5x5 Program in East Macon Finishes with Community Meeting, Neighborhood Cleanup

The second year of the City of Macon’s 5x5 Program began October 29 with focused services in East Macon and will conclude with a community meeting and neighborhood cleanup on December 1. The community meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the cleanup will begin at 12:00 p.m.

East Side Summit
City Council Representatives Rick Hutto, Elaine Lucas, and Lonnie Miley will hold an East Side Summit from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at St. Paul AME Church to discuss community improvements, needs, and concerns. A presentation by the Legacy Builders Foundation will be made about the Master Plan for the East Macon Shalom Zone; additionally representatives from the City will be able to talk about consolidation, SPLOST projects, and the SeeClickFix initiative. The Foundation will also be kicking off its STEM Math Online Tutoring Registration and College and Career Workshops. The workshops are scheduled for Union Baptist Church in February.

For media interviews, please contact Elaine Lucas at 478-257-6767 / 478-737-2829 or Rick Hutto at 478-655-4577.

Neighborhood Cleanup
Beginning at 12:00 p.m., a neighborhood cleanup along the streets near Burdell-Hunt Magnet School will be hosted by Kingdom Life. Inc., The Urban CEO, Inc., and State Representative James Beverly.

“We are hosting this initiative to be a help to the city and also to inspire others to value the community and property,” says organizer Dominique Johnson.

The 5x5 area for East Macon that has received the focus is bordered by Shurling Drive, Fort Hill Street, Emery Highway, Second Street, and Gray Highway, and the cleanup will occur along the streets near Burdell-Hunt Magnet School. This area is next to the first area that received the focused services, reflecting the City’s intent to move improve neighborhoods in a block by block approach.

“We are taking a step by step approach to improving neighborhoods in every Ward of the City by focusing the efforts of our departments and engaging the communities,” says Macon Mayor Robert Reichert. “Working together in a focused and deliberate manner, we can have a tremendous impact on the appearance and future of our City.”

For media interviews, contact Latravius Smith at 478-214-0746.

About the East Macon 5x5 Program
Between October 29 and November 30, the following services were performed in East Macon.

Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency
Raise awareness of the importance of having a plan and increase the amount of households that are prepared by assisting families with emergency preparedness plans.

Macon-Bibb County Fire Department
Provide fire preparedness education to families. Improve fire prevention and response by conducting hydrant maintenance and home inspections, checking the clarity of numerical marking of addresses, and removing debris on utility lines.

Macon Police Department
Increase awareness of and support for community policing by making contact with each household to introduce themselves and discuss their concerns.

Public Works
Cutting grass, cleaning right-of-ways, and repairing streets and sidewalks.

Central Services
Improve traffic and safety by conducting general maintenance of curbs, signage, and street lights.

Economic & Community Development
Conduct a residential code enforcement sweep.

In the first round of focused services in Ward I, the City focused its services on the area bordered by Fort Hill Street, Shurling Drive, Maynard Street, and Hall Street (see map linked below) and was able to:

• remove about 18,000 pounds of debris and municipal solid waste and 50 tires weighing about 1,900 pounds;
• paint more than 8,000 feet of curbs, more than 200 feet of cross walks and stop bares, and 14 sign posts;
• install 52 new street signs, 22 new sign posts, 18 new signs for the Rosa Jackson Center;
• replace 150 feet of fence at the Rosa Jackson Center;
• and more.

Additionally, the Macon Police Department conducted a five-week focused outreach program that included conducting routine patrols, distributing crime prevention tips to stores and businesses, conducting Knock and Talks with residents, working with the Neighborhood Watch Program, and more.

About the 5x5 Program
The 5x5 Program is a process for the City of Macon to enhance and target services in a five block area for five weeks. Along with the targeted services, the City strives to engage the community by asking for assistance on projects and hosting events to build a sense of ownership in the improvement process.

“This process stresses coordination among the City Council, the community, the Mayor’s Office, and City Departments,” says Keith Moffett with the City of Macon. “The goal is not only to clean up portions of the city; we want to bring people together.”