Seven more dirt streets in Waycross will be paved in the coming year after the Waycross City Commission approved a contract last week for the work.
Commissioners accepted a bid of $979,600 from Thrift Brothers, LLC for the project in Fiscal Year 2026. The resolution was one of two passed during their bi-monthly meeting Tuesday, September 15.
The other resolution approved declared as surplus a group of items acquired by the Waycross Police Department, including 20 bicycles to be donated to a local church for repair and distribution. The other items will be sold on govdeals.com.
In other action, Business Integration and Information Systems Director Patrick Simmons introduced members of the Mayor’s Youth Council for 2025-26. Also, Anna Lineras, an accounting clerk in the Finance Department, was honored as the City Employee of the Month for September.
District 2 Commissioner Sheinita Bennett, the Mayor Pro Tem, conducted the meeting in the absence of Mayor Michael-Angelo James. The three other commissioners were present.
This paving project is part of the on-going effort to provide paved roads throughout the city. The bid from the Waycross firm — one of two received for the work — will handle work on Barbara, Deputy, Hamilton, Holiday, and Johanna streets as well as James and Satilla lanes.
The second resolution allowed the bikes to be given to Grace Episcopal Church while the remaining items would be sold to the highest bidder on the website. Among them were an air compressor, Stihl leaf/grass blower and a Echo weedeater.
The new members of the Mayor’s Council are high school students from all four grades.
The 12 new members are Lennox Holder, Christian Chilson, Isabel Fernandez, Jared Bess, Tessa Dial, Tayshaun Franklin, Jewell Anderson, Kinley Taylor, Paula Gomez, Johntasia White, Uriah Benefield, and Mackenzie Tarver. City Tourism Clerk Jadee McCloskey and Simmons are mentors.
“We look forward to working with each of you to improve Waycross, strengthen community engagement, and enhance your knowledge of how local government operates — and how you can contribute to making a difference,” Simmons said in introducing the group.
This is the second class to participate in the program, which was initiated by Mayor James and approved by the City Commission two years ago.
Linares has been a member of the Finance Department staff for two years, working primarily in utility billing and customer service. She was introduced at the meeting by Utility Supervisor Nancy Davis.
“Anna is dependable, patient, kind and hardworking,” Davis said of the honoree. “We truly appreciate Anna’s dedication, her positive attitude, and her eagerness to continue learning and growing. Her bi-lingual skills play a vital role in keeping the department running smoothly. We’re so thankful you chose to join us.”
