Last month, Habitat for Humanity of The Coastal Empire and Chatham County partnered with The City of Port Wentworth to embark on a transformative journey in our city’s history. This day was more than just a groundbreaking for new homes; it marked the beginning of creating a stable and nurturing environment where families and children can thrive and build brighter futures. This groundbreaking symbolizes the hope and unity that will drive us forward as a diverse and growing community. Habitat for Humanity’s mission—"Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope"—resonates deeply with me. This mission captures the essence of what we strive for—a collective effort to uplift our neighbors and create a more inclusive, supportive environment. While change often brings concerns, this new development and the revitalization of our beautiful downtown will yield positive and lasting impacts that our community deserves. Let us embrace this opportunity to enhance our community, making Port Wentworth a place where everyone has the chance to live with security and dignity. I understand that every citizen has their own opinion, and sometimes those opinions differ from the facts. I am choosing to base my opinions on the facts and not feelings when it comes to all things concerning our great city. The facts are that we are one city, not two, and deserve equal distribution of and access to services. We have made tremendous strides recently for the good of all our citizens, and I, for one, will continue to choose unity. Let us build hope together, Port Wentworth! As a friendly reminder, I, along with our fantastic Leisure Services department, will be hosting The Heart Festival: Back to School Edition and Leisure Services Day 2024 on July 27 from 10 am – 1 pm right behind City Hall. There will be school supplies, a family resource fair, a “mom and dad still got it” challenge, and much more. Please contact me at 912-461-0635 or gnelson@portwentworthga.gov if you would like to donate or be a vendor for this community event! With Thanks, Mayor Pro Tem Gabrielle Nelson |
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On Saturday, I had the opportunity to donate time to a nonprofit, The Factory 2.0. We hosted a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for 100 Chatham County youth ages 8-14. Port Wentworth was the only city represented at the event designed to expose and encourage students to pursue STEM careers I support Chatham County native Robert DeLoach in his shared vision to provide opportunities for Chatham County students to experience STEM-related learning in hopes of igniting a passion for a lucrative career. Additionally, I challenged the youth's critical thinking skills and asked them to build the tallest free-standing structure using 75 index cards. They learned the importance of planning, teamwork, building a strong foundation, and reviewing their structure at certain points during the construction. Lastly, they learned that STEM IS FUN!!! |
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I am thrilled to share the incredible success of our Juneteenth celebration this year! With over 1,500 community members joining in, the energy was palpable and truly reflected the spirit of this significant day. The fantastic band kept everyone dancing, and the block party atmosphere brought a sense of unity and joy to our city. Juneteenth is a vital celebration of freedom and heritage, and we couldn't be more excited about the enthusiastic turnout. Your participation made this event unforgettable, and we look forward to continuing to honor this important tradition together. 2024 our city is experiencing a solid and balanced financial outlook, and it's only expected to improve in 2025. The City of Port Wentworth is witnessing an exciting increase in residential development, with over 4,000 new homes on the drawing board and a significant 7.29% growth in single-family homes completed this year. The average household income is a respectable $79,315, and the city thrives with young families with a median income of $91,700. On the commercial side, we're also seeing remarkable progress with three new hotels in the works, the success of our very own Georgia Comfort Kitchen, and a population over 15,000, with projections indicating we'll reach 20,000 residents by 2030, up from over 14,468 in 2023. Property values reflect this growth, with the city property digest reaching $954 million, demonstrating significant upticks in residential, commercial, and industrial values. Travel and hospitality sectors are booming, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, further enhancing our sales tax revenue, a trend that starkly contrasts with the economic downturns seen in other regions. Moreover, the city is diligently planning for the future, with $37 million in reserve funds earmarked for a new recreational park and an ambitious economic development sports and entertainment complex. This commitment to our community's well-being and economic resilience sets a promising stage for continued prosperity. As your Councilman, I am proud to work for you and ensure YOUR City of Port Wentworth is a landscape where all people and businesses continue to #Choose to live, experience, and thrive! |
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Welcome to Summer and what a fantastic kick-off, with an incredible Juneteenth event on Friday, June 21st, with over 1500 of our friends, neighbors and visitors alike, to celebrate the holiday and commemorate an important time in our history. Thank you to the staff and performers as this event showed the diversity of our great City and a time to celebrate and come together. At our last Council meeting, I was proud to support the City’s FY25 budget, as we continue to experience significant growth, with over 15,000 residents (the same size as Brunswick!).The FY25 budget is a testament to the City's dedication to strong fiscal management and effective operations. With a total of $81.5 million allocated across all funds, including a $51.4 million general fund, this budget is the result of thorough analysis and numerous recommendations aimed at addressing community needs within resource limitations, according to established guidelines and best practices. This year's budget continues the City’s tradition of focusing on essential services that directly benefit the community and embraces feedback from citizens to refine and improve upon past budgets and operational plans. Importantly, the City Administration, led by City Manager Steve Davis, has prioritized maintaining a balanced budget without relying on temporary sources of income for regular expenses, ensuring financial transparency, and has committed to funding vital capital projects to enhance residents' quality of life. This allows the City to provide excellent amenities, a world-class quality life and superior public safety, thanks to some of the highest salaries in the Region for our hard-working police and fire public servants. This is why we continue to see residents and businesses #ChoosePortWentworth to live, experience and thrive! |
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