Progress continues to be made in the recovery efforts in Columbia County following Hurricane Helene.
Power update
On Monday, Sept. 30, County Manger Scott Johnson provided an update to residents on several different topics. He said power is continuing to come back to the county and that while Georgia Power has given a target date of Oct. 5, it’s coming back online faster than that.
“I’m not going to promise you anything faster than that, but folks, they are working diligently, and I really think you can start seeing power come on sooner rather than later, which is great news,” Johnson said. “Some of you asked about Jefferson Electric. We did reach out to Jefferson Electric. They are a little bit further behind with their stuff. Rural power is a little tougher. In some cases they do have extra crews coming in, but it could be over a week for Jefferson Electric, Jefferson Energy people that are in Columbia County. We’ll try to continue to keep you updated on that piece.”
Johnson was at the press conference held Monday morning by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, state leaders and commissioners of different state agencies.
“They understand the devastation here in Columbia County. They understand the devastation in the area and what we need,” Johnson said. “They are working very, very hard to get us everything we need. Thank you to Gov. Kemp and our First Lady Marty Kemp for everything you’re doing for Georgia and these state agencies that are involved. (I) had the opportunity to speak with our GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency) director (John Stallings) this morning, the colonel of the state patrol, also our Insurance Commissioner John King, Attorney General Chris Carr, everybody in attendance. They are working hard to get us everything we need.”
MORE: Augusta Commission fills vacant positions, hires debris firms in storm’s aftermath
Columbia County specific update
As for what is specifically happening in Columbia County, Johnson said the county transit buses are now providing transportation to Patriots Park for those who need it for shelter. Those who need it are asked to call 706-556-0807, and a transit van will pick you up to take you to the shelter.
As for county events, Johnson said the county is closed and will be for a while. So, if anyone had a reservation at Wildwood, Savannah Rapids Pavilion or the Exhibition Center, the county is working on contacting them about it.
“A lot of those are going to have to be canceled and rescheduled,” Johnson said. “If we owe you a refund, we’ll give you a refund. We just can’t fulfill those reservations at this time.”
Information for restaurants
For restaurants that have power come back, they will need a heath department inspection, Johnson said.
“We’ve been in contact with the health department. You can go ahead and open your restaurant. Go ahead and do that now,” Johnson said. “We need to be able to feed our citizens. They understand that. There’s only a handful of them that are going to be doing these inspections. But if you own a restaurant or run a restaurant in Columbia County and your power is back on, you need an inspection. I’m going to ask you to call 311 and give us the restaurant name and address, and we’ll get you on a list and we’ll make sure the inspectors get you on a list to get you what you need to be able to continue to sere the public.”
MORE: Storm latest: Augusta under boil water advisory
Other updates
When it comes to gas stations, Johnson said they are also coming back online after power is restored.
“A lot of gas stations have run out of gas, but shipments are on the way,” Johnson said. “The supply chain is opening up and things are getting better every day.”
From Monday morning to the afternoon, Johnson said the county has managed to open another 100 roads and that progress is continuing on clearing the roads.
He also addressed a rumor about why he is giving the updates and not the Columbia County EMA director.
“Last, but not least, I had somebody reach out, and I just wanted to dispel this rumor: ‘why is the county manager giving these updates, where’s our EMA director,'” Johnson said. “Shawn Granato is our EMA director. He’s doing an amazing job. He’s in our emergency operations center, where he needs to be, directing all the emergency activities of this county. He is the person behind the scenes getting all this stuff done. We’re just here trying to give you updates, trying to make sure we get the job done for you and understand everybody in columbia county is doing their job right now to make sure you have everything you need.”
For those in Columbia County who want to volunteer their time and resources to help residents, Columbia County government said they can contact 706-312-7293.
County offices
Columbia County government offices and libraries will remain closed through Wednesday, Oct. 4, according to an announcement from the county. The Clerk of Court, Clerk of Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, the District Attorney’s office and Superior Court will also remain closed through Wednesday, Oct. 2.
“This decision comes as crews continue to assess and address the impacts of the storm, including widespread power outages that affect our ability to serve the community effectively. The safety and well-being of our residents and staff are our top priorities. We understand the challenges posed by the current situation and appreciate your patience as we work to restore normal operations. Residents are encouraged to stay informed through the county’s official social media channels for updates on service availability and recovery efforts,” said the county in a statement.
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 1 has been canceled and all items on the agenda will be heard at the Oct. 15 meeting. The Columbia County Planning Commission meeting for Thursday, Oct. 3 has also been canceled. The items on the agenda will be moved to the Oct. 17 meeting.
The Oliver Hardy Festival, which was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5, has been canceled due to Hurricane Helene, said a comment from The Harlem Museum and Welcome Center Home of the Laurel and Hardy Museum on Facebook.
Visit georgiapower.com to see an up to date outage map.
