Update From
Tybee’s Mayor
By Mayor Jason Buelterman
As we approach the holidays, I wanted to give everyone an update on a few
important projects.
Highway 80 from the Bull River Bridge to the Lazaretto Creek Bridge was
supposed to be re-paved by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)
this fall. It has been delayed to the springtime due to a delay in another project on
I-16 that took longer than the contractor expected. The project cannot be done
in the winter due to the need to pave when the temperature is warmer. We have
been assured by GDOT that the project will be done at night so as to avoid traffic
interruptions. The pavement will be raised almost a foot in some lower areas
to reduce the odds of road closures due to flooding. GDOT is considering some
changes to the way the lanes are marked. If we hear more, we will let everyone
know so you can provide input.
Tybee citizens and Tybee YMCA staff were recently put on a committee that
was tasked with suggesting improvements at Jaycee Park. They came up with
some excellent recommendations. For example, they suggested providing shade
elements at the playground and repurposing the basketball court into one or
more pickle ball courts. These ideas were shared with the public at a meeting
on November 13th, held specifically for the purpose of obtaining input from the
pubic so stakeholders could share their thoughts, opinions and suggestions on
the committee’s plans. After this input is received, modifications to the plan will
be made if needed and final plans will be presented to City Council. The goal is
to enhance the recreational aspects of the Park while not in any way detracting
from the feel of Jaycee Park. It is one of the most beautiful parks in the country
and we certainly do not want to detract from the wonderful work that was done
by those who designed the Park decades ago.
The landscaping in the median on Highway 80 between the Lazaretto Creek
Bridge and Byers was damaged by both Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. Salt
water killed many of the grasses that were planted a few years ago and the
Crepe Myrtles that had been there for decades. We obtained a permit from GDOT
in late October and will put the project out to bid soon. Back in June, we placed
sufficient funds in the budget to pay for a complete make-over of the median.
Our goal is to have the project completed by springtime. The new plants will be
drought tolerant and more resistant to the elements. This median is one of the
first things we all see when we come onto the Island and we want to make the
entrance to Tybee something we can all be proud of. Kudos to Councilwoman
Wanda Doyle for leading the charge on this.
Congratulations to the Tybee Youth Council for hosting the first ever Georgia
Youth Council Symposium a few weeks ago! Over 70 young people from all
over the State met on Tybee to discuss issues facing youth in Georgia. They met
in structured discussions to come up with ideas and solutions to some of our
pressing problems. They also learned about how politics and government works
at the ground level by hearing from mayors and city council members from the
area. Many thanks to the Georgia Municipal Association for helping to make this
happen. Thanks also to Tybee IGA, Huc-A-Poos and Hotel Tybee for generously
supporting this event. And thanks to Councilman Monty Parks for donating his
time as a deejay to make it even more fun for the kids. Finally, thanks to our Clerk,
Jan Leviner, for her leadership on this initiative. It will become an annual event
hosted by cities with youth councils all over the state and it was through Jan’s
work that this opportunity will be provided for all of these great kids.
Our City Manager, Dr. Shawn Gillen, and I look forward to speaking at the
Chatham County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s transportation board
meeting on December 12th at 10am about the need to fast track the replacement
of the Lazaretto Creek and Bull River bridges. This organization makes important
decisions about how to use monies allocated to our region by the Federal and
State governments for transportation projects. If you want to show your support
for this endeavor, the meeting is open to the public. They meet at 110 East State
Street in downtown Savannah.
Enjoy the holidays! As always, feel free to contact me should you have any
questions, concerns or suggestions. I can be reached on my cell at 912.844.8427
or via email at jbuelterman@cityoftybee.org.
40 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | DEC 2018
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Michael
David
Jacobs
By Kim Voigt
August 29, 1946 – October 21, 2018 (age72)
Michael David Jacobs was born in 1946 in Savannah and moved to Tybee
as a child.
Mikie was a regular at many eating establishments back in the day, especially
the counter at Breakfast Club so he could catch up with the local guy’s gossip.
He also loved Mexican food, the hotter the better. If you were lucky enough to
be his guest, you were prepared for him to whip out his sweat rag, kept handy
for such occasions. He was known to often return birthday gifts, in order to
purchase a buffet lunch and movie tickets.
Mikie also had an appetite for travel, and left many times to find himself,
which actually got him as far as Macon once, only to return to Tybee. He was
also one to give you the shirt off his back, and likely would request it back,
but only if you could spare it. You could find him down on 16th Street parking
lot, reading the newspaper before the dunes got too big to see the ocean, or
listening to music in the back yard, drinking a cold beer. Mikie laughed at
himself easily and believed Jesus laughed harder. Humor got him by, when all
else failed.
Mikie, you will be missed terribly on Tybee.
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