Political Notebook: Bibb County property tax deadline is Monday
If you haven't paid your 2015 property taxes in Bibb County, the deadline is Monday.
To avoid interest, payments must be in the Bibb County Tax Commissioner's Office or postmarked by Nov. 16, Tax Commissioner Wade McCord said in a news release.
Payments can be made in person at the tax office at 188 Third St., online at www.maconbibb.us/tax-commissioner, by mail at P.O. Box 4724, Macon, GA 31208, or dropped in the office's night deposit box, located in the first lane of the office's drive-thru.
MACON-BIBB BLIGHT MEETING
As part of Macon-Bibb County's efforts to attack neighborhood blight and spur revitalization, Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Bert Bivins is inviting residents of District 5 to a blight forum Monday.
Bivins will show the community a series of pictures focusing on blight in their neighborhoods before asking them where Macon-Bibb County should begin its work. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. at Bethel CME Church, 1668 Pio Nono Ave., according to a news release.
"Blight in our neighborhoods impacts the entire community, and we need to focus our money to make the improvements that the residents want," Bivins said.
Earlier this year, the commission approved $1 million in bond funds to go to each commissioner's district to attack blight, and Bivins -- who is also chairman of the commission's Ad Hoc Blight Committee -- is seeking the community's input on the best way to spend the funds in District 5.
GABEO MEETING
The Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials will hold a board of directors meeting on Macon on Saturday.
The meeting will take place from 9 a.m.-noon at the Macon-Bibb County Government Center, 700 Poplar St. It is being held as GABEO reorganizes after its former president, Tyrone Brooks, was sentenced this week to prison after being convicted of fraud.
PEAKE ON MARIJUANA
State Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, said the outcome of the statewide vote on legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana in Ohio doesn't change the way he thinks medical marijuana should roll out in Georgia. Peake said a popular vote on marijuana would only distract from his core goal of medical cannabis expansion.
"When you get into a ballot situation like what there was in Florida or in Ohio, it gets out of control and that's why you end up losing the vote," he said.
Instead, what Peake said he will work for in Georgia is a Legislature-led effort to create a very restricted cannabis industry. "I think you'll see a regulated industry similar to what we have in the liquor industry where there's a limited amount of distributors," Peake said.
PERDUE ANNOUNCES NEW FIELD REP
U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., announced Friday that a former insurance agency founder and candidate for Air Force Officer Training School will be his Middle Georgia field representative, according to a news release.
Jay Smith will represent the senator at events and meetings in 20 counties including Baldwin, Bibb, and Houston.
"Jay is uniquely qualified for this position," Perdue said in the release. "His working knowledge of military affairs, small business and the Middle Georgia community make him an ideal representative for my office."
Smith said he looks forward to serving people in the area.
"It is an incredible opportunity to represent Sen. Perdue in his hometown and around Middle Georgia," Smith said.
To reach Perdue's field team, call the Atlanta office at 404-865-0087.
GPB's Grant Blankenship and Telegraph writer Stanley Dunlap compiled this report.
This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 10:18 PM with the headline "Political Notebook: Bibb County property tax deadline is Monday ."