Macon to look at county consolidation

Macon officials plan to open talks with those of Bibb County about the possibility of consolidation of city and county governments. Macon mayor Robert Reichert says the election of a new county commission chairman is opening the door on discussions. He says incoming chair Sam Hart is open to the idea of consolidation, unlike his predecessor Charlie Bishop. A recent survey of city and county residents showed 49-percent in favor of the idea--it was more popular with city residents. Examples of merged city-county governments in the state include Augusta-Richmond, and Columbus-Muscogee.

Macon Mayor calls for good behavior

Macon Mayor, Robert Reichert, is calling on his city's residents to be patient and cordial on this Election Day. The mayor went on to say that no matter which political party is successful , there will be people who are "jubilant and excited" as well as those who will be "disappointed and fearful." Recently Macon law enforcement officials met to come up with a plan of action for this Election Day, but hope they will not have any significant problems.

NAACP calls for curfew

The Macon branch of the NAACP wants people under age 25 off Macon’s streets by 9:00 at night. Officials say drastic measures are needed in the wake of several shootings last weekend. They call the surge in gun crime a community emergency. Police suspect some of the shootings are gang-related. However, Macon Mayor Robert Reichert does not believe a curfew would be enforceable although he agrees the situation requires immediate attention.

Macon tornado clean up continues

Scenes of the tornado cleanup in Macon: a wood chipper grinds through debris, as a backhoe digs through hills of fallen trees nearby. (Josephine Bennet)

Macon Mayor Robert Reichert is urging residents to be patient. Nearly two months after an F-2 tornado crisscrossed its way through the city the cleanup continues.

Original predictions by the Federal Emergency Management Agency underestimated the amount of debris left by the storm. Reichert says 250 truckloads a day are being brought to a large dump site located near a paper mill operated by Graphic Packaging. The paper mill is recycling some of the debris. FEMA regulations say all trucks must be weighed and counted.

"We've got thousands of dump truck loads to gather up and bring here. Thousands of them. Each load has to be monitored to be sure that it is filled and appropriately packed because FEMA regulations require that the loads be monitored."

The mayor says it will be up to 60 days before they are finished. He says some of the wood waste is being turned into mulch. That mulch will eventually be available free of charge to residents.

Original estimates put the cost of debris removal at 1.2 million dollars. That figure is expected to rise.

Curfew imposed in Macon, Bibb counties

Macon and Bibb County are under a curfew as of 8 p.m. this evening until 6 a.m. Monday morning, Mayor Robert Reichert said at a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Law enforcement, medical and government administrative personnel are exempt from the curfew, and officials will allow residents to go home or to work, according to Andrew Blascovich, Reichert's director of external affairs. But Blascovich requested residents,

"...try to be cognizant of the areas that have been hard hit, and try to avoid them unless it's absolutely necessary," he said.

Reichert told reporters that the curfew was imposed to protect public safety, businesses and residences damaged by the severe weather. Authorities will decide Monday whether to extend the curfew, according to Macon.com.

Bibb County schools will be closed on Monday, according to Schools Superintendent Sharon Patterson, speaking at the press conference.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the storms that swept through the state overnight.