N – Neighbors Working Together
G – Get Involved

417 — Where We Make It Happen.

08/31/2026

Good morning, Waycross!

I want to share this weather update as a reminder that we are still in hurricane season.

While the current information reflects a small chance of significant tropical impacts to our area, our recent history has taught us how quickly that can change. Hurricane Helene reminded Waycross and Ware County that conditions can shift in a matter of hours and leave us dealing with power outages, downed trees and power lines, water disruptions, and property damage.

There is no reason to panic, but there is every reason to be prepared.

Please take a few minutes to check your emergency supplies, medications, water, nonperishable food, flashlights, batteries, and backup chargers. Have a plan for your family and pets, and continue monitoring reliable weather information.

We have been through enough storms together to understand the importance of preparing before the forecast changes.

Don’t panic. Don’t ignore it. Be prepared.

Take care of your family. Check on your neighbors. Stay informed. Stay prepared.

K – Keep Moving Forward
I – Invest in Our Community
N – Neighbors Helping Neighbors
G – Get Prepared

417 — Where We Make It Happen.

Article/Weather Update:
[View the Facebook weather update](https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17ofDGNcTp/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

08/31/2026

Good evening, Waycross!

This is an important reminder that beginning this week, we will continue our Code Enforcement and Animal Management educational updates following Tuesday’s City Commission meeting.

Our scheduled educational updates are:

1. Tuesday, September 1 – 6:00 PM
2. Tuesday, September 15 – 6:00 PM
3. Tuesday, October 6 – 6:00 PM
4. Tuesday, October 20 – 6:00 PM
5. Tuesday, November 3 – 6:00 PM
6. Tuesday, November 17 – 6:00 PM

We are also planning three additional Saturday educational opportunities, with those dates to be announced.

These sessions are about more than providing information. They are an opportunity for residents to participate in developing solutions for some of the issues we hear about most frequently in our community.

If you truly want to be part of the solution, please attend.

We often hear, “I don't get an opportunity to speak,” or “Nobody listens to what the citizens have to say.” This is exactly the opportunity to speak, ask questions, offer ideas, challenge proposals respectfully, and hear directly why certain changes are being considered.

So far, participation in these educational sessions has not been where I would like it to be. The same is true for some of our Town Halls. We cannot ask for greater opportunities to participate and then not take advantage of the opportunities when they are provided.

Over the coming weeks, we will discuss Code Enforcement modernization, property-owner responsibilities, animal registration, responsible pet ownership, spaying and neutering, Trap-Neuter-Return-Manage efforts, and ways residents, churches, businesses, civic organizations, and neighborhood groups can become part of the solution.

And while these educational sessions are primarily geared toward Code Enforcement and Animal Management modernization, I want to make something else clear: **I will answer questions about other City matters as well.** If you have a question about something happening within City government, bring it. If I have the answer, I will provide it. If I don't have the answer at that moment, we will get the information and follow up.

I continue to believe that face-to-face communication works best. When we sit across from one another, we have to be transparent, honest, and respectful. We may not agree—and agreement is not required—but productive conversations require us to listen to one another and deal with the facts.

It is much harder to have meaningful communication when conversations are driven by rumors, social media arguments, or individuals hiding behind fake accounts. Those exchanges rarely solve a problem. Sitting in a room together, asking questions, presenting ideas, and respectfully disagreeing can.

Thank you to everyone who has already participated in our meetings, contacted your Commissioners, called or emailed City staff, or used other communication channels to provide feedback. Your participation matters.

But we need more of you in the room.

Code Enforcement and Animal Management cannot be fixed by City government alone. Lasting change will require residents to take responsibility for their property, pet owners to take responsibility for their animals, neighborhoods to work together, and the City to fairly and consistently do its part.

If you have an opinion, bring it.

If you have a concern, bring it.

If you have a better idea, definitely bring it.

And if you have a question about your City government, bring that too.

Most importantly, if you want to be part of the solution, **be willing to show up and participate.**

Our property. Our pets. Our neighborhoods. Our responsibility.

K – Keep Moving Forward
I – Invest in Our Community
N – Neighbors Working Together
G – Get Involved

417 — Where We Make It Happen.

08/31/2026

Good evening, Waycross,

There is a narrative that sometimes gets repeated that the City of Waycross is somehow running businesses away. I believe the best response to that argument is not another argument—it is the data.

So far in 2026, Waycross has welcomed:

6 new peddler businesses
8 new home-based businesses
53 new businesses
13 additional businesses currently awaiting approval

That represents 80 businesses and entrepreneurs either approved, operating, or working through the approval process in Waycross this year.

And business growth is not happening by itself.

We have also added nearly 150 new housing units, with more housing development on the way. New businesses and new housing are connected. Businesses need customers, employers need workers, and growing communities need places for people and families to live.

Every new business represents someone willing to invest. Every entrepreneur working from home represents someone willing to take a chance on an idea. Every new housing unit represents additional investment in our community. And every application currently awaiting approval represents someone who sees opportunity in Waycross.

This progress did not happen by accident. It reflects continued investment, improved City services, stronger infrastructure, and the confidence businesses, developers, and entrepreneurs are showing in Waycross. Our responsibility now is to build on that momentum and create even more opportunities for investment and growth.

But there is another part of progress that we, as a community, have to address.

We cannot say we want Waycross to grow and then constantly tear down every sign that it is growing. We cannot ask people to invest in our community while we publicly tell everyone that nothing good is happening here.

Constructive criticism is necessary, and government should always be held accountable. But there is a difference between holding your community accountable and refusing to acknowledge its progress.

The words we use about our community matter. Businesses hear them. Developers hear them. Families considering moving here hear them. Our young people hear them.

And we should understand that how we talk about Waycross has consequences beyond social media. When a business owner is considering investing here, when a developer is evaluating a project, or when a family is deciding whether to make Waycross home, the reputation of our community matters.

That does not mean we pretend problems do not exist. It means we put them in perspective.

We can identify a pothole without saying every road is bad. We can question a decision without saying nothing is working. We can lose an opportunity without claiming businesses are fleeing Waycross. And we can demand better while still acknowledging measurable progress.

Most importantly, we cannot move the goalpost every time something positive happens.

When businesses open, that is progress.

When housing is built, that is progress.

When roads are paved, infrastructure is improved, and private dollars are invested in our community, that is progress.

We should be mature enough as a community to acknowledge those successes while continuing to work on what comes next.

I want our residents to understand something else: you are part of Waycross's economic development team.

Every time you support a local business, recommend Waycross to someone, welcome a new business, take care of your property, volunteer in your neighborhood, or simply tell the truth about the progress happening here, you help strengthen our community.

We don't have to manufacture a positive story about Waycross. We simply have to stop allowing the negative story to be the only one told.

The City cannot control every business decision. Businesses choose locations based on property availability, traffic counts, demographics, workforce, infrastructure, financing, market conditions, incentives, and many other considerations. One business choosing another community does not erase the businesses that are choosing Waycross.

That is why the numbers matter.

80 business opportunities in 2026.
Nearly 150 new housing units.
More businesses awaiting approval.
More housing on the way.

Those numbers don't tell us the work is finished. They tell us the work is producing results.

Waycross does not need cheerleaders who pretend everything is perfect, and it does not need critics who pretend nothing is working. It needs people willing to acknowledge both the challenges and the progress—and then help us build what comes next.

The numbers are moving in the right direction. The investment is happening. The opportunities are growing.

Now our challenge is to make sure our attitude toward our community grows with them.

Waycross is growing.
Waycross is investing.
Waycross is moving forward.

K – Keep Moving Forward
I – Invest in Our Community
N – Never Settle for Less
G – Get It Done

417 — Where We Make It Happen.

08/31/2026

"My apologies for the late post"

CITY MANAGER’S WEEKLY SUMMARY

This week, City departments continued to focus on public safety, infrastructure improvements, community engagement, workforce development, modernization, and improving the overall quality of life for our residents.

FIRE DEPARTMENT

The Waycross Fire Department responded to 34 emergency calls for service while continuing its strong emphasis on prevention, training, and community education.

Department activities included:

1. Participated in a fire drill at Daffodil School.
2. Attended Workforce Wednesday at Williams Heights Elementary.
3. Conducted a fire extinguisher class at a local doctor’s office.
4. Continued preparations for training with ESG on proper fire hydrant testing techniques.
5. Hosted Ware County School staff for a site visit at Fire Station #1.
6. Conducted fire drills at Waycross Middle School and Williams Heights Elementary.
7. The Fire Marshal completed 30 annual inspections, four site visits, two plan reviews, and two fire safety education events.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT

Community Improvement continues to balance development activity with neighborhood improvement, animal management, and modernization of our Code Enforcement processes.

1. Reviewed plans for two new commercial buildings.
2. Conducted a successful Land Bank meeting on August 26.
3. Continued work on a new Animal Control Ordinance.
4. Continued reviewing proposed changes to City ordinances related to Code Enforcement.
5. The Animal Shelter took in seven cats and three dogs.
6. One cat and three dogs were adopted.
7. Two dogs were transferred to other shelters or rescue organizations.

