On Wednesday, May 13, at 3:00 p.m. Mayor Lester Miller will hold a press conference to announce the new Macon Good Neighbors program, an effort to better connect people and neighborhoods with government and community agency services. The press conference will be held at the new gazebo behind the Kings Park Community Center (3282 Kingston Court) and will be broadcast live at www.facebook.com/maconbibbcounty.

“As I said at this year’s State of the Community, no matter what we do – whether it’s fixing roads, improving facilities, building housing, removing blight – we remain focused on the most important aspect: people,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “By starting the Macon Good Neighbors program, we are connecting people directly with the resources they say they need and helping them build stronger communities.”

“This is about listening to people and hearing what they want and need on a daily basis,” says Jerry Battle, Neighborhood Program Coordinator. “We want to have a focused, coordinated effort that takes care of what people need and makes a noticeable difference in their quality of life, all while bringing them closer to each other.”

The program began several months ago in the Kings Park neighborhoods and has now expanded to include Unionville and Houston Avenue, and it is preparing to begin outreach efforts in Payne City.

In Kings Park, Battle created a list of needs from the neighborhood association and worked with the departments to make sure each was completed, including fixing or cleaning signage, assessing lighting needs, removing dead trees and planting new ones, street sweeping, and more. Over the course of several weeks, Battle and the Solid Waste Department coordinated special days for collecting large furniture and other debris. More long-term projects include resurfacing the basketball court, installing new playground equipment, and building a new gazebo for neighborhood gatherings.

“This is our moment – Macon’s Moment – to build all people up and give them the tools and quality of life to join us in moving the entire community forward together,” adds Mayor Miller.