When Macon-Bibb County civic leaders meet, The Macon Newsroom is likely there. As is our tradition, we close out the year’s reporting with what we’ve learned to expect in 2026. The rest of this “26 for 2026” five-part series will publish December 26, 29, and January 1.
7-MWA to increase bill-paying aid
In the first weeks of 2026, the Macon Water Authority’s non-profit subsidiary is expected to at least double its charitable contributions to assist those struggling with water and sewer bills.
The Macon Water Alliance, which collects donations from Water Authority employees and others, held a called meeting Dec. 10 to hear from representatives of the Georgia’s Division of Family & Children Services and the Macon Economic Opportunity Council, or EOC, about the current demand for bill-paying assistance and their vetting process.
In 2023, the EOC received $1.9 million in federal Low Income Water Assistance Program funds, or LIWAP. EOC’s Carlton Williams said they were able to use those funds to
help more than 4,900 households but have not received further federal funding, and have gotten Macon Water Alliance funds.
The Alliance has been donating $2,500 periodically to DFCS, but the state agency did not request funds this past year, which was an apparent oversight.
Members serving on the Alliance requested a review of how payments are requested and made after the authority board heard from a struggling mother with special needs children who said DFCS had no funds available to her.
DFCS Director Tonika Keith Stephens pledged to estimate how much she feels the agency needs in 2026, and will keep records to track how the money is used.
Authority board member Elaine Lucas, who serves on the Alliance, suggested the non-profit start contributing to the EOC, which aims to break the poverty cycle by providing resources and helping break societal barriers to self-sufficiency.
They expect to make a decision on the allocation of funds at the Jan. 8 meeting.
The Alliance also spends between $17,000 and $20,000 to stock ponds and provide materials for the annual Kids Fishing Derby that introduces youngsters to the sport.
In addition to assisting the public with water bills and related repairs, the Alliance’s mission is to support education on environmental issues and fund STEM activities.
8 Downtown BID homeless outreach
Unsheltered people living and sleeping on the streets of downtown Macon will encounter a new outreach specialist in 2026.
In October, the Downtown Business Improvement District, BID) agreed to spend up to $100,000 to hire a fulltime employee to better manage and assist dozens of unhoused people who frequent the business district. The BID expects the outreach specialist to be on the job in the first quarter of the year.
Block by Block, the company that employs ambassadors to clean the streets and assist visitors, conducted an assessment of the downtown homeless population in August and concluded that the community’s outreach organizations operate in “silos” without a full-time presence in the Central Business District.
Shelters at the Brookdale Resource Center and Salvation Army are outside of the urban core.
Under the BID, downtown property owners agree to pay more in taxes for extra services to enhance public safety and cleanliness.
The district roughly includes downtown streets between Riverside Drive and Oglethorpe Street, and from Spring Street to the entrance of Carolyn Crayton Park.
9 Bibb Courthouse renovations to begin
With 2025 SPLOST collections well underway, renovating the Bibb County Courthouse is the last major project to be completed with 2018 SPLOST funds.
Macon-Bibb County has hired BTBB Architects and Warren Associates as construction manager-at-risk for a $12-$13 million makeover of the 100-year old building so that visitors, judges, staff and inmates can safely move about without interacting with one another.
Look for work to begin in 2026 after SPLOST project manager Clay Murphey said Superior Court judges signed off on plans that will be carried out in three phases beginning with secure corridors and doors for judges to safely pass from their offices to courtrooms without encountering inmates, witnesses, jurors and others.
In the second phase, the courthouse will be renovated from top to bottom with fresh paint, updated lighting, flooring and signage.
The project’s last phase shifts the sheriff’s office from the second floor to the first floor where new holding cells will be constructed for inmates awaiting court proceedings.
The current sheriff’s office near the second floor entrance on Second Street will be converted to extra lobby space where the public can queue up inside and out of the elements as they await security checks to enter the building.
On the ground level, an exterior elevator and secure sally port doors that close behind inmates before the next door opens will allow persons in custody to have their own entrance to the building.
10 Strategic Pathways with Bibb Schools and MBCIA
Fall of 2026 will mark the inaugural class of the new advanced manufacturing Strategic Pathways program to train the community’s future work force.
The Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, Bibb School System and Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce are joining forces with Central Georgia Technical College to teach skills required for the region’s manufacturers and industry.
“This program will equip students with the soft skills, the academic skills and the technical skills necessary to develop a future-ready workforce pipeline,” said Cassandra Washington, MBCIA board member and executive director of CTAE and CEO of the Hutchings Career Center. “By providing a seamless transition from the classroom to the workforce, we aim to foster a talent pipeline that can transform our community.”
The industrial authority worked with local manufacturers to determine what skills are most-needed for their businesses.
MBCIA Chair Robby Fountain said the program is more than finding students jobs but securing Macon’s future economic growth.
“This initiative represents the kind of forward-thinking partnership that strengthens our community by connecting education, industry, and opportunity,” Fountain said.
MBCIA and the Chamber plan to financially invest in the program that strives to enroll 40 students a year.
11 New sidewalks for Cherry Street
An update to downtown Macon sidewalks in the 400 block of Cherry Street is expected in the first quarter of 2026.
The Urban Development Authority recently approved a $1.1 million contract with Piedmont Construction to enhance the walkways on both sides of that block that runs from Third Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Funding for the project comes from UDA’s projects fund and revenue from the downtown Macon parking program.
Much of the sidewalk on the southwest side of the 400 block of Cherry was closed and torn up during the construction of Neel’s Lofts.
UDA plans to follow the model of sidewalk renovations that occurred years ago in the 500 block of Cherry Street between Third and Second streets.
The project must be completed by March to be ready for the Cherry Blossom Festival, UDA Executive Director Alex Morrision said.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