Reminder: Everyone has a role in keeping Waycross beautiful. Please maintain your property, properly confine pets to your property in a humane manner, and consider having your pets spayed or neutered to help reduce the unwanted animal population.

WAYCROSS POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Waycross Police Department continued preparations for upcoming community activities while addressing operational and technology needs.

1. Preparing for the upcoming WPD Community Clean-Up.
2. Conducting a major case file review.
3. Developing security plans for upcoming community events.
4. Advancing a SPLOST-funded public safety communications project, including obtaining a quote for the transition from the City's outdated analog radio system to digital technology.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Human Resources continued its focus on recruitment, onboarding, and employee engagement.

1. Onboarded new Public Works employee Gary Herrin.
2. Conducted interviews for Leaf & Limb positions.
3. Continued recruitment for the Finance Director, with interviews scheduled for September 15.
4. Reviewed employee feedback received through HR Connect to identify opportunities to improve communication, workplace processes, and employee engagement.

BUSINESS INFORMATION & INNOVATION SERVICES (BIIS)

BIIS continued advancing the City's efforts to modernize operations, improve access to information, and strengthen internal accountability.

1. Continued development and refinement of the City's digital permitting, licensing, and customer-service processes.
2. Continued support of the City's new customer-service stations at City Hall, allowing residents and businesses to scan documents, complete applications, and access City services digitally.
3. Continued work to improve the City's website organization and accessibility of public information.
4. Began reviewing the framework for a Municipal Compliance Matrix to help departments track required state and local reports, filing deadlines, responsible departments, and legally required public postings.
5. Continued efforts to distinguish between information legally required to be published, information available through the Open Records process, and information the City may voluntarily provide as a transparency best practice.
6. Continued technology and process improvements designed to reduce paperwork, improve response times, and make City services easier for residents and businesses to access.

The overall objective remains to use technology to make City government more efficient, accessible, accountable, and easier to navigate while ensuring our internal processes remain organized and compliant.

PUBLIC WORKS

Public Works completed another visible improvement in our Downtown Historic District this week.

1. All new street signs in the Downtown Historic District were upgraded.
2. The new composite signs use High-Intensity Prismatic reflective sheeting and feature the historic Plant Park water fountain.
3. The new signs have an anticipated service life of approximately 7–10 years.
4. Four interviews were conducted for cemetery maintenance positions.
5. Two candidates were selected and are projected to begin work next week.
6. LIGHT THE NIGHT INITIATIVE

City leadership and Public Works met with Georgia Power representatives to review preliminary findings from the City's Light the Night streetlight audit.

1. The preliminary audit findings were reviewed.
2. Recommendations were provided regarding how the City would like to proceed with Phase 1.
3. Georgia Power will provide a detailed cost breakdown for the proposed Phase 1 improvements.
4. The initiative will continue focusing on public safety, visibility, reliability, and responsible use of City resources.

LOOKING AHEAD

Over the coming weeks, our teams will continue advancing several priorities:

1. WPD Community Clean-Up.
2. Light the Night Phase 1 planning and cost development.
3. Finance Director interviews.
4. Fire Department training and fire hydrant testing.
5. Animal Management ordinance updates.
6. Code Enforcement modernization.
7. Continued commercial development review.
8. Continued digital modernization and improvements to resident access to City services.

While these efforts cover several different areas of City government, they share the same objective: improving City services, strengthening our infrastructure, supporting our employees, and continuing to move Waycross forward.

K – Keep Moving Forward
I – Invest in Our Community
N – Never Settle for Less
G – Get It Done

417 — Where We Make It Happen.

08/27/2026

The "WPD"!

08/26/2026

Good afternoon,

Special thanks to our community partners at the Downtown Development Authority - Waycross GA –for their hard work and commitment in helping bring this effort to fruition. We appreciate the partnership and continued investment in making Downtown Waycross and our entire community better.

🎉 GOOD NEWS! The restoration of the Lyric Theatre is officially underway! 🎭✨

We’re excited to see work beginning on this important piece of our downtown’s history, and we can’t wait to watch the Lyric Theatre continue its journey toward a bright new chapter!

🚧 A quick heads-up for our community: Construction work will be taking place at the Lyric Theatre over the next two weeks. If you’re traveling through the area, please use extra caution around Tebeau and Elizabeth Streets and be mindful of construction activity.

We know construction can mean a little extra patience and caution, but we’re excited about what’s happening behind the scenes! Progress is happening, and the Lyric is one step closer to being restored and ready for its next chapter. ❤️

Thank you, downtown community, for your patience and support as this exciting work gets underway!

