MOULTRIE, Ga. — The City of Moultrie presented a check Tuesday to Colquitt County Commissioners to help pay for a sound system at the Colquitt County Courthouse bell tower.

The $5,000 from the city came from proceeds of the sale of Christmas ornaments made from incandescent bulbs that had been removed from downtown Christmas lights when they were replaced by LED bulbs.

The original gear system for the courthouse bells was worn and finding someone to work on equipment of that age was difficult, Cannon said.

The new system also can play music — such as patriotic music for events honoring veterans or Christmas music — and it cost $17,000. The county’s share, $12,000 after the $5,000 donation, came from proceeds of a sales tax initiative approved by taxpayers in the 1990s for courthouse repairs.

In other action Tuesday, the county commission approved a plan for landscaping the courthouse grounds that will remove many of the crepe myrtle trees at an estimated cost of $18,700.

Plans are for a company to cut and remove trees on Feb. 17, a Sunday, when there is little activity downtown.