Fixing roads, raises for public workers: What Macon mayor had to say in community address

Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller highlighted significant recent accomplishments for the city Tuesday while delivering his latest “State of the Community” address, including a focus on recent developments like the Atrium Health Amphitheater and other new construction projects.

Miller, who’s up for reelection this year, spoke to a crowd of more than 700 people at a ticketed event held by the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, according to Jessica Walden, president and CEO of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce.

Miller said Macon-Bibb County is seeing an improvement of millions of dollars in economic growth, and he wants to keep focusing public money on rebuilding the community and improving the pay of public employees.

Macon focused on knocking down blighted buildings

Miller focused on key points such as the “blight fight” initiative that aims to remove several abandoned and blighted buildings in Macon. Miller announced that Wednesday, the county will demolish its 700th blighted building since starting the initiative in April 2021.

He also spoke about the efforts being made with the Ocmulgee National Park and Reserve initiative.

Miller addressed the developments being made in the East Macon area, calling attention to new building developments being lined up in the area, such as the East Bank Development and the Centreplex.

“Think about the children walking in their neighborhoods, walking to school that no longer have to walk by those blighted structures that are falling in, that have crime happening in them, and wonder why their streets have been left behind,” he said. “They can see their new day because we are removing the blight from the past, showing them that we care and helping provide them with a better view of their future.”

Pay raises planned for Macon-Bibb employees

Miller said he planned to increase the salaries for not only county employees in public safety but for county employees across the board.

“You know, a lot of times (we) hear about public safety and we love and appreciate all our men and women who work in those positions,” he said. “But we are going to make sure this year, you’ll see it in my budget in just another week or two, that we are going to make to make way for raises for all employees throughout our county positions.”

Mayor: More money will go toward fixing Macon roads

Miller mentioned a plan to make signficant progress in repaving Macon’s roads.

“We are going to pave more roads in the next several years than have been paved in the last 50 years,” he said.

Miller emphasized that since 2021 the county has gone from $3 million dollars a year to $14 million dollars in tourism and that last year the county set a record-breaking $15 million for sports tourism.

Miller is the second mayor of Macon-Bibb County’s consolidated government and was the community’s first new mayor in 13 years when he was elected.

Since taking office, Miller has started and maintained a variety of initiatives aimed at keeping streets and neighborhoods clean of trash and blighted structures, preventing violent crime, offering free mental health services, providing a warm place to sleep, and offering resources for those dealing with housing insecurity, according to information provided by the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce.