TIFTON — As a first step towards kicking off the South Tifton Rehabilitation Project, the City of Tifton has made a deal to purchase half of Captain’s Point Mobile Home Park.

The announcement of the deal, which is not yet complete, was made by City Manager Pete Pyrzenski at the Nov. 7 community meeting about the project.

Pyrzenski said at the last meeting they were looking into acquiring the property, which locals said has been a consistent problem.

“I’m happy to report that we have worked out an agreement on Captain’s Point,” Pyrzenski said. “So that property is a go.”

The total acquisition area is approximately six acres. The current owner, Larry Riner, will be removing the vacant trailers and relocating two current residents, according to Pyrzenski.

He said that the funds to purchase the property will come from both SPLOST funds that were designated for property acquisition and CDBG grant funds.

“When we close, this property will be free and clear, and it will be empty,” he said.

He said that a track of property across the street from Matt Wilson School was acquired by the Tift County Board of Education, which will be removing the mobile homes from that area as well.

“The track right across the street will be cleaned out and leveled,” Pyrzenski said.

Pyrzenski said that once the city closes on the property, the redevelopment plan for South Tifton can start to move forward.

The purchase is part of a long-term, large-scale project that has been in the planning stage for several years and is now getting off the ground.

A community meeting was held in September 2017 about rehabilitating South Tifton.

Attendees were asked what the community needs are and what they would like to see. Those responses showcased issues with housing, safety and jobs.

Community members said the area needs affordable housing, better code enforcement on buildings and actual houses with yards and gardens instead of mobile home parks. Absentee landlords and/or those who don’t maintain their property was also an issue that residents brought up. Attendees suggested knocking down abandoned houses and building affordable homes that are up to code.

Residents brought up concerns about safety, and asked for infrastructure, such as lights, sidewalks, better roads and sewers. They also suggested community-based law enforcement and for officers to have a relationship with community members. There were also requests for a youth center and recreational areas for kids as well as places for supervised play and activities.

Bringing businesses back into the area was another important facet of the needs expressed.

Residents said they want to see businesses such as restaurants, stores and grocery stores to the area so that people can shop locally for necessities.

Keeping young people in the community was expressed as a concern as well.

Having a family or youth center, educational support in the home, having good jobs and positive public relations and news stories were discussed as ways that would help attract young people to the area and help convince young adults raised in the community to stay.

The plan that was created by Bruce Green Consulting was presented at the Nov. 7 meeting and highlighted these concerns.

Pyrzenski presented highlights of the plan to the attendees at the Nov. 7 meeting and said that the overall project will encompass a large area and that rehabilitating the area around Matt Wilson School is just the beginning.

“This is something we’ve been working on for a pretty good while,” said Tifton Mayor Julie Smith. “We’ve had Bruce Green (a consultant brought in to create a plan for the project) who came and set the stage for the final plan. He’s put together a beautiful plan that the city council just received last week.”

She said that she thought the community would be pleased with the plan.

“The journey always begins with a first step,” Smith said. “Sometimes that’s the hardest step, but when we’ve got a track and we know where we’re going and we know where we want to be we can get it done. It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight. It’s going to be a long haul but we’re all committed.”

Alton Pertilla, who has lived in the area since he was born, said that while it is true that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, “I think that this is beyond that single step.”

“I want to sign on to it and agree to it,” he said. “I think that this is good. I think we can get it done. What we have to look for are elements that are for this, that will empower and enable us to do it. There is going to be some opposition. That is unfortunate for them, but we can’t focus on the opposition. We have to look for people and entities who are for this.”

Pyrzenski discussed the necessity of bringing in an individual to manage the project.

Dr. Homer Day, resident and community leader, said that he felt making sure the director is a local person is important.