08/25/2026

Good afternoon, Waycross.

Great news for the City of Waycross! Our waste collection partner, Ryland Environmental, Inc., is working with the City on another potential option to make it easier for residents to properly dispose of large and bulk waste items.

The project is still in the planning stages, but the concept is to establish a Transfer Station where City residents would be able to bring approved trash and bulk items for disposal.

This would provide another option for items that may be difficult to dispose of through normal residential collection and, more importantly, give residents a convenient and responsible alternative to illegal dumping.

As currently being planned, the Transfer Station would operate during established hours and would also be open one Saturday each month to provide additional access for residents who may not be able to utilize the facility during the week.

There will be fees associated with disposal based on the type and/or amount of material being brought to the facility. Those rates, along with the location, operating hours, acceptable materials, residency requirements, and other details, are still being developed and will be announced once finalized.

I want to emphasize that this is still in the PLANNING STAGES. We are sharing it now because we want residents to know that the City and Ryland Environmental continue to look for practical solutions to the challenges we hear about in our community.

Our goal is simple: if we expect residents to properly dispose of large items, we also need to continue working to provide reasonable and accessible ways for them to do so.

This will not solve every waste or illegal-dumping issue, but it can give our residents another tool to help keep our neighborhoods, rights-of-way, and community clean.

More information will be provided as the plans are finalized.

Cleaner properties. Cleaner neighborhoods. A cleaner Waycross.

My Property. My Block. Our Waycross.

KING= Keep Improving. Never Give Up.

The 417 — Where We Make It Happen!!!

08/24/2026

Good afternoon, Waycross.

Before we implement proposed changes to Animal Management and Code Enforcement, we want to make sure our residents have an opportunity to understand what is being proposed, ask questions, express concerns, and provide input.

These are not simply informational meetings after decisions have been made. They are part of the education and community-input process as we work toward modernizing both programs.

We also want to say THANK YOU to those residents who have already participated in this process. Whether you attended previous meetings and provided input, reached out through your Commissioner, called or emailed City staff, or used one of the many other ways we provide for residents to communicate with us—your feedback is appreciated and is part of this process.

Our scheduled educational dates are:

Tuesday, September 1 • 6:00 PM
Tuesday, September 15 • 6:00 PM
Tuesday, October 6 • 6:00 PM
Tuesday, October 20 • 6:00 PM
Tuesday, November 3 • 6:00 PM
Tuesday, November 17 • 6:00 PM

These sessions will coincide with our regularly scheduled Commission meetings.

We will discuss proposed changes to Animal Management, responsible pet ownership, Code Enforcement priorities, property-owner responsibilities, and how we can create more effective and consistent processes moving forward.

Additionally, we will hold three Saturday community education sessions for residents who may not be able to attend during the week. Those dates and details will be announced soon.

Most importantly, we want you involved BEFORE implementation.

If you support the proposed direction, come learn more. If you have concerns or disagree with portions of it, we need to hear that too. If you have an idea that could make either program better, bring it to the discussion.

What are we asking from you?

Attend one session.
Ask one question.
Offer one solution.

Our process is simple:

Education → Community Input → Implementation → Accountability

Government can establish policies and enforce standards, but lasting change requires community participation.

This is our city. These are our challenges. And improving them will require all of us to be ALL IN.

My Property. My Block. Our Waycross.

King=Keep Improving. Never Give Up.

The 417 — Where We Make It Happen!!!

08/24/2026

Good afternoon, Waycross.

A quick but important traffic safety reminder: please stop at the STOP BAR—not beyond it.

Those white lines at intersections are there for a reason. When vehicles stop past the stop bar and extend into the intersection, it creates a safety concern for everyone. This is especially important along our school bus routes.

Our school buses need additional space to safely make right and left turns. Left turns can be extremely difficult when vehicles are stopped beyond the stop bar and there is not enough room for the bus to complete the turn. This can force a bus to stop or make additional adjustments in the intersection, slow traffic, create backups, and increase the potential for an accident.

This is ultimately about safety, and we all have a part to play.

A few extra feet may not seem significant when you're behind the wheel, but those few feet can make a major difference for a school bus trying to safely navigate an intersection—especially when our children are on board.

The Waycross Police Department will be sharing additional PSAs to help educate drivers about this issue. However, as we move forward, residents should also expect increased enforcement and citations for violations.

Please don't wait for a ticket to change the behavior.

Stop at the bar. Leave room for the turn. Protect our children. Keep traffic moving safely.

Small actions behind the wheel can prevent serious consequences.

Safety is everyone's responsibility.

Keep Improving. Never Give Up.

The 417 — Where We Make It Happen!!!