Community Development

community development

Mission

The Adel Community Development Department’s mission is to ensure courteous, consistent, dependable, and trustworthy public service through quality management oversight of the department in the effective performance of duties and responsibilities in three primary areas: planning, economic development/redevelopment and historic preservation in addition to the Department’s support of other city departments, boards and committees.

vision

To foster a vibrant, prosperous and growing the City of Adel through extraordinary community development.

What is community development?

Community development is a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems. Community wellbeing (economic, social, environmental and cultural) often evolves from this type of collective action being taken at a grassroots level. Community development ranges from small initiatives within a small group to large initiatives that involve the broader community.

Effective community development should be:

A long-term endeavor
Well planned
Inclusive and equitable
Initiated and supported by the community members
Of benefit to the community
Grounded in experience that leads to best practices

Community development is a grassroots process by which communities:

Become more reasonable
Organize and plan together
Develop healthy lifestyle options
Empower themselves
Reduce poverty and suffering
Create employment and economic opportunities
Achieve social, economic, cultural, and environmental goals

Community Development seeks to improve quality of life. Effective community development results in mutual benefit and shared responsibility among community members. Such development recognizes:

The diversity of interests within the community
Its relationship to building capacity
Community development helps to build

1st annual community clean up

This event was sponsored by the City of Adel, the Adel Housing Task Force, and the Public Works Street Department. A total of 95 calls were received and resulted in 176 tons of leaves and limbs, 16 tons of landfill items, and 122 used tires being removed from our community. The success of the Community CleanUp has ensured that it will be held every year from now on!

special projects

Applied for HUD Community Home Investment Program (CHIP) Grant and received $306,000 for rehabilitation of houses in the target area. (See Press Release from DCA).
Created an active Housing Task Force.
Created a Parking Plan to create more parking downtown.
Applied for a Community Development Block Grant to correct storm water run-off in areas of the city.
Developed a Housing Study
Applied for a Historic Preservation Grant to refurbish the old post office building.
South Central Area Regional Radio System Grant ($9.5 million)
Applied for Rural Zone Incentive Program which targets rural downtown areas that have been adversely impacted by local economic conditions by creating Rural Zones and offering economic development incentives.
Urban Redevelopment Plan - March 3, 2020

available sites & buildings

There are no city-owned houses, buildings or lots for sale at this time.

Randy Lane: Community Development Director, Audie Rowe, Rhonda Rowe: Assistant City Manager, Tammy Cowart, Rene Cowart: Adel Electric Superintendent. Attending a conference with the Electric Cities of Georgia on Economic and Community Development.

director responsibilities

The Community Development Director facilitates community planning initiatives through identifying and creating development opportunities. He conducts research and offers recommendations about community development opportunities. The Director maintains a working knowledge of current trends, best practices and completes Special Projects for the City Manager as needed. The Director also oversees the Rural Zone Designation, Georgia Initiative for Community Housing Team, CHIP Grant, Urban Redevelopment Plan and the Adel City Marshal's office.

City Marshal Michael Fox

Michael Fox is a veteran Law Enforcement Officer with over 25 years experience. Prior to being appointed as Adel City Marshal he retired from Lowndes County Sheriff's Office.

Michael is also retired from the United States Army with the honor of being recalled twice from retirement in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

contact us

Community Development
Randy Lane, Director
125 S Hutchinson Avenue
Adel, GA 31620
229- 237-8983 cell
229-507-2716 office
229-896-1430 fax
Hours: M-F 8:00am-5:00pm