Officials will be questioned

Columbia County citizens will be able to express their opinions to county commissioners face to face at a Town Hall Meeting on Monday night sponsored by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Savannah Rapids Pavilion on Evans-to-Locks Road.

"They have three major issues that they are concerned with and want citizen input. They do not want to make decisions in a vacuum," said Dr. Chris Noah, event organizer and a member of the chamber's government affairs committee.

The commissioners are looking for input on the county's possible participation in paying for a new arena in Richmond County, Fort Gordon issues including base realignment and closure and the new library that is under construction.

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The meeting is based on the structure of the pre and post-legislative breakfasts the chamber hosts with state legislators annually.

"it is the perfect place for (dialogue)," Noah said. "This is right where it starts right at the local level and works up. I think it is great."

After each commissioner speaks briefly about their district, the floor will be opened up for a question and answer session. Citizens can voice concerns to the commissioners face to face or they can fill out a question card with a concern they may not want to voice aloud.

Most people cannot attend commission meetings and reaching a commissioner can be difficult a most have regular jobs, too, Noah said.

"(Citizens can bring up) anything that comes to mind - it is just another opportunity," Noah said.

For more information, call Terra Jones at the chamber at 651-0018.